Category Archives: Self Care

Holistic Health, Nature's Rhythms, Self Care

A Winter’s Tale: Does Your Winter Mood Need A Lift?

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Enough is enough! Yesterday was a day of bitingly cold winds, hail showers and snowfalls on the nearby ranges. Eleven weeks in and I am over Winter. This is no longer Winter Wonderland Magic.

I was chatting to a man in the supermarket register queue last night as he added some gorgeous coral coloured roses to his pile of groceries. He said he just needed some warm colours around his house to remind him that winter would not go on forever, that spring is nearly here. I felt so inspired, I bought some too!

Winter is eleven weeks in now and it seems we are all feeling over it. The joy of curling up with a warm drink, cosy slippers and a heat pack in front of a movie or with an engrossing book is past. I want to go outside without rugging up, to plant my spring vegetables, to enjoy a salad again, to get to the end of the day without cold feet and to enjoy some sunny evenings.

Winter Relief Practices

Even though we’re at the tail end of winter this is the time that Winter Blues shows up for many people, as the accumulated stresses of winter start to affect them. These days winter blues are recognised as a disorder known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which is caused by a lack or not sufficient sunlight.

To help get us over that last hump in the winter road and to keep us going until the warmer days of spring arrive, I’ve gathered some ideas to help lift our spirits as winter heads on out.

First up, a couple of warm drinks with a difference. I love herbal teas and I have a whole cupboard devoted to their storage, the tea cupboard. But, even with my wide choice, as well as the basic green tea back-up, I’m bored.

Here are a few new yummy hot drink ideas I have come across to spice things up when tea just doesn’t cut it any more

Hot chocolate!  Chocolate is a mild stimulant and if you choose your chocolate wisely you also get all the benefits of antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamins and minerals. Here are two DELICIOUS chocolatey drinks to warm your insides and your mood.

Piping Hot Choc Winter Smoothie

The first is from Tara Bliss at Such Different Skies

hot choc smoothie

This Piping Hot Choc Winter Smoothie is thick, creamy, decadent and not-naughty.

Ingredients
  • 1 banana
  • 1 heaped Tablespoon raw cacao (don’t use drinking chocolate or cocoa…it’s absolutely worth GETTING some Raw Cacao INSTEAD)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon chia seeds
  • 2 medjool dates or some honey
  • 1 cup boiling water OR warm almond milk OR dandelion tea

Add peanut butter, oats, cinnamon, coconut or maca for extra yum.

 Blend, Pour, Guzzle Buzz.

Superfood Haute Chocolate

haute hotchocoalte

This super recipe is from Sarah Britton at My New Roots

Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons raw cacao powder
  • 2 teaspoons maca powder
  • 1 Tablespoon coconut sugar
  • Pinch sea salt
  • Pinch cinnamon powder
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • Pinch ginger powder
  • Small piece vanilla bean, scraped (optional)
  • 1½ cups milk of your choice or water

Boil water or warm milk on the stove and let cool slightly. If using raw nut milk do not heat above 42ْ C

Whisk in dry ingredients. Serve immediately with a cinnamon stick, if desired.

Not only is this hot choc yummy, but all the spices are wonderfully warming circulation stimulants to warm you through to the fingertips and toes.

Dandelion Chai

This Spiced Dandelion Root Tea is not only warming and delicious, it’s also great for your liver.

Ingredients
  • 1 teaspoon -1 dessertspooon organic roast dandelion root per cup.
  • 1 cinnamon stick (or a pinch of cinnamon powder)
  • Ginger root, chopped up with the skin left on

Add any of these spices to taste: star anise, bay leaf, black peppercorns, green cardamom seeds slightly crushed, cloves, dried orange peel, dried raspberry leaf, fennel seeds, peppercorns, vanilla bean, licorice root.

Place all ingredients and water in a pot, bring to boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Add some honey and your milk of choice if desired.

You can keep any leftover in the fridge and add water and reuse.

It tastes great black, but may be too strong for if you are not used to it.

Lemon and Ginger Tea

Aug 22 040

Home Made Lemon and Ginger Tea is so easy to make and head and shoulders better than any from a tea bag.

Ingredients
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • Juice of ½-1 lemon (about 60ml)
  • 2.5cm piece ginger root, grated
  • A couple of spoons (or more) of honey to taste

Add the ginger to the boiling water. Simmer in an open pan for about 15 minutes. Add the lemon juice and the honey to the ginger water. Strain into your cup.

Or you can add all the ingredients to the water and pour into a thermos and let the mix sit for 20 minutes before straining and drinking.

This is a great choice if you are still trying to throw off a winter cough. The lemon is high in vitamin C to boost your immune system. Ginger and honey also help the immune system.

Rooibos

Rooibos, sometimes called red tea, is a tea with so many health benefits. It comes from South Africa and has a fairly robust flavour. We recently tried one with added honey and it was very popular at work.

Colour Your Surroundings

Looking out the window at the pots of flowers on my deck, it struck me that the  colours of late winter are lavender, the colour of the rosemary in full flower, and golden yellow, think daffodils. Bringing a bunch of winter daffs in for your desk or kitchen bench brightens your mood immediately, reminding you the season is about to change. Yellow is the colour of spring and it is considered cheerful and optimistic.

Many studies show that the colours you surround yourself with have a great impact on your state of mind. In the Stadium at the University of Iowa, the visiting team’s locker rooms are painted all-pink and have been for thirty years, because pink is a tranquil colour that is known to calm and pacify. If the Home Team then painted their own locker rooms red, which stimulates a faster heart rate and breathing, they would no doubt benefit from an emotional energy boost.

Using colour is a great way to lift your mood and one very simple way to use colour is to swap a bright cheerful coloured silk scarf for your woolly, black winter scarf. If you live in Melbourne like me, of course you have a black scarf! Avoid blue because it lowers the pulse rate and body temperature.

Beat SAD With Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a wonderful mood lifter and if you are feeling a bit low taking a quality vitamin D supplement is a great move. In many parts of the world it is almost impossible to get sufficient sun exposure to meet your needs during the winter. Vitamin D is involved in so many body functions. But when your mood drops at this time of the year it becomes very obvious that you may have a deficiency of this important vitamin. It’s worth getting your blood levels tested with a simple blood test, as then you’ll be able to calculate how much vitamin D supplement you need to take.  Optimum levels are >75 nmol/L. If your levels are significantly lower than this as a large part of the populations are even here in ‘sunny Australia’, you’ll need to take quite a bit of supplement to bring the levels up again.

Feel Better with Vitamin B

Another vitamin that plays a crucial role in keeping up good spirits are the B group of vitamins. Vitamin B deficiency is linked to a range of emotional disorders as well as many other body functions. Opt for 50mg daily of a Vitamin B-complex rather than selecting individual B vitamins as these vitamins work much better synergistically when all the ‘B’s’ are present.

Other supplements that are critical in dealing with depression and mood disorders are selenium, magnesium and iron. A multi vitamin and multi mineral can address any deficiency you may have.

Social Support

Socialising is a great way to pick up your mood. Maybe this is the time to do something out of the ordinary with your friends. Hold a fondue party, or dust off the board games, particularly the ones you loved as a child, like Twister, Pictionary, Monopoly or Charades. Or combine a pot-luck night with a game night. Or maybe your friends would enjoy a ‘Funny-Home Video’ night or a karaoke night.

Get Out

Even though it is cold try and get outside for some exercise. It is tough to exercise in the winter, and arriving home in the evening just as the sun goes down and the cold closes in is not much incentive to head out to the gym or go out for a walk. But exercise goes a long way towards relieving the stress of the day. The endorphins released during exercise improve your mood and help you sleep, and the effects can last for a number of hours.

Step Up Your Diet

One problem of the colder weather for many people is that they crave starchy or sweet foods more than normal which increases their blood sugar levels, making them feel blue. Remember that the foods you eat have a strong influence on your mood. A poor diet causes imbalance in your body and makes you feel worse.

Add more fruits and vegetables, including raw food as much as possible. Use complex grains, organic meats when you can and eggs and ignore those cravings for white flour and sugars.

Light It Up

Natural light is one of the best ways to avoid the blues and to lift your spirits. You can now get full spectrum light globes and there are energy saving versions available. They provide the full range of natural light from infra-red to ultra-violet. The benefits are well established, and they reduce many health problems such as headaches, nausea and fatigue.

In your home open the curtains wide to let the sun stream in on any day that is a little warmer, particularly where you cannot install full spectrum light globes.

Freshen Indoors

After being closed up for months on end houses get stale. Freshen up your surroundings and your mood at the same time with essential oils. There are some oils that have anti-depressant properties including bergamot, lavender, geranium, jasmine and clary sage.  Others that are good mood lifters are sweet orange, neroli, and ylang ylang.

