Strawberries are good for you – here’s why

 

Strawberries are a delicious fruit that many of us enjoy, especially when we have a sweet tooth. Not only do they taste good but they are also very good for you. Good for your heart, brain and body in general as they are rich in nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fibre. They also have a range of bioactive compounds in them including flavonoids, anthocyanins, lignans, tannins and phenolic acids. Strawberries also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and may help to prevent diseases related to oxidative stress. They can help prevent against cardiovascular diseases, obesity, metabolic syndrome, certain cancers and neurological diseases.

Heart health

Strawberries are beneficial for your heart as they have antioxidant, anti-hypertension (high blood pressure) and anti-atherosclerotic effects. They help protect low density lipoprotein from oxidation.

Strawberries effect on Obesity

Obesity can cause a range of other health problems such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease and strokes. Strawberries can help with obesity-induced inflammation. They can also, increase the amount of gut microorganisms linked to lean body weight, health and longevity.

A good source of Folate, Vitamin C and Manganese

Strawberries are one of the richest sources of folate, a B vitamin your body needs to make DNA and other genetic material. Folate is essential during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects and also to help decrease risk of cancer in adults. It helps with depression, heart disease, stroke and neurological disorders.

Strawberries also are a source of manganese. Manganese is good for bone health, reproduction, blood clotting and the immune function. Vitamin C protects cells from damaging free radicals, makes collagen and boosts immune system function. This is another good reason to eat strawberries. You may even be able to lower your risk of lung, breast and colon cancers and cardiovascular disease. Vitamin C helps slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration and is great in helping with colds.

Anticarcinogenic

Anticarcinogenic, antioxidative and genoprotective properties found in strawberries are helpful in warding off cancer. They are a good source of fisetin, a flavonoid that acts as an anticarcinogenic agent. Fisetin is good for inhibiting cancer cell stages, for preventing progression in cell cycle and growth and induces apoptosis (the programmed death of cells that are beyond repair in the body).

The brain

When you eat a lot of strawberries and blueberries it may help slow the rate of cognitive decline. Fisetin in strawberries has antidepressant potential, increases serotonin and noradrenaline levels. Strawberries may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. 

So, when you feel like eating strawberries, or any berries for that matter, don’t fight it. They taste great and are extremely beneficial to your overall health. However, when purchasing your berries organic berries are better. This is because strawberries, like many other fruits and vegetables, tend to be sprayed with pesticides in produce, and this could mean they have a high level of pesticide residues. If organic berries are not an easy option you could try growing your own. They look quite colourful and are a wonderful addition to any garden.

Handling mould penetration and how badly it can affect your health

Mould is not just caused by too much rain. Now that the heavy rains have stopped in many areas of Australia there is an underlying repercussion. There is the dampness still in some areas, there is the clean-up after the floods and coping with the huge impact and losses it has caused. People are trying to clean up and repair the water damage which has soaked into furniture, clothes and electric items as well as damage to the house itself. One aftermath perhaps overlooked a bit is the damage of mould creeping into almost every crevice, including your body.

What is mould?

Mould is a type of fungi. It likes to grow in damp, poorly ventilated areas and spreads by producing spores. You will find mould almost anywhere inside or outside. It can grow on food, furniture, fabric, carpet, walls, paper, timber and even on your plumbing. The problem comes from the mould that starts to grow in your home. The warm, damp and humid conditions that we are having at the moment are making our homes the perfect breeding ground for mould.

How does mould impact your health?

Mould doesn’t only make your home look bad, it is very bad for your health and can cause serious health issues if you inhale the spores. Some of these issues can include causing an increased risks of asthma, allergies and respiratory infections. Some moulds that are more toxic can cause chronic inflammation. This happens because the mould produces mycotoxins and these can activate immune responses which lead to a myriad of health problems such as headaches, sinus, nasal congestion and skin and eye irritations. If you have an allergy to mould you may find that you are more susceptible to these issues.

