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February 2021 (2)

The Facts About Fasting

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Fasting isn’t a new concept but, in the last few years, it has seen a dramatic increase in popularity. In 2018, it was the most searched diet. Historically, it has been used spiritually and, like many other spiritual practices, it is found to hold numerous health benefits.

The modern Western diet gives us accessibility to food 24/7, and we are biologically wired to seek this out whenever available. Unfortunately, certain processes in the body thrive, and depend, on the body abstaining from food for periods of time as our body has adapted to survive.

Many people are jumping on board with fasting to lose weight, but it has many more benefits. If it seems like a scary concept at first, be assured you don’t have to fast for days to see some amazing results. It is more beneficial to start slow.

TYPES OF FASTING

  • Multi-day fasts

Generally, when we think of fasting, this is the type most people jump to. This method means not eating for anywhere from 24 hours to 7 days plus. This is not something you should jump straight into, and it is beneficial to perform with the help of a practitioner. Also, seeking out a retreat to ensure you get full support is a good idea.

  • Time-restricted eating

Many people call this intermittent fasting but as you’ll see below, this is an entirely different protocol. Time-restricted eating means ensuring you are eating within a particular time during the day. For example, having an 8-hour eating window would mean you only eat between the hours of 8 am and 4 pm. Some people opt for skipping breakfast, but research has clearly shown that, if anything, forgoing dinner will be more beneficial. The most common version of time-restricted eating is so-called ‘16:8’ fasting where all the day’s calories are consumed within the 8-hour window, leaving 16 hours for fasting, including the hours when you are asleep.

  • Alternate day or intermittent fasting

You may have heard of the 5:2 diet. Intermittent fasting is a concept adopted by this diet, with the phrase used interchangeably between the two styles of fasting. As the name implies, alternate day fasting involves fasting every other day, while eating normally on non-fasting days. In styles such as the 5:2, you can eat a small amount of food on alternate days, typically around 500–700 calories depending on your height and weight (generally around one quarter of your optimal intake). This can be useful to begin with as it is more sustainable and still boasts similar health benefits to completely abstaining from food.

HEALTH BENEFITS

There are numerous health benefits to fasting.

  • Regulates the mTOR pathway – a master regulator in the body governing many processes including that of the liver, muscle, fat tissue and brain. It is found to be dysregulated in many diseases such as diabetes, obesity, depression and cancers.
  • Upregulates autophagy – the process of cleaning out dead and old cells throughout the body.
  • Improves insulin sensitivity. Studies have seen impressive drops in fasting blood sugar levels and fasting insulin.
  • Leaves the body with downtime to focus on cellular and DNA repair, rather than digestion.
  • Better weight control. Fasting for periods of 12 hours or more has been shown to improve fat oxidation and fat-burning. Fasting has also been shown to increase the body’s secretion of human growth hormone which aids in preserving muscle and burning body fat.
  • Improved exercise endurance
  • Increased mitochondrial volume – improving energy.
  • Improved cardiovascular function. Multiple studies have seen improvement in markers for cardiovascular disease including decreases in blood pressure and inflammatory markers.
  • Improved gut health. Fasting can protect the gut against the negative impacts of stress and can lead to increased microbial diversity and elevated rates of fermentation, making your gut and immune system stronger.
  • Appetite regulation – through balancing ghrelin (the ‘hunger hormone’) and leptin (the hormone responsible for telling us that we’re satiated). Balancing these hormones is one of the driving factors behind appetite regulation. Fasting has been shown to regulate ghrelin, which allows leptin to normalise and appetite to balance out.
  • Protective for brain health. As mentioned earlier, fasting upregulates autophagy, aiding the clean out of neural tissue, improving function and reducing inflammation (a major component in many mental health disorders, neurodegenerative disease and issues with focus). It also helps to boost BDNF, a protein that is important in many mental health conditions and which helps our brain grow new neurons.
  • Longevity and anti-aging – as we are cleaning old and damaged cells from the body, stimulating the manufacture of new, fresh cells. This helps keep our cells functioning optimally and healthily.

