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Where's
Your Head At? Beating Depression & Anxiety!
Depression
& Anxiety -
prevalent all year round however some of us may find
we are more prone coming into the winter months. For
many different reasons - it gets that little bit harder
to do those morning exercise sessions, we may be traveling
to and from work in the dark, or perhaps we're just
more tired.
This then has a knock-on effect on many other areas
of our lives. You may experience low energy, weight
gain, poor libido, lack of motivation or sugar cravings.
Fortunately there are natural ways to avoid depression
& anxiety which are very effective and work fast! There
are many different ways to tackle this area:-
Herbal medicine can have you feeling better straight
away using herbs such as Skullcap, Passionflower, Kava,
St John's Wort & Rehmannia. Liquid herbs work quickly
and can be tailored to your individual needs. Alternatively,
herbal teas such as the relaxing tea blend made at Vive
is equally usefull.
Flower essences are fantastic for treating any
condition with an emotional cause. Be it feeling nervous,
out of control, anxious, feeling overwhelmed or lacking
in confidence, flower essences help you to reflect on
these issues opening you up to the positive side and
drawing you out of these feelings.
Diet is crucial to mental health function. Ensuring
a balanced diet full of wholegrains, good sources of
protein, leafy greens, fruit and vegetables, nuts and
seeds is vital in providing the nutrients required for
our adrenal health, nervous system and neurotransmitter
production.
Exercise reduces stress by eliminating tension
in the muscles and increasing blood flow to the peripheral
muscles and brain. Most importantly though, exercise
releases hormones closely related to opiates called
endorphines. We've all heard about them, they're easy
to get, so think seriously about getting out and exercising
at least 3 times per week. Try something new, a sport
you haven't played since high school (footy, netball,
dancing or cricket) or ask us about personal trainers,
pilates, yoga or meditation.
Nutritional supplements can provide the necessary
nutrients if you are deficient or your diet is lacking.
During times of stress your body tends to 'chew' through
nutrients much faster than other times. Omega 3 supplements
such as flaxseed or fish oil are useful to improve mood
and well-being while magnesium can assist your muscles
and nervous system to relax. Come in and ask about more
specific nutrients such as amino acids phenylalanine
and tryptophan to support neurotransmitter function.
Lifestyle choices - calming the mind can be achieved
through deep breathing exerices as well as through meditation,
yoga and relaxation classes. Simply creating a balance
between work and pleasure activities can make a huge
difference to energy levels and controlling any 'mind
chatter'. Most of us try to be superhuman and pack too
much into our day forgetting the essence of living.
Starting good dietary & lifestyle habits which are sustainable
as part of your life will help ward off depression and
anxiety for good!
VIVE
Organic food and Health Clinic
36
Riding Road Hawthorne 07 3399 1002
http://www.vivemarket.com.au
Perfect
Digestion :
By Miriam Young!
Karen
(38) thought she was allergic to wheat and diary. Her
tummy also swelled up like a balloon every time she
ate anything sweet. This was particularly difficult
for her to deal with as she travelled a lot with work
and had to eat on the run all the time. When I first
met Karen she was irritable and depressed, suffered
from hay fever and at times described herself as desperate,
as constipation had been her constant companion for
over 7 years.
After an herbal and nutritional program lasting 3 months
(she was very run down) Karen can now tolerate dairy
and small amounts of wheat. Parasites showed up in her
Live Blood Assessment, so two months of the program
consisted of a systemic anti-parasite cleanse. Karen
is now able to eat biscuits and cake once or twice per
week without any bloating or discomfort. Karen no longer
sufferers from hay fever, as the mucous membranes of
her intestines are no longer being irritated by invading
organisms, and she is now much more regular in her bowel
pattern.
Does Karen's story sound familiar? Digestive problems
are one of the most common disorders affecting humanity.
If you have a digestive system that is functioning less
than perfectly, you will most likely suffer impaired
nutritional absorption, resulting in fatigue, poor concentration,
distorted patterns of thinking and lack of motivation.