There is a range of symptoms linked with exposure to mould commonly referred to as a biotoxin-related illness or a Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. The factors that may come into play with this condition can include genetics, nutritional deficiencies, your previous accumulated environmental toxins, your age and stress levels.

Treating mould exposure

The first thing you should do is remove yourself from the mouldy area. This may mean vacating the room you are in until it is repaired. Or if the mould is throughout your whole home you may need to stay somewhere else til it’s cleaned up. It is important to keep your house dry and dust free. Mould treatment can be complex so it is important to get good advice as to what is needed in your situation, not only for the house but for your health. You may need to take natural anti-inflammatories, eat an organic, wholefoods diet, increase your hydration with filtered water and to make appropriate lifestyle changes, including sauna therapy, increasing exercise and participating in mind-body treatments. You may also benefit from taking herbs to support your immune system.

Where to get help

It is important to attend a proper session to assess your health with a registered, trained naturopath. This cannot be rectified by buying a few supplements at the store. It needs to be assessed and the proper dosage of supplements for your specific case allocated so you can get well quickly and stay well. As for removing the mould for starters you could try bleach however the best way if you have a lot of dampness is to call an expert who knows how to remove it professionally without getting more spores into your body. Our clinic can help you overcome your reactions to mould and other viral and bacterial issues. Everything from a foggy head to unexplained headaches, lethargy etc. Check us out on www.stressfreemanagement.com.au today.

Morning sunshine is good for your sleep

Sleep is something that we all need for physical, mental and emotional health. The problem is that not all of us can get that essential amount of quality sleep we need. If you are one of those people who have trouble sleeping you may need to give yourself a sleep reboot.  

What you may not realise is that the key to getting a good night’s sleep starts first thing in the morning. Basically, what you do during the day will help determine weather you fall asleep fast, or toss and turn all night. This is when getting outside within your first hour of waking can lead to a better day and ultimately better sleep as well.

Morning sunlight and your health

Morning sunlight not only sets you up for a better day, by boosting your wellbeing and your mood it sets you up for better sleep. It is also good for producing vitamin D. This is vital for many aspects of your health. Sunlight is also crucial for regulating your body’s normal functions such as your hormone levels and your metabolism. Getting some sunshine in the morning can also improve your productivity.

Hormones: cortisol, melatonin and serotonin

The reason sunlight is important for your health is because when you get some early sun it wakes up your nervous system and the chemical reactions needed to reinforces your natural body clock which then produces cortisol, melatonin, and serotonin.

Serotonin

This hormone is responsible for regulating moods, appetite, memory and sleep. If you expose your body, face and eyes to sunlight, it will increase the production of serotonin in your body and reduce Seasonal Affective Disorder as well as anxiety and depression. Serotonin helps our sleep as it is a precursor to melatonin.

Melatonin

Morning sunlight will boost the amount of raw material needed to make the sleep hormone melatonin which is a central part of your body’s sleep-wake cycle. The morning sunlight exposure will help your serotonin cycles stay aligned with day and night cycles. It will peak mid-afternoon and will drop off after dark. This is what makes you feel tired. When these hormones are not working properly it can result in a bad night’s sleep.

Cortisol

This is your stress hormone and works opposite to melatonin. If your melatonin is high, your cortisol should be low and vice versa. The problem with these being out of balance is that your sleep gets affected. Cortisol in the morning is important as when the cortisol rises early on waking it has a greater positive benefits. This serves to lower your blood pressure and improving mental health while helping you feel alert.

What to do

If you sleep in a dark room there isn’t enough light to trigger the correct timing of the cortisol and melatonin rhythms. At day break there’s a particular contrast between yellows and blues, this triggers the activation of cortisol and it’s important to have cortisol firing during the day so that it doesn’t keep you awake at night. So if you have trouble sleeping, toss and turn take a look at your serotonin, melatonin and cortisol levels. Discuss it with your naturopath and let them help you get into a good sleep rhythm with herbs, Bach and shell essence remedies, aromatherapy oils, meditation and a few lifestyle changes. Soon your rhythms will be working as they should and you will be healthier on all levels.