NATUROPATHIC PERSPECTIVE

While it boasts some amazing benefits, fasting is not a magic cure. It can, however, be a very helpful addition to your regular treatment. There are ways to implement fasting and strategies which will help to ease the process so speak to a practitioner and explore which style might be best for you to prevent any issues and help you keep accountable.

TOP TIP

If you are looking at delving into the world of fasting, here’s a tip: begin with 13 hours. This means ceasing eating at 7 pm and eating again at 8 am. It’s a great starting point and a really simple way to give your body the time it needs to heal and begin seeing some health benefits. Also, remember to drink plenty of water. You will most likely increase your water intake during fasting – an added bonus for your body! (Ask us about our beautiful zazen BPA-free and glass water systems!)

Please get in touch if you would like to discuss fasting and weight management with one of our naturopaths. We offer a range of consultation options including a FREE Discovery Call to see if we are a good fit for your current needs. Make a booking today!

Written by Ally Stuart BHSc
Naturopath

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NEW PROGRAM AT KISMET HEALTH

JOIN US for our exciting new weight-loss program! Personalised nutrition is a game changer when it comes to healthy weight loss and optimum results. Karly would love to discuss this fantastic program with you. It’s a highly individual total body and health reset! YES! Email us now and be among the first to be offered a place.

February 2021 (38)

Lymphatic System and Your Skin

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Routes of elimination

Our body has many primary routes of elimination – the gut, liver, lungs, kidneys and the lymphatics. Our primary routes of elimination are responsible for detoxifying and eliminating substances such as medications, metabolic wastes, toxins, pathogens, inflammatory mediators and excess hormones from the body. Often, due to lifestyle and environmental factors, there is increased pressure on these routes of elimination, particularly the lymphatics, which means they cannot adequately detoxify and eliminate the substances from the body. When this is the case, the body will try to reduce the burden on these routes of elimination and will look to the skin as a secondary or ‘back-up’ route. This means that metabolic wastes, toxins, excess hormones etc are excreted through the skin, causing skin flare-ups, whether that be eczema, psoriasis, acne or a generalised rash.

Lymphatic system

If you are like most people, you may not know much about, or even be aware of, the body’s lymphatic system – what it is or how it impacts the skin. The lymphatic system is a huge network of vessels (including clusters of nodes) extending throughout the entire body, running alongside our circulatory system/blood vessels. However, instead of blood, lymphatic vessels carry lymph – a clear fluid composed of white blood cells.

Lymph travels throughout the lymphatic vessels, picking up wastes, toxins and other debris, before transporting them to the lymph nodes to be destroyed and filtered out of the body. As the lymphatic system lies just beneath the skin, we can consider the lymphatic system like a sewage system for the skin. For example, lymph picks up wastes, toxins, dead skin cells etc from the skin tissue and transports them to nearby lymph vessels and nodes to be filtered, detoxed and eliminated from the body.

Stagnant lymph & the skin

Unfortunately, the lymphatic system can become stagnant quite easily as it does need regular stimulation or manual pumping. If the lymphatic system does become stagnant, wastes and toxins etc start accumulating within it, causing it to become clogged. When this happens, the body has little choice but to excrete these wastes and toxins via the skin. This causes skin flare-ups (particularly around the ears, neck and jawline), but also contributes to redness, uneven skin tone, puffiness and dull skin. You may also notice cellulite, enlarged lymph nodes, fluid retention and body odour. These are all signs of stagnant lymph.

How to move lymph

To help get the lymph moving again there are several things you can do daily.

  • Drink at least 2 litres of water per day. The lymph is made up of 95 per cent water.
  • Perform 30 minutes of exercise, 4–7 days per week. Exercise helps to manually move the lymph via the contraction of muscles.
  • Practice deep diaphragm breathing exercises. This compresses the deep lymph vessels within the abdomen to help get the lymph moving.
  • Alternate hot and cold water temperatures during your showers to help move the lymph via contraction and dilation of blood vessels.
  • Perform dry body brushing for 5–10 minutes before your shower, 3–4 times per week, to manually move the lymph.
  • Use a jade roller or gua sha tool (see instructions below) or consider a lymphatic drainage massage to help manually move the lymph.
  • Seek the help of a qualified naturopath who can prescribe lymphatic herbal medicines to help get lymph moving again.