Mucoid Plaque
Over seventy per cent of the immune system is located
within the intestines. Improperly digested foods in
the small and large intestines tend to ferment and putrefy,
forming a sticky tar-like substance which sticks to
the intestinal wall. This old poo is known as mucoid
plaque and an excessive build-up often leads to irritation
of the mucous lining and can impair the immune system,
causing allergies and contribute to auto-immune conditions.
We should absorb vitamins, minerals and energy through
the intestinal lining, but if it is coated in this toxic
sludge, absorption fails to happen. Stress, inactivity,
harmful organisms and orthodox medication contribute
to the formation of mucoid plaque. Foods which contribute
to this toxic sludge formation are white flour and white
rice, meat, milk and dairy products, coffee and processed
foods, including preservatives, sugar, artificial sweeteners
and colourings - junk foods in general.
Harmful Organisms
Depending on who you speak to, it is estimated that
75-97% of people have harmful organisms or parasites
living in their body. Over 134 kinds of parasites can
live in the human body. They can live anywhere in the
body be it in the digestive organs, lungs, liver, muscles
or brain. We can become infested with parasites by eating
under-cooked meat or fish, touching animals, drinking
infected water, being bitten by flies or mosquitoes,
eating foods grown in infected soil and walking barefooted
on infected soil.
You may need an intestinal and/or harmful organism cleanse
if you suffer from the following: Crone's disease/ Ulcerative
Colitis Irritable Bowel Syndrome/Constipation/Diahorrea/Gastric
Pain/bloating Never been well since trip overseas Sinusitis/Hay
fever/Asthma/Lung Infection/Coughing Headaches/nausea
Constant Fatigue/Poor Immune Function/Candida Infertility/vaginal
infections Depression Hormonal Conditions Itching -
skin and/or anus
Constipation Other than inappropriate diet, toxic sludge
build-up and a poorly functioning liver, the most common
cause of constipation is dehydration. It is important
that the cause of constipation is identified and treated
and that the bowel is not just left to putrefy. Laxative
abuse is one of the most prevalent "quick fix" approaches
sufferers of constipation resort to. What starts with
one laxative soon becomes three or four to do the same
job.
Replacing Beneficial Bacteria
Many people with a digestive issue take a probiotic
or acidophilus supplement every day. This is not a 'bad'
thing to do, however many of these same people also
experience that a probiotic does not entirely get rid
of the problem. As soon as the probiotic is stopped,
the digestive symptoms such as bloating, loose, and/or
mucous bowel movements etc come back. This is because
they have not treated the real cause of their dis-ease
- the existence of unhealthy organisms such as Giardia,
Blastocystis, Klebsellia, and Candida living in their
digestive system. It's important to 'weed' the system
first destroying harmful organisms and then 're-seed'
with beneficial bacteria, it in order to achieve perfect
digestion. The most powerful way of destroying harmful
organisms in the intestines is with herbal medicine,
essential oils and food grade hydrogen peroxide.
Miriam Young, Medical Herbalist practices from Flourish
Remedies, Herbal Pharmacy in Doonan, 07 5449 1130. Her
'Detox For Life' Health Retreats held at 'The Retreat
Beach Houses', Peregian are now booking for April and
October 2010, explore www.detox4life.com.au.
Brisbane
Visits available.
The Top 3 Benefits Of Looking After Your Health:
by Sue Lester from Growing Content!
1.
Saves You Time
Imagine the difference to your busy life if you were
always calm, relaxed, sleeping well and thinking clearly.
Would you be more efficient and happier then? Coping
with pain and stress uses up enormous amounts of physical,
emotional and mental energy. Don't you function better
when you feel well? All that time and mental space you
currently spend stressing and worrying can be freed
up for you to use more productively. You might even
find time for fun too!
