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Monthly Archives: May 2022

what causes insomnia

Insomnia Natural Remedies: What Causes Insomnia

Have you ever spent too much time in bed trying to fall asleep, but you couldn’t, or maybe you woke multiple times and couldn’t have a soothing, long sleep session? Have you ever thought about what causes insomnia? The following article will provide insomnia Natural Remedies… 

Well, the odds are that at one point or another, you’ve experienced insomnia.

Insomnia refers to the inability to fall asleep or when someone excessively awakes during that night. 

When we sleep, our brain is busy consolidating short-term memories into long-term memories.Our sleep is also a time to reset, repair, and heal, so sleep is vital to our overall health and well being. If you suffer from what causes insomnia use these insomnia natural remedies..

Research has shown that persistent insomnia can have certain side effects on the body, including but not limited to:

  1. Greater fat mass
  2. Impaired cognitive function and problem solving
  3. Higher risk of insulin resistance and diabetes
  4. Decrease testosterone production and reduce its synthesis capacity

With that problem in mind, it’s fair to say that anyone experiencing insomnia needs a proper solution and use of insomnia natural remedies.

And the truth is that there isn’t a go-to supplement or a “sleep hack” because sleep pattern regulation is affected by various environmental, habitual factors, biochemical, and neurological factors which can be what causes insomnia. 

Now let’s have a look at the most important insomnia natural remedies and what anyone can do to bulletproof their sleep!

Exercise

More exercise is one of the insomnia natural remedies. All kinds of exercise, ranging from meditative yoga to intense resistance training or aerobic exercise, have been shown to improve sleep quality and overall health (1).

Some people might wonder if night exercise is bad for sleep or would be one of the sleep tips for insomnia? Well, first of all, it is better than no exercise. 

Nevertheless, you should be aware that exercise is associated with increased adrenaline production, leading to awakening.

In fact, one study found that high-intensity exercise in the evening disrupted REM sleep (2). 

Exercising at night is better than nothing, but it would be better to exercise during the day.

Also, consider the fact that the human nervous system is primed to be most active during the day, meaning that working out at night may rob you of performance! A hypervigilant nervous system is a potential for what causes insomnia. 

If nothing stops you from doing it, train during daylight and recover at night!

Consistent Sleeping Schedule

Almost all physiological changes in our body follow a 24-hour schedule, based on the guide of temperature and light. Keeping a consistent sleeping schedule is one of the insomnia natural remedies.

This 24-hour schedule is known as our circadian rhythm. Having an irregular circadian rhythm can be what causes insomnia. 

Studies found that inconsistent sleep schedules can impair the quality of our sleep (3). 

Going to bed at the same time daily will improve sleep quality and reduce sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep). This is one of the environmental sleep tips for insomnia. If you have an erratic schedule or work at night it can be challenging to re regulate the circadian rhythm. 

It would be even better if you try to have some kind of constant routine. 

For example, taking a hot shower, brushing your teeth, or doing meditation are some of the insomnia natural remedies.

These things can act as a signal for your brain, telling it that it is time to sleep.

Screen Light

Unfortunately, these days we have become addicted to our smartphones and laptops. Although these devices are great in many aspects, they can hurt our sleep. One of the insomnia natural remedies is to reduce your screen light. 

Exposure to blue light, which is emitted by screens of smartphones and computers, lowers melatonin production. 

And well, this can make it hard for you to fall asleep and can be what causes insomnia.

This was confirmed by many studies that found that light from smartphones reduced sleepiness in young adults (6). 

You shouldn’t only avoid blue light for electronic devices. Still, you might also want to consider avoiding any source of bright light 1-2 hours before sleep as sleep tips for insomnia. 

Using blue-light blocking glasses or activating night mode on your device can also help reduce exposure to blue light.

Caffeine Consumption

Caffeine has numerous benefits for our health. However, you should be aware that it blocks the adenosine receptors in our brain, promoting alertness and enhancing mood. Having an abundance of caffeine can be what causes insomnia, especially if you do not metabolize caffeine well. 

One thing to note is that the body doesn’t become desensitized to this effect. This is why caffeine never loses its stimulating effect entirely.

Therefore, if you have been drinking lots of coffee for many years, don’t think that it no longer impacts you.

Caffeine has a 6-hours half-life. So, avoiding caffeine six hours before bedtime is one of the insomnia natural remedies that can be an excellent strategy to enhance sleep latency and improve sleep quality

Supplements

Now, if you have all of the above in check but still aren’t getting optimal results, then you may want to consider supplementation as insomnia natural remedies.

Supplements can be beneficial to help what causes insomnia.

Let’s have a look at the two most effective supplements for sleep – Gaba & lavender.

GABA

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a chemical that is made in the brain and also found in some foods. 

GABA works by blocking brain signals (neurotransmissions).GABA is a naturally occurring amino acid that works as a neurotransmitter in your brain. GABA is one of the insomnia natural remedies. Neurotransmitters function as chemical messengers within the brain. GABA is considered an inhibitory neurotransmitter because it blocks, or inhibits, certain brain signals and decreases activity in your nervous system. 

When GABA attaches to a protein in your brain known as a GABA receptor, it produces a calming effect. This can help with feelings of anxiety, stress, and fear. It may also help to prevent seizures. This is one of the insomnia natural remedies that is helpful for those who have a history of trauma, anxiety, or suffer from overthinking at bedtime. 

In a small 2018 study, participants who took 300 milligrams (mg)Trusted Source of GABA an hour before going to bed fell asleep faster than those taking a placebo. They also reported improved sleep quality four weeks after starting treatment. (4) This is one of the insomnia natural remedies. 

Lavender

Besides GABA which has a direct impact on your sleep chemistry, there are other insomnia natural remedies that can help you relax, unwind, and in turn, induce sleep.

