How Mindful Eating can Improve Our Relationship with Ourselves and with Food

Eating mindfully, with awareness, can really help us on both a physical and emotional level.  How exactly can we help ourselves by becoming more aware when we eat?  As a good start, it is essential to remove all distractions that may take your mind off the physical act of eating the food.  Turn off the T.V and leave your phone out of sight.  Make sure you are sitting quietly and comfortably and relax yourself before you start to eat.  If you like, you can close your eyes and take a few deep breathes and just centre yourself before you begin.  How are you physically feeling in this moment?  How hungry are you? What emotions are you feeling? Are you under time pressure?  Do you feel positive thoughts about the meal in front of you or are they negative?  So often we eat on the run - maybe not  even sitting down  and giving ourselves time to digest the food.  Have you ever heard the expression 'rest and digest'?  Maybe we are thinking about something stressful that happened during the day or scrolling through social media, watching TV, reading a book etc.  In these situations we are eating mindlessly - doing everything but concentrating on our meal, just shoveling it in our mouths and going through the physical process but not even taking the time to taste or chew properly. This type of eating is unhelpful to us on many levels. Eating while we are stressed is not good for digestion either. One of the bodies processes that is shut down in response to stress is digestion.  This is just one thing that mindful eating can help with.

So what are the benefits of mindful eating?

• It brings us right into the present moment and awakens our senses as we see, smell, touch and taste our food.
• Before we begin to eat, we pause and feel gratitude for the food we have in front of us.  You cannot experience gratitude and feel stressed at the same time, and this has a positive effect on digestion.
• It kick starts our digestion.  Digestion starts in the brain when we look at our meal.  Chemical messengers send signals to our digestive organs and they start to produce enzymes and stomach acid in response.  You know the sensation you get when you think of a food or see it or smell it, and your mouth waters in anticipation? That is your body getting ready to digest that food!
• As we are eating in the present moment, we are more aware of how our body physically feels during and after eating the food.  For example, is the food easily swallowed?, Does it feel heavy in your stomach? Are you experiencing any stuffiness in your nose or do you sneeze as you continue to eat your meal? Do you have to interrupt your meal for a bathroom break?  If the answer is yes to any of these questions then it may be signal from your body that the food you are eating does not agree with you.
• As we eat mindfully, we are really tasting our food and keeping those digestive juices flowing.  We are chewing it more and breaking it down into small pieces. This makes the digestive process so much easier.  The smaller the food particles are as they make their way along the digestive tract, the less potential there is for digestive discomfort.  As well as this, more precious nutrients from the food will be available to be absorbed into our bloodstream.
• Visualisation is a powerful self help tool.  We can visualise a healthy meal nourishing us as we eat it and our cells joyful and happy as they receive the nutrients they need.  On the flip side, this can also help us appreciate, maybe for the first time, how certain foods do not nourish us, make us feel sluggish or do not create a good feeling within our body.
• As we eat in the moment, we can become aware of the emotions we experience around the food as we eat it and the reasons why we made that particular food choice.  Are we eating it in response to stress or for comfort? Are we even hungry? When we become fully aware of these emotions we start to look at where they came from and begin to address the source.  When we eat in response to an emotion we often only become aware of what we are eating when it is nearly gone...the reaching for the comfort food and the act of eating it is an automatic response.  This has certainly been my experience in the past.  I have been standing in my kitchen with a half eaten packet of crisps and only become aware I was eating it at the mid point of eating it.  This was one of the red flags to me that I had to begin to make changes in my life. 
• As we are eating slower and we are paying attention to how our body feels, it will be far more obvious to us when we have eaten enough and we are full.  When we eat mindlessly, we are prone to over eating.  This puts enormous strain on our digestive system and just serves to drive symptoms of discomfort, sluggishness and indigestion. Over-eating also contributes to weight gain which can lead to further health problems down the line.

The practice of mindfulness can be brought into your day in other ways as well, not just while you are eating.  When you are doing something mindfully, you are right there in the moment with it engaging all of your senses, truly experiencing it and giving it your full attention. You are not stressing about the past, getting anxious about the future or wondering what to buy your Aunty Mary for Christmas next year.  Mindfulness brings many benefits to your physical and mental well being and practicing it can help you become happier and healthier in many ways.


Thank you for reading my blog.  If you would like to learn more about mindful eating or indeed any aspect of eating nutritionally to improve your overall health please contact me by email at 

katymistnutrition@gmail.com or by phone at 087 6178339.  Alternatively, you can head over to my facebook page -  Food For Life Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy and Energy Healing and send me a private message.

Fibroids - A Nutritional Approach

FIBROIDS - A NUTRITIONAL APPROACH

 

Fibroids are benign tumours of the uterus that grow in various locations on and within the uterine wall itself or in the uterine cavity. They are present in 20-50% of all women and many are unaware that they even have them. They are usually discovered during a routine pelvic exam. The cause of them, from a medical standpoint is unknown.

