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Can we really think our way out of unhappiness?

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anxietyimageWe live in world filled with research from Neuroscientists proving that our brains are the cause of everything that arises within us. We are told to think differently if we want to feel differently. More and more we are given snippets of studies demonstrating that our thoughts are the cause of everything we do, say and feel. But have we really got the whole picture?

Neuroscientists neglect the scientific fact that the heart actually sends 3 times more mood altering signals to the brain than the brain does to the heart. And that the Vagas nerve, which is located at the core of the stomach, sends 9 times the mood altering signals to the brain that the brain does to the body. Scientists have now realised that more than 60% of the heart is composed of neurons with the same structure as those in our brains. We have also discovered that the Vagas nerve is largely comprised of these neurons as well. Does this suggest that both our hearts and our stomachs actually have the capacity for intelligence similar to our brains?

With this in mind, the research is starting to suggest that although there is much use in changing our thinking to improve the way we feel, we could get better results if we worked more on our bodies than our thoughts.

 

You can’t think away most feelings!

To make such a statement suggests that in fact our brains are not in complete control of our experience and unfortunately this is often true.

Unfortunately what most of us try to do is to think our way out of feeling what we don’t want to feel, such as sadness, anxiety and anger, and by trying to figure out the cause of the feeling, or how to fix the feeling, the person loses contact with the feeling momentarily, only to have the experience re emerge later, and then the cycle of thinking kicks in and the cycle continues. Many people who try to fix their emotions like this find themselves waking in the night with that very same feeling back to haunt them for hours on end before getting back to sleep.

I see this approach to attending to our experience a little like trying to wash one’s car by watering their plants. No matter how much watering one does, the car still remains the same.

Similarly with situations where we want to change the feelings of sadness or anxiety and others, rather than moving our awareness away from the feelings and to our thinking, what ultimately transforms our felt experience is moving our awareness towards and into the feelings.

For example, when we are sad, rather than thinking through how to be happy, sit with and fully experience the sadness. Allow the feelings to pour through your being without judgement or resistance. It can often be easier than you think, and by doing this the sadness shifts and changes and the body’s innate wisdom of the sadness (the what’s and the why’s of the sadness) are realised like flashes of recognition giving rise to new ways of being with sadness. And we often realise truths about our sadness that all the thinking in the world wouldn’t achieve. When one sits with their experience without trying to change it a very strange thing occurs. The experience actually changes. In Gestalt therapy we call this the paradoxical theory of change. The paradox being that when we accept what is and allow what is and fully be what is within us, change occurs.

So next time you feel blue, angry, anxious or lonely try this out. Remember, allowing the feeling is the key to transforming the experience.

NET and Pregnancy

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Pregnancy-chiropracticWe have all heard the stories of couples trying to have babies for years and years without any luck. Often times these couples try with undying focus and commitment. Making sure that ovulation is timed to the hour, that their diets are organic, in bed by 9pm every night and that they swallow so many supplements they almost rattle. And then after several years of fruitless trying, disappointed and sad, they take a break from trying, go on holidays, and then surprisingly realise they are pregnant once they return from their trip.

There’s nothing new about this story, in fact its been told and heard so many times its probably a good idea to look as what is actually going on there. How is it that for many couples that struggle to fall pregnant, all the effort, planning and commitment in the world brings no results, but when they let it all go and focus on something else, a baby is on the way?

Enter the theories of the Quantum world. In recent decades the field of Quantum physics has taught us a lot about how our intentions and thoughts impact the cellular and biological structure of our bodies. We have learnt that the smaller the biological structure, the more easily our thoughts, emotions and intentions influence it. For example, we know that when we feel happy, neurotransmitters are created and up taken in the brain. Said another way, our happiness biologically creates chemicals. Just like when we feel fear, our body creates a reaction whereby adrenalin is produced. So our fear is a creative process also. On some level, all our thoughts, emotions and beliefs are creative within our biology.

So, how does this relate to pregnancy? If our beliefs, thoughts and emotions can create hormones and neurotransmitters and alter cellular structures in our body, is it possible that they can also influence ones ability to fall pregnant or not? N.E.T practitioners answer with a resounding YES!