Lavender can control insomnia, enhance relaxation, and improve sleep quality (5). 

It is particularly helpful if your insomnia is due to stress or anxiety since lavender has a hypnotic effect on the brain. Insomnia natural remedies include putting drops of lavender on your pillow, diffusing the lavender in the room where you sleep, or putting lavender on your neck or wrists. 

Besides… It smells amazing.

Take-Home Message

Good sleep is a major cornerstone for a healthy life. It can help you perform better physically, mentally, and sexually, so hopefully these tips for insomnia natural remedies are helpful. 

Some tricks like avoiding blue light and caffeine before sleep can help enhance your sleep quality using insomnia natural remedies to help what causes insomnia. 

Adding exercise and having a fixed sleep schedule can help as well.

If you are still having a problem, many supplements like GABA and lavender have been shown to control insomnia and improve sleep.

What are your go-to habits & products to use during times of restlessness? Comment below!

References

1-     https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25903450/

2-     https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34416428/

3-     https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28607474/

4-     https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6031986/

5-     https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16520572/

6-     https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28017916/

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stress health effects

Stress and Mental Health: How Stress Health Effects

The first thing you think about when someone tells you they’re stressed is how to help them, but that’s not always the case. Stress and mental health is a growing concern as we determine how stress health effects our physical health. 

Even more so, stress can be a good thing – it can push us to new heights, bring out our best work and make life more exciting, but too much stress can have long lasting stress health effects that impact the stress and mental health. 

Nevertheless, much like any other scenario, the saying “in big quantities, cure can be poison” applies here, too.

And we’ve all experienced and seen it – Too much stress health effects can be negative on your health and wellbeing

The question is – How can we optimally handle stress so that the joy of life can wash over us and balance our stress and mental health?

There isn’t one answer to this because stress and mental health is a complex problem – sometimes, what we think causes the stress is just a catalyst to the inner conflicts at the core of the problem.

This same complexity of this so common problem of stress and mental health is what led us to write this article in the first place, so without further ado, let’s jump right into its stress health effects.

What are Stress Health Effects?

By nature, stress is nothing but a defense mechanism – The so-called “stress health effects response” is triggered when our senses detect danger.

For instance, when our species lived primarily in the wild, this stress health effects response would be triggered when a predator, such as a bear, came up and attacked.

The role of the stress and mental health response? To help you get out of danger.

This classical “fight or flight” stress health effects response leads to the release of stress health effects hormones, which prime the body for survival and nothing else.

Your heart starts pounding.

You can’t stay in one place.

You are completely alert of your environment.

Does this sound familiar…? Yeah. That same stress response gets triggered nowadays too, but not because a bear is trying to kill you, but because

  • Your boss is being a madman
  • Your close one is giving you a hard time
  • Your assignment is due
  • You’re in traffic for hours on end

The list goes on. The point here is that the REAL purpose of the stress and mental health response isn’t really fulfilled, for the most part. 

Sustained Stress Health Effects

Yes, it’s true – The modern-day lifestyle inflicts stress upon us all the time in an unnatural manner.

One that isn’t meant to keep us from danger but rather… Get us closer to it.

And the worse thing is that these stress health effects can become chronic which creates stress and mental health, easily.

As I mentioned – We’ve all experienced that!

An unpleasant situation, whether it’s with a relative, your boss, or a co-worker, keeps you lingering with the negative thoughts and emotions for DAYS on end.

Sometimes even months, depending on the situation.

Slowly but surely, you start experiencing mild symptoms of this chronic stress, such as:

  • Mental burnout
  • Physical exhaustion
  • Depression
  • Lack of focus
  • Etc, etc.

While at first, this may seem like something harmless that exists just on a mental level, but the truth is that when sustained, stress health effects can ruin your physical health, too. 

Recovery, Growth & Immunity

One of the lesser-known yet critical things about stress is that it hinders your recovery, growth, and immune function.

This is not some woo-woo pseudoscience, but it’s a fact.

As we have mentioned in previous articles, cortisol, the main stress hormone, is so effective at buffering the immune system that it is used during organ transplants!

The goal with this is to inhibit the body’s immune system so that the organ isn’t instantly rejected.

Pair chronic stress with toxic coping mechanisms like drinking and smoking, and you’re on the highway to chronic disease.

Not only that, but when under stress health effects from your heart, brain, and the entire body are working out of harmony – The heart beats fast and irregularly, your cognitive function is all over the place.

All of this puts you at a much greater stress health effects of not only stress and mental health burnout but physical manifestations of your stress as well.

Breathe In & Screw It!

Alright, get your screwdriver because it’s time to… Screw it!

Many of us wonder – How can one actually rid themselves of the burden of chronic stress and mental health effects?

The short answer is – It depends.

But for starters, you can accept a couple of things:

1. Stress is automatic

Once the danger is perceived, an automatic pattern of thoughts, emotions, and actions is triggered

The more you follow along with that path, the more stress increases and impacts stress and mental health. .

Therefore, you have to consciously detach yourself from the stress health pattern, break it and make a conscious choice.

2. Stress Is Addictive

If you try what we said above, you’ll come to find that in the face of stress health effects, you feel almost powerless when trying to make a conscious choice.

This is because the hormones released during stress are powerful and, even more so, quite addictive.

In stressful situations, we bring out all our reactions – Whether it’s yelling, crying, or straight-up overthinking.

We get used to and even addicted to these stress health effects and stress responses, and when we don’t follow up with them, something feels off which can impact our mental health. 

Keep your ground, though – When the animal in you wants to react, choose to stay rational and respond rather than follow up with the automatic reaction. This will help your stress and mental health. 

3. Your Breath Is Powerful!

Last but not least, as a result of a stressful event or situation, we tend to observe a change in breathing patterns.