Dementia Prevention and Reversing it – is it possible?

Continuing on with our articles on Dementia today we look at the possibilities for the future. When you or a loved one is diagnosed with dementia it can be very daunting. However, there has been research that has found that natural therapies may be able to, not just slow down dementia but also maybe reverse it.

As we get older, we start to worry about our cognitive abilities and the decline in our memories. Dementia is normally the general term we give for loss of memory and also other mental abilities which decline enough to interfere with everyday life. Alzheimer's disease, is just one of these many forms of memory loss that fall into the general term dementia. This form affects around 60% to 80% of all dementia patients. These figures are unfortunately expected to grow in the coming years. The most daunting thing about a diagnosis is that there is no effective treatment for Alzheimer's. One of the leading causes of death is aspiration pneumonia when food or liquid goes down the windpipe instead of the oesophagus and this leads to a lung infection leading to pneumonia.

The reason there is no treatment for Alzheimer’s is that the drugs that are on the market only target one part of the disease. Alzheimer's disease is unfortunately more complex than this.

Factors involved in Dementia

There are a number of factors that influence the development of dementia and Alzheimer's. One small study by Dr. Bredensen at UCLA found that, using personalised and comprehensive protocols helped to reverse memory loss in some patients. These patients’ memories improved within 6 months.

The study consisted of a number of changes in their diet, use of brain stimulation, doing exercise, getting enough sleep, and some specific pharmaceuticals and vitamins. A therapeutic program was developed and extensive testing done on each patient to find out what is affecting the signalling network in their brain. This led to a personalised program for each person.

Changes needed for Prevention and Reversal

Some changes that a patient can make includes eliminating simple carbohydrates, gluten, and processed food from their diet while increasing vegetables, fruits, and non-farmed fish. They also need tools to reduce their stress levels such as yoga and meditation. It is also important to get a good night’s sleep, up to 8 hours a night. If you have trouble sleeping you can try taking melatonin or a natural supplement consisting of lavender oil. Supplements that may help include vitamin B12, vitamin D, CoQ10, and fish oil. Other things that can be helpful include optimising oral hygiene, finding natural ways to regulate your hormonal balance and intermittent fasting. Fasting for a minimum of 12 hours between dinner and breakfast and fasting for a minimum of three hours between dinner and bedtime can be helpful. Also make sure you are getting regular exercise even if you don’t move very fast every little bit of mobility helps. Of course all this needs to be monitored by a trained natural therapist or naturopath to ensure it is administered properly.

It is important that you remember that dementia can have many causes and some of those causes are often reversible. If you or a loved one suffers from memory loss or dementia contact us today to develop a program to help you to have a better, healthier lifestyle.

Dementia – Part 2 on how to handle it

How to keep an active healthy brain and prevent dementia

Dementia is hard to deal with, whether you are the one who is suffering with it or whether you are watching someone you love go through it. There are however many things you can do that can help reduce your risk of developing dementia.

Look after your heart

It’s not only your brain you need to look after but also the rest of your body. Your heart and your head are connected. There are certain conditions that can increase your risk of developing dementia. If you have reached ‘mid-life’ then these conditions could increase your risk more. The conditions are high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Having these and not getting them treated can lead to damaged blood vessels in your brain. This then starts to affect your brain function and thinking skills. If you get these things treated and look after yourself you will decrease your risk of developing dementia.

If you’re a smoker, you are increasing your risk for developing heart disease, cancer, stroke, and other diseases, causing your risk for dementia to increase. However, if you stop smoking, these risks rapidly reduce.

 

Challenge your brain

Providing challenges for your brain to solve is great for your brain health. This could mean doing daily crosswords of Sukodo. You need to challenge your brain with new activities to build new brain cells. This is important because you will have extra cells in reserve for when some get damaged. If you don’t find puzzles appealing, then maybe you can try challenging your brain in different ways. Such as learning a new language. Whatever you enjoy doing it will keep your brain active. The goal is to stop your brain from being on ‘automatic pilot’.