A quick guide to facial lymphatic drainage massage

A facial lymphatic drainage massage is a form of gentle massage that targets the lymph nodes within the face and neck to help encourage the drainage of lymph from this area. The idea is to use a light, gentle pressure. You are aiming to massage the skin and not the muscles underneath the skin.

How to perform lymphatic drainage massage

The best time to perform facial lymphatic drainage massage is following a shower when the skin is soft, clean and dry.

  1. Using either damp, clean fingertips, a gua sha tool or a jade roller, start beneath the collarbones and work downwards to help clear this tissue so that the facial lymph has somewhere to drain to.
  2. Slowly work your way up the neck, now moving the lymph upwards towards the nodes underneath the earlobe/back of the jawline.
  3. Next, work in this order, ideally spending about 30 seconds at each point on both sides of the face:
    • downwards in front of the ears
    • outwards from below the chin/jawline towards the back of the jawline
    • outwards from the chin towards the back of the jawline
    • outwards from the upper lip/nostrils and bridge of the nose towards the earlobe
    • outwards from underneath the eyes and eyebrows towards the earlobe
    • outwards and downwards from the forehead, past the temples towards the earlobe.

If you suffer from a stubborn skin issue, your lymphatic system likely needs some attention. Make a booking with one of our naturopaths who can properly assess your needs.

Written by Perri Baldwin BHSc
Naturopath

January 2021 (43)

How to Create Sustainable Change

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It is the end of January. The holidays are over, there are no more Christmas leftovers in the fridge (including my famous pudding – thank goodness, I was starting to look like one!) and we have welcomed in the new year with friends or family and possibly a few too many alcoholic beverages (no judgement here).

Many of us are back to work, school has just returned, and we are slowly starting to get back into a normal routine. This is the perfect time to make some changes to improve your health. Read on to learn how to break a bad habit, make a good habit and create sustainable change.

Why new year’s resolutions do not work

Did you make any new year’s resolutions this year? How are they going? Typically, they do not last very long. The reason is usually because the resolution is a wish rather than a goal that you can break down into actionable steps. Wishing you were thinner is very different to creating specific mini-goals and strategies such as meal planning, scheduling exercise, etc.

A clear vision, planning and action are all required for change, otherwise your resolution will simply be a pipe dream.

Creating the vision, goal setting and planning

What do you want to achieve? Perhaps you want to lose weight, run a marathon, reduce stress or improve your gut health. Whatever your goal is, make it specific. You might like to create a vision board or write a paragraph about what it will feel like when you have achieved your goal. Get excited by it!

Once you have your vision clear in your mind, it is important that you create some medium- and short-term goals to get you there. Make sure you are creating SMART goals that are Specific, Measurable, Action orientated, Realistic and Time-framed. For example: I will lose 1 kg this week by following my meal plan and walking for 30 minutes daily.

Identify your unique strengths and abilities (yes, you have them!) such as being organised or resilient. These are your resources that will help you achieve your goals. If you struggle to identify your own strengths, think back to previous times in your life when you were able to achieve something great and what it took for you to do it.

Now ask yourself, ‘What could get in the way?’ Identifying obstacles to success – including yourself – means you can plan a workaround. For every obstacle, I want you to write down some ideas on how you can overcome it. Be creative.

Fear of failure

How many times have you stopped yourself from doing something because you were scared to fail? If fear of failure is holding you back and you worry about what others will think of you, then don’t. The reality is that without failure and mistakes we never actually learn anything.

Low self-esteem can be crippling for many and one of the greatest obstacles to achieving our goals. For myself personally, I have always had that little voice in the back of mind that says you’re not good enough. These days, I choose to feel the fear and do it anyway. Try it for yourself. It feels great.

Changing behaviour is essentially about changing habits

Now you have developed a clear vision and a goal (or goals), you have identified your strengths and obstacles and have a plan to overcome them. You have acknowledged the fear you are feeling (and you’re going to do it anyway right?). Now it is time for ACTION.

‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.’ —Will Durant

The first thing you need to do is create a cue. This is particularly important for when you are swapping a bad habit for a healthier one. The cue needs to be visible so you cannot say you ‘forgot’ to do it. Now just seeing the running shoes on the floor or having your alarm on your phone go off to remind you to prepare your shopping list and meal plan for the week ahead is not enough. You must actually DO something. This is your time to be like Nike and just do it.

Don’t get into a conversation with yourself about all of the reasons why you can’t do it; if it’s in the diary, you do it. Because creating a new habit is about repetition and one day it will not be an effort anymore, it will just be something you do.

‘Ultimately, your habits matter because they help you become the type of person you wish to be. They are the channel through which you develop your deepest beliefs about yourself. Quite literally, you become your habits.’ —James Clear

Falling off the wagon

Change is hard and it’s easy to fall back into bad habits, especially when you are stressed. It can be so tempting to reach for that junk food or wine to make yourself feel better (because that is what you have always done). Of course, it doesn’t make you feel better and you end up feeling guilt and shame instead.

I say ditch the guilt and shame. They are wasted emotions. Instead go back and identify your triggers and consider these as obstacles to overcome in future. How can you do things differently next time?

Remember, this an opportunity for learning. It is not a failure.

Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and just keep on swimming.

Healthy rewards

The satisfaction you feel as the kilos start to fall off or the new zest for life you have found with a reduction in workplace stress can be enough to keep you going. Achieving the vision brings a whole different level of satisfaction as you reflect on the hard work you put in. But it is still important to reward yourself throughout the journey and celebrate those small achievements.

Some examples of rewards could include a massage, facial, new shoes, new dress (possibly in a smaller size!) or even something bigger such as a holiday. Whatever it is, it should make you feel good.

Stay focused and accountable

Having the right support team around you is the key to success. If you need help staying on track, employ a friend or get professional help from a coach, counsellor, specialised group such as the quit smoking program, or other professional such as your wonderful naturopath.

Remember, you do not get what you wish for. You get what you work for.

If you are ready to take the next step in your health journey and achieve your goals, book an appointment today. We would love to help you.

Denise Berry BHSc
Naturopath

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NEW PROGRAM COMING TO KISMET HEALTH

If weight loss is your prime goal for 2021, JOIN US for our exciting new program starting soon! Personalised nutrition is a game changer when it comes to healthy weight loss and optimum results. Karly is finalising her special training soon and can’t wait to start this fabulous program with you. It’s a highly individual total body and health reset!
YES! Sign up to the waitlist now and be among the first to be offered a place.

January 2021 (13)

Environmentalism – A health issue

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Obesogens is a term you may have not heard before. It refers to a group of endocrine disrupting chemicals that are found abundantly in our day-to-day environment. Some are unavoidable, others we slather all over our skin at our own volition. The World Health Organization and various studies class these obesogens as chemicals that are known to disrupt lipid metabolism (aka fat metabolism).

These are now abundant in our environment, including the atmosphere, sediments, soils and water. They are derived both from industrial chemicals, such as bisphenol A and phthalates used as plastic packaging components, and other consumer products from agricultural sources such as pesticides, fungicides, insecticides or herbicides.

Why environmentalism is also a health issue

All of these obesogens, or endocrine disruptors, have come about following the industrial revolution. A recent report following investigation into our drinking water finding that we drink up to a credit card’s worth of plastic in a week. While many of these chemicals are unavoidable as they are rampant in the air, many can be avoided, especially those in our cosmetics, food and cleaning products. Reducing the use of plastics (yes, even BPA free) will help to reduce these chemicals. Note: when heated, plastics leach into your water and food so glass or stainless steel are good alternatives. The number six on a plastic product (usually on disposable coffee cups) means it includes polystyrene which is known to be a carcinogen.

Reducing everyday use of plastics is also important for our waterways, where a lot of our plastic ends up. Protecting our environment should always be high on our list of priorities. And it’s not only the waterways that are affected by plastics but our sea life too. Again, chemicals from plastics leach into the water where our sea life live which we, in turn, are consuming.

What does this mean for us?

Endocrine disruptors have a major effect on blocking of signalling and receptors for hormonal systems of the body. This means they can influence hormonal conditions such as PCOS, blood sugar control (diabetes), sex hormones, stress + more. These obesogens store themselves in fat cells, which makes it hard for us to excrete them, and can easily accumulate, making it even more important to try to avoid them.