Depending on the situation, breathing becomes more shallow, more frequent, and it can even stop in some situations that impact stress health effects.

However, if you get over those stress health effects and come back to a normal state, you’d breathe normally as an end result.

So here’s some food for thought: If you were to breathe as you would when you are calm, during stress, wouldn’t that signal the body it is in a safe, non-stressful environment?

The answer is – Yes if you do it long enough and swipe the thoughts coming in from the automatic patterns caused by stress and mental health!

Pro-Tip: When stressed, breathe in and screw it! 

Okay, maybe these words are a bit too harsh, but you can learn more about why this is effective in our meditation called “Intro to Breathwork” exists. 

Final Thoughts

Breathe in. You’re alright. 

This blog post has given you a lot to think about, and we hope it will help inform your decisions for the future and to help your stress and mental health.

The next step is action – take care of yourself by getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising regularly, and practicing mindfulness meditation so that you can build resilience against stress. 

If this sounds like too much work or if anxiety continues to give life meaninglessness, then seek professional support from someone who knows how to guide people through tough times with compassion and understanding. 

It’s not always easy, but there are solutions out there! 

Let us know if we could ever be helpful down the road 🙂

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food for mental health

Foods that Help Mental Health

Eating healthy isn’t only good for your physical health, look and skin. It also can help you become more responsive, awake, and focused on things that really matter when eating food for mental health. 

But, how are diet and mental health connected? Let’s find out together!

Food that Helps Mental Health and the Food/Brain Connection

The food you eat and the way you feel share a complex relationship. When you feel blue, you are more likely to grab junk food to comfort yourself. Therefore, mental health affects your cravings. But, it acts in the opposite direction, too.

The food you eat has various vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that reach the brain and cause certain chemical reactions which is why it is important to choose foods that help mental health. 

The exact chemical reaction in your brain depends on the food and its nutritive value. A particular food, that is sometimes called – brain food, triggers good reactions, and increases the positive response in the brain.

On the other hand, some food for mental health can affect your mental health negatively. Refined sugar makes you feel better instantly, but once the short-term reaction in your brain passes, you’ll feel the negative effects of it. 

The other group of foods that isn’t good for your mental health prevents the brain from transforming nutrients into the things that the brain needs. For example, butter isn’t very good brain food. Instead of supporting good memory, focus, and feeling-good hormone release, butter is related to decreased cognitive function. 

There is more research to be done on how saturated fats and refined sugars decrease brain functions. Until the results are ready, you should limit the intake of these ingredients. 

Eating With Other People

Diet and mental health aren’t only connected throughout the particular food intake. The diet includes all eating habits, including sharing meals with other people and eating preferences. 

Sharing meals can be helpful as you use foods for mental health because when you eat in a group, you develop connections with other people and focus on something other than food. Not to mention, the added benefit if you choose foods that help mental health. 

Studies have shown how important family meals are for the mental health of adolescents. Those who have frequent dinners with their families reported lower risks of depression, social anxiety, and overall level of dissatisfaction. They are also at a lower risk of substance abuse.

Mealtimes include everything from food preparation, eating, and cleaning afterward. Because you need to eat every day, mealtimes are an important part of your daily routine, and the habits you develop affect your mental health. 

Some Foods for Mental Health

Some of the foods commonly used to help support mental health are protein rich foods. Proteins such as salmon, organic chicken, and nuts all contain healthy fats in addition to proteins to help support the amino acids that run the brain. 

Foods that help mental health also include fresh whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These contain lots of antioxidants, nutrients such as vitamins and minerals that help support the overall metabolism of the body. A healthy metabolism equals a healthy brain. 

Healthy fats such as olive oil, and nuts contain healthy essential fatty acids that are helpful for the brain as well as brain development. 

Avoiding processed foods, artificial sweeteners, artificial colors as well as dyes can also be helpful in ensuring that your brain is not exposed to unhealthy foods that can impede neurological function. 

Eating Disorders as Part of Complex Food-Mental Health Connection

If you need more reasons to spend time reflecting on your diet and eating habits, let’s discuss eating disorders. 

The reasons why eating disorders occur aren’t still clear. But, more and more evidence suggests that the choice of food isn’t the only factor that leads to eating disorders. Choices of food for mental health may not be significant with this particular disorder. 

An eating disorder can be connected with an unhealthy approach to food or your body image. Each eating disorder requires a specialized approach and treatment. It affects the overall well-being of the person, not only physical health.

Food for Mental Health Can Make You Feel Great or Bad

Food can make you feel good about yourself, in terms of energy levels, overall feeling and mood boost. Some foods are excellent for concentration, such as fatty fish, green leaf, berries, etc. On the other hand, if you have to take the maximum amount of your brain power, avoid sugary drinks, fast food, alcohol, mercury-rich fish, etc. these are not foods that help mental health.

Are mental health or physical health and body appearance better motivation for you to build healthier eating habits and choose food wisely? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Don’t forget to give the article a thumbs up, if you learned something new! Please consider sharing the article with your friends and family to help them understand the importance of diet for their mental health.

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Exercise and Mental Health

How Does Exercise and Mental Health go hand in hand?

We all know that the mind and body are connected, so it only makes sense that exercise for mental health go hand in hand. If we work on making one better, the other can see some improvement as well. 

This does not mean that they’re interchangeable or that these effects are achieved easily, however, most people would agree that working out or being physically active in general has a positive connection to their mental state so exercise and mental health are supportive of one another. 

Here we try to explain this process on a simple and digestible level.

Exercise for Mental Health Conditions

  • Depression

 Studies show that exercise and mental health work by helping both in easing the symptoms of depression and reducing the risk of being diagnosed with it in the first place. This is achieved by the release of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. 