Using high quality essential oil in an aromatherapy diffuser releases them into the air in the form of water vapour, which is the best way for them to spread through your home. You can also add them to a bath (or a foot bath) or add a few drops to a carrier oil and use as a massage oil.

Here’s to the arrival of spring…

Copy of daffodils

 

Disclaimer.

All information and opinions presented here are for information purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before following any of the treatment suggested on this site, particularly if you have an ongoing health issue. 

Source articles

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=341

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Natural Remedies & Homeopathy, Sleep, Uncategorized

Do You Dream Of Dreaming…If Only You Could Fall Sleep?

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It seems almost everyone I’ve spoken to over the past week has had problems sleeping, whether it’s in getting to sleep, waking during the night or, for those that are sleeping, having vivid crazy dreams. Insomnia, or sleeplessness, can be either an inability to fall asleep or waking up through the night before the expected waking time. As anyone who has ever experienced a poor night’s sleep knows, the impact of sleeplessness shows up the next day as a reduced ability to concentrate, lethargy, and fragile emotions.

The body actually requires sleep just as it does water, food and oxygen in order to function. Without sleep we would literally go crazy. When insomnia is long term, more than 3-4 weeks, it can have a major impact on our health, leading to memory problems, depression, irritability, with an increased risk of heart disease.

Tossing and turning for hours on end, worrying about not being able to get to sleep, or being unable to switch off can be very frustrating, and can even worsen the insomnia. The more you try to sleep, the more frustrated you get and the harder sleep becomes.

For many people insomnia is an ongoing issue that has some pretty big repercussions on their life. While it can be caused by many things, for a large number it is often the result of poor sleep behaviour, sometimes resulting from patterns established during childhood.

Some Causes of Poor Sleep

Quite a number of poor lifestyle habits can actually be the cause or sleeplessness, or else worsen it. Here are a few of them. If you recognise any of these, you may need to address them.

·         Going to bed at different times each night

·         Daytime napping

·         Poor sleeping environment, such as too much noise or light. Your bedroom should be a ‘haven of calm’

·         Spending too much time in bed while you are still awake

·         Working evening or night shifts

·         Not getting enough exercise

·         Using the television, computer, or smartphone in bed 

Medications

The use of some medications and drugs may also affect sleep.

  • Alcohol may help you fall asleep initially but generally leads to waking up through the night.
  • Too much caffeine is a well-known cause of insomnia, especially when it is drunk later in the day.
  • A number of medications, including cold medicines and diet pills can cause poor sleep. Be very careful about self-prescribing unless you know exactly the effects of whatever you are taking. Some herbs and supplements can lead to insomnia.
  • Heavy smoking can be a problem for sleep.
  • If you take sleeping pills regularly it is easy to become used to them, so they stop working as well as they did initially.
Lifestyle

In addition to lifestyle habits there are a number of other physical, social, and mental health issues that can affect sleep patterns, including: anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, certain medical conditions such as thyroid disease, feeling sad or depressed, physical pain or discomfort, stress whether it is short-term or long-term.

CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS

However sometimes there is just no obvious reason for sleeplessness.

We each have our own inbuilt body clock called the circadian rhythm, that regulates our sleep patterns. This is what makes us fall asleep at night and wake up again the next morning. The body clock is easily thrown out by overseas flying, rotating shift work, or even a few late nights. When your body clock gets disrupted, you experience symptoms like jet lag.

Taking sleeping pills to help you sleep often leaves you with a ‘hangover’ effect which is something you can avoid by using natural cures instead.

RESET YOUR BODY CLOCK NATURALLY

For many the prospect of sleeping like a baby, anywhere, anytime seems like a remote daydream. But there are a number of very effective natural remedies with proven success that may offer relief. They can help you to reset the body clock so you can get back to good sleeping patterns.

Here are a few that have proven success.

For many the prospect of sleeping like a baby, anywhere, anytime seems like a remote daydream. There are some natural remedies with proven success that may offer relief.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain which helps to relax us so that we can fall asleep. It is known for its ability to rebalance your body clock and is often used to treat jet lag. It is usually released in the absence of light, but we need to have spent time in daylight in order to make enough melatonin in the first place. This is why it is recommended that you spend time outside after you have flown a long-haul flight.

Taking a melatonin supplement can help to reset the body clock. But if you prefer to use food as medicine you can address melatonin deficiency with foods that boost serotonin as melatonin is made from serotonin. Some of these foods are raw cacao, magnesium, fish oils and herbal tea containing hops, chamomile, ashwaganda and lemon balm.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy has a marvelous history treating insomnia. There are many Homeopathic remedies that work to reset your body’s sleep patterns, calm your mind and get restful sleep. While there are a number of combination mixes available over the counter, the ones that have the deepest and most long-lasting effect are those that are prescribed individually by a Homeopath to suit your individual insomnia symptoms.

Some remedies that a Homeopathic practitioner may consider for insomnia are:

  • Arsenicum Album which is useful when anxiety, fear, or worry prevents sleep
  • Coffea for when you are unable to sleep because your thoughts are too active or you are excited about a surprise, or good or bad news
  • Nux-vomica helps when you’re very irritable, waking between 2-4am with racing thoughts only to fall asleep again about daybreak. This is accompanied by much stress caused by overstudy or work
  • Ignatia is for sleeplessness after disappointment or grief
  • Passiflora for restless sleeplessness with exhaustion

The choice between these and many more homeopathic remedies that help with insomnia would depend on these and all the other symptoms you were experiencing. For good results check with a professional Homeopath as remedies need to be selected and taken according to homeopathic principles.

Herbs

There is a number of herbs that are very useful to induce sleep. Valerian root is one that is quite well known and often used. It is quite powerful and often used for quick results when changing time zones. Valerian is useful when you have difficulty staying asleep. Some people however get the opposite effect from valerian and can get hyped-up after taking it. Valerian is good when combined with Passionflower which helps you to fall asleep initially.

Some other herbs that can be helpful are Kava which is once again available after having been taken off the market for a while. It can be used for short-term relief. It is good to relieve anxiety in the moment.

Skullcap is great to use when you are very hyped-up and just can’t slow down, or are experiencing anxiety and are emotionally stressed. You can use it for longer periods.

Aromatherapy

Essential Oils can help bring on sleep. While there are a number of oils that induce sleep, lavender has long been recognised as being the ‘Queen of Calm’. Lavender essential oil will effectively calm down overwrought nervous systems. A few drops added to a warm bath before bed or on a cotton ball under the pillow should bring on sleep.

SETTING A PERFECT SLEEP ENVIRONMENT

Make sure your sleeping environment is calm and serene. THE KEY IS TO SWITCH OFF. Leave your worries at the bedroom door. Switch off all gadgets, put phones in flight mode, iPad, laptop, TV etc. Take some time to settle down and relax.

Set aside 30 minutes before bed as ‘unwind and de-stress time’. Read a good book, write your journal, listen to soft music, anything that you find relaxes you and does not involve an electronic gadget. Remember, exposure to artificial light (electronics) before going to bed increases your alertness and suppresses melatonin and so will keep you awake.

So, here’s to a great sleep.

What are some of the ways you deal with sleeplessness? Tell us in the comments below

Worrying about not being able to get to sleep can worsen the insomnia

Disclaimer.

All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

    Metaphysics, Sleep, Stress & Overwhelm

    Get Down To Earth By Grounding Yourself

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    This year I decided to ditch my footwear inside the house, ever since learning more about Barefoot Earthing or Grounding. This is a radical new health practice that is quickly gaining momentum as word about its benefits spreads. Its impact can be quite far-reaching and yet it is incredibly simple to do, costs nothing, is always available and feels great.

    Have you ever noticed how good you feel when you take off your shoes to walk barefoot? Well it seems there is a scientific explanation, and research into the practice of Grounding has found that it can significantly improve all sorts of health problems. It can help your energy levels, reduce stress, improve your sleep, decrease muscular inflammation and stiffness as well as other chronic pain, reduce anxiety, improve circulation, prevent free-radical damage and associated premature ageing and even heal injuries faster. It brings you back into a state of equilibrium where your body is best able to heal itself. Those who use the practice on a regular basis report great results. I am certainly finding I have less aches and pains whenever I walk round without shoes than when I leave them on.

    It all has to do with electrical fields.

    These days we live completely immersed in electro-magnetic waves (EMFs) from a huge number of everyday items including mobile phones, computers, wireless technology, many electrical appliances, and even compact fluorescent lights. The air in our houses, our workplaces, our schools and in some outdoor places is full of electro-pollution, harmful positive ions produced by this multitude of electrical contraptions that surround us.

    These positive ions contribute to ill health.

    Electrical Stress

    Electrical stress is now recognized as a significant contributor to many health problems and in fact a new chronic illness. The term ‘Diabetes Type 3’, has been coined to describe illness believed to be caused by electropollution. 

