Why You Should Not Drink Coffee at Night

Coffee is a daily ritual for millions of people around the world. In fact, caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug on the planet. While that morning cup can feel essential, drinking coffee too late in the day can seriously interfere with your sleep and throw off your body’s natural rhythm.

Scientists have long been fascinated by coffee and its effects on the brain. One major reason is its

impact on the body’s internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm. This clock regulates biological patterns such as when we feel alert and when we feel sleepy. When caffeine enters the picture at the wrong time, that clock can be disrupted.

One study followed 12 participants and found that “caffeine consumed 0, 3, and 6 hours before bedtime diminished sleep quality.” Using sleep monitors, researchers measured total sleep time and sleep efficiency, which is the percentage of time spent asleep while in bed. The study showed that caffeine consumed even six hours before bedtime had significant negative effects on sleep.

Another research study found that drinking a double espresso just three hours before bedtime delayed the production of melatonin which is the hormone that helps signal to your body that it’s time to sleep. It delayed it by about 40 minutes. This delay makes it much harder to fall asleep, even if you feel tired.

What Happens When You Drink Coffee Too Late?

In order to understand why nighttime coffee causes such problems, it helps to look at what’s happening inside your body.

Your body is made up of trillions of cells, and each one has its own circadian rhythm. Think of these rhythms like part of a tiny machine. Throughout the day, they work together to keep you alert. When evening approaches and the sun goes down, those parts begin to slow, preparing your body for rest.

Now imagine you’re out to dinner with friends in the evening and decide to order a coffee. While you’re enjoying the conversation, caffeine is quietly entering your system and as the coffee spreads through your body, it reaches each cell and wakes it back up. The parts of the machine that were slowing down suddenly speed up again. For the next few hours, your body behaves as if it’s still daytime so you are alert, energized, and focused.

Later that night, you get home, climb into bed, and expect to fall asleep but your cells aren’t ready. Even if you do manage to sleep, it’s unlikely to be deep or restoring sleep. Instead of waking up refreshed, you could feel groggy, unfocused, and tired the next morning.

The Caffeine Cycle

This is how many people fall into a cycle of poor sleep because caffeine disrupted your sleep the night before, so you wake up exhausted. So, to cope, you drink more coffee the next day. That extra caffeine can push your intake later into the afternoon or evening, once again interfering with sleep. Over time, this cycle can lead to chronic fatigue, reduced concentration, and an increasing dependence on caffeine just to get through the day.

it’s not that coffee is bad. If you have it earlier in the day, it can improve alertness, mood, and productivity. It’s all in the timing. If you want better sleep and more natural energy during the day, consider stopping caffeine intake in the afternoon or early evening. This gives your body time to wind down allowing your internal clock to function properly. Sometimes, the best way to feel more awake tomorrow is to skip that cup of coffee tonight.

How can Energy Healing help me?

Energy healing is a non-invasive technique that helps to restore harmony, energy and balance in your energy system. It does this by channelling the universal life force. Some energy healing modalities use touch during a treatment session to clear, balance and energise your energy fields. However, some don’t use touch at all.

An energy healer can transfer energy remotely to heal you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually no matter the distance. You can use energy healing alongside the conventional healthcare services or with other natural approaches to help with all your healing.

Energy healing works by opening your energy centres, clearing them out and channelling new energy into you. This helps to facilitate your natural healing mechanisms. By using energy healing you are unblocking your energy fields and helping to prevent future problems. It can also help to identify the issues before they manifest as pain in your body.

The benefits

Energy healing works on your mind, emotions, body and spirit. It is a process of transferring pure, positive energy to you. This then brings about numerous benefits for your physical, mental, emotional, psychological and spiritual self.