Working out releases endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, making you feel happier both in the moment and, if you are consistent with your schedule, long term. 

For some people working out is as good as taking medications. As exercise and mental health have no scary side effects and costly visits to the pharmacy.

It can also help in finding a new hobby or a different environment, both of which can greatly change one’s perspective on life. 

  • Anxiety

Exercise for mental health reduces the symptoms of anxiety in a few different ways, the main one being it gives you something else to focus on (like breathing techniques, the way your body moves etc.) Exercise and mental health can help you to feel less stressed, less worried, and less anxious if done consistently. 

It also controls the amygdala (a part of the brain responsible for reacting to real or imaginary threats) and gets your heart rate up, releasing neurochemicals that help in feeling more relaxed overall. 

Exercise for mental health helps both with fighting anxiety as a whole and with specific “in the moment” episodes. 

  • ADHD

Exercise and mental health helps people with ADHD too – this time the main benefit is the release of dopamine: this is the chemical mainly responsible for attention and concentration, crucial sides of ADHD. 

By exercising you both supply your brain with this neurotransmitter and many more chemicals beneficial to feeling more relaxed, thus more focused. 

Long term effects of exercise for mental health include bettering the executive function of the brain where all the planning, organizing and learning happen due to different proteins.

  • Stress

This is probably the most well known connection between the mind and body – exercising helps with stress every time. 

Weather because it takes your mind off the problem for a bit, making you more clear-headed and focused after, because it eases physical tension in your muscles or because it improves your blood flow, heart rate and releases endorphins, working out always leads to some sort of stress relief. 

As an added bonus working out makes the communication inside your body better, regulating the fight-or-flight response we have when under pressure and reminding the body itself how to recover more efficiently, thus receiving a much needed rest. Exercise helps support mental health which is why exercise for mental health is so beneficial. 

Overall Benefits

  • Increased Cognitive Function

The same chemicals responsible for feeling better also work in order to be sharper, more focused and learn more easily. 

Exercise for mental health stimulates the growth of brain cells, strengthens the hippocampus, and fights the aging process both inside the brain and out. 

It helps us learn easier and remember better, all the while keeping us more focused. 

  • More Self-Confidence

When you are investing time and effort in yourself, you inevitably see results and when you see results, it only stands to reason that your personal view of yourself changes. 

Having a sense of achievement as well as learning new abilities or developing ones you already have is a boost to your self-esteem and with good reason. 

Working out is also a time just for you, something which we all need, but can be hard to achieve with a busy way of life. As you make more gains with your health, this builds a greater sense of accomplishment and self confidence. 

As a bonus a lot of people have problems with being consistent and when they make it a habit to work out this is proof that they can stick with the important things, thus giving them more confidence in different aspects of daily life too. 

  • Better Sleep

Exercise for mental health also tires out the body and thus makes rest an essential part in one’s day. Sleeping helps support the mental health of the person and allows for them to handle the day’s stressors. Getting quality rest is essential to help support one’s mental health. 

Regulating sleep patterns and the quality of sleep itself, exercising has been a massive help to people that have issues in this area. 

Your body’s natural need for rest is amplified after working out and your mind starts to fight irregularities without the need of medication.

  • Increase In Happiness

When working out our body releases almost all the chemicals responsible for happiness which helps aid in exercise and mental health. 

Both short and long term happiness is connected to taking care of your body and exercise for mental health is one of the most natural ways to do just that. 

Runner’s high followed by better focus in the short term can make your day better while building self-esteem and reaping the more complex and subtle benefits that come with exercising making your life happier in general. 

It only stands to reason that with all of these positive qualities, working out is essential to an individual’s happiness. 

Regardless of if you’re fighting a specific illness or just want to feel better overall, exercise is never a bad option. Exercise and mental health truly go hand and hand as those who exercise often have a better happier mood. 

On a strictly physical level, it betters your body in almost every aspect and is connected to a healthier, happier, and longer life. 

On a psychological level working out can help fight different conditions, boost self-esteem and give essential chemicals for one’s happiness. 

Whatever the reason is (be it to find a new hobby, a desire to look better, fight a condition or something entirely different) exercise for mental health is sure to have a positive effect both on your physical and mental health.

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childrens mental health

Guiding your childrens mental health

Various links have pointed out childhood experiences forging personalities in adulthood and so creating healthy childrens mental health is key to their personal development. In most cases, these tend to be subconscious. This means that taking proper care of your child’s physical and mental needs is not just essential to help them cope throughout childhood but also prepare them to be healthy and responsible adults. The following article will review good mental health tips. 

Additionally, your childrens mental health tends to be strongly influenced by you and your partner’s state of mental health. With you as a parent having the strongest influence on your little one’s life, they’ll often look up to you and pick up on how you deal with tough times. Good mental health tips stem from you, your behavior and you manage your own health as well as well being. 

This brings us to our first point on guiding your childrens mental health.

Leading as an Example as a one of the Good Mental Health Tips

Adulthood is undeniably checkered with all sorts of pressures. Financial constraints, work-related stresses, social, among other hassles could lead to emotional and physical strain. Nonetheless, as a parent, it becomes a responsibility to effectively manage these issues to ensure you don’t channel these stresses and tensions to your youngster. If you have not learned how to manage your stress in a healthy way, there are many courses, training, and providers to help you especially if you did not have healthy role models for you growing up. There are a number of very helpful books out there as well with many tools to help you along the way. 

Hence, as good mental health tips are, learning to solve problems strongly and effectively could help your childrens mental health by teaching them to develop a resilient mindset from watching you deal with tough issues. In most instances, what you say and how you react sends a strong message, so learning how to manage your mental health could be the first crucial step to helping your childrens mental health by coping with their mental stress.

