Food and how it affects your brain

The food you eat can affect how you think and how your brain functions. That is just one more reason why it’s important to eat healthy food.

Foods that a good for your brain

Avocados are full of antioxidants that suppress free radicals. Antioxidants can help to prevent neuron death, and may help prevent neurodegenerative disease. Avocados also contain monounsaturated fatty acids and folate; both of these can help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease. Blueberries are another great food for the brain. There has been research that found that eating 2 servings of blueberries a week may delay cognitive decline by up to 2½ years.

Coffee despite the negative effects that too much coffee has on the body, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds that protect the brain from damage. However, this doesn’t mean you should be drinking an excessive amount of it. Another great food is dark chocolate. This is because cacao is a rich source of flavonoids that promote neuron and blood vessel growth in your brain, stimulate brain blood flow, and may help improve recall and cognitive processing. Likewise, this is not an excuse to binge out on dark chocolate. Green tea contains EGCG, a flavonoid that can bind to and prevent the formation of beta-amyloid proteins, this is also good for preventing Alzheimer’s. Other good teas are White, Oolong, Black tea, and peppermint.

There are also some herbs and spices that can help with brain function. Turmeric is excellent for reducing inflammation and increasing blood flow to your brain. Apigenin which is in parsley, thyme, oregano, and basil, can also protect your brain from inflammation, oxidation, and plaque formation.

Leafy Greens are beneficial for brain health as they could slow cognitive aging by up to 11 years. Also, legumes. These are high in protein and fibre and may stop or significantly slow Alzheimer’s progression by preventing the formation of amyloid-β plaque. Nuts & seeds are anti-inflammatory and rich in sterols, stanols, fibre, minerals, and vitamin E, which protect your brain cells from oxidative damage and boost cognitive function. Whole Grains are high in fibre and vitamin E which are associated with lower risk of cognitive decline.

Foods that are no good for your brain health

At the top of this list is processed foods. These are high in saturated and trans fats, added sugar and refined carbs, all of which are associated with poorer cognitive outcomes. Also, processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, beef jerky, and lunch meats that have been smoked or preserved with nitrites form compounds called nitrosamines, which promote neurodegeneration. Another food that isn’t good is red meat. This is because it is a concentrated source of heme iron. An excess of this increases oxidative stress that’s toxic to the brain and raises risk for Alzheimer’s. Butter & vegan butter substitutes are concentrated sources of saturated fat, regular consumption of which is associated with cognitive decline. Aspartame is also a stressor in your body, it raises cortisol levels and causes excess production of free radicals and artificially-sweetened drinks are associated with a higher risk for stroke and dementia.

Fried food is another one to steer clear of as it is associated with bad memory and cognitive function. Cheese, which can be a leading source of saturated and trans fats have also been linked to increased oxidative stress and poorer cognitive outcomes. Excessive alcohol, more than 8 drinks per week, is also on the cognitive decline list.

Find out what you are sensitive to

If you want to find out which foods are best for you then come to the clinic and have a sensitivity test. It’s a simple saliva or hair test and we can tell you exactly which foods are causing havoc in your body. We can also tell you what vitamins and minerals you are deficient in, what sprays, perfumes and pollutants are annoying your sinuses and skin and if you are being exposed to mould or are dust sensitive. Give us a call or email today to book for your test and get on to a healthier you.

Why is Meditation so good for you?

Meditation is good for you for many reasons. Meditation can have great benefits for your mind, emotional life, health and performance and spiritual life. Meditation helps you take control of your mind. You might be thinking that you are in control but often that this is not always the case. Often, your mind is in control of you.

Our mind is one of our most valuable assets. Depending on what is going on it can also affect your feels. It can make you happy or miserable, successful or broken, energetic or lifeless. Meditation can help you to know your mind, and master it. From there you have mastery over yourself. However, it is a practice that will take time.

Skills meditation can give you

There are certain skills that you can gain through meditating. These skills can help you through your day-to-day tasks and make you more productive and successful in life.