Many women suffer debilitating symptoms every month due to uterine fibroids. They cause intense pelvic pain and abnormal bleeding and can cause infertility. If these symptoms are present then a medical investigation is needed to confirm diagnosis and rule out other causes. There are dietary and environmental factors that   drive the severity of fibroid symptoms. Studies have shown that fibroids may be hormone driven, particularly by estrogen. The female body produces three types of  estrogen. Oestrodiol is the active form that is produced and its main role is to increase growth of cells in areas where there are estrogen receptors (breasts and reproductive organs).  Oestrodiol is then converted into one of three metabolites by enzymatic conversion in the liver.

These metabolites travel in the bloodstream to the estrogen receptor sites and they do not all exert the same effects. Two of these metabolites have been shown to be of a more aggressive nature and cause excess inflammation in the tissues containing estrogen receptors.  Excess inflammation = pain! Thankfully, much can be done to influence how the liver coverts oestrodiol into the different metabolites.  There are many foods and environmental factors that contribute to having excess estrogen in the body and influence the way estrogen is converted.

Xeno-estrogens are man-made products that exert estrogen like effects on the body. They are downright dangerous, causing much harm and disruption to hormone production and metabolism. They are artificial hormones and cannot be broken down and gotten rid of like the estrogen we make ourselves. They stay in the body There are many sources in our everyday lives and it is important to identify them and make changes.

XENO-ESTROGENS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

Xenoestrogens are byproducts of the plastic and pesticide industries. You may have heard of some of these xenoestrogens: BPA, parabens, BPA, phthalates, PCBs, the artificial food coloring known as FD&C Red No. 3, the food preservatives known as BHA and BHT and more.

The easiest way to cut down on xeno-estrogens is to eliminate as much as possible toxic products from the diet and the home. 

     

SOURCES OF XENO-ESTROGENS –

Hidden in the home….

Besides being a component of plastic, they are also found in conventional makeup/cosmetic products, household cleaners, laundry detergents, and some birth control medications. They are also found in sunscreens, chlorine and processed food. 

Spend the extra money on organic sunscreens, cosmetics and makeup. Buy eco-friendly laundry detergents and household cleaners and when you wash up, wear gloves and make sure you rinse your cutlery and crockery under clean water to wash off the detergent residue.

Hidden in food…

You don’t have to throw away every single item in your house that’s made from plastic, but you certainly don’t have to eat or drink from them.  For example, never drink water out of plastic bottles. Use glass or reusable stainless steel bottles instead. Don’t microwave your food in plastic containers... in fact, don’t microwave at all.

The western diet ensures that our food chain is contaminated with xeno-estrogens. All highly processed foods are wrapped in plastic packaging as is most fresh produce. It is always advisable to remove fruits and vegetables from plastic packaging and wash them gently in water and a splash of vinegar to remove residue from the outside.  Thankfully supermarkets are beginning to appreciate the impact of plastic on the environment and consumer health. They are slowly beginning to sell more loose fruit and vegetables and are also increasing their organic ranges. There are some fruits and vegetables that are more prone to contamination than others. This list is known as the ‘Dirty Dozen’ and these should definitely be bought organic as much as possible

Environmental Working Groups 2018's "Dirty Dozen" list includes:

1. Strawberries	7.  Cherries
2. Spinach	8.  Pears
3. Nectarines	9.  Tomatoes
4. Apples	10. Celery
5. Grapes	11. Potatoes
6. Peaches	12. Sweet Bell Peppers

It is best to shop organic whenever you can for fruit and vegetables, especially meat. We are lucky in Ireland to have many green pastures and farm animals are raised, grazed and fed more traditionally.  However, the pastures are sprayed with pesticides and the livestock may still be treated with antibiotics and hormones that have xeno-estrogenic properties. Though more expensive to buy, organic produce is by far the healthiest. There are also many farmers markets selling good quality clean produce.  You can start a small vegetable patch and grow your own.  There is nothing like eating your own home-grown produce. You don’t need a lot of space for strawberries, salad leaves and greens like spinach and fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage. You can even grow them in a window box.

As well as being mindful to avoid man-made chemicals that affect hormone production and metabolism, there are ways in which you can support your body from the inside by being aware of particular foods that can help you and some that don’t help at all.   

NUTRITIONAL THERAPY CONSIDERATIONS

Diet is hugely important for any inflammatory condition. Specifically for fibroids, it is important to ensure that the body produces, metabolizes and eliminates estrogen effectively.  As the production and conversion occurs in the liver, you must support liver function. To help the body eliminate excess and waste hormone metabolites so that they are not reabsorbed back into the blood stream, you must support bowel function and elimination. Stress is also a huge factor, and we can support our stress response by helping to keep our blood sugar levels balanced throughout the day. 

LIVER SUPPORT

There are certain foods that contribute to elevated estrogen levels and will metabolise it into its more aggressive form and help drive inflammation. These must be avoided. 