Creating a Supportive Environment

Providing your kids with essential needs such as a healthy diet, clothing, and housing removes common triggers of stress in kids. This also includes showing affection and correcting them in the right way. Good mental health tips and intentional mental health modeling looks like providing clear expectations, support, and encouragement balanced with consequences. 

When kids associate home with fear and anxiety, for instance, due to abuse, this creates the problem of stress instead of solving it. This is very damaging to childrens mental health. This also includes disputes with your spouse, especially if they tend to get violent. To ensure your kids cope effectively with stress, ensure that your home is hospitable and warm and not a direct cause of their stress. If you are in violent, angry, or abusive environments for your and your childrens mental health please find a solution. 

Connect with them and Build Trust as Good Mental Health Tips

Let’s be honest. You only have a short period to spend with your loved ones before they grow up, go out to college, and start their lives on their own, right? Having this in mind, it’s important to make as much time as you can for them. Being actively involved with them is not only one of the quality good mental health tips but it is also build childrens mental health. 

Worth noting that you don’t come out as fearful or distant as this will cause them not to open up. If they’re acting rebellious or they’re being undisciplined, this could be the cause of underlying stress that’s causing them to act out hence calling the need to be addressed. Some of these issues could be:

  • Bullying by their peers
  • To seek your attention
  • Their relationships
  • Hunger or tediousness
  • Health conditions
  • Behavioral disorders
  • Mental disorders
  • Personality issues
  • Oppositional Defiant Disorders

Be mindful to quickly label, dismiss, or think that they are the problem and they need to be fixed. Many of the times children acting out are a product of their environments. Examining oneself first and foremost is key to childrens mental health and wellbeing. 

On such occasions, however much the response as a parent is to be reactive, ensure you remain patient, understanding, and supportive as being reactive could exacerbate the situation. As good mental health tips please be sure to create a warm, loving, and calm environment at home so children feel safed, loved, and cared for- if you struggle with feeling this yourself please seek help and support emotionally for yourself. 

Bottom Line

As an adult, being mentally strong for your loved one is exceedingly crucial. After addressing the issues stated above, talking about it with no judgment and while controlling your own emotions could be a fail-proof way to help you and your little one, regardless of their ages, cope effectively with their stresses of life. One of the many good mental health tips is to work on healing yourself first before looking to help your children. Your childrens mental health depends largely on your own mental health. Ensuring that you are modeling positive mental health as well as creating a healthy environment for them is key to ensuring that they are healthy, happy, and whole for years to come. 

References

https://www.verywellfamily.com/improve-childrens-mental-health-4154379 

https://childmind.org/guide/parents-guide-getting-good-care-2/ 

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Inflammation and Depression

Is Inflammation and Depression Linked?

Just a decade ago, the thought that inflammatory mechanisms might lead to the emergence of MDD (major depressive disorder) was so ground-breaking that it could endorse reviews. There is a link between inflammation and depression. Medline search turned up thirty-seven review articles that explicitly showed the links between immune-inflammatory variables and depression, or the therapy of depression.

Another study connecting depression inflammation to depression is scarcely necessary against such a growing backdrop. Instead, we believe it is worthwhile to address the connection between inflammation and depression in this article.

Is there a Depression Inflammation Disorder?

Fully understanding the immunological foundation of diseases has fundamentally changed the treatment of inflammatory disorders. Inflammation and depression are linked by immunologic mechanisms that could now be involved in the maintenance and development of mental disorders, establishing a whole new pathway for unique psychiatric disease prevention and treatment strategies.

The immune mechanisms associated with depression have garnered the most interest. A large body of evidence supports the idea that the immune system, in general, and inflammation, in particular, are pathways to disease in a large percentage of depressed individuals. Even though the link between inflammation and depression may appear clear at first sight, it is considerably more complex and complicated than many people assume. But one thing remains clear;

Depression is not an inflammatory disorder

One of the most significant things that were discovered about depression and inflammation is that depression is not an inflammatory illness, and not every individual experiencing depression has elevated inflammation. Yes, numerous studies have shown increased average concentrations of markers of inflammation in despondent persons when compared to control studies. However, it is more so a correlation between depression inflammation rather than a direct link between inflammation and depression. 

Acute inflammation is seen in a variety of mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, personality disorders, and schizophrenia, and personality disorders among others. These findings imply that inflammatory processes are transdiagnostic, appearing in subgroups of people suffering from a variety of mental illnesses.

The Link Between inflammation and depression

An inflammatory reaction that lasts too long may cause chaos in our systems and leave us at risk for mental health problems and other diseases. 

Inflammation markers, for instance, are higher in individuals with depression than in individuals who are not depressed. Inflammatory markers can also reflect the degree of depression symptoms. A twin with a greater HS-CRP level (a marker of inflammation) is more prone to depression half a decade later, according to research that investigated twins who had 100 percent of the same set of genes.

Doctors found that Hepatitis C and cancer patients receiving IFN-alpha treatment (which boosts the immune system) were also depressed. This therapy caused a surge in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, a condition that resulted in appetite loss, sleep disturbances, anhedonia, suicidal ideation, and cognitive impairment. These findings support the inflammatory theory of depression inflammation. However, in the holistic view we look at all aspects of the person that can be contributing to depression. It may not be one thing that triggers depression in the person. 

Following extensive research, it was shown that the increased frequency of depressive symptoms among patients administered FN-alpha was not solely due to their illness. Investigators used a simple way of dosing healthy participants with immune system intruders and discovered that those administered had greater rates of depression symptoms than those who got a placebo. Anhedonia, negative mood, sleep problems, social isolation, and cognitive problems were reported by the participants who were stimulated to get an inflammatory reaction.