    Surrounding yourself with sources of negative ions helps rebalance this disharmony, as does being in places where negative ions are in abundance such as waterfalls or the ocean.

    The surface of the earth is electrically conductive and has a permanent supply of free electrons sitting just above the surface. The charge on the earth surface is negative and anything that is close to the surface will also carry that charge.

    Your body also has an electrical field, sometimes referred to as the biofield or the aura. When your bare feet are in contact with the earth negative electrons can easily pass into you.

    Grounding allows an electron exchange between you and the earth. This helps to prevent a build-up of harmful electrons in your body as well as promoting a discharge of the positive ions from your body into the earth. Simultaneously you receive a flood of free electrons from the earth.

    When the ions within your body and within the Earth are different an ion exchange occurs. This neutralizes free radicals in your body which cause inflammation and are responsible for many health problems. The flood of electrons immediately ‘re-balances’ you, which is why you feel so good when you walk outside barefoot.

    In case you got lost in that explanation, simply, standing on the earth rebalances the electromagnetic field of your body, helping to strengthen your immune system, and boosting both your health and your wellbeing.

    For most of our existence humans have gone barefoot and often slept directly on the ground. Things now are very different. As well as being surrounded by electromagnetic pollution we are cut off from receiving the rebalancing benefits from the earth because the shoes that we now wear have rubber and synthetic soles that insulate and block transmission of the natural beneficial energy of the earth. It’s just like how rubber gloves can provide protection from electrical shock. Your shoes act in much the same way.

    How to Ground Yourself

    Take your shoes off and stand or walk barefoot on grass, beach, bare earth, even concrete when it is laid directly on the earth, although not if it’s painted or sealed, whenever you can.

    To gain the full health benefit you need to walk around on the earth for about thirty minutes.

    Other ways to ground yourself and reap the benefits are to swim in lakes, rivers, or the sea; wear shoes with leather soles; purchase and use an indoor grounding mat or an earthing bed sheet.

    The reason I am able to benefit from earthing when walking barefoot indoors is because my floor is made of unglazed slate sitting on a concrete slab which is set directly onto a rock shelf on the side of a hill. There are no substances between my feet and the Earth that block the passage of negative ions. You would not get earthing benefit in a home raised above the ground, or with glazed tiles covering the floor, or a layer between the concrete and tile, or with other floor coverings.

    If you would like to read up on Earthing get a copy of the book EARTHING – The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?  by Clint Ober, Dr Stephen T Sinatra and Martin Zucker.

    Remember though, Grounding is not a substitute for medical treatment and if you have a medical condition you need to consult your healthcare provider.

    Taking your shoes off and walking barefoot in the sea helps to rebalance your energetic field.

    Disclaimer.

    All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

    © Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health, 2024. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

    Source articles:

    http://www.barefoothealing.com.au/

    https://www.naturalnews.com/028967_electropollution_diabetes.html

    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/11/04/why-does-walking-barefoot-on-the-earth-make-you-feel-better.aspx

    Self Care, Stress & Overwhelm, Uncategorized

    Are You Suffering From 21st Century Syndrome?

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    Adrenal Fatigue?

    Adrenal fatigue, sometimes called the ‘21st Century Stress Syndrome’ occurs when your adrenal glands cannot meet the hormone demands of your life and it’s a problem that is becoming more frequently recognized.

    If you are living a high-stress lifestyle, eating lots of chemical laden foods, need lots of coffee or cola to keep you going and getting way too little sleep than the chances are you are suffering from adrenal fatigue.

    Unfortunately for us, our lifestyle has changed but our bodies haven’t, they still operate as if they ‘re living in the stone age. We can’t live a simple, relaxed lifestyle anymore and instead we all live under constant stress. Sometimes, we become so used to the full-on lifestyle that we forget that it’s actually pretty stressful. Sometimes we don’t even realize that so many different things from worry, anxiety, grief through to the air we breathe, the toxic homes we live in, the foods we eat, or the exercise routine we do, are all building stress on our body every minute of every day.

    Adrenal Hormones

    Our adrenal glands are responsible for the production of hormones including adrenalin (epinephrine), DHEA, progesterone and testosterone, and cortisol. Adrenals play an important role in the stress response as they release adrenaline which initiates the ‘fight or flight’ response and cortisol to help us deal with acute stress.

    Cortisol is the hormone important for keeping our bodies balanced and it plays a big part in regulating the immune system, blood sugar levels and blood pressure. It is also very important in helping us deal with stress. When the levels of cortisol rise too high the immune system becomes weak and susceptible to cancer and infection. If the levels are too low it becomes overactive and opens the way for autoimmune disease.

    When acute stress is ongoing the adrenals become overworked and unable to match the demand for continued hormone production. When they just can’t take any more you get what was called a ‘nervous breakdown’ in the past, but we often now call Adrenal Fatigue.

    Our problem is that in an ever-stressed fast-paced life our bodies are constantly pumping out cortisol. When we maintain that lifestyle, with long work hours, sleep deprivation, poor diet, smoking, lots of caffeine, little relaxation we overload our adrenal glands until they can’t take any more. Then the next stress simply becomes the straw to break the camel’s back and we fall apart.

    Some Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

    • Generally tired but wired: You feel really tired until about mid-morning, then again in the middle of the afternoon when you feel like a snooze. Tired again in the evening until about 11pm when you get a ‘second wind’ and then are wide awake until late
    • Feel tired even after a good sleep and not really feel awake until 10am
    • You perspire a lot even with little activity
    • Dark circles under your eyes
    • Low blood sugar
    • General lack of energy and muscle weakness
    • Cravings for foods high in salt, sweets and carbs, fats
    • Difficulty handling alcohol; difficulty with potassium rich or high carb foods unless combined with fats and protein
    • Low blood pressure, lightheadedness on standing up, dizziness or heart palpitations
    • Low libido
    • Increased PMS or menopausal symptoms
    • Chronic infections
    • Increased allergies
    • Mild depression, lots of sighing
    • Startle easily
    • Less ability to handle stress
    • Low back pain, knee pain and weakness
    • Dry unhealthy skin

    Some Illnesses Related to Adrenal Stress are:

    • Blood sugar balance and diabetes – cortisol causes elevated blood sugar levels and leads to insulin resistance
    • Weight gain and obesity – cortisol mobilizes triglycerides into fat cells and changes appetite with a craving for high kilojoule foods
    • Immune system suppression – a higher susceptibility to all diseases
    • Gastrointestinal problems like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), colitis, ulcers, indigestion
    • Cardiovascular disease from blood vessel damage
    • Fertility problems – erectile dysfunction and disrupted ovulation and menstrual cycles

    Even though adrenal fatigue is very common in these days of stressful living many doctors don’t pick it up easily. It is one of those things that is often just not diagnosed.

    NURTURE YOUR ADRENALS

    If you really want to turn around Adrenal Fatigue then you really do have to reduce the stressors in your life. First up you need to recognize and acknowledge what the stressors actually are. This might mean changing your job or aspects of it, organizing some childcare, changing your diet, your activity, your sleep behaviour, recreation, or the people you mix with. It is also vital to address the associated emotional or psychological issues. Sometimes changing your outlook can make a big difference.

    But even introducing any stress reducing measures would help. You could try these:

    • Minimize stress – this almost goes without saying
    • Laugh more – even join a laughing club if you need to
    • Eat a clean diet of largely organic whole foods, with an emphasis on lots of vegetables. Include nuts, seeds legumes and whole grains. Eat regular meals. Chew your food well.
    • Avoid junk foods and sugar
    • Get rid of coffee and cola. If you need some caffeine drink green tea. If you can’t remove coffee totally have one quality coffee on the weekend. Peppermint, dandelion or rooibos teas are all good alternatives to coffee. Tulsi Tea (Holy Basil) is awesome for adrenal fatigue because it helps bring cortisol levels back to normal.
    • Do something fun every day
    • Get negative people out of your life
    • Get some exercise – Yoga, Qi Gong or T’ai Chi are all great de-stressors
    • Meditation and relaxation exercises
    • Get good sleep – seven to eight hours a night, get to bed before midnight as that’s when your body heals itself the most, take a rest (lying down) during work breaks
    Take supplements
    • 3,000-5,000 mg Vitamin C each day, Vitamin B complex high in B6 and pantothenic acid, Vitamin E
    • Calcium and magnesium
    • Licorice root extract

    Homeopathy, Flower Essences and EFT are all very effective at relieving stress and healing some of the emotional issues. Homeopathy can also redress the hormone imbalances in your body.

    With adrenal fatigue having such a huge impact on many of our body functions as well as our quality of life it is worth finding out if you have adrenal fatigue so you can begin to redress it. Contact your Natural Therapy practitioner for more information.