These endocrine disruptors are especially important to avoid when you are pregnant or with young children as they can stunt foetal growth, affect metabolism and, down the track, affect weight control.

How obesogens affect weight control

They can:

  • increase the number of fat cells
  • increase the size of fat cells
  • alter endocrine pathways responsible for control of adipose tissue development
  • alter hormones that regulate appetite satiety and food preferences
  • alter basal metabolic rate
  • alter energy balance to favour storage of calories.
  • alter insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism in endocrine tissues such as pancreas, adipose tissue, liver, gastrointestinal tract, brain and muscle.

Tips for reducing obesogens

  • Eat organic!
  • Exercise at least 150 minutes per week. Sweat helps to release BPAs and other toxins.
  • Sleep well. Get adequate amounts of sleep, generally > 7 hours per night.
  • Keep stress levels low. Find ways to decrease/manage stress.
  • Watch your products. Look at detergents, cleaning products, hygiene products, make up, gardening treatments etc.
  • Use an air purifier, especially if you live in the city.
  • Try to avoid shift work if possible.
  • Store your food in glass containers.
  • Try to avoid food in plastic packaging.
  • Buy local food. This helps reduce food miles, further aiding the environment.
  • Don’t smoke.
  • Consider a water filter. (Ask us about our beautiful zazen BPA-free and glass water systems!)

The more you think about what you are using and doing and ways you could change some habits, the easier it will become. And small changes can have a global impact!

If you would like to chat to one of our naturopaths about your health and wellbeing, please get in touch. We offer a range of consultation options including a FREE Discovery Call to see if we are a good fit for your current needs. Make a booking at www.kismethealth.com.au/bookings/ today!

Ally Stuart BHSc
Naturopath

~~~

NEW PROGRAM COMING TO KISMET HEALTH

JOIN US during February when our exciting new weight-loss program begins! Personalised nutrition is a game changer when it comes to healthy weight loss and optimum results. Karly is finalising her special training soon and can’t wait to start this exciting program with you. It’s a highly individual total body and health reset! YES! Sign up to the waitlist now and be among the first to be offered a place.

January 2021 (4)

Trouble Losing Weight? Check Your Sleep!

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Did you know that poor sleep significantly affects insulin activity and your resting metabolic rate? Burning the candle at both ends, tossing and turning during the night or, even worse, insomnia, can lead to weight gain and type 2 diabetes.

Insomnia is the inability to sleep and there are many reasons people may suffer with it. Here are a few common causes:

  • poor sleep habits, lack of bedtime routine
  • depression or anxiety
  • lack of exercise
  • chronic illness
  • medications.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body’s cells become resistant to insulin. Insulin works like a transporter, carrying glucose into the cells which is then used for energy production. If the cells can’t get their sugar fix, they become starved (this is why you crave carbs). The glucose stays in the blood where it can cause a lot of inflammation and damage to organs such as the eyes or even the limbs where it can result in diabetic-induced ulcers and amputation.

How does sleep deprivation lead to weight gain and diabetes?

Cortisol does many things in the body and is one of our stress hormones. It is supposed to be at its lowest at night, helping us drift off into a deep and blissful sleep. It then begins to rise in the early hours of the morning to wake us up. But, if you are chronically stressed, your cortisol can go on a rollercoaster ride that significantly affects your ability to sleep.

High cortisol levels not only keep you awake at night, they also stimulate the production of blood glucose, because we need the energy to deal with the stress. Our bodies quickly become insulin resistant, even after only 24 hours of sleep deprivation.

Other consequences of sleep deprivation include the production of inflammatory molecules and free fatty acids that accumulate in your adipose (or fat) tissue. Also, high cortisol-induced sleep deprivation leads to cravings for fatty foods and carbohydrates (chocolate anyone?) by the same mechanisms, leading to further weight gain.

Who feels like exercising when they are exhausted? I would think not many people, and the science backs this up. Sleep deprivation typically results in more sedentary behaviour, also leading to weight gain.

It is important to note that too much sleep can be just as bad for you according to the research.

So, what is the magic number of hours of sleep to aim for? Those who get less than six hours or more than nine hours per night have a much higher risk of central adiposity (that is fat around the middle) than those who get between six and nine hours.

BUT there is some good news! Studies have shown that you can turn this all around in only nine days.

Here are some top sleep tips for you:

  • exercise for 20-30 minutes daily (preferably in the middle of the day, in the sun!)
  • avoid stimulants such as coffee, tea and chocolate after 3 pm (or earlier if you are sensitive)
  • use dim lighting at night (salt lamps are great for this) to avoid the blue light which messes with your circadian rhythm. Even better, invest in a decent pair of blue-light-blocker glasses (especially if you are looking at a screen).
  • switch off your screens at least an hour before bed or wear the abovementioned glasses
  • don’t eat after 7 pm so your body can do its night shift work (rest and repair) instead of digesting that late night snack and keeping you awake
  • meditate for 5-10 minutes before bed or have a warm (not hot) Epsom salts bath
  • switch off your phone and your wi-fi – microwave radiation is not your friend
  • establish a regular bedtime, wake time and sleep routine and stick to it
  • if you want to go ‘next level’ – and this is AMAZING for your health – watch the sunrise AND the sunset.

Sleep is THE most important thing when it comes to your health. Remember, there is no magic pill so it’s up to you to make the changes you need to be the best version of yourself. Make a booking today to get the support you need.

Night-night!

