There is no such thing as passive health. Read that again and let it sink in. That’s right. There is no such thing as passive health!!! In a world that is ever changing and throwing more challenges at the human race, navigating this takes hard work and conscious effort to obtain great physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
We take the process of breathing for granted as it automatically happens to keep us alive. But could we be using how we oxygenate ourselves as another therapeutic tool? I talk to patients a lot about the importance of breathing exercises. It’s effective, free, achievable at any age and easier than you think. If you breathe deep down into your diaphragm and slow down between the inhale and exhale you activate the vagus nerve and furthermore the parasympathetic nervous system, which tells the brain you are safe, and helps to instill a sense of relaxation and calm.
And here we go again. Another year quickly spirally towards its final months, with Christmas just around the corner. I’m not sure about you but for me life is super busy at the moment. With that being said, I do have some advice to help you establish good habits during a busy time.
These are the five things that should be on your radar this month for your health and wellbeing.
The health of our children is something us parents are extremely passionate about. But where do we start with all the information out there without feeling overwhelmed and overcome by mother (or father) guilt. As with most things in health, balance is the key. And as with all aspects of parenting, its best to breakdown some of the healthy guidelines into bite sized achievable pieces focusing on just one or two areas at a time whilst simultaneously considering the bigger picture.
Did you know that not all natural medicines are created equally? And it is not simply a case of something being safe to self-prescribe because it is “natural”. As a naturopath, when you visit me for a consultation I tailor your health program and/or prescription to suit your individual needs. I believe it is what sets our healthcare profession apart, ie, we acknowledge that not one size fits all.
Almost one third of Australians don’t get enough sleep. Which is concerning because sleep is profoundly connected to your health and wellbeing. According to author of Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker; “Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day”. In fact, some research suggests that the quality of our sleep is more important than both diet and exercise.