Emotional overload

Emotions have such a grip on us as they govern our thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Most of our responses come about from a range of emotions that flood through our conscious and sub-conscious minds and there is a growing amount of evidence to support the theory that what we think and feel has an effect on how our body functions. I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of grabbing a block of chocolate when we’re feeling lousy, confident that this is the best coping mechanism around. Sometimes the strongest cravings for food happen when you're at your weakest point emotionally.

What is it about food that makes it so attractive when we need comforting? It may partly be due to habit as we connect certain foods to particular memories (think Mum’s chicken soup when we’re sick). It may be convenience or perhaps just a mere distraction. The chemical connection between food and mood is important as certain foods, especially the ones from the beige food group (you know the one that contains bread, potatoes, pasta, noodles, sweets) increase the production of mood boosting neurotransmitters in the brain. When these levels drop, we are left craving more carbs, suffer from sleep disorders, depression and mood swings. Sound familiar?

It’s no surprise that emotional eating can sabotage your weight loss efforts as it leads to eating too much of the wrong types of food. The good news is that if you're prone to emotional eating, you can take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on track with your weight-loss goals.

• Learn to recognize true hunger. Is your hunger physical or emotional? Emotional eating has little to do with physical hunger and everything to do with psychological need. If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a grumbling stomach, you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a few minutes to pass.
• Know your triggers. For the next few days, write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may a link that reveals negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.
• Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of grabbing a block of chocolate, take a walk, go to see a movie, listen to music, read or call a friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is nudging you towards the fridge, try talking to someone about it to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable things for yourself.
• Don't keep unhealthy food around. Avoid having an abundance of comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or upset, postpone the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings don't influence your decisions at the supermarket.
• Snack healthy. When eating between meals, choose a mix of protein and complex carbohydrate based foods. These foods will help to stabilise your blood sugar levels, reduce cravings and keep you feeling fuller for longer.
• Eat a balanced diet. If you're not getting enough calories to meet your energy requirements, you may be more likely to give in to emotional eating. Try to eat at fairly regular times and don't skip breakfast. Emphasize whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and lean protein sources.
• Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it's fit and well rested.

If you do give in to emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Try to learn from experience, and make a plan for how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes you're making and give yourself credit for making those changes that will optimise your health.

Home is where the heart is

Old sayings such as “Home is where the heart is” and “Behind every great man is a great woman” came about for good reason. We, dear ladies, are an integral part of many peoples’ lives. We are nurturers, lovers, wives, mothers, chefs, gardeners, chauffers, bankers, nurses, cleaners and many other things to many other people. I hate to say it, but without us, things would start to fall apart.

Which is why we SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK AFTER OUR HEALTH!

Without our health, we simply can’t do what we need to, and we can’t be what we need to be to those around us. This time of year is especially taxing and adequate energy comes in as a top priority for most of us. Why then, is it so easy for our energy to slip through our fingers at those times when we need it most? We either have a half-filled tank or we’re constantly running on empty. Thankfully, the main energy zappers are within our control and if we can make ourselves tired and unwell, we can certainly make ourselves well again. NOW is the time to do something about it by implementing the following tips.

• You are what you eat: energy comes directly from the food we eat so it’s easy to see why a poor diet results in poor energy production. Lifestyle factors (alcohol, tea, coffee, caffeinated soft drinks, drugs, refined carbs) and stress can contribute to nutritional deficiencies that sets you up for part-time exhaustion (and can easily develop into full-time exhaustion).Your MassAttack food tables are developed to provide you with the necessary nutrients to boost your energy levels and sustain good health and well being.
• Skipping girl: mornings rarely leave us with enough time to calmly get organised for the day and it’s often breakfast that is overlooked as we race out the door. I can’t stress enough how important breaky is. The type of breakfast you eat dictates how you will feel throughout the day by establishing how much sugar is in your blood and therefore, how much energy you will have for the day. Aim for a mix of protein and whole grains to release sugar into the bloodstreamslowly.
• The internal drought: just about everything we need our body to do requires water and due to the amount we lose every day (about 2 litres), it is essential that we replenish this loss. Simple dehydration is a major cause of energy depletion so it’s time to drink up. One method used to calculate how much we should drink is 35ml of water per kilo of body weight. You may also notice improvements in migraines, memory, constipation and hypotension
• Stress less: every stress leaves its mark. Adequate magnesium levels, which are essential for energy production, are drastically reduced with prolonged stress and high levels of cortisol can result in adrenal exhaustion, a problematic immune system and escalating digestive disorders. Work on some stress reduction techniques and think about including supportive nutrients such as the B group vitamins, magnesium, fish oil, and vitamin C.
• Sleep tight: it’s impossible to maintain optimal energy without regular, adequate sleep (usually 7-8 hours a night). Sleep supports and rejuvenates the immune system, facilitates the recovery of metabolic processes and gives your nervous system time to recoup.
• Liver me timbers: as food provides the fuel for energy production, the liver and digestive tract make good use of this food to enable our body to utilise the all important nutrients it contains. It’s important to maintain regular bowel motions to allow the body to eliminate waste and continue to absorb nutrients. A sluggish bowel creates a sluggish body so increase your intake of fibre to keep things moving and add some bitter foods to your diet.
• Get moving: exercise stimulates circulation in order to deliver nutrients and oxygen around the body. It also helps eliminate toxins and waste products, stimulates digestion, absorption and metabolism. Include some exercise into your day where you can; go for a walk at lunchtime, take the stairs or do isolated crunches at your desk.

