We have had so much rain in Kangaroo Valley, I’m sure I saw webbing starting to grow between Tess and Felix’s toes.

The river is running high, and racing by so fast that you can get swept away downstream before you have time to ask yourself ‘What was I thinking, jumping in there?’ and grab hold of a tree to save yourself.

Like fast-moving currents, we get so busy just living life day-to-day that emotions can sometimes catch us by surprise. If we don’t give ourselves time to deal with those emotions, especially the negative and stressful emotions, we may become ill.

From time to time I see patients who have put on weight for no good reason. If someone is doing everything right in the diet and exercise department, yet increasing in girth, one needs to look for less obvious reasons. If checking hormone and thyroid levels provides no culprits, then it could be stress. This is a warning to do something to ease your pain and lower the stress in your life, before you get sick.

Stress in the body

When we feel stressed, the adrenal glands release two hormones – adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline, the ‘flight or fight’ hormone, causes the heart to race, skin to sweat, weight to drop and stomachs to knot. However, cortisol, adrenaline’s partner in stress, goes about its work in stealth. Long-term heightened levels of cortisol may increase the risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, depression and weight gain. Long-term stress can come from anywhere: family and relationship difficulties, caring for an aged or ill relative, long work hours, study or financial strain…or having to keep proving you should be Prime Minister.

What you can do about it

Both Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd will feel better after today’s secret ballot because action has meant they can move out of the highly stressful situation of not knowng what the future holds. If it is not possible to take action and change the stressful circumstances, you can reduce the effect cortisol has on the body, including weight gain. Herbs that can help include Siberian ginseng, Schisandra, Licorice, Withania and Rhodiolia. Vitamin C is used in large amounts by the adrenal glands during stress, so taking a vitamin C supplement and eating plenty of citrus fruits and green vegetables can help. Meditation is one of the most effective stress hormone-reducing activities…and it helps you manage emotional stress and lose those excess kilos.

Emotions that make you sick

Most of us know already that negative emotions can make you ill: we feel ourselves getting run down when we’re riding the current of negative emotions. It stands to reason: the neurotransmitters that fire in the brain also connect with hormones, immune cells and organs, contributing to disease and poor health. The extent of the damage of an emotion or stressful event may take years to develop into a condition like a cancer, or may erupt immediately in an attack of shingles or an outbreak of cold sores. However, the news is not all bad. It works the opposite way, too: positive emotions and uplifting thoughts are able to create good health. So, before the straw breaks the camel’s back, the best course of action is protection.

Emotions are emotions. Guilt, grief, worry, irritability – they exist…like it or not. So, acknowledge you are experiencing the emotion, don’t beat yourself up about it, and try giving play, relaxation and positive emotions more space in your life. Affirmations and Bach flower remedies can help too. A visit to your friendly naturopath to look at ways to improve your diet and wellbeing can be a useful step.

An affirmation I find useful is: ‘I seek peace and harmony for myself and for all those in my life’ and I really enjoy our Thursday meditation class at the Stationmaster’s Residence. Come and join us

What about you? What affirmations or other techniques do you use to ease stress and process negative emotions? Tell me in the comments…

In this members’ article, Mim Beim shares some tips to soothe yourself to better sleep and awake refreshed and well rested.

Up to 40% of Australians suffer from poor insomnia. Whether it’s not being able to fall asleep, or having a restless night, it’s hard to feel 100% without a decent night’s kip.

Sleep is an article from the Beaming with Health Community available only to members. Browse the Articles.

Are you having trouble sleeping? Let us know your experiences and any helpful remedies in the comments.

The end of 2011 already, confirming my privately held belief that time goes faster following the running of the Melbourne Cup. (I don’t profess to know how this works…it just does.) Flew back from LA last week into a frenzied few days in clinic. This crazy weather is the cause of lots of nasty colds (California winter was sunny and warm!).

So what was I doing in LA?

I was in LA learning how to become a Buteyko Breathing practitioner. The course was led by a charismatic Irishman, Patrick McKeown… “I want ye to close ta mouth…” Patrick is a lovely man, very gentle and magnificently generous with his knowledge.