REMOVE: alcohol, non pasture raised animal meat, fats and eggs, excess meat consumption, milk and other dairy products, highly packaged and highly processed sweet beverages and foods such as carbonated drinks, cakes, biscuits and sweets. Also remove vegetable oils as these are inflammatory. Stop smoking as there are literally hundreds of harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke.  

REDUCE: caffeine, animal protein.

INCREASE: cruciferous vegetables specifically support liver detoxification pathways. Brocolli, cauliflower, sprouts, kale., radish, watercress, cabbage. Use liver supporting herbs like rosemary, sage and thyme in cooking. Broccoli and broccoli sprouts in particular contain molecules called indole 3 carbinole and di-indolymethane which helps the conversion of oestradiol into the less inflammatory and helpful estrogen metabolite. Cook with olive oil and coconut oil. Add ground flax seeds to smoothies.  These contain phyto-estrogens – a much weaker plant version of our own estrogen that will take up estrogen receptor sites. Beans and lentils are also great dietary phyto-estrogens and protein source. It would be very beneficial to have two or three days a week where you do not eat meat at all. 

BOWEL FUNCTION AND DIGESTIVE SUPPORT

It is immensely important to ensure that regular daily bowel movements occur. Two or three movements a day is the ideal. Inadequate elimination can result in the reabsorption of hormones into the bloodstream and the bile acids in the stool can aggravate the bowel. If you are not used to eating a lot of fibre, please increase slowly. Listen to your body. Chew your food thoroughly. Do most of the work in your mouth so that the rest of your digestive system can get as much nutrition from your food as possible. There are many benefits of slowing down and eating mindfully. You are maximizing the nutritional value of the food you are eating by creating more digestive juices and enzymes. This helps things move through the bowel quicker so that undigested food particles do not start to ferment in the digestive tract and cause digestive discomfort (burping, heartburn, bloating and flatulence).

REPLACE caffeinated drinks with herbal teas. Caffeine dehydrates the bowel. Drink warm water and lemon juice upon rising. This helps to stimulate the digestive system and bile production.  Aim for 2 litres of water intake a day. Herbal teas can be included in this quota. Blend raspberry leaf/nettle/lemon balm tea bags in a pot for a specific healing herbal blend.

INCREASE fibre rich foods. Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables as well as the cruciferous vegetables mentioned above. Plenty of strong coloured fruits and vegetables will provide fibre and antioxidants which are fight inflammation. Include ripe mangoes, cherries, cranberries, apples blueberries, bananas and grapes. Raw leafy greens and vegetables like romaine lettuce, kale, spinach, celery, cucumber, asparagus and fennel.  As well as all the wonderful healing phytochemicals and enzymes you are eating, fibre acts as a prebiotic. Prebiotics provide food for your own gut bacteria and this will help redress the bacterial balance in your gut which is vital to good overall health.

SUPPORT STRESS RESPONSE 

Keep your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day. Processed foods, dairy products, alcohol and caffeine all raise your blood sugar level.  This puts pressure on your pancreas to produce insulin and your adrenal glands to produce cortisol (your stress hormone), as your blood sugar levels dip below normal in response to insulin doing its job. A stable blood sugar level will keep you focused and help you avoid energy slumps. Your body identifies the constant yo-yo effect as a stress and stress drives inflammation. Energy levels and mood will be far more stable because your adrenals are not constantly producing cortisol. You support blood sugar levels by eating protein and fat with every meal or snack. Have snacks handy like homemade bounty bars, energy balls, veg sticks and hummus, fruit and a handful of cashew nuts (which also help to boost our mood).

Additionally...

Pineapple, particularly the middle part most people throw away, contains bromelian which is anti-inflammatory. Turmeric milk is a delicious is also a very powerful anti-inflammatory. 

Supplement considerations and specific food sources.

Probiotic – to aid digestion, reduce inflammation and support elimination . Food sources – fermented vegetables such as kimchi and sauerkraut.

Omega 3 fish oil -  anti-inflammatory, nervous system support.   Food sources – organic salmon, mackerel and sardines. Walnuts and avocados are also good foods to add.

B Vitamins - for energy, nervous system support, adrenal support.  B vitamins also play a role in digestion.  Food sources of B vitamins - brown rice, buckwheat, rye, oats.

Other Theraputic Considerations...

 

Massage, meditation, acupuncture, reiki - will all increase energy flow to the pelvic area. Dancing around your kitchen, daily, like a loony, and hula hooping are things you can do to support your sacral chakra energy. This is the energy centre in the body that governs the internal pelvic organs. The health of the pelvic organs is intrinsically linked to the issues related to the sacral chakra. 

I would highly recommend Dr Christiane Northrup’s book ‘Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom’. She explains the energy and the impact sacral chakra disharmony has on the health of pelvic organs beautifully, as well as detailing numerous patient case studies.



Thank you for reading my blog.  If you would like further information regarding using Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy to support your body heal from illness please get in touch with me. My contact details can be found on my Facebook page Food For Life Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy and Energy Healing.