    But don’t expect a quick fix as it can take anywhere from 6 months to up to two years to reverse adrenal fatigue.

    It can take anywhere from 6 months to up to two years to get back your zing after adrenal fatigue

    Disclaimer.

    All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

     

    Source articles:

    http://www.naturalnews.com/019339_adrenal_fatigue_chronic_stress.html#ixzz2Q3g07WMc

    http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/111609p38.shtml

    http://www.adrenalfatigue.org/what-is-adrenal-fatigue

    http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/fact+sheets/hormones/adrenal+fatigue,11579?gclid=COHVrPHLv7YCFcpbpQodOgsA_w

    http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/2011/08/do-you-have-adrenal-fatigue/

    Holistic Health, Sleep, Uncategorized

    Sure-fire Strategies to Beat After-lunch ‘Sleepies’

    3 Comments

    Are you someone who finds that come mid-afternoon it is all you can do to keep your eyes open? You are certainly not alone as millions of others share your dilemma. But before you reach for that can of energy drink or cup of coffee to help you see out the day, consider a more natural alternative. It is possible to keep energy levels relatively stable throughout the day, so you don’t end up simply staring off into space after lunch. Here are some ways to help you avoid that energy crash in the first place – there’s sure to be one that works for you!

    Why You Crash Mid-Afternoon

    There are a number of reasons why you might be experiencing the afternoon slump just as there are a number of techniques you can do to snap yourself out of it when your eyelids start to drop. But if you want a significant change in energy fluctuations you need to make permanent changes to whatever is acting as a trigger for your energy lows.

    There are many ailments that can cause you to feel tired after lunch, such as allergies, insulin resistance, celiac disease or low blood sugar. But your tiredness may be due to something as simple as eating a big lunch. Digestion requires quite a lot of energy and as your stomach loads up with food extra blood rushes into your intestines from all over your body to help with the extra work. This leaves the rest of your body, including your brain somewhat deprived, with the result that you start to feel exhausted. Eat a big breakfast and opt for a smaller, light lunch.

    Better Lunch Choices

    There are many lunch choices that can lie behind afternoon ‘sleepies’. Meat is one of the hardest foods to digest so avoiding meat at lunch may be a wise choice to fight off fatigue. It takes two hours to digest meat compared with only thirty minutes to digest fruit. Eating a meatless lunch will place a lot less stress on your digestive system and keep blood flowing to the brain and lungs.

    Don’t forget to chew your lunch really well as saliva is loaded with enzymes that start off the digestion process. The more the saliva has broken down by the food when it reaches your stomach, the easier it will for your body to continue the process through the gut and the less likely it will be for you to feel tired.

    Gluten Intolerance

    An intolerance to gluten, the protein found in some grains, can cause after-lunch fatigue in anyone suffering from coeliac disease if they’ve eaten foods containing gluten at lunch. But many people have a gluten intolerance without actually having coeliac disease. They also benefit from removing gluten from their diet. Have this checked out if you suspect gluten intolerance is behind your tiredness.

    Hypoglyceamia

    Another reason for many people experiencing low energy level between one and four hours after eating is hypoglyceamia. Eating a lunch high in refined carbohydrates causes the blood sugars to rise rapidly, or spike. This is followed a few hours later with a crash in blood sugars that results in fatigue, often with dizziness or shakiness. The onset will often be faster if you exercise as well. A lunch of vegetables and protein is a much better choice than refined carbohydrates. Low GI food alternatives you could look at include most fruits and vegetables, lentils, beans, hummus, quinoa, nuts and seeds. You can find a list of the GI Index rating of lots of foods here

    Insulin resistance

    Another sugar related cause of fatigue after eating may be insulin resistance. When excess sugar or carbohydrates are eaten the body produces more insulin, but over time your cells start to resist the insulin which leads to all sorts of health conditions, including fatigue.

    Caffeine

    One cause of afternoon tiredness that is often overlooked is caffeine. Drinking two or three cups of coffee in the morning may get you going but you pay for it later. As well as the short-lived burst of energy that caffeine provides to you, it also contributes to dehydration, a leading cause of fatigue. Think of coffee as ‘credit-card’ food (eat now, pay later)

    Studies show that a single cup of coffee is sufficient to keep long-haul truck drivers more alert so replace that second coffee with a large glass of water. And more importantly, don’t use caffeine as an afternoon pick-up. If you find you absolutely must have some caffeine drink green tea instead. As well as the mild dose of caffeine it contains you will receive all the other health benefits green tea offers. Tulsi tea is another excellent afternoon energizer especially if adrenal fatigue is playing a part.

    Don’t forget that caffeine is like any drug and your body will develop a caffeine tolerance, so that where you only needed one cup originally after time you might find you need six or even ten to get the energy burst you need.

    Posture

    Most people working in an office sit hunched over their computer for most of the day. As fatigue hits in the afternoon, they tend to slump down over their desk even further. Sitting up straight with shoulders back, eyes forward and lower back arched slightly, and taking good deep breaths right down into the bottom of the lungs can re-energise you very quickly. Stand up and add a few stretches for even more benefit.

    Electro Magnetic Fields

    Being surrounded by EMF’s (often called electromagnetic radiation) can cause fatigue and these are always high around any electric equipment. EMFs are especially high around wireless devices such as computers, wireless phones, printers, laptops, mobile phones, baby monitors, internet connections etc. So getting away from your desk or taking steps to reduce the effects will help keep you more alert.

    Body Clock

    If you’re living somewhere the sun sets during the afternoon in winter, afternoon fatigue may also be due to your own body clock. As the day starts to get dark about mid-afternoon your body temperature drops and the hormone melatonin, which makes you feel sleepy, is released. Circadian rhythms contribute to how alert you feel so open the curtains to let in the sunlight or else simply turn on more lights if it is dark outside.

    Watch your sleep routine. Sleep recharges your body physically and mentally. Get into a regular routine of going to bed and waking up at the same time and stick to it. You need seven to eight hours sleep a night. Studies have shown that ‘Binge Sleeping’ on the weekend does not counteract the sleep debt from the other nights of the week. If you don’t get enough sleep, fatigue is likely to be the result. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends, for more energy.

    Breathe

    Studies have shown that deep breathing can relieve general fatigue. Discover how to correctly deep breathe.

    Natural Strategies to Fight Fatigue

    If, in spite of taking measures to address the cause of your tiredness, you still find yourself falling asleep in the after-lunch meeting, these strategies may help in the moment:

    Peppermint

    Research shows that the aroma of peppermint is a natural remedy for boosting memory, focus and concentration. It is just as effective whether it is fresh leaves, essential oil or brewed tea. Enjoy a cup of peppermint tea, spray a mist of a few drops of peppermint essential oil in a cup of water about your workspace, or even place a few drops of the oil on a handkerchief to sniff. Or keep a pot of mint nearby and crush a couple of leaves during the afternoon

    Cinnamon

    If your tiredness is related to blood sugar imbalance chewing a cinnamon stick might help as it has been shown to have a significant influence on regulating blood sugars

    Power Nap

    If you are able to get away briefly a quick power nap in your car could be just enough to revive you

    Music

    Listening to music has been shown to raise endorphin levels which makes you feel happier. Play your favourite music or sing out loud to get you motivated again.

    Water

    Dehydration causes fatigue so drink some water, or even eat some foods with a high water content like lettuce or watermelon, and combine it with a walk to the water cooler to get away from your desk.

    Protein

    Protein from nuts or yoghurt makes a good snack when you start to slump in the afternoon

    Exercise

    Get up and run up the stairs or around the block if you can. It starts the blood pumping and gives the brain a boost.

    Meditate

    Meditate – yes seriously, just a five minute meditation at your desk is enough to clear out your head and revive, refresh and recharge you.

    Warmth

    Just as animals hibernate when the weather turns cold, getting too cold can make you feel sleepy too, so throw on a jumper or turn up the heating to wake yourself up (this is usually a big help for me!)

    WFH

    And if you are lucky enough to work from home or your workplace is a little more free you could do some exercises or hit the gym, turn the music up really loud, take a short cold shower or do some yoga

    What are some of the ways that you manage the mid-afternoon ‘sleepies’?

     

    Disclaimer.

    All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

    © Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health, 2012. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

    Source articles:

    http://www.naturalnews.com/034368_aromatherapy_peppermint_memory.html#ixzz2NJuFpNiJ

    http://greatist.com/happiness/28-scientifically-proven-ways-boost-energy-instantly

    Self Care, Stress & Overwhelm

    Soak Away Stress In Your Own Home Spa

    3 Comments

    reduce stress with DIY home bath products

     

    I choose to practice gratitude every day. But no matter how hard I try I still regret that I don’t have a bath in my home.  Soaking in a bath with essential oils is an excellent way to reduce stress.