Why focus is so important

The first thing that you will notice is that you become more focused. It will help you keep your attention on the task at hand and help you ignore distractions. The length of time you can sustain your attention will increase the more you practice. This is important in all areas of your life.

Focusing will help you to be more present in daily activities, be a better listener and communicator. It will help you to not fall into the trap of multitasking. This will help you to become more time and energy efficient, it will give you a deeper enjoyment for the little things like a good meal, time with your family, and your favourite hobby.

The voice in your head

When there are competing voices in your head like the voice of fear and the voice of confidence your life becomes conflicted. Meditation will help you focus on the voice that is most empowering for you. This will let you take a step back and find better perspective on many situations. You will no longer be affected by a conflicting mind or emotions you can’t always handle. There will be a sense of clarity and serenity. Your emotions will no longer govern you and nor will your head. In time there will be a meeting of the head and heart which is referred to in so many spiritual texts where you can address your mind with much more clarity of perception.

What does it mean to pause?

Pausing is a skill associated with meditation. Most of the time we live in an unconscious, automatic way. We react to situations rather than act. This is when we become the product of our environment. When we do this, we are acting on the loudest impulse in our heads and are reproducing our past conditioning. Pausing gives you the space to prevent you from acting on anger or other destructive impulses. It helps break bad habits and find clarity about what’s really going on. In this way, it helps you make wiser decisions based on the needs of the moment, re-aligns your actions with your core values. This takes less thought and hence you worry far less.

The gift of clarity

Clarity is perhaps one of the greatest gifts meditation has to offer. In most situations after you have meditated for a number of months you will begin to have a clarity of thinking and feeling like never before. This clarity will help you make better decisions for yourself and for those around you that ask for your help – family, friends, loved ones. 

These are just a few of the gifts meditation can give you. We offer a short beginners 3 lesson course over 3 weeks to get you started. These sessions are tailored to what you need. They are not just sitting in a group wondering if you are doing it right or why others perhaps can do it and you can’t. The lessons are tailored for what you specifically need to help you to acquire the gifts of focus, pausing, being in the present moment and clarity. That’s for starters. Give us a text, call or email to find out more.

INSULIN RESISTANCE CAN CAUSE SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Sleep is very important for our health. Unfortunately, many of us don’t get enough. Today’s busy lifestyles along with a variety of other reasons is making sleep deprivation a real issue. The are many misconceptions when it comes to sleep. One misconception is that sleep is more important for children than adults. Another one is that people believe that functioning on less hours of sleep makes them stronger. However, this is not the case. It is important that you are aware of just how important sleep is for your physical and mental wellbeing.

Why we need sleep

Do you remember when you were young and your parents used to tell you that you need to sleep if you want to grow up big and strong? Well, that wasn’t something that they just told you to make you go to bed, it’s true! However, what we don’t get told is that sleep is necessary if you want to stay big and strong. There have been studies that have had some interesting results when it comes to your quality of sleep and how sleep or lack of it can affect our health.

The studies found that your quality of sleep can improve a lot if your nearby electronic devices are turned off at least one hour before bed. Electronics can affect your quality of sleep by disrupting the melatonin surge needed to fall asleep.

Sleep can also help you to burn fat, it helps to regulate food intake, glucose use, energy supply and it also boosts memory, cognition, and immunity.

What does sleep deprivation do to you?

So, what does it do to your body when you aren’t getting enough sleep? Firstly, it can cause your body to become resistant to insulin, leptin and ghrelin. If this happens you can be sure that many health issues will follow, including diabetes. It also triggers the body to burn muscle, which is not good. Sleep deprivation can disrupt your thyroid and stress hormone production, compromise your brain health, heart health, and immune response and it can double or even triple tumour growth (this has been proven in laboratory animals) Every night that you are losing sleep you are increasing these negative effects to grow. These then start to raise your risk of harmful health problems including brain disease, heart disease, type II diabetes, obesity, cancer, and even premature death.