2. Saves You Money
The money you invest in regaining and maintaining your
health pays huge dividends over your lifetime. You are
less likely to have time off work or to lose business
through illness, and potentially avoiding expensive
hospital bills. By consulting a health care professional
you don't throw away money on cheap ineffective supplements
and treatments. And compare the cost of natural fertility
treatment with the financial and emotional cost of IVF.
Caring for your health means you are able to care for
your family now, and yourself as you get older for longer.
Most importantly, Quality of Life is priceless.
3. Improves Your Self Esteem
Caring for your health is a sign you value yourself
and your ability to contribute to the world. When you
feel well, relaxed and happy it shows in your face,
how you move and interact with others at home and at
work. Feeling healthy, physically and emotionally, means
you look better which in turn boosts your self esteem
even more. You have the energy to enjoy your life, and
make whatever changes you want to improve it even more.
Good health doesn't come instantly, and certainly not
from popping a white pill and soldiering on. It would
be unreasonable to expect instant cures for problems
that have been around for weeks, months or years, but
when you are committed to your health, noticeable changes
don't take long.
Autumn Special: Complimentary 30 minute Problem
Dissolving NLP Session. Valued at $60. This will answer
your questions about Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)
and dissolve a problem or two for you. It's as amazing
as it sounds! Sessions are available in person or by
telephone Mondays and Wednesdays with Sue Lester, Master
Practitioner of NLP and Hypnosis. Call Paddington Clinic
now to reserve yours 07 3369 0045.
www.growingcontent.com.au
Paddington
Clinic 12/261 Given Tce, Paddington, Qld.
Growing Content, 432 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley Qld
0428
128 679.
The Chemicals
in Clean Hair: By Vitale Natural!
When
it comes to shampoo it seems that bubbles are what counts.
Why because the bubbles show that the shampoo is cleaning
our hair effectively. Bubbles are created when the surface
tension of the water is broken by a surfactant and air
is trapped within the film of the soap. Unfortunately
while bubbles may represent clean hair, more bubbles
aren't necessarily better for our hair or scalp. Some
of the surfactants used in shampoos have the potential
for scalp and skin irritation and hair damage.
We use many surfactants in our daily life, soaps and
detergents, cleaning compounds, shampoos and a host
of personal hygiene products. This article will look
at two commonly used surfactants used in shampoo namely
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, and Decyl Glucoside. Both serve
the same function in removing oil and dirt from skin
and hair and being the base on which the hair cleaning
products are built. That is where the similarity ends.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate other wise known as SLS and other
Sulphates are the most commonly used ingredients in
shampoo. They are cheap, easy to formulate and provide
plenty of bubbles and foam that we expect and like.
Unfortunately this synthetic surfactant is the cause
of many of the hair, scalp and skin problems that occur.
A study of the Material Safety Data Sheet of SLS provides
us information about the hazard status of this product.
It is moderately toxic and its contact hazard is also
moderate however the issue is repeated exposure, such
as regular use of a shampoo or body wash, which can
lead to skin issues such as dermatitis. It has been
used in medicine as a standard, or as a scale, to measure
skin irritancy in comparing other chemicals. The irritation
occurs even at concentrations of 0.5%.
Originally from plant origin, the starting material
for this surfactant is Lauric acid, which is a coconut
oil fatty acid. While the starting material may be natural,
during the conversion process to SLS, petrochemicals
are added which means that the end product is nowhere
near natural and may also retain contaminants such as
1,4, dioxane, a potential carcinogen. While the levels
are minuscule, the potential for toxicity arises with
repeated exposure.
From an environmental perspective, SLS is not biodegradable
which may present wider issues for the ecology of our
waterways.
The Hazards of SLS In some soaps and shampoos the concentration
of SLS may be as high as 30%. This is cause for alarm,
considering the risk of dermatitis and skin irritation
due to exposure at such high concentrations. In children
this threat is enhanced due to the softer skin and it
is advisable to look for SLS free products and products
using mild surfactants.
In addition to the direct contact effects of SLS, many
shampoos contain nitrate compounds. These compounds
can react with SLS with the potential to form carcinogenic
nitrates. Given the potential, however small for the
creation of carcinogenic compounds, it is advisable
to choose personal hygiene products that do not contain
SLS.