Treating Depression Episodes as a Systemic Disease

What would depression signify in terms of therapy if seen as part of systemic disease? Aside from the apparent link to pharmaceutical therapies like antidepressants, it implies that adjustments to the body’s processes may also assist to reduce depression. While mind-body therapies are essential, those that address physical systems may be even more so.

Therapies that target physical variables like sleep, nutrition, and exercise, for instance, might be a beneficial supplement to medical and psychological treatments.

Even in this case, thinking outside the box is necessary. 

When presented with a depression case we look at all aspects of the person. What foods the person is eating, do those foods create inflammation. The circadian rhythm of the person and their sleep cycle, are they getting enough rest. What are their stress levels like, and furthermore what are their coping mechanisms around stress and stress management. There are a number of biochemical imbalances that can contribute to depression symptoms. This is all individual and requires individual attention. If you would like to review your labs and create a treatment plan to address your depression from a holistic perspective please reach out to book a consultation. 

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emotional well being

How to Improve Emotional Well Being

Of course, nicely-shaped muscles are attractive, but there is a far greater sign of good health than just a fit body: emotional well-being. Especially, when you are an empath. Many empaths are highly triggered. So knowing how to improve emotional well being is necessary to manage triggers for empaths. 

Your emotional health has an impact on every aspect of your life, and caring for it is just as essential as caring for your overall physique. 

How can you tell whether you’re in great emotional shape? Continue reading for indications that you value your health on the inside and out by looking at ways how to improve emotional well being

You are grateful in all parts of your life daily

Gratitude is the source of all happiness, and cultivating a grateful heart is a proven way to attaining emotional stability and well-being. 

The willingness to appreciate any positive thing in our lives is a significant indicator of emotional wellness. There are triggers for empaths when they do not feel appreciated by the people around me. 

Reaching a state of thankfulness might seem like an exercise in futility if we have a negative attitude or low mental stability. Empaths must provide gratitude and value for themselves especially since the world often will not mirror gratitude back to them. 

If you’re having these types of issues, take baby steps. Find something to feel thankful for in your life. Make a list, and then at least two things you need to be thankful for the next day. Include why you are grateful for you as well. 

You are considerate of others

Compassionately seeing others and engaging them with selflessness and goodwill is a sign of personal well-being. This also can be one of the triggers for empaths as they can be more compassionate, more empathetic and selfless than others. 

This is referred to as prosocial behavior by psychologists. It indicates you’re sympathetic to other people’s feelings and needs, and you believe it’s vital to aid them. How to improve emotional well being is to be mindful of boundaries as you are being considerate to others. Other people’s emotions are not your responsibility. It is your responsibility to set healthy boundaries for yourself. This can be challenging as an empath. 

It entails helping people in distress, even for things as easy as returning a misplaced purse to a receptionist or grinning and engaging the next person on the queue in a friendly conversation. However having healthy boundaries means you assess your own needs first before jumping in to help others. 

You take pride in who you are and the person you are becoming.

When you are stable emotionally, you are pleased with yourself. You are acquainted with your flaws and talents, and you’re comfortable with who you are on the inside. Coping with triggers for empaths the energetic and emotional upsets tend to frustrate, annyo, and even bother those of us who are sensitive. As many people are unconscious of other people. As you are learning how to improve emotional well being, do not take other people’s situations personally. This can be challenging as an empathetic person, because the tendency is to not only empathize with the other person but sometimes if you are unhealed you can feel responsible for others actions. 

Being a consistent person is key, so you know what to expect. Also when you are a consistent person, this implies that the personality you present to the public reflects your core self. When you determine your core self, you operate out of core values. These core values are clearly defined, which means that you are clearly defined. 

Consistency in this context means that the overarching feeling of your essence is in alignment with what you project to the outside world. 

Although there are instances where you instinctually shift your behavior or attitude due to social circumstances, you maintain yourself in all situations. 

Consistency suggests that your overwhelming view of your innate self is in harmony with what you project to other people out there.

You Repair and Forgive Relationships That Have Been Damaged

Getting bitter isn’t constructive or healthy, and a mentally healthy individual understands when it’s time to let go of ego and power if they must rebuild a strained connection. If you have been hurt by others there are typically many triggers for empaths. Being too giving, too accepting, not having boundaries all lead to being let down by others. 

Although not every relationship can be repaired, attempting to at least hear other people’s side of the story is considerate and sensible. Learning to forgive, let go, and accept a person exactly where they are is key to not being bitter. Ways to improve your emotional well being include writing out the situation, seeing your side, seeing their side, practicing medications to let go, surrender, and forgive. Brahmavihara Meditation is an excellent meditation designed for forgiveness. 

You Place A Higher Value On Memories Than On Belongings

You see yourself valuing vacations, events, and dinners with friends over material goods, choosing the ethereal to the physical. In life we accumulate stuff, these items do not have a deep mental or emotional meaning. Memories and experiences do, and can provide much needed soothing from triggers for empaths. Empaths can get worn out from others around them, so they must take refuge from others from time to time. Ways of learning how to improve emotional well being include doing things and making memories of things you enjoy. Being out in nature, going on trips, spending time with people who you love can all bring you joy as you learn to manage your emotions.

The same is true for social networking sites. An individual in good mental health will devote considerable time appreciating an event rather than attempting to capture it for others to see. It is wonderful to share life experiences, motivation, and inspiration on social media for others to offer encouragement along the way. 

Your life has a purpose

Having a purpose, a goal, or a broader significance for your life is what it means to live a meaningful life. Triggers for empaths include not making a contribution in life. It can be internally very frustrating for an empath to not fulfill their goals, desires, and dreams. How to improve emotional well being as an empath is to live a life of purpose. 

This occurs when you apply your skills to aid a cause you care about. Working with children, becoming engaged in a cause you believe in, becoming an active member of a faith community for a worthwhile purpose are just a few examples that can fill you up emotionally. 

