Are you looking for clarity and understanding? Are you looking for practical steps to improve your health?
Are you looking for a group of people who think and feel the same as you do? Who you can share your health journey with? Friends with a passion for learning and a passion for health?
Then you have come to the right place.
The Health Lounge is an organisation based in Perth that runs regular integrative workshops on a variety of health topics ranging from how to lose weight to how to live a great life despite having chronic illness.
All workshops are facilitated by Ruth Hull, an integrative health consultant and three times published author with twenty years of experience in natural health.
Are you one of those people who thinks a lot about health? Who is always trying to read more and learn more about healthy living and how best to help yourself? Are you always following the latest research, currently ‘eating keto’, drinking bullet-proof coffee or ‘drowning in green juice’? Yet somehow you still don’t feel that great? Are still tired or sick or just can’t sleep?
Can I make a suggestion? Step out of the ‘health-race’ for a while. Take a break from trying to make yourself well, from paying someone else to heal you, from taking supplements or shakes to make you whole. Instead, take some time to just be yourself.
Healing starts when you let yourself be yourself.
Every time I have seen a genuine, life-changing shift in a person’s health, it has always started with them accepting themselves for who they are, accepting their illness, accepting their injuries and accepting their scars. As Brené Brown says:
“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.”
Brené Brown
The word heal is derived from the Old English word hāl, meaning whole. If you feel you are not whole, that you are broken in some way; or if you deny, suppress or ignore a part of you then how can you expect to be well?
I know that sometimes it is incredibly painful to acknowledge what has happened in life (be it a great loss, trauma or difficult upbringing), but everything that happens to us makes us who we are.
Do you think that maybe, instead of taking another pill or following a new diet, it is time for you to stop, look at where you have come from and congratulate yourself for getting through it? Stop and say well done to yourself.
Acknowledge that above all you are a survivor.
What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to what already is? …. Say “yes” to life — and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.”
If you are struggling to fall asleep at night then try a warm, soothing, milky drink after dinner. Although cold milk is known to thicken mucous secretions and so is best avoided if you are prone to post-nasal drip or sinus problems, according to ayurvedic medicine heated milk does not do this.
Our cardamon milk recipe below is adapted from the ayurvedic recipe for “golden milk” which has been used for centuries to help induce a good night’s sleep. Golden milk usually contains turmeric but as my 10-year old daughter dislikes turmeric (and she made the attached video), we left it out of the recipe.
Enjoy this delicious, calming, warm drink as the perfect addition to your bedtime routine. It only takes a few minutes to make and really helps induce sleep and relaxation. Best of all, kids love it !
A severe title for a workshop, I know, but this is a tough workshop….and one
that will hopefully change the way you eat for life !
In this workshop
you will:
Learn how to eat so that you can balance your hormones and therefore control your appetite and eliminate cravings. Did you know, 80% of your body composition is determined by what you eat – if you want to change your body, you need to change what you eat.
Learn how to decrease inflammation in your body through wise food choices. Inflammation is often at the root of most chronic disorders such as high blood pressure, insulin-resistance, diabetes mellitus type 2, autoimmune diseases, pain, fatigue, weight retention and memory/concentration issues.
Take control of your eating habits by developing a simple strategy to put what you have learned into your daily life. Your strategy will be different to everyone else’s because it will be tailored to your personal food preferences, budget and daily habits.
Health
conditions such as pain, fatigue, mood swings, memory/concentration
difficulties, premenstrual tension, weight problems and autoimmune disorders
can all be associated with your diet and lifestyle. So if you are suffering
from any of them then it is time for you to stop and take a serious look at
what you are eating and how you are choosing to live your life.
Join us for this inspiring workshop in which we examine what you are eating on a daily basis, explore how it is making you sick, fat or sad and discover what you can do to change.
Book soon as we only take a maximum of 12 attendees for the Perth-based workshops and a maximum of 6 attendees for the online workshops.
NOTE: This
workshop is one of a series of 4 workshops on Integrative Health. The aim of
these workshops is to help you make sense of all the conflicting information
there is available on health today. They are designed to give you clarity,
understanding and practical guidance on healthy living so that you can take control of your
own health journey.
Each workshop
is completely independent of the others but if you attend all 4 then you will
be able to join a 5th session for free. The series of workshops are:
Eliminate the Foods that Make You Sick, Fat and Tired – Explore what you are doing to yourself on a daily basis that is preventing you from feeling great. Start changing the way you eat. Learn more >
Eat Your Way to Health, Happiness and Longevity – Revitalise, nourish and restore yourself. Explore foods that feed your microbiome, fight inflammation and are anti-ageing. Learn more >
Prepare for a Good Night’s Sleep – Stop counting sheep and start getting some sleep through putting in place a simple sleep routine, establishing ‘sleep-hygiene’ and making tiny ‘sleep-promoting’ adjustments to your daily diet. Learn more >
The Seven Habits of Highly Relaxed People – Take control of your stress levels and learn how to cope with whatever life may throw at you. Learn more >
Questions & Answers – This is a casual Q&A session where you can get your questions answered and perfect your blueprint for a healthier you. You do not need to book for this as it is a free session only available to individuals who have attended workshops 1-4. Learn more >
You can book all four in one go or
you can attend one and if you enjoy it attend the other three. Once you have
completed all four you can register for the free Q&A session.