    I love bath products and make a small range of beautiful natural skin care products. They’re simple and fun to make. It’s wonderful to be able to play with aromatic essential oils, beautiful cold-pressed vegetable oils, Himalayan salts and nut butters.

    But I still long for a deep tub, candles, oils and salts in the bath, maybe a crystal in the water, music …well you know the scene. So whenever I go on holidays I always pack these goodies and book hotel rooms with a big bath.

    Because this is the ‘Stressful-Season’ I’d like to share with you five wonderful super-simple home-made recipes for your Home Spa that sound easy and delicious. I hope you decide to practice a little self-love and steal an hour from your busy life to try them out.

     

    1.  YULE RECIPE

    So much alcohol goes in through the mouth over the holidays. Do yourself a favour and put that glass of red wine or champagne in your bath instead. Red wine is full of antioxidants which are simply awesome anti-ageing tools. If you feel a little decadent a glass of champagne in the water helps reduce discolouration of your skin as well as fine lines. The bonus is that the champagne needs to be flat! So have a drink first. Instead of throwing the leftover down the sink, throw it into the running water of your bath instead. Then hop in and soak for twenty minutes.

     

    2. DETOX RECIPE

    This is a great detox bath and my guess is you’ll probably need a couple of these after a dose of holiday partying.

    Regular readers know I love Himalayan salt. It has so many health benefits as well as being relaxing and soothing. Unlike table salt it contains 84 minerals which give it the gorgeous pink colour. For it to be an effective detox you must have the right proportion of salt to water. In a tub of 100 litres you need 1200 grams of Himalayan salt.

    Don’t use any soap, shampoo or oil with this as the salt cleanses perfectly. Soak for 30 minutes, towel off and then rinse with clean water. The salt leaves your skin beautifully silky smooth.

     

    3. DIY BATH SALTS

    Bath Salts are really easy to make at home. Try out this one.

    Mix 50% epsom salts, 25% sea salt and 25% bi-carb soda (baking soda). Don’t use the stuff labeled “Lectric Soda” as it’s not Epsom salts. You need true Epsom Salts to get the benefits. Use about 2 tablespoons (40mL) of the mix in each bath. You can store any leftover in an airtight jar.

    You can also add 7 – 10 drops (0.3 – 0.5 grams) of your favourite essential oil to each tablespoons of salt. I love Sandalwood mixed with Rose Geranium and Lavender. This mix smells amazing and these particular oils have a great nourishing and moisturising effect for my dry skin.

     

    4.  GODDESS BATH

    Cleopatra was spot on when she added camel milk to her baths. I don’t do dairy so wouldn’t use this. But if you’re not allergic to dairy products milk makes a fantastic mild exfoliant. You can use full cream milk or milk powder, or goats milk to the bath salts mix. Or even camel milk if you have some.

    First add 5 drops of essential oils of your choice to the milk. Mix well. Add equal quantities of each mix to the bath (two tablespoons of the salt mix and two of the milk mix). Then soak for 20 minutes.

     

    5. BEAUTIFUL BATH OIL

    Bath oils are the easiest of all to make and very luxurious.

    Use a good quality vegetable oil like Sweet Almond or peach as the base. I choose cold-pressed oils and make my own blend which includes hemp seed, avocado and macadamia oil. For every tablespoon of vegetable oil add 8-10 drops of a single essential oil or a blend that you love. Float a tablespoon of the mix on the water.

    You can also add botanicals to the water for their aromatic bliss and health benefits. Be sure to use organic flowers, not sprayed with pest control.

    Lavender blossom is a wonderful relaxant. Rose petals have beautiful skin softening properties and their scent is intoxicating. In fact even the water gets softer when you add rose petals. Sprinkle a handful in the gushing water and remember to breathe in the aroma as you relax.

     

    MAN SPA

    Many men have learnt to love spas too. Lose the candles, music and rose petals, and look for less flowery essential oils.

    Grapefruit and orange oils create a feeling of wellbeing. Orange is cheering and uplifting, and the fresh citrus smell appeals to men (as well as women).

    Relaxing sandalwood is another good choice and helps with balancing all skin types.

    Juniper is a great rejuvenating oil with a smoky note that works really well with citrus oils.

    Frankincense, marjoram, cedarwood, orange, sandalwood and vetiver are some relaxants with a less girly tone. Patchouli is another oil suitable for men, that I also love. But it’s definitely one you need to be sure he likes before using.

    Use the recipes above as your base and choose oils that suit his emotional state. If he’s a bit reluctant encourage him to try it out just once for at least twenty minutes. With a good magazine to read it’s a much better way to unwind than the television and he’ll surely get hooked.

     

    QUALITY OILS

    One important thing to note. I’m really fussy about the oils I use and will only use top quality ‘Therapeutic Grade’ oils and you should too.  The effectiveness of aromatherapy is directly dependent on the quality of essential oils employed.

    Many oils are promoted as being 100% pure and natural but are adulterated or simply ‘lifestyle products’ using the concept of aromatherapy. These are low quality ‘essential oils’ and ‘aromatherapy oils’ often leave a nasty residue after burning.

    I hate the way that advertising loopholes again allow manufacturers to mislead the buyer. Look for therapeutic claims on the oils you use and you’ll then be sure they’re going to actually do you good.

     

    WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

    Choose your favourite recipe, mix yourself up a batch of ‘relaxation’ in your kitchen and schedule a ‘recovery hour’ in your calendar.

    Then light a beautiful scented candle, especially the ones with multiple wicks, and put on some soothing music. If you have an amethyst or rose quartz crystal put it in the bottom of the bath. Just be sure not to sit down on it. Lock the bathroom door and relax back for half an hour.

    After your bath lavish your favourite moisturiser on your skin and emerge rejuvenated and able to face the next holiday challenge.

     

    salt detox for bath
    Photo credit: Dennis Wong

     

    And  here is a little trivia to end with – today 12/12/12 is the very last date that will have all three digits the same until the twenty second century, so almost certainly the last you will encounter.

    Enjoy!
    Do you have a favourite bath-time recipe? Please share it with us in the comments below

     

     

     

    Disclaimer.

    All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

    Natural Remedies & Homeopathy, Self Care, Stress & Overwhelm

    Survive the Silly Season Tsunami

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    With the end of the year racing towards us it is very easy to succumb to overwhelm, and here in Australia I believe that we actually do this season much harder than we need to, and perhaps harder than they do overseas. The festivities of Christmas, or whichever of the Holidays you celebrate, coincides here with the end of the school year, the end of the working year, and the end of the calendar year, all in one short week.

    Trying to juggle a myriad of  ‘end-of-year’ school activities, dance concerts, exam study, shopping for the festivities ahead and socialising, together with so many businesses closing down for at least a few weeks and preparations for the mass post-Christmas exodus to many idyllic beachy places, it is very easy to get caught up in a sense of “approaching the end”. It’s easy to get that nagging feeling that you need to finish absolutely everything, to tie up all the loose ends in your life.

    It seems that the whole nation drives itself into an absolute feverpitch of stress through December and then shifts to the opposite extreme and shuts down totally after Christmas Eve. It’s no surprise everyone races around with a sense of impending doom if everything isn’t done and finalised on time.

    Perhaps it’s this Australian ‘end-is-nigh’ approach to December that actually fuels the stressful emotions we experience.

    Are You Driving Yourself Too Hard?

    How many times do you say “we must catch up before Christmas”? How much do you drive yourself at work to finalise jobs that realistically might wait a week or two? How many parties do you attend? How many late nights do you have? How much fattening, sugary, or rich food do you eat? How much alcohol? How often are you driven to do or buy something which could wait, without really knowing what drives you to do it right now? And these are only what you are actually doing – they don’t even start to address the emotions that get stirred up at this time.

    This last part of the year can be a time of escalating stress for so many during the build-up to Christmas with ‘so much to get done’, loneliness, increasingly tired children as they approach the end of the school year, the pressure in self-run businesses to cover extra costs such as holiday pay for staff, a calendar that seems to overflow, loss of a job and financial constraints, plus many more difficulties.

    Loneliness and Grief

    For many this time of the year is also a time of tremendous emotional stress. It is the time when the loss of loved family members, whether through separation or their passing, comes home and strikes with almost paralyzing force. For some people the whole season is wrapped in a tight mantle of grief that draws in around and stifles them.

    It can also be the time when singles feel the most lonely, when isolation from family and friends or an abscence of them in your life strikes most intensely.

    Family Tensions

    For others the experience of returning into a family where everyone is suddenly thrown back into the role they played as a youngster and the family dynamics that played out when they were children, is too difficult to deal with.This is in spite of the fact that in their real everyday life they are responsible and competent parents, partners, employees or employers with wide and admirable skills and abilities.