It helps your physical self by treating ailments, using energy to repair skeletal or muscular injuries, restoring balance to your basic body systems and it promotes overall wellness and improved immunity. For your mental health it helps to release internal negative thoughts and become more positive. It also helps you let go of old feelings such as regret and guilt that have been holding you back, helps you conquer fears, build confidence and develop a positive mindset. When it comes to your emotional self it can help to ease pain brought on by depression and start to bring joy into your everyday life. It can help to release anxiety and gives you a sense of calmness and confidence, sooth your anger and relieve sadness. On a spiritual level it can give you a sense of purpose and meaning in life, encourage your natural intuition to unfold and guide you in the right direction. It can help you gain new insight and harness better connection to all the people in your life.

Types of energy healing

There are quite a few different types of energy healing modalities. Each one follows its own process, but they all have the same outcome as the goal. This is to make some lasting changes in your energy field and improve your overall health. Some of the energy healing modalities that you may come across are polarity therapy, reflexology, reiki, touch for health, Pranic healing, emotional freedom technique or EFT, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, or PEMF or Theta healing.

This clinic specialises in clearing out your energies and teaching you how to keep them balanced in order to heal. We also hold classes for those interested in reiki and other forms of energy healing. If you would like to give energy healing a go give us a call and book a session to try.

As a special for Mother’s Day which is fast approaching, we are offering here at our natural health clinic in Greystanes, Sydney 20% discount on vouchers for your mum, grandma or special person in your life. Mention this blog to take advantage of the offer. Contact us at www.stressfreehealthmanagement.com, Facebook or give us a call. #naturalmedicineweek2025

How to open your and clear your solar plexus chakra

Chakra is a word from Indian classical Sanskrit It means wheel because a chakra spins. It is associated with both Hindu and Buddhist traditions. It is the name for the energy centres or portals in your body.

Your chakras need to stay balanced or in sync for the body-mind connection to function at its best. If a chakra is blocked or has depleted energy, you will have physical, emotional and psychological symptoms associated with that particular chakra.

There are 7 main chakras and they run along the spine. They start at the base and extend to the crown of the head. The names of these are the root chakra (Mūlādhāra), the sacral chakra (Svādhiṣṭhāna), the solar plexus chakra (Maṇipūra), the heart chakra (Anāhata), the throat chakra (Viśuddha), the third eye chakra (Ājñā) and the crown chakra (Sahasrāra). They work as energy vortices that regulate your body’s energy and the connection between your physical, spiritual, mental, and energetic bodies and your environment. Each chakra resonates with a specific colour and element.

When one or more of your chakra’s flow is compromised, it can lead to disease. Stress, adverse experiences, negative thoughts and emotions, grief and other significant changes can deplete chakra energy.

Opening the chakras

Opening your chakras can be done through a number of practices. These include meditation, breathing exercises, yoga, and affirmations. Or you can go for reiki clearing or other energy therapies to assist.

Meditation can help open up the chakras. Reciting mantras that relate to each of the seven chakras helps to activate and balance them. By using breathing exercises, inhaling deeply with intention, directing energy to the chakra, and then exhaling and relaxing awareness into it helps to restore your chakras to a harmonious state. If you do yoga, you will find that it can help to increase the flow of energy through your chakras. This in turn has a positive impact on your physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Affirmations are another useful practise. If you create affirmations for each of the chakra it can help, bring them back into balance. This clinic specialises in all forms of energy healing to assist with your chakra balance.

The Solar Plexus chakra

Your solar plexus chakra is an energy point located above your navel and below your rib cage. It is one of the central chakras. The other one being the heart chakra. The solar plexus chakra is where your solar energy resides. It is linked with your vitality, sense of self, will and personal power. This is where you digest and process your emotions, and experience those gut feelings. Your physical digestion also is affected by this. This chakra can also be the place where your empathically take in other people’s energies.

The chakra is associated with the element fire, the planet is the sun, and its colour is yellow. It can have effects on your stomach, liver, skin, kidneys, your large Intestine, adrenal glands, the muscular System, gall bladder, diaphragm and pancreas. If you have issues with any of these organs, give us a call to let us help you balance and restore them.

How can herbs help?