When discussing hormones it’s difficult to know where to begin. We could start by looking at different disorders related to hormonal problems: for example premenstrual syndrome, menopausal problems, infertility, thyroid disorders, weight problems, depression, chronic fatigue….the list is endless.
Or we could start by looking at different treatment options and how they work. For example, medication or supplements.
Yet personally, I think the best place to start is by looking at your day-to-day life and working out why your hormones aren’t behaving as best they should. Often it is because you are simply ignoring (or avoiding) at least one of the basic rules of good health:
manage your stress
eat well
sleep well
exercise well.
So simple to say yet actually so difficult to follow!
Over the next few blogs I’m going to cover what really damages your hormonal cycles. Today we start with something that most of us struggle with on a day-to-day basis – stress.
Manage your stress.
I know it is easier said than done, but chronic stress wreaks havoc on your hormones and if you have a hormonal problem you really need to assess your stress levels and ability to cope with stress.
Eating well, exercising regularly, giving yourself “time-out” and also facing what is causing stress in your life are absolutely vital to the health of your hormones.
Stress, cortisol and the “pregnenolone steal”
The primary hormone your body releases in times of chronic stress is cortisol. The building block for cortisol is pregnenolone, which happens to be the same building block for your sex hormones (oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone).
If you have chronically high cortisol levels from stress you will not produce sufficient quantities of sex hormones and so can suffer from imbalances such as infertility, menstrual disorders, mood swings and low libido.
Stress, cortisol and your blood sugar levels
One of the functions of cortisol is to raise your blood glucose levels. However, constantly high levels of glucose in your blood stream lead to insulin resistance and the effects of insulin resistance include fatigue, increased appetite, abdominal weight gain, and eventually Type II Diabetes Mellitus.
Stress, cortisol and insomnia
In addition, chronically high levels of cortisol will upset your sleeping patterns. Cortisol is released in a cyclical rhythm, peaking in the mornings at approximately 8am and then waning in the afternoons, between 3-4pm.
This rhythm enables you to get up and function in the mornings and then relax and ‘switch off’ at the end of the day. If, however, cortisol is constantly being released into your bloodstream due to ongoing stress, then this natural rhythm and hence your sleeping rhythms become displaced.
High levels of cortisol circulating in your blood stream in the middle of the night means you will be wide awake in the middle of the night. And when these levels crash early in the morning you will too.
So dealing with stress is of paramount importance to the general functioning of your hormones.
What is important to be aware of is that chronic stress comes in many forms, not just the obvious emotional, financial, relationship, work stress that we are all so aware of – long term illness, injury, pain or inflammation are also stressors to the body, raising cortisol levels and disrupting our hormonal balance.
What can you do to help yourself through menopause? Firstly, and most importantly, understand and accept what is going on in your body.
As the saying goes: “If you decide to meet age with a smile, you greatly enhance your chance that it will smile back on you”[i].
Previously, research showed that Japanese women experienced very few symptoms of menopause and it was thought that this was due to their diet and lifestyle. However, newer research indicates that these women experience the same physical symptoms as Western women yet they are not so negatively affected by these symptoms. British women, on the other hand, seem to experience the worst menopausal symptoms[ii].
Researchers now put this down to a woman’s status in society and her quality of life – in cultures where age is respected and older women are valued, menopause is not such a negative experience. However, in the youth-obsessed cultures of the West, the emphasis of menopause is on loss, rather than on transition and hence menopause is considered more of a disease than a normal stage of life[iii].
Peri-menopause
For up to 6 years before menopause, oestrogen and progesterone levels start to decline and you experience surges of hormones, never knowing what is going to happen next or how you are going to feel. Your periods become irregular, scanty or heavier, and PMS often becomes more severe and uncontrollable.
During this time it is not only your oestrogen levels that are changing, but your progesterone levels are also declining.
At this stage the herb Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is invaluable as it has an indirect progesteronic action and helps normalise your menstrual cycle and decrease your PMS symptoms[iv].
Please note – it is always best to consult a professional phytotherapist or herbalist before using herbs as they have strong effects and can negatively interact with medication that you might be using.