~~~

NEW PROGRAM COMING TO KISMET HEALTH

JOIN US in February when our exciting new weight-loss program begins! Personalised nutrition is a game changer when it comes to healthy weight-loss and optimum results. Karly is finalising her special training right now and can’t wait to start this exciting program with you. It’s a highly individual total body and health reset! YES! Sign up to the waitlist now and be among the first to be offered a place.

 

BLOG:

Further Reading/References

Association of sleep disturbances with obesity, insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2018.04.001

Role of Sex and the Environment in Moderating Weight Gain Due to Inadequate Sleep. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-017-0290-7

Weight gain in first-semester university students: Positive sleep and diet practices associated with protective effects. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.05.009

Is exercise a viable therapeutic intervention to mitigate mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance induced by sleep loss? https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2017.01.001

December 2020 (43)

Alcohol – Drink healthier

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Anytime is a good time to talk about healthy drinking but it is especially important as we head into Christmas and New Year celebrations. Don’t get us wrong, we are not suggesting you can’t enjoy a few beverages (naturopaths drink too!), but we want you to make informed choices and create healthier habits when it comes to drinking.

There are some excellent benefits when it comes to cutting back on alcohol consumption including reduced risk of disease, decreased anxiety, improved mood, better sleep, aid in weight-loss efforts and more. If this sounds like something you want in your life, please read on.

Let’s start with some facts.

 What is a healthy amount of alcohol?

  • 1–2 drinks per day for women, maximum 7 in a week
  • 2–3 drinks per day for men, maximum 14 in a week.

This is the amount recommended by many health experts as being a ‘safe’ limit. Drink more than this and your body really starts the feel the effects.

Excessive drinking can affect:

  • hormones – exceeding the above amount can have a deleterious effect on hormones especially in women
  • gut – we have all been using alcohol to sterilise our hands this year, so think of what it does to the microbiome. Consistently consuming high amounts of alcohol can cause dysbiosis in the gut.
  • the brain – it is a known neurotoxin and can cause neuroinflammation, which is highly correlated with conditions such as Alzheimer’s
  • the liver – alcohol is metabolised through the liver, putting excess strain on what is already a highly used organ.

Nutrient depletion

Alcohol inhibits the absorption and usage of vital nutrients such as thiamin (vitamin B1), vitamin B12, folic acid, magnesium, electrolytes and zinc. These are crucial for energy production and important for the formation of neurotransmitters and the reason behind why you may feel low and exhausted after a night of drinking.

Kismet Health Organic Herbal Energy Tea

Choose quality

In addition to how much you drink, what you drink is important to think about and we suggest always choosing good quality alcohol. Many alcoholic drinks are high in sugar and contain preservatives and sulphites (which can cause increased hangovers and allergic type symptoms).