What to do about sleep deprivation

There are many things that can help you get a good night’s sleep including getting direct sunlight every day for about 30 minutes, avoiding devices at least 1 hour before bed and keeping your bedroom dark and cool.

So, if you are someone who doesn’t prioritise sleep, we strongly recommend that you rethink it. The first step is to identify the reason you are not getting a good night’s sleep and then work on improving your sleep little by little. We can help you with identifying the reasons and to improve your sleep quality. Give us a call today.

So, if you are someone who doesn’t prioritise sleep, we strongly recommend that you rethink it. The first step is to identify the reason you are not getting a good night’s sleep and then work on improving your sleep little by little. We can help you with identifying the reasons and to improve your sleep quality. Give us a call today.

Why is being a good listener so important?

Listening is something that we do every day. However, are you a good listener? Sometimes you may find yourself interrupting the person talking or you may find that you often start talking about your own experience without first acknowledging the other person. This doesn’t make you a bad listener but there are a few things you can do to make your listening skills better. Letting others know you’re listening through your facial expressions and verbal sounds such as “Mm-hm”, is a great way to start. Also being able to repeat what they have said, practically word-for-word is also great. Something like, “So, let me make sure I understand. What you’re saying is…” is good to start with. However, there is more you can do to become the best listener for your friends and loved one when they need it.

Skills for listening

Good listening is much more than being silent while the other person talks. Sometimes it is good to periodically ask questions that promote discovery and insight. This is because it helps to gently challenge their old assumptions in a constructive way. Thinks about it, just because someone sits there and nods doesn’t mean they are actually listening, but if you are asking questions, it will confirm that you are listening.

You should also make the conversation a positive experience. This doesn’t happen when you are passive or critical. You should make them feel supported. A good listening skill to have, is to be able to have a cooperative conversation. This type of interactions, the feedback will flow smoothly in both directions and neither party should become defensive about the comments either of you make.  Making suggestions can be good. Some feedback provided in a way they would accept will open up alternative paths to consider.

Different levels of listening

Not all conversations require the same level of listening. Many conversations would benefit from greater focus and listening skills.

It is important to make the person fee they are in a safe environment in which sometimes difficult topics or even emotional issues can be discussed. Perhaps clear away distractions such as your television, phone and computer. Focus your attention on the other person and make eye-contact. Try to understand the core what they are saying. Take up their ideas, ask them questions, and if needed restate the issues to confirm your understanding is correct.

Sometimes it’s important to look for non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, what feelings they may transmit, how they are breathing, moving their hands, how they are sitting and other body language signals which will communicate equally as important as the language they use. This may even let you discover subconscious feelings they are not maybe even aware of at this time.

Can you put yourself in the other person’s position and understand their emotions about the topic? Let them know your response to this. If there are things you don’t understand ask questions and maybe use your input to help them to see the issue in a new light. 

How it all works

All these suggestions here work together to make you a good listener. Remember they are a different person to you and do things differently perhaps so don’t be too pushy with your suggestions. You are their sounding board for them to clarify how they feel and what they can do to move forward. Hopefully when you have an issue, they, or someone else, will be able to provide the good listening skills to assist you in your needs.

Remember that counselling and therapy are good sounding boards for issues that often cannot be resolved in your life. This clinic offers a range of therapies to assist you to overcome your stress, anxiety, blockages and to reach your goals. We can help you clear away the negativity that keeps you blocked. So why not give us a call and discuss how we can help you today.

Have you heard of Activated Charcoal?

Activated charcoal is great for your health. It has a wide range of uses including being excellent for detoxification. You will find activated charcoal in things like facial masks and teeth whiteners, as well as digestive remedies.

The benefits of activated charcoal are well known when it comes to traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. It is even used in emergency rooms as an antidote for cases of toxicity and poisoning in developed nations around the world.

Activated charcoal is generally considered to be safe to use but it should be handled with care. It is extremely versatile.