Menopause
Cimicifuga racemosa, Dioscorea villosa, Salvia officinalis and Tribulus terrestris
Hot flashes, vaginal dryness and decreased energy levels often develop during menopause. If these are your main symptoms, then herbs such as Cimicifuga racemosa, Dioscorea villosa, Salvia officinalis or Tribulus terrestris can help. These herbs all work very deeply and can help your body find its new equilibrium.
Evening primrose oil
In addition to herbs, an Evening Primrose supplement can be beneficial for your hot flashes, dry skin, mood swings and vaginal dryness. If vaginal dryness or itching is particularly bothersome, then pure vitamin E oil or aloe vera gel can also be used to lubricate the area.
Diet & Lifestyle
You should try to avoid alcohol, caffeine and spicy foods during menopause as they are known to trigger hot flushes and aggravate urinary incontinence.
From as early an age as possible, you should also start trying to decrease your risk of osteoporosis by avoiding smoking, doing weight-bearing exercises and eating foods rich in calcium, such as dairy products, tinned fish, sesame seeds and leafy greens.
Menopause & depression
If you develop depression during menopause it is vital that you get some professional help instead of trying to help yourself. In addition to professional help, aromatherapy oils such as rose, bergamot, clary sage, neroli or ylang ylang are very “feminine” and “nurturing” oils that can help calm and relax you.
This blog is adapted from one of my published articles in: The South African Journal of Natural Medicine, May 2017
It is easy to say that the symptoms of menopause are merely a state of mind until it actually happens and you feel there is absolutely nothing you can do to help yourself.
It is also easy to say to yourself that all of this is part of the natural process of your life, that you are not alone and that every single woman on earth goes through this at some stage in their life. Yet when these symptoms continue year after year it really is not that easy!
What is menopause?
Menopause is the permanent end of your menstrual periods and it generally occurs in women aged 45-55 years.
It occurs when your ovaries stop functioning cyclically and so stop producing the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. Ovarian function slows and changes over a number of years before menopause and this stage is called peri-menopause. One year after your last period you will be ‘post-menopausal’.
“So many women I’ve talked to see menopause as an ending. But I’ve discovered this is your moment to reinvent yourself after years of focusing on the needs of everyone else. It’s your opportunity to get clear about what matters to you and then to pursue that with all of your energy, time and talent”.
Oprah Winfrey
What are the symptoms of menopause?
Common symptoms of menopause include:
hot flushes
mood swings
insomnia
headaches
weight gain
bloating
vaginal dryness
dryness of skin and hair.
What is happening to your hormones during menopause?
From puberty to menopause, your ovaries produce the majority of oestrogen in your body. This oestrogen is called estradiol. Your ovaries also produce the corpus luteum which secretes the hormone progesterone.
The ovaries are, therefore, vital to the production of your two most important sex hormones – oestrogen and progesterone. As you age your ovaries shrink and there is a rapid decrease in these hormones, especially oestrogen.
Although we curse oestrogen during our menstrual years, it has many protective functions in our bodies and, unfortunately, it is only once we lose it that we appreciate its importance. Once oestrogen levels decline we are more at risk for specific disorders such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, urinary tract infections, thrush and even depression.
What does oestrogen do?
Oestrogen plays many roles in your body. It:
Is responsible for your female sexual characteristics such as your breasts, widened hips and bodily-hair distribution.
Helps regulate your reproductive cycle, as well as your fluid and electrolyte balance.
Helps lower your blood cholesterol.
Helps build strong bones and muscles through a process known as protein anabolism
Together with progesterone, it prepares your body for pregnancy and breast-feeding.
So when this incredibly valuable hormone decreases significantly it is not surprising that you feel as if your body is going a bit mad:
your bone density declines and your risk of osteoporosis or bone fractures increases
your firm breast tissue is replaced by adipose tissue (fat)
the pH of your urine changes so you become prone to urinary tract infections and symptoms such as frequency, urgency or incontinence even when there is no actual infection
the tissue lining your vagina thins and smooths resulting in vaginal itching, dryness and pain during sex
your pelvic floor muscles weaken resulting in prolapses of pelvic organs or uncomfortable sensations of “heaviness” in your vagina and lower back
and most commonly, you become prone to depression and vasomotor symptoms such as flushing or hot flashes.
Gosh it is quite depressing just writing all that !!!
Menopause & depression
A symptom of menopause that is often overlooked, yet very common, is depression.
Oestrogen affects serotonin receptors and transporters in the brain and it is also thought to be neuroprotective, having positive effects on memory and cognition. When oestrogen levels decline you become more prone to low moods or depression.
Add to these physiological changes the emotional and mental changes that accompany menopause as well as a lack of sleep often brought on by hot flushes at night, and it is not surprising that menopause really is a difficult time.