Konstantin Buteyko was a Russian doctor (mid-twentieth century) who believed that the cause of many maladies lay in what he termed ‘overbreathing’ – hyperventilation. Conditions as diverse as asthma, anxiety, high blood pressure, insomnia and hayfever respond to a REDUCTION in breathing. Totally against today’s standard thinking of taking big deep breaths. During the course in the Buteyko Breathing Method we were taught how to reduce breathing…and spent hours taping up our mouths and holding our noses. Sometimes at the same time. This shot is from one of the ‘untaped’ times.

Buteyko breathing focusses on reduced air volume. Mim checks out Chet’s form in the LA course

The reduced breathing results in increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the body, which in turn relaxes blood vessels and breathing passages, actually improving oxygen delivery to the tissues. Kind of counterintuitive, but it makes a whole lot of sense. It was a great bunch of students, including some really welcoming LA locals, who showed me around their ‘hood’, including the ubiquitous celebrity spotting.

I’d love to know what breath-based techniques you use, or whether you’ve already experienced Buteyko. Let me know your thoughts in the comments or over on Facebook.

This is my last post for 2011. I’ll be back in the new year with Buteyko and more. In the meantime, here’s a toast to you – may you have an enjoyable festive season, and good health in 2012!

Best,
MIM

PS – BWH Shop elves are still working… So if you’re in need of some last-minute Christmas shopping, check out the gifts and stocking stuffers here.

If you’d like to make an appointment for next year Make an appointment enquiry here. Find Bowral clinic address and hours here.

Update: Jan 2012

Buteyko course starting February in Sydney and Bowral.

In this members’ article, Mim Beim shares some tips to enjoy alcohol and mince pies while looking after your liver.

At the risk of being branded a party pooper, here are some ways to survive the party season with a clear head and a fetching waistline.

Party, party, party is an article from the Beaming with Health Community available only to members. Browse the Articles.

For relaxing and revitalising the eyes… Oh! so lovely!

Another health tip from Ros R.

• Sit quietly and close the eyes.
• Rub the palms of the hands together vigorously until they become warm.
• Place the palms gently over the eyelids, without any undue pressure. (Ensure that the palms cover the eyes, not the fingers).
• Feel the warmth and energy being transmitted from the hands into the eyes, and the eye muscles relaxing. The eyes are being bathed in soothing darkness.
• Remain in this position until the heat from the hands has been absorbed by the eyes.
• Lower the hands, keeping the eyes closed.
• Again, rub the hands together to create warmth and place them over the closed eyes.
• Repeat this procedure completely at least 3 times.

Palming relaxes and revitalises the eye muscles. It also stimulates the circulation of the aqueous humour, the liquid that runs between the cornea and the lens of the eye, aiding the correction of defective vision.

The gorgeous Ros R. (in her native habitat!) offers a series of easy step-by-step moves to ease physical and mental stress. Restful, restorative, and reviving…

This sequence is a soft and gentle way to relieve tension from your spine, clear your head and calm the nervous system. Listen carefully to the duration and quality of your breath. If your knees give you problems, place a folded towel or blanket underneath them.

Step 1

Kneel with your hands in prayer position at the heart centre. Draw the attention inward and begin to relax. Take a long breath in and then a long exhale- then proceed to inhale into the following movement (Step 2).

Step 2

As you breathe in – gently raise the arms up over the head and gaze to the thumbs, lifting and lengthening from the base of the spine.

Step 3

As you exhale – gently bring the hands down in front of you, and curve your spine upward, drawing the abdominals in.

Step 4

Begin to inhale – as you draw the chest foward, arching the spine and relaxing the tummy. This gently opens the heart, lungs and chest.

Step 5

As you exhale – release the buttocks back to the heels and surrender the upper body to the floor, resting the forehead and releasing any tension in the back.

Step 6 and Step 7

Begin to inhale – and lift the upper body gently. Release the buttoks back to the heels.

Exhale to relax the shoulders. Sit upright with a straight spine. Rest the hands to the knees- palms facing upward.

Step 8

Inhale and finish as you began. Kneel with hands in prayer position at the heart centre, and exhale slowly.