 

Physical activity

Physical activity increases blood flow to your brain, which then stimulates the growth of brain cells. It is also associated with larger brain volume, which helps your brain function and reduces the risk of dementia. Exercise also reduces your risk of high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol. If you are someone who does very little physical activity, you may be increasing your risk of dementia.

 

Healthy diet

A high intake of saturated fats that are found in fried foods and takeaway food along with trans fats found in pies and cakes may increase your risk of dementia. Good fats such as monounsaturated fats maintain brain functionality and reduce the risk of dementia. These are the fats found in fish and olive oil. Also good for your bran are foods high in antioxidants. The Omega 3 fatty acids that are in oily fish help reduce inflammation in the brain, which then helps the growth of new brain cells.

 

Socialise

Socialising can be stimulating. It also helps to alleviate depression and improves vascular conditions. There is research that shows when you combine social activity with mental and physical activity you are not only having fun but improving your brain health as well.

 

If you have concerns that you or someone you love is developing dementia see your naturopath or nutritionist to find out how you can start living a healthier lifestyle. This clinic specialises in all matters concerning physical, spiritual, energetic, mental and emotional health. Give us a call today to find out how we can help.

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.

Slippery Elm – the innocent powder to regulate your body

The medical name for Slippery Elm is Ulmus Rubra. This is a fantastic herb for digestion and the digestive tract and although it may not look great it has amazing qualities. Slippery Elm comes from the inner bark of a certain species of the elm tree. These species are found in Europe and North America. Slippery Elm is called a mucilage because it is able to trap water which then causes it to swell. This is why it looks like a gel when you go to drink it.

 

Health Benefits

 

Slippery Elm is a great nutrient as it contains calcium, iron, Vitamin C, zinc, magnesium and potassium. These nutrients mean it is great for a variety of health issues. One of which is for the treatment of heartburn, also known as acid reflux. It is also a good herbal remedy for gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. This is a chronic disease that causes stomach acid to flow back into oesophagus irritating the lining. It is also good for inflammation and gastrointestinal conditions, such as gastric reflux, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. It helps as it forms a physical barrier that protects the esophagus and stomach walls from damage caused by stomach acid and irritating foods. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory.

Slippery Elm creates a soothing action and has fibre content to help with the treatment of diarrhea by slowing down bowel transit time. It is sometimes used when people experience unexplained inflammation of the urinary tract. The powder is known to soothe the lining of the urinary tract. This then helps with the painful symptoms associated with urinary tract infections. It can also help increase the flow of urine and help to eliminate waste from the body.

Slippery Elm contains mucilage. This is a sticky mixture of sugars that our digestive tract cannot break down. It coats the throat. Slippery elm is sometimes found in some brands of throat lozenges.

Slippery Elm can also be used to soothe irritated and inflamed skin conditions, including wounds and burns, it can help to draw out boils and abscesses. It helps with these conditions by forming a protective gel-like layer.

How to use Slippery Elm

You can drink Slippery Elm powder by adding one teaspoon or ½ tsp for children, to one cup of warm or room temperature water and stir well. This mixture should thicken up slightly. To help with the flavour you can add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg. Alternatively you can put it in juice – apple is pretty neutral. If you don’t like the taste just put it in less juice or water (like ¼ glass) and stir. Then swallow it while it’s all mixed in. The qualities it has are well worth the somewhat bland, dry taste.

 

If you’re using it for stomach and upper intestinal problems like reflux or stomach ulcers, it is best to take it after meals. However, for lower intestinal/bowel problems it is better to take it 1-2 hours before your meals.

When taking it for a dry cough you can take it up to 3 times per day and it is best taken in-between your meals.

 

Slippery Elm is not known to have any adverse side effects. However, as it coats the digestive tract, it could slow down the absorption of other drugs or herbs. It is best to have it two hours before or after other herbs or medication.