Plants can be great for helping with the chakras and your healing. Some of the plants and herbs that are good for opening your solar plexus includes, fennel to help digestion, cleansing old skin and induce courage, turmeric to stimulate your digestive system, chamomile to calm and gently support digestion, dandelion Leaves to support your kidneys, dandelion root for your liver and to clear anger, ginger for digestion, warming and boosting energy, lemon for detoxing, as well as pineapple, cinnamon, sunflower seeds and yellow peppers. In order to find out which herbal remedies you should be taking give us a call to book an appointment.

A simple tummy rub can help balance this chakra, assist with a sluggish digestive system and soothes stomach upsets. Blend these ingredients together and store in a bottle. Rub on the abdominal area when needed.

Remember to use only natural oils. One part cardamom essential oil, one part black pepper essential oil, one part fennel essential oil in a base oil of sweet almond or jojoba. So in about 10ml you can put one drop of the above oils and make it up fresh each time.

For more information on all your chakras and how to balance them give us a call and come for a healing at the clinic. Alternatively, we can assist you online. Contact us today on +61414680713 and check out our website on www.stressfreehealthmanagement.com.

 

 

Aromatherapy and weight loss

Are you one of those people who have tried everything out there to lose weight and have not found something that works for you? Well, this might be just what you are looking for.

Along with changes to your lifestyle, eating habits and your approach to food, Aromatherapy can play a part in helping you to lose weight. Research has been done with aromatherapy, putting your sense of smell into action to help suppress your appetite.

If you inhale a strong spicy or food-related fragrance for at least five minutes before you eat you can suppress your appetite. The problem is, that if you inhale that fragrance for less than five minutes before eating you will actually increase your appetite.

Suppressing Your Appetite

To help you suppress your appetite create an aromatherapy blend that you can put on a tissue. Place the tissue in a shirt pocket or in your bra. If you are someone that tends to graze or snack throughout the day this will help keep that at bay. You only need three drops of each aromatherapy oils you choose to use. Use up to 3 oils at a time on the one tissue, and inhale it as required.

Best oils to choose

Some of the oils that have the most effect on appetite suppression include Grapefruit, Vanilla, Benzoin, Peppermint, Cinnamon, Clove, Fennel, Lemon, Marjoram, Orange, Mandarin, Ginger and Black Pepper. If you find oils that remind you of the foods you like to eat it will make them more effective. For me I like the sweet stuff, such as lollies, biscuits and chocolate, so I would use oils such as Vanilla, Cinnamon, Grapefruit or Orange on my tissue. Using this along with a healthy diet and exercise will help you see results.

Losing centimetres and reducing Cellulite 

If you are looking to reduce your centimetres and cellulite then these aromatherapy oils can help you with that as well. Use up to three of these essential oils - Rosemary, Grapefruit, Juniper, Angelica, Cypress, Lemon, Bergamot in 20mls of a carrier oil such as sweet almond oil. Massage yourself in the areas you want to focus on such as your legs, hips and thighs. Massage vigorously using plenty of percussion movements, like hacking and cupping. If you do this daily you will see inch loss in about six weeks. If you find you have an increased urge to urinate it means the blend is working. Remember to drink plenty of water to help your body remove any toxins.

Motivation

Sometimes finding the energy to actually show up at the gym is one of the hardest parts of dieting. The essential oils Frankincense, Grapefruit, Juniper, Ginger, Peppermint will help to improve your state of mind and get you moving.

Emotional Eating

If you comfort eat, meaning you reward yourself with food when things go well, eat if you are bored or stop eating if you are very unhappy, then you emotionally eat. If you know you do this, then you need to tackle these habits too. Try any of the following essential oils to help you break any habits you have developed as a result of emotional eating. Lemongrass, Melissa, Frankincense, May Chang, Geranium, Palmarosa, Juniper, Cypress, Sandalwood.

This clinic uses essential oils to assist our clients. We can mix you up a blend that suits you and post it to you. Easy payment system and it will get to you in a week or so. Give us a call or email us on https://www.stressfreemanagement.com.au/ to purchase an oil.