Conclusion

Learning how to improve emotional well being is more of a process and a continual effort than a destination. This is an ongoing process, and requires great skill in the process. 

When we achieve a sense of balance and psychological well-being, especially as we manage triggers for empaths, we must nurture and build it as much as we do with muscles. 

Of course, It requires time, effort, and a firm commitment to be resilient and emotionally well. If you are having difficulty with triggers for empaths please feel free to reach out so we can help you succeed. 

You’re far more powerful than you think, you’re competent, and you’re deserving of feeling mentally healthy and empowered, no matter when you’re on this path. I believe in you. 

https://www.popsugar.com/love/Signs-Youre-Emotionally-Healthy-46114454

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/emotional-wellness_b_3722625

https://www.yogiapproved.com/life/emotional-health-signs/

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Choose the Right Career

How to Choose the Right Career

Have you ever stopped to wonder whether you’re choosing the right career path?

Yes, I know you have and you’re not the only one – All of us have been there at one point in our lives, while some are born knowing who they are and what mission they are here to accomplish.

A 2020 Deloitte survey found that 31% of millennials and about 50% of those from Generation Z are planning to leave their jobs within two years with a desire to choosing the right career oath for them mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

This statistic shows how rocky the younger generation’s psyche is towards snatching a stable and fulfilling job. There is a paradigm shift happening, where people are choosing the right career path for them instead of what they “should” do for job security. Therefore, many people are learning how to choose the right career for them.

Let’s look at the in choosing the right career path alternative – we stick with the mundane job that doesn’t make us happy, but still pays the bills, or we leave everything in the search of something better? Nobody desires that- in fact those that chose that are now miserable, feeling unfilled.

Let’s find out how to choose the right career path, so this does not occur.

Let’s first look at how a person struggles with choosing the right career path

You are not the only one that struggles with understanding how to choose the right career path, so forgive yourself for not knowing everything.

The social factor in this case plays the biggest role. A lot of young people tend to rush into sudden decisions regarding their career choices. There is a lot of social pressure to “be successful” and preconceived notions of how to do that. Some are fairly outdated with very much a self sacrificing component to it. You no longer have to sacrifice yourself to be able to make a living. You are allowed to have balance in your life and do the things that you love.

The other thing to consider is that there are a lot expectations from the social and family circles in choosing the right career path. You have to find a paying job and you have to like it, there is no other way you can succeed. Also, a lot of people succumb to the stress of other families ideas of how to choose the right career path.

Alternatively, there is always the chance that you just want to make easy money with less work, which, has to be structured. And while it is an old paradigm that you have to work hard to make money- there is an element of personal growth and development that is necessary to have it be that way.

So, let’s look at some possible tips for changing all of this and helping you in how to choose the right career path.

Let’s go back to high school

Remember when in high school the guidance counselor gave you a career personality test. This personality test evaluates what your skills are, what your innate tools are, and what aspects of your personality works with- if you are more logical and mathematical engineering may be better suited. If you are more creative and free thinking something in the creative arts make work well. If you are more of a helper and caregiver, healthcare may work best.

Tests that calculate the ideal job for you can establish the working ground for your potential profession to be, and can give you perspective.

There are some pretty spot-on tests and quizzes online that can get you focused on a certain qualification that matches your personality and good traits.

While we’re on the subject of personality traits, let’s talk about…

Making a list, and checking it twice!

It really does help to write down the thing you want out of your dream job when choosing the right career path. It doesn’t even have to ideally be your dream job, but the one you feel you will be good at.

The list may include things you are good at, things you are bad at, things you want to do as a hobby, and things you want to work. Things you enjoy, etc.

It could even include traits that you have that are suitable for different companies. That way you will arrange your strong sides when you need to point them out to the person that will interview you. Or if you choose the self employed path it will show you the positions or traits you will need to hire for to assist you in your company.

Do not underestimate the power of making a list, because we usually tend to undermine the process of carefully sorting out all these personality traits. This provides lots of clarity and intention for choosing the right career path.

Always be in touch with the times

It’s important to know what is out there, as well as what job pays how much, but more importantly current trends. At the time that I write this internet marketing, online coaching, and various work from home opportunities are readily available. This is definitely a different paradigm than the past before COVID.

We are beginning to be more into energetic paradigms. Doing what you love rather than things that you tolerate.

Meet new people and don’t be afraid to ask for advice, insight, or what they used to understand how to choose the right career path for them.

The connections that you make with a diverse crowd will form a steady know-how approach to the job you want as well as will help in choosing the right career path.

Never stop trying new things all of the time

It is thought and sometimes it gets even harder as you face yourself and your limiting beliefs, but you should never fall under the pressure of caving in, betray yourself, and do something that you do not love. Even if you have to choose a job while you are preparing for your dream job, resolve that it is merely a stepping stone for you.

Never stop trying to reach your goals and always ask yourself why you are doing what you’re doing.

You need to be very aware of the goals you want to achieve and what you’re willing to give to reach them.

Journal about your limiting beliefs around doing what you love, consider attachments to your self worth, being able to have more, have all, etc.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right career path isn’t really easy – It takes a lot of trial and error, going through different positions, meeting different people and being in different communities.

At the end of the day, you should answer questions for yourself:

  1. What is it that I’m really good at and know a lot about?
  2. What is it that I’d really enjoy doing for a big part of my life?
  3. What are you willing to do?
  4. What are you not willing to do?
  5. What are traits that you possess naturally?
  6. What impact do you want to have on the world?
  7. What is your long-term vision?