How Stress Affects The Body and What You Can Do To Help

How Stress Affects The Body and What You Can Do to Help

If you are depressed or unhappy it affects every aspect of your life. Even if you don’t want to be feeling the way you do, it can be hard to lift yourself up and see light at the end of the tunnel when your life is getting you down. There are lots of unhelpful things we do to relieve our symptoms, that while provide temporary relief, do not actually work towards resolving the problems that have caused them in the first place.  

The Medical Approach

We go to the doctor for help and they may prescribe antidepressant medications to help us cope. The most popular of these drugs are SSRI's.  SSRI stands for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor and these drugs alter our brain chemistry so that more of our happy hormone serotonin remains available to our nervous system. They can provide us with welcome relief but antidepressants come with multiple potential side effects and ultimately only mask the problem and in some instances, even make things much worse. They should only be viewed as a short term solution whilst we get ourselves back on track.

Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
 
We sometimes make unhealthy lifestyle choices to help us cope. We may smoke to relieve stress, drink alcohol to numb our feelings and take drugs to give us a ‘high’. We may also use food to help us cope. Sugar and refined carbohydrates provide an instant surge of our happy hormone serotonin to our brain. Once that surge has subsided though, our blood sugar levels drop below normal and we crave that ‘hit’ again and this can lead to a pattern of emotional over-eating as food becomes comforting.  This can completely compound the problem for many people, causing us to gain weight which further affects self esteem and this in turn makes us begin to believe we have no control over our situation and we are helpless. It also predisposes us to developing other chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, diabetes and cancer and it can also disrupt our hormone balance. There is a potential knock on effect for every system in the body.

How Stress Affects our Body 

Stress seriously affects our digestion and hormone balance.  Our brains do not distinguish between types of stress.  It does not matter what the stress is. It can be stress caused by a job, chronic illness, family politics, an unhappy relationship, an accident, a life event or grief caused by the death of a loved one.  Our stress response has not evolved to adapt to the different situations that face us as part of our modern lifestyle. Our stress response prepares us to run from the tiger and save our life. This is known as the fight or flight response. When stress occurs, the stress hormone cortisol is released and all bodily functions that do not help us run from the tiger are slowed down:

·         Digestion stops, our appetite is decreased and colonic motility is stimulated – (we need to be as light as we can to maximise our escape potential!)

·         Our cellular immunity is inhibited (that’s the one that keeps bugs out of your bodies cells) and our susceptibility to infection and allergy increases as our immunity to outside influences is increased.

·         Our reproductive function is halted (affecting libido), our sex hormone production is altered (affecting fertility) and thyroid hormone production stops (affecting energy levels and metabolism) all in favour of the production of our stress hormone, cortisol (you may have heard of the cortisol steal).

·         We gain increased mental arousal, cognitive function and vigilance and our neurotransmitter synthesis is altered. In other words, we become even more aware of potential danger. This is when anxiety may begin to become a problem as we begin to unconsciously react to seemingly unstressful situations.

·         Cortisol stimulates the body to release sugar into the bloodstream to be converted to energy.

·         Our blood pressure increases, as does our heart rate and respiratory rate.

.We must remember at this point that the stress response isn't a bad thing.  It is there to alert us to danger and save our lives! I In an acute situation, It does enable us run faster, have more energy and increases our strength.  All these responses are short lived and once our brain realises the stressful situation is over, it no longer stimulates the release of cortisol from our adrenal glands. However, when someone is under constant stress, the response becomes chronic and this is dangerous and harmful to the body.  As well as constantly suffering from the symptoms mentioned above, chronic stress and constant circulating cortisol have been shown to cause damage to blood vessels, increase inflammation and increase your susceptibility to auto-immune disease and increased ageing.  If the chronic stress is not relieved, the brain can then become desensitised to cortisol, leading to constant cortisol production and eventual adrenal fatigue. Symptoms of adrenal fatigue include anxiety, decreased ability to handle stress, decreased memory recall, decreased concentration, increased pain, pre-menstrual tension, sugar and salt cravings, decreased productivity, insomnia and difficulty getting up in the mornings.