Dementia and tips on how to handle it

Dementia is a harsh and heartbreaking diseases. Dementia is the umbrella term used when describing symptoms of a number of illnesses.  These illnesses cause a slow progressive decline in your functioning. Symptoms that are looked for include memory loss, loss of intellect, rationality, social skills, and physical functioning. Although before these symptoms are diagnosed as dementia, they must be affecting two or more brain functions. Brain functions doctors look for include memory, thinking, language, judgment, and behaviour.

Types of Dementia

There are two main types of dementia, these are Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. However, there are more types such as frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body disease, and dementia from Parkinson’s disease.

Causes of Dementia

Dementia develops as a result of the degeneration of neurons or disturbances in the body that affect how neurons function. Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, with dementia, and vascular dementia are included in neurodegenerative diseases. There are factors that can cause neurodegenerative diseases such as side effects of medication, chronic alcoholism and also some tumours or infections of the brain. Other causes of dementia include frontotemporal lobar degeneration. This is when there is damage to the frontal and temporal lobes in the brain. Also, metabolic disorders and toxins like lead can cause dementia. People with Alzheimer’s disease have high levels of brain inflammation.

Genetics

Some people may be worried if they have seen loved ones suffer from dementia, that they too are at risk. That is not always the case. There is a particular gene, the apoliprotein E, including ApoE2, ApoE3, and Apo4 associated with some cases of dementia. This though, is only one risk factor among many. Regarding Alzheimer’s specifically, only 40 – 50% of what causes the disease is attributable to genetics. In rare cases the attributable cause is gene mutations. This is thought to be at only 5% of cases. This means that for some, dementia may be preventable.

Symptoms

Some symptoms can include, having a hard time when it comes to accepting changes in schedules. There can also be small changes in short-term memory. This can cause remembering things such as childhood or events that happened 30-years-ago feel as though they happened yesterday but at the same it can be a struggle to remember things that happened that day, such as what was eaten at breakfast. There can be difficulty with word recollection or association. Some words can be repetitive and sometimes there is a confused sense of direction, even though the person may have driven the same way for years. Also, when watching television, the person may struggle to follow story lines or descriptions. There may also be changes in mood, resulting in people feeling depressed, frustrated or angry more often. There can also be a loss of interest in the hobbies or activities they used to enjoy. Confusion can cause them to feel as though people, places, and events are no longer familiar and they may have difficulty completing everyday tasks that used to cause them no issues before.

What to do

All of the above make Dementia a difficult illness for the person having it and for their loved ones. By all means take assistance from doctors and other organisations that offer it but don’t discount a visit to the naturopath/nutritionist as to what would be an ideal diet to lower inflammation. Also get some testing as to what is causing the inflammation in the first place. Inflammation in the body causes illness. Find out what pollution is upsetting them, what Wi-Fi they are exposed to and if there is a balance of sleep, exercise, social interaction and nurturing. This clinic looks at all those issues and can help you discover new information about yourself or a loved one which will improve the quality of lifestyle. Feel free to give us a call to discuss your needs.

Frankincense has many benefits for your health and peace

Frankincense is an essential oil that can be used for a variety of reasons for wellbeing which stands out from the rest. It is made up of elements called Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes which are the most valuable elements of the oil. Other constituents include alpha-pinene, octanol, linalool, octyl acetate, bornyl acetate, incensole and incensyl acetate.

Monoterpenes are good for your health as they work in the liver and kidneys. They help lower cholesterol activity in the liver. Also, monoterpenes have antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral, antitumour2 and expectorant properties. Secondly Sesquiterpenes may cross the blood-brain barrier which can help stimulate the limbic system. The limbic system is the emotional centre of your brain, and stimulates antibodies, serotonin, endorphins and neurotransmitters. All this makes you a healthier person.