Glycosides and poly glycosides, also called saponins
are present in most plants. Some of these saponins are
toxic however there are many saponins which are safe
for topical or medicinal applications and even for human
consumption as food. A wide variety of species, their
geographical distribution, their applications and use
by mankind are documented. Soap Bark (Quillaya), Soap
Nut, Yucca Plant, Soap Wort, Horse Chestnut, Bracken
and Soap Lily are a few examples of soap plants, from
different parts of the world
Decyl Glucoside is a surfactant derived from two natural
products, decyl alcohol and glucose. Decyl alcohol (Deca
means ten) is produced from Capric acid. Capric acid
itself is a fatty acid with a ten member carbon chain
and is a constituent fatty acid of coconut and Palm
oils. Capric acid is present to the extent of around
7% and 4% in coconut and palm oils respectively. Glucose,
the other ingredient is produced from corn, maize and
other starch based products.
It is important to clarify that a natural starting material
does not necessarily equal a natural ingredient at the
end of the manufacturing process. As pointed out with
SLS, the addition of synthetic or petrochemical ingredients
during the process of manufacture can completely change
the starting material. While decyl glucoside is similarly
changed from it starting material during manufacture,
it does not carry the same risks of contamination as
SLS so the end material is a very mild nonionic surfactant
produced from corn, maize and other starch based products.
Decyl glucoside is classified as ether in chemical terminology.
It is produced by reacting decyl alcohol with glucose
in the presence of an acid. The product is then purified
and extraneous ingredients and reactants removed. Purified
decyl glucoside is a liquid, which dissolves in water
in any proportion.
Due to its mild nature on skin and its bio degradability,
it is used in shampoos, hair creams, lotions and other
personal hygiene products including baby products. Generally
decyl glucoside is much more expensive and labour intensive
to produce and described as "tricky" to formulate with.
Many products use decyl glucoside as a primary or secondary
surfactant. It is a good emulsifier and has excellent
foaming and lather properties. For this reason, the
lack of potential for irritation and the absence of
potential carcinogicity, decyl glucoside is a better
choice in personal care items than SLS.
Some of the characteristics of Decyl Glucoside are "
Decyl Glucoside is an excellent emulsifier and produces
good lather.
Does not contain allergens,
Is not a skin irritant
No carcinogenic properties
Chronic exposure symptoms have not been reported and
no limits have been set on exposure to this product.
Decyl glucoside is by no means the only alternative
to SLS however it is more and more commonly seen in
shampoo and other personal care items and when it comes
to choosing what to use on a daily basis, the more you
know about the ingredients, the better. It also creates
lots of lovely bubbles so lather away!
Author: Marie Davies, hairdresser and creator of the
Eko Organica range of hair care. Edited by Ananda Mahony,
naturopath and skin specialist. www.vitalenatural.com.au
Healing Emotions: Can The Mind Heal The body?
How
are the brain, immune system and emotions interconnected?
What emotions are associated with enhanced well being?
What are the effects of emotional stress on our mind,
body and spirit?
The emergence of new insights into the relationship
between physical and mental health and emotional experiences
is well documented. Research has clearly demonstrated
a significant negative impact on our bodies from unresolved
emotional stress such as grief, trauma, conflict, relationship
breakdown, ill health and depression. These stresses
occur as our natural defense is to withdraw, withhold
or block out intense feelings, often leading to inadequate
or inappropriate expression of feelings affecting ourselves
and those around us.
Internalising these strong emotions leads to chemical
changes in the brain and nervous system, develops symptoms
such as headaches, malaise, muscle tension while affecting
respiration and pulse rates. Long term emotional stress
can cause severe physical tension, ultimately impacting
on the immune system leading to serious medical conditions
and even death.