How our Environment Affects us

There are lots of things that can be done to help improve your quality of life if stress is badly affecting you. The environment around us has everything to do with our overall well-being. It is a sad fact of life that in these modern, fast-paced times, we have forgotten how to tune into our bodies and know instinctively how to help ourselves heal.  We have mortgages, pollution, bills, stressful jobs, kids to send to college, kids to take to football, hurlng, dancing etc.  We do not stop. It is almost impossible to unwind from this constant activity and the only 'rest' we get is when we sleep.  Even when we do stop and sit we reach for technology.  Social media and the television ensure that even when we think we are relaxing we are bombarded with information.  This is not the way to live!  We do not give ourselves enough time to unplug, relax and unwind from our lives.  Is it any wonder we are suffering so much?  Despite all the 'advances' in medicine, chronic illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes are increasing.  Very little attention is given to lifestyle and diet by the medical profession.  There is a pill for every ill and sickness is big business for the pharmaceutical companies.  The supermarkets are filled with food like products and these are advertised everywhere 24/7!   We are told how to live, eat and think by multi-billion euro corporations. What to do about it though?
We have been conditioned to see symptoms of illness as bad, inconvenient and unhelpful. What we really need to do is recognise that a symptom is a helpful messenger.  It is a sign from our body telling us that we need to change something in our lives. We can look at emotions in the same way.  We see sadness, anger, unhappiness and anxiety as bad emotions and whilst they are undoubtedly extremely unpleasant to experience, we must recognise that they are there to protect us and let us know when things aren't right.  They need to be acknowledged, explored and respected, not suppressed. We often know instinctively what it is we need to change but we resist. 
Change is hard but so is suffering.  You deserve to be happy, peaceful and well!  You cannot continually do the same things day after day that are helping to drive your symptoms and expect things to improve. You may experience resistance from others who may not appreciate your changes but remember, when it comes to your mental and physical well-being, focusing on your own needs is not being selfish. You cannot pour from an empty cup.

To get started, make a list of the things in your life that get you down and make you unhappy and then make a second list of things that make you happy. Include things on this list that you would like to do. Taking on just one positive change that you can manage on a daily basis is a victory and a step in the right direction that will help boost self esteem, lift you and give you the inspiration to make more challenging positive changes.
Sometimes we can do nothing to remove the things that cause us stress from our lives. An example of this might be an illness of a family member.  In this case, it is important to maximise your body’s abilities to cope.  By taking one, or a few of the following suggestions on board, you will begin to support your body to better deal with the effects of stress.  Do not try and do it all at once as this can be counterproductive. There’s no point putting yourself under further stress otherwise your efforts will be in vain.  With this in mind, a good place to start would be:

Listen to your body…

• Take time out, only if it’s for two minutes. Identify points in your day when you are alone, even if it just a toilet break!  Take a deep breath and close your eyes. Slow down your breath and focus on your physical body. Are you in pain anywhere or do you have any aches or stiffness? Stretch yourself and purposely have the intention to relax your muscles.  Drop your shoulders and be totally present with your body. Even doing this for two minutes will focus and relax you, relieve stress, and have a positive effect on your body and mind.
• Notice what foods, drinks, or environmental factors increase your symptoms and make a conscious effort to find healthier alternatives.  You may not even be aware that something is affecting you until you start to take notice of what is going on in your body.

Avoid stimulants…

• Alcohol, nicotine and drugs place stress on your body by hindering your detoxification processes and increasing your toxic load. All have a detrimental effect on neurotransmitter production which in turn affects your mood and sleep.  If you can’t go cold turkey, decrease your intake as much as you can with a view to stopping once things improve.
• Caffeine increases cortisol production and should be avoided completely by people suffering from chronic stress.  An alternative to coffee is dandelion root coffee, which is great to aid detoxification, aids premenstrual bloating and helps lower blood pressure.  Green tea, whilst high in caffeine, actually promotes detoxification due to it being high in other health giving properties.  Herbal teas are a great replacement for black tea and coffee. Chamomile, lemon balm, and Tulsi teas are delicious and all help to calm the stress response.
• Reduce your sugar and refined carbohydrate intake (cakes, biscuits, sweets, white rice and pasta). Stick to whole grain alternatives and change to sweet potatoes instead of white. Cortisol and insulin (the hormone that regulates your blood sugar levels), share an intimate relationship. When you eat sugar and refined carbohydrates, insulin is released from your pancreas and does a fabulous job of putting all the sugar in your blood stream into your cells as it is a closely regulated body function.  It overcompensates due to the high glucose and this causes your blood sugar to drop below normal (hypoglycaemia). As the primary fuel for your brain is glucose, your appetite is stimulated to crave more sugar. Low blood sugar also increases the production of cortisol as this stimulates the release of stored glucose from the muscles into the blood stream in readiness to run from the tiger. Thus the stress response is intrinsically linked to your blood sugar levels and if this is not kept under control, it will continue to drive your symptoms.  As well as this, insulin is actually a fat storage hormone and any sugar that is not used at that moment by the body as energy is turned into fat and put predominantly around your middle, increasing your risk for cardiovascular disease.

Also:

• Increase your water intake. Proper hydration is so important to your body. Symptoms of dehydration can mimic those associated with depression such as fatigue, mental fogginess, and pain and inflammation. Proper hydration will also help improve your intestinal mobility and help elimination of waste from your body. Another positive is you will also need to visit the toilet more frequently! This gives you more opportunity to take a quick break, slow down and de-stress for a few minutes.  Herbal teas count towards your water intake for the day, whereas coffee and tea do not as they are diuretics and promote water loss.
• Keep regular, daily bowel movements by eating plenty of fibre rich foods such as dark green vegetables and whole grains.  It’s important to stay regular as constipation leads to toxic waste, bacteria and hormones being re-absorbed by the body which help to drive your symptoms.
• Prescription drugs, antibiotics and over the counter medications have a damaging effect on your gut health. The Oral Contraceptive pill in particular has a detrimental affect on your bowel flora balance and gut health, affecting the vitamin and mineral absorption from our food and causing serious the depletion of nutrients that are important for neurotransmitter synthesis, particularly B vitamins. This can bring about decreased coping ability and antidepressants are often prescribed to counteract this side effect of the pill!