Repeat the whole sequence 6 times.

A lack of physical energy can severely affect our powers of concentration. Meditation is a practical way to energise and build concentration.

This particular meditation is easy and therefore, ideal for beginners. It is also a good quickie when you ‘don’t have time’.

Method

• Choose a quiet, slightly darkened, and pleasant room, with no breeze.
• Place a candle within easy view, about a metre from you and light it.
• Sit comfortably with a straight back, palms facing upwards.
• Gaze, unblinking, at the candle, for as long as is comfortable. (Be sure not to strain your eyes.)
• Close your eyes and view an after-image of the flame at the centre of your forehead. (This is the Third Eye Chakra.)
• When the image fades open your eyes and gaze upon the candle flame again.
• Continue the cycle for 5 to 20 minutes. The time is up to you.

Continue the practice and you will find that you can more easily focus on any task you have set for yourself.

Easy!

This Candle Gazing Meditation has been adapted by Cheryl Andrews, Kangaroo Valley resident and regular meditator.

A wonderful way to keep the body calm and focused, whilst improving blood circulation, posture, and general wellbeing. A great life enhancer!

Step 1

Stand with feet together, toes touching, heels slightly apart. Be very aware of even weight distribution between both sides of the body. Engage the core muscles and lengthen the spine. Begin slow, gentle inhalations and exhalations. After 4 slow breaths, take a long exhalation and on the next inhalation…

Step 2

Draw the hands to prayer position at the heart centre.

Steps 3 & 4

As you exhale, start to draw the hands downward, releasing the fingertips as they point downward.

Step 5

Begin a slow inhalation, as the hands start to open and extend outward and away from the body.

Step 6

Continue the inhalation, as the hands and arms draw back and start to raise up, opening the heart, lungs, and chest. This posture also stretches all the abdominal organs, and improves digestion. It exercises the arm and shoulder muscles and tones the spinal nerves.

Step 7

The hands are drawn together in prayer position above the head. Pause the breath. Retain the breath for as long as is comfortable. (Do not retain the breath if you are pregnant or suffer from high blood pressure.)

Step 8

Exhale, bringing the hands back to prayer position, at the heart centre. Continue regular slow breathing in this final position, before beginning the sequence again, and repeating 4-6 times.

A day in a Day Spa is the latest fashion accessory. Although it sounds like you’ll spend 12 hours in a sudsy whirlpool looking like a prune, the Day Spa concept is more of a one-stop-shop affair, where you are buffed and coiffed, pedi- and mani-cured, facialled, exfoliated, shiatsued and lumi-lumied. Apparently you end up looking like a clean Elle Macpherson.

The Day Spa is a day of complete relaxation. No meetings, no children, no bosses, no work – just you and your Spa slave(s). At the end of a day of pampering, most people feel invigorated and energised. For the severely stressed person, however, relaxation is such a rare commodity, that their bodies do one of two things: reject or collapse. The body that rejects (Body Number 1) is so tense that the masseur feels not muscles under the skin, but steel cables, unwilling to uncoil and relax. At the end of the spa day, Body Number 1 may notice their nails look nice, but is unable to feel the benefits of muscular release because they are still fuelled by years of adrenaline.

Body Number 2, on the other hand, relaxes so completely that by the end of the day, they are unable return to their former go-go-go mode. In fact, the day after a Day Spa, Body Number 2 feels like they have been hit by a truck. Muscles are sore and all they can do is sleep and sleep. Don’t be alarmed, this is exactly what is needed. Given half the chance, your body and mind will grab the opportunity to heal itself. And if that means sleep, then the best thing you can do, is to give in and sleep, long and deep.

A similar thing happens when stressed people go on holidays. The first week can be spent in bed, sick. The immune system says ‘Yeah! We can finally get you in bed to rest!’ Even though you have spent thousands on the island holiday of your dreams. Book your holiday for two weeks, so at least you have the second week to snorkle and smorgasbord.

The secret is to build relaxation into your life on a more regular basis than the occasional Day Spa, such as a weekly yoga class or massage. An even better idea is to have more day spas and more holidays.