Benefits of activated charcoal

Detoxification is one of the great benefits. Due to its porous surface activated charcoal has a negative electrical charge. This means it attracts positively charged molecules such as toxins and gases removing them from the gastrointestinal tract. It reduces gas and bloating also. This means it can be used successfully for cleansing your digestion and to promote overall digestive health. Since it is a natural gut cleanser it reduces the toxicity in your body. This can also reduce allergic reactions and oxidative damage in your body as well as strengthen your immune system. Research has been done to prove that activated charcoal can help you regulate your cholesterol also. This is because it can attach to and flush the cholesterol from your body. It can also help to reduce the effects of radiation and detox you from many substances. If you want to know more about this, give us a call.

Activated charcoal is a great anti-ageing product because if there are less toxins in your body, your body experiences less oxidative damage that drives the ageing process. It may also help to prevent cellular damage to your natural detox organs.

Side effects of activated charcoal

While this product comes with many health benefits, it is also important to remember that activated charcoal can have some not so good side effects sometimes. The product not only adsorbs toxins and unwanted chemicals in your body, but it can also get rid of the some of the good things as well. This can include nutrients from your food, supplements and prescription medicines. Be careful as this could make the medication less effective. It is best to take activated charcoal on an empty stomach between meals so that it does not affect the absorption of nutrients. Also, you should take activated charcoal between 90 minutes and two hours before taking any supplements or prescription medications.

Another side effect is that it may turn your stool black, but this is only temporary and harmless. When taking it you should drink plenty of water to prevent constipation. Activated charcoal is generally considered safe for use during pregnancy. However, it is important to consult your health care practitioner and take it under supervision. Studies supports its use for cholestasis, a condition with reduced bile flow, during pregnancy. It can be used when pregnant to help alleviate symptoms of nausea and vomiting caused by morning sickness, as well as diarrhoea. Once again only under the supervision of your natural practitioner. In some people, activated charcoal can cause side effects of vomiting and diarrhoea, the same symptoms you may be taking it to relieve. If you want to try this as a detox, call us and book a session so we can get you started with the right products and dosage for your detox from any toxins and other substances you would rather not have in your body.

Toxins affect your brain and all of your health

Toxins are fine particles that can enter your bloodstream and damage your brain in a variety of ways including cerebrovascular damage, brain nerve damage and brain tumours. Toxins can cause underlying factors such as cellular breakdown, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and autonomic dysfunction. Toxins can also cause inflammation, oxidative stress, infection, and allergies.

Exposure to natural or manmade toxic substances can alter the normal activity of your nervous system. It can disrupt or even kill neurons. These are the key cells that transmit and process signals in your brain and other parts of the nervous system.

Where do they come from?

Toxins can enter your body through exposure to substances in chemotherapy, radiation treatment, drug therapies and organ transplants. Also, heavy metals such as lead and mercury, certain foods and food additives, pesticides, industrial and/or cleaning solvents, cosmetics and artificial or man-made perfumes. There are many more ways toxins can enter your body. Too numerous to list here.

Symptoms of exposure

Symptoms can appear immediately or later when the toxin is out of sight. Some of the symptoms that you may experience include insomnia, short-term memory loss, problems speaking or functioning properly, lack of mental clarity, decline in intellect. Also, you may suffer increased headaches or migraines, have decreased concentration, and experience behavioural or psychological changes.

The health of your brain

Enzymes are molecules that speed up the rate of all chemical reactions inside your cells. Toxins poison these enzymes, making them less effective. Toxins in your body will displace minerals resulting in your bones being weaker. When toxins displace the calcium in your bones with a twofold effect. Your skeleton will be weaker and there is a risk of increased toxin release when you start losing bone cells. For women this happens during menopause.

The toxins being released by the loss of bone will then circulate throughout the body and ultimately, they will affect your brain. They will increase inflammation and brain cell loss in your elderly years.

What do toxins do?