What to eat:

• Eat good fats such as those found in nuts and seeds, avocados and oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. These nourish, protect and insulate your brain cells and all the other cells in your body.  The brain is made primarily of fat and the quality of fat you eat has a profound effect on your health.  A diet high in trans fats (which are in all processed cakes and biscuits) will result in reduced cell to cell communication within the brain and in turn affect production of neurotransmitters.
• Increase your consumption of strong coloured fruit and vegetables and vitamin C rich foods such as dark berries, peppers of all colours, sweet potatoes, kiwi fruit.  As well as being packed with antioxidants which help mop up the oxidative stress caused by the body’s normal metabolic processes they are rich in vitamin C which helps the conversion of cholesterol into cortisol and sex hormones. Vitamin C is hugely supportive of the adrenal glands and lack of it will affect their function. During stress, urinary excretion of vitamin C is increased.
• Take a course of probiotics. 80% of our nervous system is located in our guts. In our intestines we have good and bad bacteria. Our western diet high in refined carbohydrates and sugar promotes the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria that upset the balance. Our happy hormones are made by our good bacteria. Pathogenic bowel flora cause our intestines to become permeable and create toxins and inflammatory mediators that cross the intestinal barrier and get into our bloodstream.  These in turn cross the blood brain barrier affect our mood and cause foggy headedness and impaired cognitive function and memory.  By taking a course of probiotics you are immediately redressing the balance and having an impact because you are helping to improve nutrient absorption and the production of neurotransmitters.

By combining probiotics with the dietary changes suggested above, you will be significantly improving your gut health and nutrient absorption and supporting your nervous system and neurotransmitter production.

Other Key Vitamins and minerals for good mental health:

• Vitamin E –  antioxidant - found in avocadoes, spinach, almonds, sunflower seeds
• Vitamin C – antioxidant -strong coloured fruits and vegetables, dark berries such as blackcurrants and blueberries.
• Zinc – adrenal support and cofactor for neurotransmitter production – shellfish, raw nuts and seeds.
• Magnesium – muscle relaxant, cofactor in neurotransmitter production, sleep aid – dark leafy green vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, beans and lentils, dark chocolate!
• B Vitamins – essential for energy production and neurotransmitter production – eggs, poultry, whole grains, brown rice.

Herbs supportive of the stress response:

Adaptogens are natural herbs that provide non-specific support during times of stress. Some of these include holy basil (tulsi tea), lemon balm (Melissa), Rhodiola Rosea and passiflora.

Lifestyle suggestions:

• Spend more time outdoors. Walking for 20-30 minutes a day helps to use up circulating cortisol and promotes happy hormone production.
• Find a hobby that will bring you enjoyment and fun. This will give you a break from stresses of your life.
• Find a way of self expression.  Dancing, drumming, singing, writing poetry and painting enable us to be in the moment and help us express our emotions and creativity.
• Watch a favourite movie or a comedy program that will make you laugh out loud. This helps our body make feel good chemicals.
• Start counselling/Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. As I mentioned you may not be able to change a situation that causes you stress but you can certainly change the way you look at it and deal with it.
• Start saying 'no' to people if you do not want to do something that puts you under stress or if you are feeling too tired.  
• Surround yourself with people who help you feel good about yourself and avoid spending time with those that drain you and are unappreciative of your time, energy and resources. 
• Have the intention and protect yourself with an imaginary shield of calm when you know you are heading into a potentially stressful situation.
• Practice mindful meditation. This will help you to focus your thoughts on yourself, relax, and slow down the constant mind chatter that may be driving your worries. You may find this difficult at first and it does require consistency to really appreciate the benefits, but any time you can find to do some will be beneficial.There are some really lovely short meditations available on YouTube.
• Stop negative self thoughts and thought patterns that have an unhelpful effect on your self esteem. Read a self help book by someone like Dr Wayne Dyer or Louise Hay. A brilliant book that I have recently read and would recommend is 'Deliberate Receiving' by Melody Fletcher.
• Keep a diary. Write down your thoughts and feelings and write a list of 10 things you are grateful for that day at night before you go to sleep, however small. This helps to put you in a positive and peaceful state before you sleep.
• Talk to friends and family and let them know how you feel. Depression, and anxiety can be very isolating. Its so important to keep talking and getting the feelings out,
• Believe that things will improve for you, even though they may seem hopeless at the time. Positive thinking will help to motivate you and keep you moving in the right direction.
• Pamper yourself.  Have a massage. Try other therapies that will enhance your wellbeing such as acupuncture, Reiki and yoga.

