The Powerful Art of Reframing

I love the concept of "reframing". One effective way to reduce

stress and frustration is to reframe your thoughts. Reframing is

basically, learning to identify negative, unhelpful thought patterns

and to substitute more positive thoughts which help you to become

more functional in many ways. Although the situation may be

exactly the same, your interpretation of it becomes more positive,

and so the stress level reduces.

 

In the nutrition and exercise realm, we "reframe" our thoughts

around food and "movement". In the mind/body realm, we might

think of using meditation or breathing exercises to reframe and

reduce stress. Below are a few basic tips you can incorporate

now to destress and impress upon yourself a

new focus on taking care of yourself first, so that you can take care

of others later, including the art of reframing your thoughts!

Good luck!

Nancy

 

REFRAME and REDUCE STRESS WITH THESE 

TIPS from Optimal Health

 Adapted from Mark Hyman

 

MOVE!   The best way to burn off the stress hormones

without having to change your thinking is to move and

sweat. Run, dance, jump, ride, swim, stretch, or skip-do

something vigorous and lively. Yoga, a mind-body exercise,

is extra efficient, as it combines movement and breathing.

 

BREATHE!   Deep, slow, full breaths have a profound affect

on resetting the stress response, because the relaxation

nerve (or vagus nerve) goes through your diaphragm and is

activated with every deep breath. Notice your breathing.

Most of us hold our breath often or breathe swallow, anxious

breaths. Instead, take five deep breaths now, and observe

how differently you feel after.

 

BATHE!   For the lazy and/or active among us, a steam bath

is a secret weapon against stress. Add 2 cups of Epsom salt

(which contains magnesium, the relaxation mineral), a halfcup

of baking soda, and 10 drops of lavender oil (which

lowers cortisol) to a very hot bath. Soak for 20 minutes.

Guaranteed to induce relaxation!

 

SLEEP!   Prioritize sleep! Good sleep hygiene is one of the

most critical health practices to creating and keeping

Optimal Health. Lack of sleep is a stressor to our system

and triggers the adrenal glands to produce cortisol and other

stress hormones. Get your eight hours no matter what.

 

REFRAME YOUR THINKING!   Practice the art of noticing

stress, noticing how your thinking makes you stressed.

Remember, eighty percent of what we worry about NEVER

happens. Work to recognize your stressful thoughts and

stop, breathe and count to ten. Practice taking deep breaths

and letting go of worry. You can gradually learn to better

control your thoughts.

 

FORGIVE YOURSELF!  You are totally ok just as  you are!  Everything you have ever gone through has been a stepping stone to to get you where you are - and to where you are going!  

To Elderberry or Not with COVID-19? My Take

Obviously, everyone is working to gain an understanding of the physiologic changes with Covid-19, but what is becoming evident is that what is dangerous about the virus is not necessarily the virus itself, but the affect it has on the immune system.

Ditch the Sugar - Cut the Cravings

Any time of the year is the perfect time to zap your sugar addiction and cravings. Cutting out refined sugars and focusing on whole foods to help reset your insulin function and reduce your cravings begins by becoming aware of how much added sugar is in your diet.

Sugar: The Silent Killer

The addictive nature of sugar and the effects on our physiology create a perfect storm for creating an obesity epidemic. What’s becoming clear, though, is that it just may not be all your fault!

When Your Gut is a Jungle Instead of a Pasture

Hippocrates once said, “All health comes from the gut” and we understand more today than ever just how true that statement is. There are many things that can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut. One of the most common and powerful disruptors of a healthy microbiome - antibiotics. What many people don't know is that the disruption of the gut microbiome by antibiotics can trigger mood disruption. In a 2015 study looking at multiple types of antibiotics, it was found that even one dose of any of the antibiotic groups was associated with a higher risk of depression, while recurrent antibiotic use increased the participants risk factors even more.

Manage Your Holiday Stress

Most people don't realize that the stress response triggers a cascade of physiological actions in the body that can shut down stomach function and create digestive upset! There are ways to counter the effects of Holiday Stress this season - read on!

Optimizing Body Composition and Weight Loss by Optimizing Gut Health!

In my practice I work with patients to optimize gut health as a means of optimizing their health. Patients come to me with a plethora of symptoms such as brain fog, digestive issues, skin rashes such as eczema, low energy, muscle pain and fatigue, weight gain, cardiovascular issues like increased cholesterol and atherosclerosis, food allergies and sensitivities, immune system issues and autoimmune disease and more. Most everything begins in the gut whether they realize it or not. Gut imbalance creates inflammation and inflammation sets up increase in fat storage; the excess fat then creates more inflammation and a cascade of health issues over time!

The Gut Microbiome and Health

The Human Microbiome Project has shown that the intestinal microbiome has communication networks with other organ systems including the gut-brain, gut-liver, gut-adipose axes, and it plays a critical role in our health, brain function, body weight and fat maintenance. Nature, 2012.

The Mind-Gut Connection

Did you know you have two brains? One in your head, another in your gut, and the health of your gut can result in many "non-gut" symptoms!

Looking to Get Healthy? Focus on the Gut!

New Years Resolutions nearly always include a goal of weight loss. And this year will be no different in that sense. What is different in the last few years is that we now know that weight loss is not just calories in = calories out anymore!

Breast Milk, “Good Bacteria” and Immune Health

Why is mother's milk so healthy for the baby? Not only does the composition of the milk change from week to week to best suit the needs of the baby, we have known that breastfed babies have better immune function and protection in later life than bottle fed babies.

Welcome to Our New Website!

We've added great new features and updated our content to bring you the most up to date information about our company.  Check back often for updates.