Toxins can damage organs like the brain through something called B4. This is a breach of the blood-brain barrier and an example is like when chlorine binds onto the thyroid receptor sites. This forms what’s called a neo-epitope. This will make your immune system produce antibodies to the chlorine thyroid neo-epitope to fight it. This type of action can also damage DNA. When this happens, it increases the rate of aging and cellular degeneration.

Many commonly used pesticides, phthalates, improperly detoxified estrogens, and products that contain benzene can also damage your DNA. Toxins also modify the way your genes express themselves. Your genes switch on and off to adapt to changes in your bodies and the outer environment. Many toxins will activate or suppress your genes in undesirable ways.

The results of this are health problems in your brain such as depression and dementia. As well as effects that can span for generations. Toxins can also cause anxiety, interfere with hormones and cause other imbalances. Toxins such as BPA can also induce, inhibit, and mimic hormones.

So, what action can I take?

There are a number of studies done on these topics and if you are inclined you can go and read them. The job of a naturopath or natural therapist is to research such topics and to apply them to clients that present with unusual physical symptoms, psychological and emotional symptoms and stresses that many others may put in the ‘too hard’ basket. This clinic specialises in assisting you to get to the root of your toxaemia and getting healthier. Toxins can also impair your body’s ability to detoxify. We can also help you with that as well as to reduce the toxins you are exposed to and give your body a regular detox. Contact us today to find out how we can help.

Treating diabetes with herbs

 

Diabetes is a disease that affect how the body uses blood sugar, or glucose. Glucose is a source of energy that is important for the cells in your body that make up your muscles and tissues. Glucose is your brains main fuel. There are two chronic types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. There are also types of diabetes that can potentially be reversible. These are pre-diabetes and gestational diabetes. Pre-diabetes is when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, however they are not high enough to be called diabetes. If you have been told you have pre-diabetes you should be aware that this can lead to diabetes unless you take certain steps to prevent it. The other type of diabetes is called Gestational diabetes. This type happens during pregnancy. However, there is a good chance it will go away after you give birth to your baby. Once again you need to be careful and be aware that this may not always be the case.

Causes of Diabetes

The main causes for diabetes vary depending on the type.

All types of diabetes lead to excess sugar in the blood.  If you  have too much sugar in the blood it can lead to other serious health problems.

Type 1 Diabetes is usually from birth though it can be otherwise. It can occur if your immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. Type 1 diabetes may be generic but some environmental factors, such as viruses, can trigger the disease.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. There are a few contributing factors that can cause you to develop this type of diabetes. There are many lifestyle factors involved and some people do believe it is in your genes. Often some type of energetic healing is needed in that case. If you are overweight, eat junk foods, too much sugar or chemical type GMO foods then you have a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Natural ways to manage your diabetes

There is a way that you can help manage your diabetes naturally. You can do this through the use of certain herbs and adjust your diet and lifestyle.

Some of these herbs include bitter melon. This helps to reduce blood sugar levels and helps with other symptoms of diabetes. Gymnema is an herb that can help get rid of sugar levels and increase your insulin levels. It can also assist in helping with the cravings for sugar. Another good herb is cinnamon. This herb can lower your blood pressure, your cholesterol and your glucose levels, while increasing your insulin sensitivity. Ginger is also good for lowering blood sugar levels and it can help your digestion and is an anti-inflammatory.

One herb that is good for slowing the progress of Type 2 diabetes is Aloe Vera. This is because of its antioxidant effects. Milk Thistle also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Milk Thistle is a good herb to detox your liver. Lastly Fenugreek is a good herb for increasing your insulin levels as well as helping to reduce blood sugar and lower cholesterol.

Prime importance is your diet and enough exercise is key for managing your diabetes. Also reducing your stress levels and taking time out for yourself. You cannot expect herbs, supplements or even doctors’ medication to work properly if you keep messing it up by not attending to what it means for you to heal it yourself. If your lifestyle is bad you can’t expect to be healthy nor to live on this planet for any length of time because it will all catch up to you. So please do something about your health now before all your hard work is of no avail and you risk becoming just another statistic.