You will find that if you do one or more of these things consistently, it will become a habit and you will no longer have to find the time to do it. 

These Naturopathic Nutrition and lifestyle changes are not just addressing symptoms of anxiety and depression. You are taking an holistic approach towards healing which means you are supporting your whole body to become well. It is a very empowering approach because it puts you in charge of your own health and mental well being and helps you realise and appreciate the value of proper nutrition and self care.  In the words of Hippocrates, whom I will continue to quote time and time again because it’s totally true…

‘…. Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food…’

Improving Digestion and Absorption

Improving Digestion and Absorption

There is a saying ‘you are what you eat’ but this isn’t actually the case.  A far more accurate statement would be ‘you are what you absorb’.

First of all, let me explain to you a bit about how the digestive system works and why we need it to work well.  Food is not just an energy source – your diet matters, and nature provides us with food that contains all the nutrients we need to maintain good health. Our body is made up of many proteins and each bodily function is dependent on an abundant supply of macro-nutrients (fats, proteins and carbohydrates), and micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals) to run smoothly.  Good digestive health ensures that we get all the required nutrients from our food, and an optimal functioning digestive system is of the most vital importance for our overall health and well being. As you can begin to appreciate, the implications of a badly functioning digestive tract can reach far beyond just having uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms.

Bloating, burping, heartburn and flatulence are just a few of the many uncomfortable symptoms that occur when your digestive system is having problems digesting food. These symptoms usually occur after you have eaten a large meal and subside after a while, but in some cases this discomfort can become a constant occurrence after eating and interfere with quality of life.  You can be assured that once these symptoms have become a daily occurrence, your ability to best absorb the nutrients from your food has greatly reduced.  I would always advise clients to visit their G.P if symptoms are persistent and ongoing so that they can perform tests to rule out other causes such as celiac disease. If you visit your G.P and explain your symptoms they may suggest taking ‘over the counter’ antacids or prescribe medication (Proton Pump Inhibitors) that will take away your symptoms by reducing your ability to produce stomach acid.

The Role of Stomach Acid

Obviously, it’s a great relief to be symptom free but just taking away the symptoms does not solve the problem as once the medication is stopped, the symptoms will return. The body produces stomach acid to a certain pH (acidity) to break down food to a specific consistency before it hits the intestines. Once there, the food then travels along the length of the intestines where the fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals are extracted and absorbed at different parts along the way.  It is a common misconception that symptoms associated with poor digestion – heartburn, acid reflux, bloating and excessive wind – are caused by too much stomach acid. In the vast majority of cases it is actually caused by stomach acid insufficiency, and taking antacids and medications only serve to compound this problem.  When food reaches the intestines and it is not sufficiently broken down due to stomach acid insufficiency, the digestive process is slowed and the food stays in the intestines for much longer than it should. This causes fermentation that produces gas and it is this that causes the uncomfortable symptoms.  

The acidity of stomach acid is also important because:

• Your pyloric sphincter closes the contents of your stomach off to your intestines and your lower oesophageal sphincter closes your stomach contents off and prevents acid reflux.  Both of these sphincters are controlled by the level of acidity in the stomach.(see diagram below)

• Your stomach acid has to be a certain pH to stimulate the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes to further break down your food. Inadequate enzymes can result in nutrient deficiencies over time due to malabsorption. 
• Stomach acid at a certain pH facilitates the extraction of vitamin B12 from meat so that it can be absorbed by the body. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause iron deficiency anemia resulting in tiredness and fatigue and is also linked to anxiety and depression. B12 is vitally important to our nervous system as it is used to form the myelin sheath (a protective coating around our nerve cells which is important for the conduction of nerve impulses in the brain).
• Stomach acid kills bacteria on food that may otherwise cause stomach upset and also inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria within the intestines which can lead to a‘leaky gut’, food intolerances and systemic inflammation. Please read about the importance of maintaining a healthy bacterial balance in the gut by reading my blog post ‘It All Starts In The Gut’ by clicking the link here http://katyosullivannutrition.blogspot.ie/2015/01/it-all-starts-in-gut.html

No Cost Simple Tips for Improving Digestion and Absorption

Reduce stress – stress hormones shut down our ability to digest food.

Remove foods and beverages that you know exacerbate your symptoms (bread and dairy products are common offenders)

Gut health is impacted by toxins so avoid smoking, and minimise the prospect of ingesting bacteria by practicing good food hygiene.

Reduce or stop alcohol consumption – one night of moderate drinking can wipe out your good gut bacteria.

Stop to eat – remove distractions - sit down – slow down – look at the food and take in the aromas. Feel the digestive juices starting to flow.

Chew each mouthful thoroughly before swallowing – most people eat far too quickly. We produce digestive enzymes in our mouths that start to breakdown the food as we chew.  The more work we do in our mouths, the less work our digestive systems have to do.