However, despite the unpleasant physiological changes you experience during menopause, it does help to remember that it is also a liberating time in which you are finally free of your monthly periods and the responsibilities they bring…we need to look on the bright side!
This blog is adapted from one of my published articles in: The South African Journal of Natural Medicine, May 2017
According to the American Sleep Association, approximately 30% of adult Americans suffer from insomnia. That is nearly 1/3 of adults! Are you one of those statistics? If you are, then you certainly are not alone.
So what can you do about it? The best place to start with getting a good night’s sleep is what we call “sleep hygiene”. Sleep hygiene involves a few simple, easy to follow steps to improve your sleeping environment and routine.
Melatonin: The Hormone of Sleep
Our bodies love routines and rhythms and many of our hormones are secreted according to very specific physiological rhythms.
One such hormone is melatonin. It is the hormone that makes us sleepy and helps us sleep. Ideally, it is released at night in darkness and its release is stopped or inhibited when the eyes are exposed to light in the morning.
Sunlight wakes you up.
The Circadian Cycle
Produced by the pineal gland, melatonin helps set the timing of our body’s biological clock. This timing is known as the circadian cycle or rhythm and is a 24-hour cycle of physiological processes associated with periods of light and darkness.
So the first step in getting a good night’s sleep and overcoming insomnia is to ensure your body’s biological clock is ticking correctly – that melatonin is being released at the right time of the day .
When our eyes are exposed to light then melatonin is NOT released. So what does this mean? Simple……expose your eyes to too much light at night and you will be awake at night. Think….televisions, cell phones, laptops….bright lights of any kind inhibit melatonin release and keep you awake.
Now that you understand the basic physiology of sleep, follow these three steps to get yourself sleeping at NIGHT and being awake during the day.
Can’t keep awake?
I must warn you, following these three steps is not as easy as I make it sound. This is because you have to stick to the same time and same routine every single night for about three weeks. So before you begin, take a look at your work and social schedules and really think of a routine that will fit in with those.
Step 1: Reset Your Body Clock
As I mentioned earlier, the first step to getting a good night’s sleep is to establish a routine. It is really important that you decide on what time you want to go to sleep at night (i.e. when you want to encourage the release of melatonin) and what time you want to wake up in the morning (i.e. when you want to stop the release of melatonin). Then stick to these times no matter what!
Remember, you are re-setting your circadian rhythm. Your body needs to get into a 24-hour routine of having light and dark exposure at the same times every 24-hours. You want to feel sleepy at night and awake in the morning and not the other way around.
You can reset your body clock.
So here is what you need to do to reset your body clock:
Get into bed at the same time every night.
Set your alarm for the same time every morning.
As soon as your alarm rings expose your eyes to bright light for a few minutes –it is very important that you do this at the same time every day.
Step 2: Have a Bed-time Routine
Again, it is all about that routine. Create a little ‘ritual’ that signals to your body and brain that it is time to slow down, wind down and relax. Try to start your routine about an hour before you want to go to sleep and stick to the same time and the same routine every single night.
Do not eat a heavy meal for 3 hours before you go to bed.
Warm up your body – have a warm bath/shower or do some gentle stretching.
Get into bed and relax for at least 30 minutes – read, chat to a partner or simply daydream!
Most important – absolutely NO technology, cell phones, laptops, television etcetera in this last hour before bedtime. If you really struggle with insomnia then no technology for at least two hours before sleep.
Step 3: Clear Out Your Bedroom
Your bedroom is for sleep, relaxation and sex only! There must be no TV, cellphones, ipads, laptops, flashing digital clocks etcetera in your room. It needs to be a quiet, peaceful place that you can retreat to and switch off in.
I suggest that the first thing you do when you get home today (or if you are at home take a break and do this right now) is go into your bedroom and spend ten minutes turning it into a peaceful retreat. It is quick and easy to do and will make a difference to your sleep.
Get rid of all the clutter in your room. Start with your bedside table and work around your room. Take out all bills, papers, work, things you “are meant to do when you eventually get the time to do them” and put them into a different room. These are not the things for a bedroom!
Now that you have taken out all the clutter sit on your bed and look around your room. You should love everything in your room – everything you look at should be calm, peaceful and remind you of who or what you love. Your bedroom is your sanctuary, your refuge, your escape – your quiet place to relax and switch off.
Now look at the light in your room. You need to have a bright light for early in the mornings when you wake up and a calm, gentle light for your last hour before you go to sleep. In addition, when you turn out the lights your room needs to be as dark as you can possibly get it.
Basic sleep hygiene makes a huge difference to most people’s sleep and it should improve yours too. Follow these three steps for three weeks and then let me know how you are doing. If, after three weeks of strictly adhering to the above, you still have had no change in your sleep then we need to take a deeper look at what is going on.
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