How to get help

This clinic specialises in helping people create healthy lifestyles, address their illnesses and eradicate them. Please give us a call for a few minutes chat to see how we can help you. Or email us on www.stressfreemanagement.com.au

How do electromagnetic fields (EMFs) affect your health

You are exposed to EMFs all day long, not only in public but inside your home too. Radiation is emitted from electronics such as mobile phones, cell towers, computers, smart meters and Wi-Fi just to name a few things.

What are EMFs

EMFs are invisible energy, such as radiation, that are associated with the use of electrical power. Your mobile phones, baby monitors, Bluetooth devices, cordless phones, smart meters and Wi-Fi routers all emit EMFs in microwave doses. The microwave radiation that they emit are at levels that may damage your mitochondria in your cells of your body. Studies have shown that double and single strand DNA breaks are actually higher when exposed to non-ionizing microwave radiation than ionizing radiation. This means that these emf’s are affection the very cells that make up your body in a very bad way. The reason for this is because of the excessive oxidative stress that microwave exposure induces.

How EMFs effect your health

Negative health effects from EMFs are not usually immediately noticeable, as they develop gradually over time. Studies indicate your intracellular calcium increases with exposure to EMFs. This in turn increases nitric oxide and increases your free radicals which increases inflammation and makes your body super toxic. You can block or greatly reduce the effects of EMFs using calcium channel blockers but this is with medications commonly prescribed to patients with heart disease. Notably, it is the excess calcium in the cell and increased calcium signalling that are responsible for a vast majority of the biological effects of EMFs. when there’s excess calcium in the cell, it increases levels of both nitric oxide and superoxide. While Nitric Oxide has many beneficial health effects, excessive amounts of it react with superoxide, forming peroxynitrite, which is an extremely potent oxidant stressor. Peroxynitrites, break down to form reactive free radicals, both reactive nitrogen species and reactive oxygen species, including hydroxyl radicals, carbonate radicals and NO2 radicals, all three of which do damage to your body. Peroxynitrites also do damage. EMF radiation activates the VGCCs in the outer cell membrane, triggering a chain reaction of devastating events that causes severe cellular damage, DNA breaks, it dramatically accelerates your ageing process and puts you at higher risk for chronic disease.

They affect your whole body

EMFs can cause health problems with your brain, nervous system, retina, your testes if you are male, and can cause heart arrhythmia. If your brain is subjected to chronic EMF exposure it can cause Alzheimer’s, anxiety, and autism, which results in children from too excessive EMF exposure during pregnancy so it is important to not overuse your phones or other devices if you are pregnant. Also to take your children off these devices or time how long per day they can spend on them. Also, this can cause depression.

Watch your heart

EMFs may cause problems with your heart, especially if you are taking heart medication. The most common heart issues that have been linked to EMF exposure include atrial fibrillation / atrial flutter, bradycardia which is a slow heartbeat, cardiac arrhythmia, heart palpitations and tachycardia which is a fast heartbeat.

EMFs can also affect reproduction in men, EMF exposure can increase your risk of infertility, especially if you routinely carry your mobile phone in a pants pocket near your groin or use your laptop on your lap. If you are a woman, your risk of breast cancer is higher if you regularly carry your mobile phone in your bra. Generally, the most common location for breast cancer is the upper, outer quadrant.

The good news

The good news is that there are many remedies now days for EMF exposure. Everything from protective wall paint to devices that plug in and alleviate the emf affect on your body. There are insoles for your shoes, devices to plug into your car and pendants to wear round your neck. There are also grounding pads and special mattresses and the list goes on. This clinic can help you with some of these devices and to introduce you to the devices correct for you. Alternatively, we can put you in touch with people who can do an inspection of your home. Give us a call or email to see how we can assist if you feel your physical health symptoms are inexplicable and want to find out why you just plain don’t feel well despite all the tests coming up zero.