Eat smaller portions – don’t give your digestive tract too much to do in one go.

Maximize the Nutrient Potential of each Meal

Eat real food – avoid processed foods, sugar heavy foods and ‘food like products’ that hold no nutrient value and just serve to upset the bacterial balance in our gut and promote food cravings and weight gain (please read my blog post on how gut bacteria influences our health by clicking the link above).

Include a small salad to start instead of having a dessert – with rocket or some bitter leaves as the bitterness helps to stimulate the production of digestive enzymes and bile which will assist with the breakdown of food and assimilation of fats.

Drink a couple of teaspoons of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (such as Braggs) in a glass of water about 15 minutes before a main meal and this will aid digestion. (make sure to rinse out your mouth with water afterwards as the vinegar can affect tooth enamel)

Include raw fruits and vegetables in your diet as snacks. These contain enzymes that aid digestion and phytochemicals that are beneficial to the body as well as fibre which helps to facilitate regular bowel movements.

Take the weight off your digestive system and crank up your nutrient intake and absorption by making nutritious soups out of homemade bone broths and vegetable broths and introduce smoothies and vegetable juices into your daily routine.

          

I hope that you have found the information here helpful.  Please let me know what you think by posting comments.  You can also f'ollow me on facebook at Food For Thought With Katy O'Sullivan and I am also now on Twitter @kosnut.

Thank you for reading my blog.  If you would like to make an appointment for a Nutritional Consultation please check out my consultation information here 
http://katyosullivannutrition.blogspot.ie/2014/11/nutritional-therapy-consultation.html




    

            

Nutrients That Support and Toxins that Damage Thyroid Health

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to attend a brilliant lecture at Our Lady’s Hospice in Dublin, given by the top British Naturopath, Dr Roderick Lane, ND.  It was entitled ‘Juggling the Endocrine Cycle’ and one of the many interesting things he discussed was the importance of iodine for a proper functioning thyroid gland.

Iodine is required to convert the amino acid tyrosine into T4, our inactive thyroid hormone. Zinc, selenium and copper are then co-factors in converting the T4 to the active T3, which can be utilized by the body.  Fish, shellfish and seaweed are rich sources of iodine and including them in your diet will help you to increase your iodine supply and support a healthy thyroid function.  One of the problems contributing to poor thyroid health is that our Western diet does not include enough of these foods. However, another far more worrying aspect, are the chemicals in our everyday environment that actually block iodine absorption in the body.  Halides are chemicals found in plastics, fluoride (added to our drinking water), certain pharmaceutical drugs such as SSRI antidepressants, chloride (added to drinking water) and bromine (put in commercial loaves, pesticides, soft drinks).  Flour actually used to be treated with iodine in the manufacturing process but then it was changed to bromine???????????????!!!!!!.

In the body, these chemicals all have the same receptor sites as iodine, so when iodine resources are low, these environmental toxins lodge in our system. Conversely, by increasing iodine rich foods in your diet, you will stop these chemicals taking up the receptor sites.  Is it any wonder, looking at the prevalence of these halides in our everyday environment, that the Irish population has a high prevalence of hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism is the condition where you are diagnosed as having an under-active  thyroid gland.  Symptoms include tiredness, weight gain, depression, thinning hair, sensitivity to cold, presence of a goitre (enlarged thyroid gland), and there are also studies linking an under-active thyroid to early recurrent miscarriages.  If you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism your doctor will prescribe you with a synthetic thyroid hormone called Thyroxine - which is your inactive thyroid hormone T4 - to increase the amount of thyroid hormone available to your body’s cells. It still has to be converted to its active form T3, so it can be used by the body. There is a receptor on every cell in your body for thyroid hormone. It is critical as it provides the metabolic energy required for the proper functioning of all cells in all systems of the body.  If you don’t make enough thyroid hormone, your body will not be able to perform all the body’s metabolic tasks sufficiently and your health will suffer.  By supplying the body with nutrients that make and convert your thyroid hormones, you can dramatically improve your thyroid function and your health-

Iodine sources include shellfish, ocean fish, seaweed, eggs. (I like to use a seaweed sprinkle, available in health food shops, which you can add to salads, soups and stir-fries, or just sprinkle over any meal)

Tyrosine sources include seaweed, salmon, turkey, eggs, shellfish

Zinc sources include cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds, shellfish (crab), beans, oats.

Selenium sources include sunflower seeds, brazil nuts, shellfish.

Copper sources include kale, cashew nuts, chickpeas.

I hope that you have found the information here helpful.  Please let me know what you think by posting comments.  You can also f'ollow me on facebook at Food For Thought with Katy O'Sullivan and I am also now on Twitter @kosnut.

Thank you for reading my blog.  If you would like to make an appointment for a Nutritional Consultation, please contact me on 085 166 1648 or e-mail me at katyosullivannutrition@gmail.com.