A woman’s beliefs and emotions, conscious or unconscious, seem to have a powerful relationship to challenges with falling pregnant. The simplest example of this is when a woman becomes stressed, sometimes her reproductive cycle changes, and under high stress, the menstrual cycle can even stop.

Beyond common stress, there are more subtle emotional influences that don’t necessarily stop the menstrual cycle but can inhibit and stop one becoming pregnant. With NET the practitioner uses muscle testing as a diagnostic tool to discover what emotions are blocked within the system, and where they are stored within the body. Once these are cleared the reproductive system can regulate normally once again.

Some common examples of the typical kinds of emotions that have blocked the reproductive system are;

  • Being unconsciously fearful that a newborn will mean the end of their much-revered career.
  • Unconsciously feeling that one will not be a “good enough” mother.
  • Having been raised by parents that were abusive, fearing that the cycle will continue.
  • Fearing not knowing how to attend to a baby due to not having been attended to well when they were a baby also.
  • Fearing that there will not be enough space, time or support (for mother or child) if one was to fall pregnant.
  • Unconsciously buying into the “rules” of the family that the older sister must give birth before I can fall pregnant.
  • A belief that my child will be somehow different if I fall pregnant through IVF.

These memories, beliefs and emotions are stored in the body at a cellular level and bind the body into biological structures that inhibit and stop reproduction. Typically these emotions will also enhance or inhibit hormone levels within the body, which we know to be a key factor in successful pregnancy. Once the emotions and beliefs are discovered and released as a cellular level, their influence on hormones is also released, and their hold over the reproductive system is removed.

 

Oriental medicine and fertility – a personal and professional view.

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acupuncture fertilityFacing fertility problems can be a very stressful experience. I have always had an interest in this area of health and have worked with many couples trying to conceive. But it wasn’t until I battled with infertility myself that I really understood how deeply it can affect you. I now know first-hand that it can take you to some very dark places. The experience has made me passionate about helping people in the same predicament.

In my case, a combination of issues meant the odds were not looking good, even with IVF. I’m sure that following a pre-conception program of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, and continuing the acupuncture to support the IVF cycles, was instrumental in having a successful pregnancy. Other things helped too, which I will go into later.

 

First, let’s look at how Oriental medicine boosts fertility.

Oriental medicine looks at the body as being governed by the flow of energy (Qi), which in turn influences the flow of Blood. (The concept of Blood in Oriental medicine is a bit broader than that in Western medicine, so we are talking about more than just the fluid that we know as blood in the West.) The smooth flow of Qi and Blood in the meridians (energetic channels) is vital to the various organ systems working harmoniously together. This is especially true when it comes to the reproductive system. Oriental medical theory sees the Kidney, Liver and Heart organ and meridian systems as being particularly important, but others can be involved as well.

By regulating Qi and Blood flow, Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine help regulate the menstrual cycle and calm the mind, so that your body is in the optimum state to conceive and carry a baby. One way that this works is by increasing the blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, something that has been measured in scientific studies.

 

Preparing the ground.

In Oriental medicine, we see preparation for pregnancy as being very important. In the same way as a farmer would carefully prepare the soil to grow crops, we work on your internal environment so that it is ideal for an embryo to implant and grow for the next nine months. I recommend a pre-conception program of around 3 months, as this is the time an egg takes to mature in the ovary. During this time we focus on observing your body’s natural signs, regulating the menstrual cycle and calming the mind, as well as looking at any lifestyle changes that may be beneficial.

Similarly, it takes between 2 to 3 months for sperm to develop, so this time-frame works well for men too. Ideally, both partners should come in for treatment for best results.

 

Specific fertility issues.

Many conditions affecting fertility can be helped with Oriental medicine. These include endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and sperm problems.
A recently published review of several studies showed that women taking Chinese herbal medicine for fertility problems were 3.5 times more likely to conceive than those having drug therapy alone.

 

Supporting IVF or ART (assisted reproduction technology).

In some cases, IVF or ART are needed, and acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine work well with these treatments. In fact, research shows that they can improve the success rate of IVF, particularly in poor responders (when few eggs develop in response to hormonal stimulation) and women over 35.