Prevention of ill health requires that we maintain a
positive approach to both our physical and emotional
health. Professional counselling provides the opportunity
to explore, clarify and find solutions to personal issues,
leading to a healthy resolution of life's challenges.
http://www.clayfieldcounselling.com.au
Clayfield
Courtyard 699-713 Sandgate Road Clayfield Qld 4011 Australia
07 3862 6622
My
Health Specials: Goodlife Health Clubs 3 Day Passes!
18
locations
http://www.goodlifehealthclubs.com.au/
Attention
practitioners!
Receive
2 free listings on the Pure Calma our Events Board,
the event/s can take place at any time from now until
the end of June 2010. http://www.purecalma.com/events_au.html
Short
and Sweet:Asian Style Lamb Salad!
Ingredients:
500g lamb back straps 1 tablespoon macadamia nut oil
1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced 10 radishes, washed
and trimmed and thinly sliced 1 small bunch of Chinese
greens
1 small red capsicum
100g bean sprouts 1 tbsp fresh chopped coriander 2 tablespoon
fresh chopped basil 1 red chilli, seeded and finely
chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tsp grated ginger
Dressing:
2 tsp fish sauce 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon
sesame oil juice of 1/2 lime 1 tsp brown sugar
Instructions: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large
frying pan and cook lamb over high heat for 1-2 minutes
each side, then reduce heat and cook for a further 3-4
minutes each side using a medium heat. Cover with foil
and rest, keeping warm for 5 minutes, then slice on
the diagonal into 1cm thick slices.
Place ingredients for dressing in a small bowl and mix
with a fork, until well-combined
Combine vegetable ingredients in a large bowl and top
with lamb pieces. Drizzle with dressing.
Laughter
is the best medicine!
This
is the true story of George Phillips of Meridian, Mississippi,
who was going to bed when his wife told him that he'd
left the light on in the shed. George opened the door
to go turn off the light but saw there were people in
the shed in the process of stealing things. He immediately
phoned the police, who asked "Is someone in your house?"
and George said no and explained the situation. Then
they explained that all patrols were busy, and that
he should simply lock his door and an officer would
be there when available. George said, "Okay," hung up,
counted to 30, and phoned the police again. "Hello,
I just called you a few seconds ago because there were
people in my shed. Well, you don't have to worry about
them now because I've just shot them all." Then he hung
up. Within five minutes three squad cars, an Armed Response
unit, and an ambulance showed up. Of course, the police
caught the burglars red-handed. One of the policemen
said to George: "I thought you said that you'd shot
them!" George said, "I thought you said there was nobody
available!"
.Quote
of the week!
"When a defining moment comes along,
you can do one of two things. Define the moment, or
let the moment define you." Tin Cup
(the movie)
For
a Good Cause: Why Support Able Australia?
Able
Australia Services is a long-standing non-profit organisation
that provides services to people with multiple disabilities
including deafblindness. Our vision at Able Australia
is to create a community where the people we support
are seen, hear, respected, valued and connected. We
reach out to the people we support, helping them achieve
a quality of life that anyone in the community might
expect and a feeling of worth, belonging and self-fulfillment.
Able Australia was formerly known as The Deafblind Association,
the new name being launched on November 8, 2006, by
Federal Treasurer Peter Costello at Federation Square.
.
http://www.ableaustralia.org.au/
BACK
ISSUES OF NATURALLY HAPPY
In
the next issue of "Naturally Happy"
- Pranic
healing!
- Club
Coops!
- Kickbike!
- Medical
Sanctuary!
- nourished.com.au!
- Short
and sweet!
If
this link doesn't work please email [email protected]
My
Health Specials provides this information for your personal
education and enrichment. Information provided should
not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem
or disease. Nor should the information replace the advice
of your health care practitioner. Always seek professional
advice if suffering an illness. My
Health Specials Pty Ltd and all parties involved in
the conception, production, ongoing maintenance and
operation of Naturally Happy accept no liability and
no responsibility for any damage whatsoever arising
from or in connection to your use or operation of the
website or information contained in this e-magazine.
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