    In this scenario is it any wonder that the anxieties of childhood rear their ugly heads. Is it any wonder that behaviour reverts and childish tantrums or bickering, petulant unhappiness or resentment and other actions arising from the uncertain and fearful child that is still living deep within, start to occur.

    But whatever the reason the ability to engage in the Christmas spirit eludes many and the season is anything but bright.

    There are natural treatments that can help you cope as the Holiday Season gets nearer and stress levels increase

    WHAT YOU CAN DO

    There are a number of natural strategies and remedies you can adopt to help deal with these issues. Rather than go into each of them in detail I’ll give you a link to some that I think are sound and effective. You can have a look and try a few out and then use those that suit you the best.

    Even making a little time to get some exercise or relaxation is a good way to start. When we start to rush, both exercise and relaxation often go by the wayside. Schedule the time in your calendar and then stick to it.

    Remember that a massage can work wonders especially if you carry your stress in your neck and shoulders, and it will be even more effective if it includes aromatherapy essential oils for relaxation.

    Emotions respond beautifully to any of the varied forms of energetic medicine. Medicine delivered in an energetic form can be very effective in ‘re-balancing and re-setting you’ so that you are able to deal with whatever it is you have to face. Hear are a few.

    Homeopathy

    Homeopathy offers some great remedies for many of the issues such as stress, overwork, grief, over-excitement, anxiety, guilt, exhaustion and so on.

    Homeopathic Coffea helps with getting over-excited children off to sleep on Christmas Eve. Ignatia is often a first choice for grieving. Nux vomica can work wonders if you are driving yourself towards burnout with overwork.

    Homeopathic remedies need to be matched to your own idiosyncratic symptoms and the particular way you manifest the stress. So unless you are familiar with self-prescribing for acute situations, or if your stress is long-standing you should consult with a fully trained and registered Homeopath.

    Accupressure & Accupuncture

    Visiting an Acupuncturist is a great way to deal with the stress, but even better, you can do Acupressure yourself anytime and anywhere, and it works along the same lines as acupuncture. This is a good demonstration of one way to relieve stress by Donna Eden, an expert at using acupressure in her energy medicine work.

    These diagrams of acupressure points to use for hangovers could be useful if you are partying hard. And here are some acupressure points to help with feelings of anxiety felt throughout the holiday season.

    Flower Essences

    Flower essences can have a great benefit when trying to deal with grief. They work very gently, but effectively on the emotions.

    The basic Bach Rescue Remedy or Australian Bush Flower Emergency Essence are both good ‘all-purpose’ mixes for dealing with stressful situations but there are a number of others that can be tailored to each individuals requirements. FES Five Flower Formula is similar to Bach Rescue Remedy.

    Perhaps my favourite flower essence for this time of the year would be the Australian Bush Flower ‘Calm & Clear’ essence – the name says it all.

    There are flower essences to help relieve all the other stressful emotional responses to the holidays and they are well worth investigating.

    For information about each of the Bach remedies look here, for Australian Bush Flower Remedies look here and Californian Flower Essences here.  

    Difficult Families

    Here are some useful strategies for those who have to deal with intensified extended family tensions. They give you the opportunity to plan ahead and devise strategies for you as well as your family.

    Importantly it is all about taking back the reigns and getting back your sense of control. If you are able to clearly identify where your stress is coming from then you have a better chance of achieving this control. If there is a tradition in your festivities that causes more stress than joy, then it is time to give yourself permission to change things. Make 2012 the year to make changes, after all you cannot help others if you are not really coping yourself.

    Don’t forget, it is not all about the ‘Big Day’. The stress of the lead up through December can be just as bad or worse, and the significant health effect that prolonged stress can have on your whole system is often not recognized or acknowledged until it gets serious.

    Remember to check in with situations and ask yourself whether they are of joy or of stress right through the whole Month of December.

    Make this the year where you decide to be kinder to yourself. Sure, there are always going to be pressures, but maybe by being aware of how many of the manufactured pressures you embrace, you can let a few slide, and in easing up your obligations you will be able to deal with those stresses you really cannot avoid.

    It is time to allow yourself the gift of self-love and self-care.

     

    Disclaimer.

    All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

    © Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health, 2012. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health with appropriate and specific direction to the original content

    Holistic Health, Self Care, Uncategorized

    Skin Deep: Avoid Toxic Skin Care

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    I’m always amazed how so many high end/high price skin and hair care products claiming all manner of nourishing and rejuvenating benefits,  contain so many ingredients toxic for your skin and hair. Often the toxic chemicals they contain are actually the cause of dehydration, dermatitis or other skin problems.

    Skin Deep: How to avoid toxic skin care products

    Often products we use to prevent skin problems actually cause those same skin problems, so why do we continue with this crazy behaviour?

    We’re all susceptible to great advertising campaigns and because most rarely know what those long chemical names actually are we’re all quick to accept the recommendation of the advertisers.

    Of course even if you do know which chemicals are harmful it can be impossible to read ingredient lists printed in microscopic script, if indeed they’re included on the product at all. Legislation only requires the list of ingredients be displayed but not necessarily on the product – it can just be a card sitting at the point of sale, which you may not notice or stop to read!

    We’re also easily seduced by nice smells, creamy texture, pretty packaging in our favourite colour, prestige brands, outrageous claims, or simply brand loyalty.

     

     

    Organic Skin Care Claims

    natural non-toxic skin care
    Photo courtesy: Shawn Campbell

    In Australia a product can be labeled ‘organic’ if it contains any carbon in it at all. Given that there’s carbon in all plant and animal matter it’s pretty well a ‘free-for-all’. Technically, the inclusion of any vegetable oil or herbal preparation renders the product ‘organic’.

    The word ‘organic’ on its own means zilch.

    If the product contains ingredients grown according to accepted organic farming practices it will be labeled ‘Certified Organic’ or ‘Australian Certified Organic’. If ‘Containing Organic Ingredients’ is emblazoned on the packet be careful! There may only be a few drops of one certified organic essential oil in the largish container, while all the other ingredients are not organic and may be quite nasty chemicals.

    Companies are ‘put on trust’ and don’t even have to substantiate any of their claims about a product unless they’re challenged. Can you afford the legal fees to prove that you really will look younger when you use their product? It rarely happens.

     

    Getting Round The Hurdles

    You do need to learn to read the label, even if just to know the main things to steer clear of. If you want natural, beneficial products then you need to be able to search for them. It’s up to you whether you want to settle for products just a little “cleaner” or get one that is really top-quality.

    It’s also important to remember that although there may be only small of amounts of each of the harmful ingredients in the product they are cumulative and are present in every product you are using. You use many of these products every day, as well as other products around the home that contain these toxic additives – which all adds up to quite a significant toxic, damaging load.

    Small exposures add up and may result in disease later on in life.

     

     

    Chemicals To Avoid

    The first few ingredients on the label are the most important. All ingredients must be listed in the order of quantity, that is, the one that there’s the most of is listed first and the one there’s least of is last.

    The Worst Ingredients

    The most problematic ingredients, and thus the ones you DO need to avoid, found in almost all skin/hair care products are these:

    1. PETROLEUM PRODUCTS: (Mineral oil, Paraffin, Petrolatum): They coat the skin like plastic which clogs the pores, and interferes with the elimination of toxins allowing their build up and leading to acne and dermatitis. They slow skin cell development which results in premature ageing. They are often used in lip products to protect chapping and sun damage but as mineral oils promote skin photosensitivity (sun damage) and interfere with the body’s own moisturisation, they actually lead to dry and chapped skin.

    2. SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES: They can cause skin irritation, rash, headache, dizziness, vomiting, coughing, and hyperpigmentation. They can also affect the central nervous system and cause depression, hyperactivity and irritability. Because they contain up to 4000 ingredients, many toxic or carcinogenic, there is no way to know exactly what they do contain. If you want products with a fragrance then look for ones that use essential oils instead.

    3. PARABEN PRESERVATIVES (Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben): Widely used and known to be highly toxic, they are a preservative used to inhibit microbial growth and extend shelf life. They cause many allergic skin reactions and skin rashes, irritate eyes and respiratory tract, and are connected to cancer. They also disrupt homrmonal process in the endocrine system as they mimic oestrogen

    4. PROPYLENE GLYCOL:  A synthetic petrochemical, it inhibits skin cell growth, weakens cell structure, causes allergic reactions, dermatitis, skin irritation, conjunctivitis, and kidney/liver abnormalities. It is used as a ‘moisturizer’ and also found in fragrance oils. It is toxic and dangerous and the EPA requires workers handling it to wear protective gloves, clothing and goggles and to dispose of it by burying it in the ground. In spite of this, there is no warning label requirement for products like stick deodorants even though the concentrations are higher than in most industrial applications.