Frankincense oil is nontoxic and generally won’t irritate your skin but it is always important to test it before using the oil undiluted straight on your body. It’s a good idea to dilute the oil with a carrier oil such as almond or jojoba.

What are the health benefits?

Some of the health benefits of this oil can include the speeding up of healing a wound, helping with the appearance of stretch marks, age spots and wrinkles. It can help to reduce inflammation and inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and bronchial asthma, it reduces stress hormones, boosts your immune function and it can help improve your oral health. It does this by preventing bad breath, cavities, toothaches, mouth sores and infections. Frankincense can also help to support women’s uterine health, by regulating oestrogen production and menstrual cycles in premenopausal women. It also helps remove skin tags, helps promote sleep, improves digestion, and helps with digestive issues such as chronic colitis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Frankincense can also help with respiratory issues like the common cold, allergies, asthma and bronchitis. It helps as it reduces phlegm build-up and congestion. It may also help fight cancer.

How to Use Frankincense

You can use essential oils in a few different ways. You can apply a drop or two of the frankincense onto your pulse points while meditating or doing yoga. Frankincense can be used undiluted, but there are other oils that must be diluted with a carrier oil. If you have sensitive skin though always dilute the oil. Another way to use the oils is to add a drop or two to a teaspoon of a carrier oil such as Moringa Oil or Coconut oil. Or you can put a few drops into a bath and soak in it. Your body may also absorb some of the oil this way. To stop the oil from separating from the water and floating to the surface, mix the oil with a small amount of full-fat milk. You can also add a few drops of the oil to a hot compress or you can put the oil into a diffuser or vaporiser. Make sure you have one made specifically for essential oils and don’t add the oils to a standard humidifier.

Using oils can enhance your life in many ways. It can also add atmosphere and bring an aura of peacefulness to your home or office. Sometimes all you need is a bit of a lift or to set the tone. Nurture yourself with this delightful oil and explore what it can do for you.

Mental health assistance and the impact of nature

Mental health issues have been on the increase in our current social isolation environment. The whole act of distancing and staying indoors has made people that feel depressed and isolated even more so. City life is often great for work life and social life under normal circumstances but this may not always be good for your mental health either as it creates mental chatter for some. City life may mean being close to shops, schools, public transport and restaurants under usual circumstances but it also means there is a lot of noise, limited space and more air pollution. Nature also has its limits in these areas and the lack of greenery can mentally affect us. 

Most urban environments make room for some parks, grass areas, trees known as green areas and the landscape is often interspersed with ocean or lakes, and rivers known as blue spaces. It is known that urban environments with green and blue areas have less depression, stress and anxiety.  

Even though there is an association of better mental health around these blue and green spaces there are other specifics that need to be considered for mental health. Some of these include how many of these spaces are needed, how big they should be, are they spaced around so that you can access these areas easily no matter where you are and how much time should we spend in these environments.

Ways in which they improve mental health

There are different ways in which green and blue environments, namely those of nature, help to improve mental health. These areas tend to be healthier all round as it has been found they are cooler, less polluted and are quieter, they allow you the space needed to exercise freely in the outdoors with plenty of space, they provide a quiet place to meet socially and even just seeing this type of environment can help improve your health.

Being in and around nature has been linked to people reducing their stress. Stressing too much causes an excess in the hormone cortisol which is linked to people being in a bad mood. Nature can also be good for the immune system which is why advice in these times of Covid 19 to do some outdoor exercise daily is good advice. It will lift your spirits, increase your oxygen intake and help get you in shape.

If you are struggling with mental health

If you find that you are becoming increasingly stressed, anxious or are in a low mood, you should try to increase your time out in nature, go for a walk in the park, watch the wind blow the leaves on the trees and listen to the birds and other animals around. Although this isn’t a cure for your aches, pains and worries it is a small step towards relaxation and may help calm your mood and lift your spirits. Add to this some natural supplements to boost your immunity, meditation and yoga, perhaps writing your thoughts into a journal and exercising with a friend and some of that negativity will be released. If you find you are struggling with emotional difficulties or are unable to find a release from the negative moods, please seek help and speak with a counselor or therapist who will steer you in the right direction to help alleviate your issues.