Clear spirits are a good place to start as they contain fewer toxic compounds that are formed when alcohol is fermented. When it comes to wine, again quality wins so look for organic and, ideally, wild fermented. Aim for a darker wine, for the benefit of the range of polyphenols and resveratrol found in red wine, and a drier style of wine to limit the amount of sugars per glass.

Tips for the festive season

  • Get as much sleep as possible before your drink. Alcohol shunts the secretion of melatonin so getting that deep, restful sleep in beforehand is crucial.
  • Increase your polyphenol content pre-party to help mitigate oxidative damage caused by alcohol. This means eating lots of colourful vegetables, olive oil, dark chocolate, herbs and spices.
  • Ensure you eat even a light meal before you drink. Most drinks contain a decent amount of sugar and slowing both this and the alcohol into the blood stream is important. Aim for a balanced meal containing protein, fats and complex carbohydrates.
  • Drink water between each alcoholic beverage. Alcohol is a diuretic and dehydration plays a significant role in the severity of the hangover.

Give your drink a health boost!

  • Add lemon or lime. These influence liver detoxification, helping you to remove the alcohol from your body more quickly. This also helps with bile production which aids in protecting the gut – 25 per cent of waste is removed through the gut.
  • Add bitters. The bitter taste stimulates receptors on your tongue to help the digestive process and improve liver function.
  • Mix with soda water instead of tonic. Tonic contains a substantial amount of sugar which adds up over a few drinks and worsens the hangover.
  • Try kombucha as your mixer! This is our favourite way to supercharge your drink. It is bubbly and sweet without containing too much sugar. It also contains beneficial bacteria. Add a sprig of mint and you’ve got yourself a cocktail!

If you would like to learn more about supporting your body and what good health really means, please book an appointment with us. We’d love to help you. Bookings available here.

Written by Ally Stuart BHSc
Naturopath

December 2020 (31)

Post-pill Acne

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When I speak to women who are considering coming off the oral contraceptive pill (the pill), their most common questions are, ‘What if I get acne?’ and ‘What if my acne comes back?’ While these concerns largely come from females who have originally been prescribed the pill for their acne, post-pill acne can, in fact, affect any female, even those with no prior history of acne!

So, what’s the story behind post-pill acne?

Well, first we need to start with how the pill ‘treats’ acne.

Despite what we are often led to believe, the pill does not actually ‘treat’ acne, but rather it helps to control or clear acne by suppressing natural hormone production. The pill shuts down communication between the brain and the ovaries, which means ovulation is suppressed and your body no longer produces ‘normal’ levels of sex hormones such as oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Without these sex hormones, the body, or more precisely, the skin, also stops producing sebum (oil) to the point where sebum levels become similar to those seen in a child.

Because sex hormones and sebum are major drivers of breakouts and acne, the suppression of these is ultimately what leads to a reduction in acne and clearer skin.

What happens when we take the pill away?

When a female stops taking the pill, it can take several months for the brain to restore communication with the ovaries. However, once this communication is restored, the body, or the ovaries, start to ramp up hormone production, essentially making up for lost time. Often over-compensating, the ovaries begin to produce excessive amounts of sex hormones, particularly androgens such as testosterone! As a result, sebum production (which is driven by testosterone levels) also goes into overdrive and you are now producing more sebum than before you initially went on the pill.

Due to the excessive hormone and sebum production, the skin’s pores are at greater risk of blockages, which contributes to acne – blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and cysts.

Organic herbal tea
Kismet Health Organic Herbal Skin Tea

Other ways the pill causes or contributes to post-pill acne

In addition to its influence on sex hormone and sebum production, the pill also contributes to vitamin and mineral deficiencies (including zinc, vitamin C, magnesium and iron – all VERY important nutrients required for tissue/skin healing i.e. healing breakouts), gut inflammation, liver congestion, blood sugar dysregulation and impaired immune function, which all worsen the severity of post-pill acne.

A little note on stress

Stress affects the skin and post-pill acne in several ways. When post-pill acne does present, typically that female has gone from having relatively clear skin on the pill to now having frequent uncontrolled break outs. This can be very confusing and stressful for the individual and often has a detrimental effect on their mental and emotional health. The more their skin starts to break out, the more they stress about it, and this can become a vicious cycle that impairs treatment.