    5. SODIUM LAUREL/ LAURETH SULPHATE (SLS or SLES), AMMONIUM LAURYL SULPHATE (ALS): The synthetic substance that builds the ‘foaminess’ in shampoos, they dehydrate skin and inflame and separate the skin layers. They cause eye irritation, skin rashes, hair loss, scalp scurf like dandruff, allergic reactions, they break down the moisture barrier in the skin, and they turn into a carcinogen. They are found in over 90% of personal care products that foam including shampoos, skin care and even toothpastes as well as engine degreasers and garage floor cleaners. Don’t be deceived into thinking it is ok if it says ‘comes from coconut’.

    6. TRIETHANOLAMINE (TEA) – (it will often have a number added): It is a synthetic emulsifier which is severely irritating to body tissues and can cause allergic reactions, eye problems, dry skin and hair, and can be toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time. Over 40% of cosmetics containing it have been found contaminated with nitrosamines (potent carcinogens). The Material Safety Data Sheet actually advises wearing a face shield if there is danger of eye contact.

    7. POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG) – (sometimes with a number added): They reduce the skin’s natural moisture factor and leave it vulnerable to bacteria. They also contribute to the appearance of ageing. Very commonly used and connected with liver and kidney damage and a carcinogen, you will also find them in caustic spray-on oven cleaners.

    8. STEARALKONIUM CHLORIDE: Highly toxic, it can cause allergic reactions. Originally developed as a fabric conditioner it is now used in creams and hair conditioners because it is cheaper than herbals or proteins. Over time it causes hair to become dry and brittle

    9. DIAZOLIDINYL UREA: The American Academy of Dermatology established it as the primary cause of contact dermatitis. It is the most commonly used preservative after parabens. It contains formaldehyde which is toxic if inhaled. It causes skin nose, eyes and throat irritation coughing and difficult breathing. It is toxic.

    10. SYNTHETIC COLOURS: They are used simply to make products pretty. Avoid anything with these added as animal studies show almost all are cancer-causing agents and serve no beneficial purpose in the product at all.

    Here are a few more to avoid, although they’re just a few of the huge problem.

    Toulene – (benzoic, benzyl) A well known poison affecting many organs and found in synthetic fragrances, it is fatal if swallowed and harmful if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

    Oxybenzone – (or benzophenone-3): It is found in any product offering sun protection – it inactivates the skins own antioxidant system (which leads to premature ageing),disrupts hormones, and causes cancer.  Ironically, it reacts under UV light (ie: in the sun) to potentially damage DNA and affect development.

    Retinal Palmitate – decomposes under UVA rays into chemicals that cause cell mutations. Being photo-toxic it causes skin ageing but is often found in anti-ageing products!

    Skin Deep: Avoid toxic skin care products

    Children Are At Greater Risk

    The EWC (Environmental Working Committee) offer this advice  on how to read a personal care product label. They recommend paying particular attention to products for children and babies which contain the same harmful ingredients but pose a greater risk. Children are so much smaller than adults so they’re relatively far more exposed to the dangers of the contaminants. Their organs are immature and far less capable at dealing with the assault.

     

    Other Ways These Chemicals Affect You

    The effect these toxins have on you isn’t just about how your skin or hair looks and feels. Many people also have a huge improvement in other health problems after they change their hair, skin or cleaning (personal and clothes) products. Switching from products containing the above ingredients to more natural products that don’t contain the nasty chemicals can have a huge impact on their health.

    If you do seek out products made from more natural, healthy ingredients you may find that problems like allergies start to go away. Even simply changing to products that don’t contain artificial colours or synthetic fragrances makes a significance difference and is a great place to begin.

    Natural chemical free products leave your skin younger and healthierNo doubt in the past you’ve found some products were good for your skin and others not so good. Natural skin and hair care products are no different. If you find one isn’t good for you then try another. The right one for your own individual skin and hair will be there and it’s simply a matter of finding which it is. I tried many different natural, healthy shampoos and conditioners before I found the one that suits my hair and leaves it beautifully soft.

     

    Not  All ‘Natural’ And ‘Organic’ Products Are Ok

    Here is a great article by the Wellness Warrior, Jess Ainscough, called ‘8 Beauty Brands You Would Think Are Natural’ where she challenges the ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ claims made by big companies. She examines one randomly chosen product from each range for just how many toxins it contains. She reinforces just why you do need to know your stuff and should really get you asking questions.

     

    A List To Use When Shopping

    To make it easier to navigate your way through the jungle of scientific names here’s a list of the ingredients above. Copy it and keep it in your bag. Then you can check the ingredients in products before you buy them.

    PETROLEUM PRODUCTS: (Mineral oil, Paraffin, Petrolatum)

    SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES

    PARABEN PRESERVATIVES (Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben)–

    PROPYLENE GLYCOL

    SODIUM LAUREL/ LAURETH SULPHATE (SLS or SLES), AMMONIUM LAURYL SULPHATE (ALS)

    TRIETHANOLAMINE (TEA)

    STEARALKONIUM CHLORIDE

    DIAZOLIDINYL UREA

    SYNTHETIC COLOURS

    POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG)

    skin deep 4

    Personal care products are supposed to enhance our skin and hair. Make sure that the ones you use are in fact food for your skin and not toxins for your skin.

     

    Toxic ingredients in skin and hair care products often cause dehydration
    Many toxic ingredients in skin care products cause dehydration

    Disclaimer.

    All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

    Source articles:

    The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics

    Organic Consumer’s Association: Ten Synthetic Cosmetic Ingredients to Avoid

    EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Base

    Miessence: Ingredients We Shun

    Holistic Health, Self Care, Uncategorized

    Super-Power Your Health With Super-Foods

    4 Comments

    I often recommend that clients add ‘Superfoods’ to their diet because they are power-packed with health benefits. But many people are not really sure what they are.

    Superfoods are defined generally as highly nutrient-rich and nutrient-complex foods which are thought to be especially beneficial for health and well-being. They are often foods with high phytonutrient (the component of plants that affects health) or zoonutrient (the health-affecting component in animal products) content, as well as being rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They are not processed and although not a specific requirement, you would expect them to be organic or biodynamic.

    The compounds in superfoods are so powerful that they can have a huge and significant effect on your health. It is thought that more than half of the suffering of degenerative diseases could be eliminated simply by changing to a diet made up of superfoods.

    Diet-related diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and hypertension can be significantly affected by choosing to eat a diet rich in these foods. If they can have such a significant effect on people suffering with these serious diseases, consider the impact they will have if they are included in the diets of people whose health is better, and more particularly, their impact on children.

    Using lots of superfoods in children’s diets promotes vibrant good health, and an energy and enthusiasm for life.

    On a value for dollar basis superfoods make perfect sense. They are rarely the foods that you find on sale but the benefits they provide for quantity makes them a very smart purchase. Here is a list of some of the best superfoods, although there are lots more!

     

    10 Awesome Superfoods

    1.  Apples

    There are many superfoods around to choose from. With families and children in mind top of the list has to be apples. But, apples are one of the foods on the“Dirty Dozen®” list. This means they are one of the most highly pesticide sprayed foods and should only be eaten when they are organic or biodynamic. Apples are a super source of antioxidants and vitamin C. They also contain potassium and fibre, and are low in kilojoules. Their secret is in the skin, so it is very important not to peel the apple in order to get the benefits.

    Apples are not just great for children, as eating apples also improves mental dexterity and slows both age-related memory loss and bone loss.  Find out some other specific health problems that apples help plus a nice recipe for baked apples right here  as well as here.

    2. Avocado

    Avocado is another superfood that is easy to include in family diets. Hass avocados which are very easy to find, have the highest concentration and variety of nutrients, with a high percentage of healthy fatty acids, vitamin E and antioxidants. They are great for your digestive system and also have anti-aging benefits, helping to prevent wrinkles. The antioxidants are highest in the darker green flesh straight under the skin so try not to cut this off. If your children are not keen to eat this delicious fruit try using it as a spread on their sandwiches. Read more about the amazing avocado

    3. Goji Berries

    Another yummy superfood is berries. Do you know of Goji berries? They have an amazing

    Goji Berries are also sometimes known as Wolf Berries

    amount of unique nutrients and antioxidants. They have more iron than spinach and more vitamin C by weight than any other food on earth, as well as lots of other goodies. They are fantastic for your immune system and will help any imflammatory disorder. You can buy them as juice or dried. But if you are on a nightshade ( Solanaceae) free diet you will need to avoid Goji berries as they fall into that food family. Here  is some more about goji berries. If you would like to grow your own Goji berries this guy  in Qld sells plants over the internet to all Australian states.

    Goji berries are not the only berry superfoods. In fact all berries are little power packed bundles. Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and in particular blueberries all contain lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. But, they are another food, like apples, that need to be organic because of the high use of pesticides.

