TOTAL WELLBEING

STRESS

Stress is useful when it challenges us, and propels us towards our goals or positive outcomes. It helped our ancestors survive and can help us to fight or escape from danger. However, too much stress without a proper appropriate outlet, can lead to stress related health problems such as headaches, stomach upset, ulcers, insomnia, rashes, high blood pressure, and can contribute to heart disease and stroke.

Symptoms include feeling tense, nervous, irritable or apathetic. The stress response often seems less helpful in the lifestyles we live today, especially in the west, unless we are able to relieve or reduce the stress or find suitable ways in which to control it.

Stress Management helps you to find effective ways to cope with the stress in your life.

Most people feel stressed but don't realise how that affects their body.

Everybody feels the intensity of significant stress, exams looming, deadlines at work, presentations etc...

However, it is the constant low levels of stress that is insidious. Many people live with it for so long, they have forgotten what it is like to feel normal.

The body is wonderful at juggling initially but even chronic low levels of stress results in a continual imbalance in the nervous system and eventually problems start to show.

When we are stressed, the body gears up for a flight or fight response, it diverts energy away from functions it deems to be non essential at that time, puts them on standby, diverting this saved energy to the heart and muscles.

The body never works against us and it perceives stress as a threat to our survival and wellbeing which is why it is helping us to gear up and fight.

The standby functions of the body are all areas we don't need for running or fighting, after all we don't need to digest our lunch properly to survive!

-The digestive systems
-Unitary/excretory systems
-Immune systems
-Reproductive & gynaecological systems
These standby areas correlate to the main problems people face today - IBS, cystitis, ME and fertility, which have exploded over the last few decades.

By rebalancing the nervous system, relaxing the body, we allow the body to do its job properly, creating well being and health, allowing you to reach your potential.

Reflexology manipulates the nervous system, rebalancing it, allowing your body to achieve its natural equilibrium. Other complimentary therapies including massage help the body to relieve stress and replenish energy levels. Hypnotherapy can help to program your mind to relax more and create new posetive ways of responding and dealing with stress.

Things that can be done at home to help quieten the mind and let you become more aware of what your inner needs are

Write things down

Write down your emotions when you feel strange, angry, frustrated or upset.

It is a great way of helping your brain download onto paper.

Many people like to do it before bed since it helps their brain get quieter and helps them sleep better.Once you get the raw emotion out about an issue, move onto the next stage.

Take the issue and brainstorm ways you can improve the situation. Therefore, if you need to talk to your partner or friend about it you have already got the emotion out, thought about solutions so you are more likely to get a positive discussion and outcome.

The good/bad list

Make yourself a nice drink, sit in a comfortable chair and make a list of all the people, things, situations that drain you or sap you of energy.

Then do the exact opposite on another sheet of paper. Think about all the things, people and situations that make you smile, laugh or grin.
Slowly, try and change things to do more of the things from your nice list and not your horrible one.You will find that the more you do this, the more day to day energy you will have.

Do not try and change too much quickly.

Start with small things, so that you get the positive buzz from changing it and it gives you the confidence to change more.The key point is to try and make these changes a real change.

So make a change, incorporate it in your life and then when it is habit, make another one.That way you don't feel overwhelmed by all the changes.
It may take longer but it is long lasting.

Diet and Nutrition

It is vitally important that our diet provides our cells all the nutrients they need. For example, zinc and magnesium are two minerals which individually are required by 200 and 300 enzymes respectively. Therefore, the implications of insufficient qualities of vitamins and minerals are wide ranging and will cause the body to work below par.

Processed food, cow's milk and tap water, cigarettes and alcohol which contain many toxins should be avoided since they not only pollute the body but either remove nutrients or block their uptake; alternatively drink mineral water, and eat fresh fruit, vegetables and brown rice.

For example, according to Dian Mills, a leading nutritionist who specialises in women's gynaecological health states that:

Caffeine robs the body of the following nutrients: vitamin B1, inositol, biotin, zinc, calcium, iron and impacts ovarian function. Studies show that women who drank more than 7 cups a day had reduced the chance of getting pregnant by 50% compared to those who drank one or less a day.

Alcohol robs the body of the following nutrients: vitamin A, D, E, K and all B and magnesium. Dr. Tina Kold Jensen from the National University of Denmark reported research that women who drink less than 5 units a weeks were twice as likely to get pregnant as those who consume 10.

Smoking robs the body of the following nutrients: vitamin C and all B as well as calcium. Current and past smokers have reduced gonadotrophin (sex hormones) which stimulate ovarian function, in other words smoking adversely affects ovarian function. Cadium a toxin in cigarette smoke inhibits the absorption of zinc and iron.

Marijuana - Research claims that smoking cannabis one week before and throughout pregnancy causes babies on average to be 9oz lighter and 1cm shorter with smaller heads than non-users.

Digestive health

It's all very well saying that we must eat well, but what if your digestive process is not working properly? This means that your body is not absorbing correctly all the good nutrients we are providing.

So what can you do about it?

Diet is a confusing area for many people, the following have been shown to help.

Probiotics

The increased use of antibiotics has caused a problem by destroying the good bacteria in the bowel. Bifidobacterial probiotics and probiotic tablets help to improve the levels of good bacteria and allow the bowel to return to balance. A good nutritional supplier Viridian.

-Linseeds - good for colon health, prevents muscle spasms, reduces inflammation.
-Pectin - found in apples. Absorbs toxins particularly heavy metals and aluminium
-Alfalfa, chlorella, spirulina - cleanse the colon.
-Ginger - helps calm flatulence and colic

All material provided on the Total Wellbeing web site is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health program.