Pic - Angelique Downing - Burst  

Sleep better - naturally

Sleep may be one of the things affected in these hard time of shutdown and constantly hearing about Corona virus on the news. The whole world is in a bit of turmoil. Is it any wonder your sleep patterns are disrupted? However it is important to get a good, restful night’s sleep to function properly next day. Lack of sleep will affect your focus and concentration and eventually your health. If you are someone that struggles to get to sleep, stay asleep or are restless at night there are many things you can do to help yourself.

Turn off what would keep you awake

Firstly blue light that comes from our TV, computers, phones and tablets causes sleep issues as it can reduce the melatonin production, which is the hormone that promotes deep sleep. So these things make it hard to fall asleep. Turning off these devices at least two hours before bed can help you to get a more restful night’s sleep. If you find that this is just not practical as you are overloaded with work you can try using some essential oils that will help to relax your mind and body.

Things to remember when using oils

Remember all oils should be mixed in a carrier oil if applied to the skin but if you are using a burner you put them in water. Also no carrier oil is needed for diffusers. Less is always best in the burner so just a drop or two is enough. Similar for a bath – 3 to 4 drops of each oil you want to use (depending on the size of the bath).

What oils do I use

Sandalwood is one that can help. By placing a drop under your nose and on your forehead between your eyebrows, where your 6th energy centre is (chakra) it corresponds with your psychological skills and mental abilities. So use it to help you relax. Also the pleasant smell of some of these oils helps as it’s something pampering before you go to bed.

Some other oils that can be helpful include Lavender which is a well-known calming oil and you can put a drop under your nose, on your big toes, or a drop on either side of the pillow (this is good for the elderly or children). If you have a diffuser a few drops is good to let it fill the room and the droplets in the air will help you to relax. Cedarwood is another good oil you can use with Lavender. You can rub both these oils on you if they are blended with a carrier oil and you only need a little.

Valerian is one of the major sleep assistance oils but it must be applied just before bed because if you put it on too early it may lose affect. RutaVaLA is a combination oil. It consists of Ruta, Valerian and lavender, it is a stronger blend than using the oils on their own. Roman Chamomile is a great oil for both adults and children as it is gentle.

If you have a diffuser you can set it to also use ‘Awaken’ oil just before you need to wake up or you can add it to your sleep oil but in smaller quantities to ensure you not only have a great night’s sleep but also wake up feeling refreshed and relaxed. However, when using awaken you should be careful as it is photosensitive meaning it must be in a carrier oil and you can be affected if you go out in the sun after applying it. Obviously if it’s in a burner once again you don’t need a carrier oil. Keep it away from the face.

So next time you are having trouble sleeping make sure you have a supply of these oils which you can obtain from myself or on the net if you know what you are buying. Always make sure your oils are pure and high grade as the cheap ones have chemicals in them and your body is simply becoming toxic if you use those. It’s good to have a few different oils as you feel differently on different days. If you use the same oil the effects may be less on a day you feel differently. Alternatively call me and I can make a special oil just for you, mixed according to sleep issues you have, and post it out to you. 

Technology and its effect on relationships

Technology is at the heart of our lifestyle. It has changed the way we communicate in our everyday life. We now type emails instead of letters, sent instantly. We text instead of call and instead of meeting face to face we use video calls and face time.

In the past when we dated we used to get dressed up and head out to different places to meet people. Today we don’t have to leave the house. A lot of people are using technology to find love because it’s as easy as swiping right if you like the look of someone. There’s a lot of sites that cater for people who are looking for love but how is this technology effecting our relationships?

Every person has a preconceived expectation of what it’s like to be loved. Some people need to be told they are loved while others need to be hugged. Technological dating makes it hard sometimes to work out what the other person needs and can lead to issues when you finally do meet face to face so let’s look at the different ways people express and expect love sometimes.