These are the core questions that can take you a step closer to choosing the right career path for you

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Sugar Cravings

Managing Sugar Cravings By Dr. Erica Steele

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Video Transcript

Wellness better with Dr. Erica family practice in Virginia Beach managing your sugar cravings is key to improving your immune system keep your body stable as well as healthy. We want to make sure we keep balanced blood sugar. And when you’re constantly eating foods that have sugar or sugar-like substances and you’re driving unhealthy bacteria growing off your blood sugar, as well as reducing dopamine. Dopamine acts as a pleasure center in the brain. So as you’re you’re continuing to eat sugar mimics that response within the brain which depletes your brain. We want to ensure that you reduce your sugar cravings by increasing your proteins, specifically your lean proteins which have rich amino acids, reducing your high glycemic fruits and vegetables. So does your breads your pastas, your rice, but even your parents as well as your warriors and things of that regard. We want to ensure to that you’re using natural things to increase dopamine levels, such as exercising or taking a walk or even meditating to be able to allow the brain to relax naturally in its natural state. Making sure that you’re not continually driving the sugar cravings is important for overall brain health, but also immune system health as well over a long period of time.
You.

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Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia Symptoms – A basic introduction to a complex disorder

Fibromyalgia, literally translates to pain in the fibrous tissues or muscles. One of the common fibromyalgia symptoms are pain, inflammation, fatigue, just to name a few. Fibromyalgia treatment is varied, with no definitive treatment paths.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic and sadly common disease that affects 2-4% of the total world population. Although the cause behind this disease is pretty much unknown to date, the fibromyalgia symptoms are all too well known.

It is very painful for the people suffering from this disease. The pain is widespread and produces a difficult fatigue disorder.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes pain all over the body. It affects an estimated 5 million Americans alone, and whilst it can strike anyone, as it affects people from all walks of life and can affect people of any race, age, or gender, it seemingly affects mostly women.

Fibromyalgia symptoms have been linked to depression, anxiety, and poor sleep quality as well as hormonal changes which can exacerbate it.  Symptoms typically worsen during periods of stress. Fibromyalgia Treatment can include managing the symptoms, but it is far more effective to discover underlying root causes. Common causes can be heavy metal toxicity, chemical toxicity, poor nutrition, viral infections, and various other compounded causes. It is never one thing, it is always a combination of things that contribute to the root causes.

Fibromyalgia treatment can be managed in part through physical therapy, medication, and cognitive behavioral therapy as well as mindfulness, meditation, gentle exercise and movement therapies such as yoga, and with the help of the right diet, nutrition, hydration and supplementation.

Fibromyalgia symptoms contributes to a disorder that can cause severe pain and stiffness throughout the body on many different levels. It is often difficult for physicians to accurately diagnose the disorder because there are no tests to diagnose it as such. So it is heavily reliant on fibromyalgia symptoms instead of fibromyalgia diagnostics.

It is usually diagnosed when the patient fits a certain number of specific fibromyalgia symptoms.

This disease mostly affects muscles, ligaments, tendons and other soft fibres in the body; as a consequence, patients feel the pain in the muscle joint areas of body, such as neck, shoulder, elbow and hips, making everyday movements difficult and painful.

Sleep and energy production is also affected.

The term fibromyalgia means “pain in my muscles.” but is a nervous disorder that affects the brain and central nervous system. Whilst it commonly causes pain in the muscles and joints, tenderness to pressure or touch, fatigue and sleep disturbances, it can also cause numbness or tingling in the limbs, stiffness of the neck, headaches, migraines, depression, anxiety, nausea, brain fog, and irritable bowel syndrome. These are just some of the fibromyalgia symptoms.

Some experts take it as a special form of arthritis but the fact is the affected muscles in the body are not deformed like arthritis cases.

In addition to those fibromyalgia symptoms,  patients often feel anxiety, along with depression. They feel lethargic and may feel frustrated in their life. This depression can also lead to emotional and mental health issues.

Women may also face problems in their periods and suffer from other feminine or reproductive issues.

In a recent research it was clarified that women are more affected than men. It is also a  common phenomenon that women lack calcium a little bit more than men, this may be the reason behind that, or not. More research needs to be done.

If Fibromyalgia disturbs sleep; this leads to more cognitive weakness and may even cause mental disorders. The cause behind this disease is still a mystery but the resultant effects are very acute. As established, it generally affects people of any age, but some experts have revealed that after a traumatic disease or a massive flu, fibromyalgia may start.

It is also important to Identify the tender points in the body which helps to make a diagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome. At the diagnosis of fibromyalgia, other chronic syndromes such as thyroid disturbance, Lyme disease, chronic fatigue syndrome should be checked and not just assumed eliminated. Pain in 11 to 18 tender points often indicates fibromyalgia syndrome, alongside other symptomatic factors. As mentioned fibromyalgia treatment is varied, and often involves symptom management.

Summary :

Fibromyalgia is a type of neuro-muscular pain, which affects the musculoskeletal schema of the human body. Patients can suffer from the following fibromyalgia symptoms amongst others:

* Widespread pain for more than 3 months, in fact daily.

* Tenderness in the neck, shoulder, knee, elbow, or upper buttocks or thigh areas.

* Trouble sleeping.

* Tiredness in the morning or late in the day.

* Mood changes.

* Irritable bowel syndrome.

* Headaches, sometimes migraines.

* Difficulty concentrating and brain fog

* Numbness and tingling in hands, arms, feet, legs or face.

* Abdominal pain.

* Bloating.

* Long lasting morning stiffness

* Constipation.

* Diarrhoea.

* Nausea

* Fatigue that interferes with work and daily activities.

* Sleep problems (difficulty falling or staying asleep, waking up feeling tired).

Fibromyalgia treatment is deeply varied, but can include nutrition support, both in eating as well as supplementation. Detoxification, as well as mental as well as emotional support for the person who is suffering from pain.

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