So this Christmas make sure that you take some time to look after yourself – it’s a gift that everyone will benefit from! After all – if the woman of the house is happy, every one is happy!

Christmas madness

Christmas means different things to each of us. For some, it is a time to reflect over the past year while providing an opportunity to relax and unwind with family and loved ones. For others, the marathon shopping trips, the huge preparation involved with Christmas lunch or dinner and perhaps even the mere thought of having to spend an afternoon with the extended family is enough to wish the ordeal over before it has even begun. A little preparation and some added Christmas joy can make a big difference to your Yuletide celebrations.

• Thinking caps on: no-one wants to be wandering aimlessly around the shopping centre trying to think of gifts to buy. I’ve seen Christmas trolley rage and it’s not pretty. To avoid this, sit down with a cuppa and have a think about who you need to buy for and some possible gift ideas. Search the net for online buying options and try to get this area covered as soon as you can. Not only will you save time but this will help reduce those expensive impulse purchases.
• For a good cause: think about donating to a reputable charity. There are so many needy people around the city/country/world that the gift of giving shouldn’t stop at your doorstep. You can give as much as you are able and hold your head high knowing that you have made a meaningful contribution.
• Get into the spirit: and I’m not referring to the left over pudding Brandy either. It’s easy to lose sight of what Christmas means to us individually so take heed of what the angels have to say and promote peace on earth and goodwill towards others. This really shouldn’t be a seasonal thing, rather something you aspire to do everyday.
• Treat yourself: although it’s called the holiday season, it rarely feels like a holiday at times. If you can’t get away for a decent break, make time for yourself to recharge the batteries. You might want to go to the beach or park with a book, catch up with the girls for lunch or go see a movie.
• A helping hand: if you are feeling particularly stressed this time of year, there are some wonderful nutrients that can help support and nourish the nervous system. Essential fatty acids, B group vitamins and magnesium will replenish lost nutrients due to stress and herbs such as Withania, Licorice and Ginseng can improve how the body copes with stress.
• Enjoy the ride: stay active during the Christmas break. Not only will this benefit your weight loss efforts but will also help you to de-stress. Try summer sports such as swimming, tennis or beach volleyball (don’t forget your sunscreen). Christmas isn’t a time for laziness, be consistent with your efforts and start the New Year in a positive way.
• Boozy rouge: hangovers are hard to handle at the best of times and almost impossible during such a busy time of year. Drink responsibly to reduce excess calories and to lighten the load on your liver. You’ll thank yourself the next day.
• Be happy and enjoy yourself: make the most of this time you have and embrace the Christmas spirit. It only comes around once a year so enjoy the sun, smiles and Santa and don’t forget the mistletoe!

Too much of a good thing?

Exercise is an integral part of any healthy living plan. While most of us struggle to find time to fit some form of exercise in to our daily routine, there are others who just can’t exercise enough. It can take on a form of obsessive behaviour, where the compulsion to exercise takes over and there is an internal struggle with guilt and anxiety if a work out doesn’t occur. Moderate exercise has a range of health benefits but the effects of over-exercising are not so well known.

Apart from the strain excessive exercise places on joints, ligaments and bones, the sensitive hormonal system that governs how our body functions can also be adversely affected. This is evident through irregularities in the menstrual cycle that can lead to a complete cessation of ovulation and menstruation, largely due to an oestrogen deficiency. Low levels of oestrogen cause calcium to be leached from bones, reducing bone density and contributing to osteoporosis. Strenuous exercise during menstruation may also contribute to the development of endometriosis, possibly related to a disturbance in the menstrual flow via the Fallopian tubes.

Moderate exercise, on the other hand, has many health benefits including improved cardiovascular health, increased bone density, maintaining a health body weight, preventing obesity and a general reduction in stress. Improvements in the menstrual cycle have been noted with a reduction in the severity of period pain, volume and duration of flow. Cyclic breast pain and tenderness are also less of an issue for women who exercise in moderation.

But what is moderate exercise? This will really depend on the individual and what their exercise goals are. The important factor here is your state of mind regarding exercise. Exercise addicts who simply can’t get through the day not exercising at least once may have deeper psychological issues that need exploring. Others who know they really should go to the gym but all they really want to do is go home and open a bottle of red may just need a little more motivation and will power. Focus on your goals and decide on the best way to achieve them. Over indulgence of anything can have its down side so keep a healthy, balanced attitude to your exercise routine to benefit from the hard work you are putting in.

Emma Scasni is a qualified naturopath at MassAttack Health Clinic and has a keen interest in women’s health. Emma is passionate about all aspects of natural health and is happy to offer support and advice to new and existing MassAttack members. MassAttack specializes in natural treatment programs for women with hormonal imbalances such as PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis & thyroid imbalance. Narelle Stegehuis, CEO of MassAttack, is the recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award 2006 and can be contacted at info@massattack.com.au