Affection and appreciation

Does your partner respond well to loving words? If they do it might be a good idea to make that short phone call to tell them you’re thinking of them and love them. Sure it’s easier to flick them a text but going that one step further and making the call may mean so much more to them. Words of complement or appreciation also go a long way if your partner is one that responds well to loving words. Or even a gentle touch or holding their hand can express something that perhaps the heart on the phone screen doesn’t quite say in the same way.

Action

Some people would like you to show them love through your actions. This could be cooking dinner for them, giving them a relaxing massage or taking care of them when they are feeling unwell. This is one area in which today's technologies can come in handy as there are all types of apps these days to help to make things easier, cheaper and save time.

Time and attention

Sometimes all we want is for our partner to spend some quality time with us and give us their full attention. Technology can sometimes get in the way with this. Yes, you may be able to multitask but is that really quality time? Does sitting on your phone scrolling through Facebook or reading emails while having dinner or watching a movie with your partner really qualify as quality time? If this is the way your partner treats you then you may need to tell them to put that phone down and spend an evening or lunch break just with you.

Giving Gifts

Some people like to receive tokens of affection as in gifts to show love. If your partner’s love language is receiving gifts, then the importance of the gift is magnified. Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, giving your partner not necessarily expensive gifts, but giving them thoughtful gifts will make them feel special and loved. Technology can make this easy with online shopping and you cannot save time finding the perfect gift while comparing prices and saving money.

So while technology can lead to many arguments about Facebook and scrolling between couples there is also an upside. You can find things you have in common online, share ideas about what movies to watch, text each other flirty messages and use it to communicate rather than communication breakdowns. Keep in mind yours and your partners preferences when is comes to how we need to give and receive love and keep the lines of communication flowing.

Aussies and weight gain – there is a solution

Did you know that over half of us Aussies are overweight, despite the fact many of us eat lots of sugar free, fat free, light diet food and drinks. This is because, even though the food is labelled diet it doesn’t always mean it’s a healthy choice.

Low kilojoule meals are one example. These meals are great when it comes to portion control but they are full of carbohydrates such as white flour, rice potatoes and often full of sugar. These white refined carbohydrates can cause overeating as they lack fibre and are digested quickly leaving you feeling hungry sooner than high fibre, slow release carbohydrates such as brown pasta, sweet potato and brown rice. 

Another meal that can cause overeating because it leaves you feeling unfulfilled are protein shakes and meal replacement shakes. These shakes may help you lose some weight in the beginning but they are impossible to sustain for a long period of time and keep the weight off.

Low carb labels don’t always mean low kilojoules or that it is a healthy choice, as well as the low-fat labels. Be careful to what you are buying because these ‘diet’ products are usually full of sugar or artificial sugar which are both bad for your health, not to mention the high salt content. You need to pay attention to the nutrition labels on the back of the packet rather than the big labels on the front of a product that are marketed to sell.

For best results for not only weight loss but a healthier body is to eat a well-balanced diet of whole grains, vegetables, fruit and proteins such as lean meat, chicken, pork and fish. Also eating proper portion sizes is needed because even if you are eating the right things eating too much can contribute to weight gain. We also need to stay active and exercise. Drinking enough water is also important. It is recommended to drink up to two litres of water a day.

Your diet may not be the only reason you are gaining weight, other things that can contribute to weight gain include thyroid and/or hormone problems, digestive issues such as not going to empty your bowels every day and metabolic syndrome. If you are struggling with your weight the you may want to get your health checked out. Consult a nutritionist to ask about foods as that is what they are trained to help you with and a hypnotherapist for help with diet portions and to control your cravings.

Healthy habits that make you successful

Successful people make success a part of their lifestyle so to become successful we need to copy some of the things they do. This involves looking at future goals in order to make working towards these part of your daily habits. We need to first take care of ourselves with a healthy diet, some physical activity and good sleeping patterns so that we are healthy enough to work towards what we desire in our lives. There is no such thing as a quick fix and it’s important to start thinking long term about what you want your life to be. Setting small goals to achieve this will help keep you motivated to work towards that long-term goal.