Again, it is important to prepare the body adequately before having these invasive procedures. During this time, acupuncture and Chinese herbs are useful. When the IVF cycle starts (hormonal injections begin), we usually continue with acupuncture alone, to avoid interactions with fertility drugs. It is important to have acupuncture at key times in the IVF cycle, with a treatment before and after embryo transfer being very important in maximising the chances of implantation. We also tailor the acupuncture program to the type of IVF cycle (long down-regulation, antagonist etc.).

Acupuncture increases blood flow to the reproductive organs, helping follicle development, and preparing the endometrium (lining of the uterus) for implantation. It may also help stop the uterus from contracting after the transfer, thereby helping implantation. It also has a key role in balancing the emotions and counteracting stress. Which is useful, as undergoing IVF can be extremely stressful, and you may find yourself on an emotional rollercoaster.

 

What else can help with fertility issues?

Here are some of the things I found useful:

  • Research. Spend some time educating yourself about any diagnosed fertility problems, so that you can ask the right questions of your health care team. If further medical help is needed, think carefully about the best specialist and clinic for you. I can help you with some factors to consider.
  • Have your diet looked at by a Naturopath. Many nutrients and supplements are important in boosting fertility. But you need a dietary approach that is sustainable and that doesn’t add to your stress. If you need to lose weight (and this can be important in some types of fertility issues), slow and steady is best.
  • Relaxation / stress reduction. This is important in dealing with infertility, especially if you need ART or IVF. Keeping a balanced frame of mind can be difficult but is important from an Oriental medicine point of view. Yoga worked well for me, but for others the answer might be reflexology or massage. Some people deal with stress through exercise, and this is certainly beneficial. But it’s important not to do intense exercise from a few days after ovulation (or after the embryo transfer if you are doing IVF) until the end of the cycle, as this can be counter productive.
  • Find an outlet. Talking with friends or family that understand, online discussion forums, counselling – these can all save your sanity.

 

Chiropractic for Headaches

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Chiropractic HeadacheChiropractic is an ideal alternative therapy that works not only to relieve headache pain but to also restore normal functioning to the nervous system and spine. Please read on for more information.

 

What is a Headache?

A headache is when someone feels pain or discomfort in the head and/or face. It is a symptom of many different conditions, and physiologically may be caused by a disruption to pain-sensitivity structures in the head.

Headaches may be classified as either primary or secondary. Primary headaches develop on their own, whereas secondary headaches develop as a symptom of another disease, condition or illness.

 

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is an alternative form of medicine that aims to diagnose, treat and prevent mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system via manipulation and realignment of the spine and other bodily structures.

 

How Does Chiropractic Help Alleviate Headaches?

Most good chiropractors employ the use of physical, orthopedic and neurological tests to pinpoint potential causes of the headache. The practitioner will then use spinal manipulation to treat the headache, thus:

  • Improving spinal alignment.
  • Reducing nerve irritation.
  • Reducing muscle tension.
  • Improving blood flow and circulation.

A chiropractor may aim to reduce headache symptoms with massage and Trigger Point Therapy, and may even use x-ray to determine whether abnormal positioning of the shoulder and neck are causing the headaches. They may also recommend a suitable lifestyle plan including relaxation techniques, daily stretches, changes in posture and other exercises.

 

Chiropractic and Tension Headaches

Tension headaches result from muscular tension in the head, neck and shoulders. This tension ultimately leads to changes in normal posture and movement in order to compensate, which itself results in even more muscular tension, thus creating a vicious cycle that causes an increasingly painful headache.

Chiropractic aims to resolve and break the vicious cycle by releasing any muscular tension, and by realigning skeletal structures. Relief is often experienced from tension headaches minutes after Chiropractic treatment, after which muscle tension has eased and nerve irritation has been reduced.

 

Chiropractic and Migraine Headaches

Certain triggers cause a sudden dilation of blood vessels in the head to occur, thus producing a painful migraine.

Recent scientific studies have shown chiropractic may play an important role in treating migraines in its subtle manipulation and realignment of the spine. The adjustments also improve blood flow by reducing any irritation to nerves rooted in the spine which themselves are responsible for vascular system tension control.

If you are interested in trying chiropractic to relieve your headaches, please speak to a professional chiropractor for more information.