    4, 5, 6 &7. Brassicas

    There are many other Superfoods such as the cruciferous vegetables. This is a big family that includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, radish, kale, kohlrabi, Chinese cabbage, rocket (arugula) and watercress.

    8. Spinach

    Spinach is another superfood that needs to be organic, and it is a great source of iron to boost your energy. Adding any greens to your diet provides many wonderful nutrients and should be eaten every day, but including superfood greens will give an added boost to your health

    9. Beans

    Kidney, borlotti, butter, chick peas, etc and lentils have nutrients that offer significant protection against a number of tumours as well as the normal superfood benefits. They are also particularly helpful for people with insulin resistance.

    10. Nuts and seeds

    Nuts and seeds can have a massive effect on lowering your risk of heart attack if you eat them five times a week.

     

    More Superfoods

    A few other superfoods are:

    • raw cacao (not everyday chocolate which is full of sugar, and usually dairy products) 
    • quinoa which is a herb that you use as you would a grain
    • chiaseeds which are wonderful when added whole or ground to any food or used as an oil.
    • flaxseed oil
    • cold-pressed coconut oil

    Superfood Supplements

    The ‘Supergreens’ include Spirulina, Chlorella, Wheat Grass and Barley Grass. The nutrients in these are very concentrated and provide you with a shot of goodness. They’re called ‘wheat grass shots’ for more than one reason!

    These superfoods come in tablet, capsule or powder form. The powder is easy to add to juice or smoothies. Although it makes it go dark green it doesn’t affect the flavour noticeably.

    My own favourite is Spirulina which I think of as the supergreen equivalent of a “multi-vitamin”, a great all-rounder. Chlorella is particularly detoxifying and Barley Grass is very alkalinizing for your system.

    The supergreens also come in combination with each other, or you can mix them yourself. I always use them in highish doses when I travel to help to counteract the toll that overseas travel takes on my body.

    Superfoods are a wonderful alternative to fast food when you’re on the go. By adding them to your diet you are eating foods just as nature intended.

    If you concentrate on increasing the amount of superfoods in your diet rather than trying to eliminate foods you will find it won’t take long before you’ve replaced  the ‘bad food’ with good. Your diet will have improved without the stress of having to consciously avoid foods. Superfood supplements can also be used for short term assistance.

    During times when you are under greater stress, physically or mentally, or when you are not getting enough nutrients add the supergreen supplements for as long as you need them.

    Here  is an interesting glossary of natural and organic foods if you are unsure about just what some of the ones mentioned are.

    What are your favourite superfoods? Do you have any special ways that you incorporate them into your diet?

    How do you super-power your own health?

     

    Disclaimer.

    All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

    Source articles:

    http://thenaturalhealthguide.com.au/reviews/eight-superfoods-for-health-and-beauty-from-your-local-grocery-store/

    http://www.naturalnews.com/001539_NOLINKS_superfoods.html

    http://www.naturalnews.com/036003_goji_berries_superfood_nutrients.html

    http://www.naturalnews.com/035763_avocado_superfood_anti-aging.html

    http://www.naturalnews.com/030481_superfoods_nutrition.html

    http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/goji_berries_and_goji_juice

    Related articles

    Holistic Health, Natural Remedies & Homeopathy, Sleep

    Fight Depression With These Simple Strategies

    5 Comments

    As you read this post Mental Health Awareness week has finished but the battle that is depression goes on for many people.

    Commonly Depression is treated with drugs that flood the brain with serotonin. While it is important to address depression, there have not been scientific studies that show that this drug therapy really works, and in fact, a number of experiments where the serotonin levels in the brain were greatly increased, failed.

    However, there are other methods that can be used to help relieve depression.

    • A therapist can help you with new ways to look at yourself and your life.
    • Adequate sleep makes you less susceptible to the negative messages that seem to swamp you. (I’ll write more about good sleep habits in a later post).
    • Exercise three times a week, difficult though it always is to get motivated, always helps lift your mood by altering brain chemistry. It doesn’t have to be at the gym as walking is always good and yoga is great too.
    • Structure helps, so getting into a routine is a good idea.
    • Keeping in touch with other people who love and support you is worth heaps, and if you can’t do that, then just getting out and being around people, anyone, will help. Even better if they have a laugh with you.
    • Getting lots of sunshine is also good as natural light has been proven as a cure for depression.
    • There are also lots of mood boosting supplements, like maca, that will help.

    Food For Depression

    Another major way of fighting depression is through good nutrition, even though because of the depression you may not be feeling hungry.

    Preparing and eating a meal might seem pointless but not only do the nutrients contribute to lifting your depression, it will also help you avoid the junk foods that make your depression worse. Don’t even buy or store sugary or salty snacks in your cupboards – it is far better to have simple healthy foods that don’t need lots of preparation to use when you find you are simply not able to face meal preparation.Foods like coffee, meat, alcohol and fatty or fast foods can actually make you feel more depressed and you will feel a lot different if you avoid them.

    It really is a case of “you are what you eat”, bad foods make you feel worse and good healthy foods make you feel better.

    Top foods to fight depression

    1. Fish Oils:

    Yes this is another benefit of fish oils as the right kind of fish contain lots of omega-3 fatty acids, often lacking in depressed people. One study showed that taking just one gram of fish oil each day made a 50% difference in symptoms like anxiety, sleep problems, feelings of sadness, decreased sex drive and suicidal thoughts. You can also get omega-3’s through eating other foods including walnuts, flaxseed oil, or chia seeds. Oily fish include sardines, tuna, wild-caught salmon, gemfish plus others.

    2. Brown Rice:

    A great high-fibre food, brown rice contains lots of Vitamin B, B1, B3 and folic acid, plus lots of trace minerals which you need to function properly. It is also low-glycaemic, releasing glucose into the bloodstream slowly to prevent mood swings due to sugar-lows. You need to avoid any “instant” or “quick-cook” varieties because they don’t have any of these benefits.

    3. Brewer’s Yeast:

    The “darling food” of the 70’s, brewers yeast also contains B Vitamins (B1, B2 and B3). Don’t take this if your yeast tolerance is not great, but otherwise get your daily dose by mixing a thimbleful into a smoothie. It has heaps of vitamins and minerals in a small package, including amino acids which are great for the nervous system, and awesome for dealing with depression

    4. Whole-grain Oats:

    Again, you can’t use “instant” or “quick cook” oat varieties as they won’t help. With heaps of B vitamins (folic acid, pantothenic acid, B6 and B1) wholegrain oats help lower cholesterol, soothe the digestive tract and help prevent “sugar crashes,” so they assist with crabby moods and mood swings.

    5. Cabbage:

    With Vitamin C and folic acid cabbage protects against stress, infection and heart disease as well as lots of cancers (American Assoc for Cancer Research). There are lots of ways to eat it apart from boiled into a nasty mess – try it tossed in a salad or a wrap instead of lettuce, perfect in a stir fry, in a cabbage soup or just juice it. If you have trouble digesting cabbage add some fennel, caraway or cumin seeds before cooking. Or you could drink these spices in a non-caffeinated tea.

    6. Other Foods

    There are also a few other foods worth a mention here.

    • Grains like quinoa, kamut or spelt are better choices than refined grains like white wheat flour. Wholegrains are one great place to find the B vitamins which help improve your mood.
    • Foods like raw cacao (not a block of milk chocolate!), dark molasses and brazil nuts, which are high in selenium, are also great depression eliminators
    • Make sure your diet is loaded up with fruit and vegetables which will provide lots of vitamins and minerals to help lift the clouds that surround you. And remember that there is a big difference between both the amounts, and the quality, of the nutrients in organic and commercially grown produce. Organic foods have significantly higher levels of the nutrients you need than are found in commercially grown crops.
    • It is pretty important to try and keep your blood sugar levels stable and also to get enough B vitamins when you are feeling depressed. Avoiding sugar altogether helps stop blood sugar spikes and dips.

    In the end it is important to remember that depression does not last, it is a transient phenomena and will pass. In the meantime take the decision to be proactive and make the changes you need to make to move on.  Even just setting this goal is the first step in moving forward.

    Fight depression with diet

    Disclaimer.

    All information and opinions presented here are for information only and are not intended as a substitute for professional advice offered during a consultation. Please consult with your health care provider before trying any of the treatment suggested on this site. 

    For more information:

    http://www.naturalnews.com/020611.html

    http://voices.yahoo.com/how-fight-depression-daily-habits-all-200108.html?cat=72

    http://www.naturalnews.com/035463_depression_herbs_remedies.html

    http://www.thedailymind.com/stress/5-small-but-big-ways-to-beat-depression-every-time/

    http://www.webmd.com/depression/features/natural-treatments

    © Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health, 2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Catherine Bullard and Happy Holistic Health with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.