It’s very easy to make excuses for not doing something and then beat up on yourself for not being successful. Excuses are a way of deflecting responsibility of weaknesses and past failures. In order to become successful it’s important to take responsibility for our own mistakes and learn from them. Excuses will just stop you from reaching your full potential. Once you put the source of the problem inside yourself you become empowered to do something about it. It is difficult to find perfection in an imperfect world but if you give of yourself 100% every time to reach your goals the very motivation and momentum will keep you going. This will make you the best you can possibly be. Sometimes we get stuck in the moment thinking that we cannot do something because our intelligence or talents are predetermined and that we can’t change this. If we change our way of thinking and remember that we can learn new skills then begin to work at it then it is possible to achieve anything.

Achieving our goals needs constant relentless attention. Find your dream and break it down easily into goals that are achievable. Put a time limit on each goal and work towards each one, one at a time. Be focused and do not diverse your attention. It is incorrect to split your energy and believe you will succeed. Multi-tasking is not a time saver because you are wasting time swapping from task to task and not giving each task your full concentration hindering the outcome. So stay focused and work your way towards success. Have faith and simply follow the path without needing to have vice grip control of everything. Some things need to gain their own momentum. Over control of situations leads to a lot of unnecessary stress over what we cannot control however it is important to remember that we can control the way we react to things. Change our reactions and immediately everything around them will change also.

To be successful you need to work smart, stay focused on your path, learn to discern what is not included in your path and say no to it, don’t let others distract you and don’t get side-tracked wasting time on other things.

Vitamin P and Cancer

Vitamin P is not actually a vitamin. It is the name given to a group of super-healing plant substances discovered in the 1930’s known as flavonoids or bioflavonoids which have nutritional health benefits. These substances provide pigmentation to plants and enhance their flavour and smell. There is known now to be between 4000 and 6000 different types and research is being done continually to discover more about them. In plants they protect against fungi, pests and bacteria.

Flavonoids are full of nutritional benefits as they help with the function of most cells and organs. Some flavonoids that you may be familiar with are Quercetin, Luteolin, Curcumin and Rutin. Each of the different types of flavonoids play a different role in the human body but two of the most important benefits they supply are with the absorption of Vitamin C and they also help with the maintenance of bones and teeth, as well as the production of protein collagen. They are powerful antioxidants and they are used for preventing and reversing oxidative stress which is the key element in how flavonoids help prevent and assist in healing cancers.

Research over the years has shown that three of the flavonoids best known to help in healing when someone has cancer are Rutin, Quercetin and Curcumin. Quercetin is in apples, onions, berries and citrus fruits such as oranges. If you combine Quercetin with green tea extract then it can become a great healing cocktail.

Studies that have been done on rats show that mammary tumours that were treated using this cocktail reduced the severity of the tumour. Rutin works along with quercetin and protects sensory neurons as well as having anti-inflammatory benefits which can be helpful for such illnesses as rheumatoid arthritis. Other studies have shown that the flavonoids Rutin and Catechin have an effect on cancers such as breast tumours, prostate and ovarian cancer, as well as pancreatic, lung, skin, and brain cancers. The third flavonoid Curcumin is a main ingredient in the spice turmeric. This flavonoid works best when combined with Piperine, also has an effect on many cancers and studies done on ovarian cancer show that it can clear cancer stem cells as well. Of course it is hard to generalise as everyone is different so you need to speak with your natural practitioner and medical doctor and get them to work together on this.

It is good to remember that inflammation is a precursor for many illnesses, especially cancer and the lower our inflammation levels, the higher our alkalinity in our bodies, the better chance of us remaining or getting healthier. Eating a healthy diet of organic foods, rich in ones that contain these powerful flavonoids may help reduce the risk of cancer and also help with many other health problems as well.