In brief, stress causes our adrenal glands to produce increased levels of cortisol to help our body respond to, or cope with, the stress. Exposure to regular and/or ongoing stress (i.e. the stress of constantly breaking out) eventually leads to the over-production of cortisol. Cortisol is a pro-inflammatory hormone and therefore it exacerbates any pre-existing inflammatory condition within the body, including inflammatory skin conditions such as acne.

How can you help prevent this happening to you?

 Naturopaths generally recommend at least three months of ‘pre-treatment’ before coming off the pill. This gives us time to optimise key aspects of your health, to ensure the transition off the pill is as seamless as possible.

If you would like to discuss treatment before coming of the OCP, or any other skin concerns you may have, please book an appointment with us. We are skilled at helping women just like you! Bookings available here.

Written by Perri Baldwin BHSc
Naturopath

December 2020

Stress

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What is it, why is it bad for your health and what can you do about it

I have three patients who have been on my mind a lot lately. All three have quite different stories, experiences and symptoms, but they all share one common thread that is affecting their ability to really thrive – STRESS.

Let’s face it, 2020 has been stressful.

I saw a Facebook post recently that said ‘2020 is what happens when you mix your tarot deck with Cards Against Humanity’. I know many of you reading this will have had a very different experience; some of you may have even taken the opportunity to slow down, take stock and perhaps make a plan for change in your life moving forward. However, I am aware of many others who feel like they were dealt a rough hand and have struggled with unemployment, isolation, chronic stress, anxiety and depression.

What actually IS stress?

Stress is any physical, mental or emotional strain that forces the body to adjust in some way. You can also consider stress as ‘distress’, where situations or events challenge or exceed our ability to cope.

I find that many people don’t really have a true concept of what stress is. It can include over-exercising, eating an inflammatory diet and not getting enough sleep, as well as the more obvious stressors such as school, work, family and relationships.

And then there is the classic patient who tells me they aren’t stressed, they are just ‘really busy’.

Those of you with a grade 1 or 2 iris or an anxiety tetanic structure who thrive on being busy, I’m talking directly to YOU right now. If you struggle to sit still, be quiet and really be in the moment, then your sympathetic nervous system is switched on, and this means the stress response is alive and well in you. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

When we think of stress more broadly as a physical, mental or emotional distress, it’s easy to see the far-reaching impact it can have on our daily lives.

The stress response.

 The stress response is a cascade of events that starts in the brain, specifically in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland (HP). Numerous organs in the body receive messages from the HP including the adrenals (A), ovaries/testicles (O) and thyroid (T). You may have heard of the HPA, HPO and HPT axis. Now you know what they stand for.

Let’s start with the HPA axis.

Our initial reaction to stress is a result of the HP stimulating the adrenals to produce cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. We need these hormones to mobilise the body to run away from the threat and get ourselves out of immediate danger.

This reaction essentially shuts down other bodily processes that it perceives as less important. For example, your stress hormones:

  • shunt blood flow away from the digestive tract to the arms and legs so you can run away, leading to a variety of digestive complaints
  • increase blood glucose levels dramatically as your liver starts to break down glycogen stores so you have the energy required to deal with the stress.

These last two points are important for anyone with an autoimmune or inflammatory condition such as diabetes, as well as those who have weight or digestive issues. Your stress levels are making these issues worse.

And guess what else this stress response brings to the party? Pro-inflammatory cytokines (particularly IL-6 for the other nerds like me out there) that lead to oxidative stress. Hello autoimmune and inflammatory conditions!

The problem is that the amygdala, our reptilian (or lizard) brain, is not smart enough to tell the difference between running late for work and a bear running straight for you. The same cascade of signalling and hormone production will happen in both situations, although perhaps to a slightly lesser degree in the first situation if you can keep things in perspective!

If you’ve ever been in a car accident, you will remember your initial reaction where you may have tried to correct to miss the other car – that was the quick-thinking action of cortisol. Later, when you were sitting on the side of the road, you got the shakes as the shock kicked in – that was adrenaline. Adrenaline is slightly slower to come to the party in the stress response and it hangs around a bit longer than cortisol. These are completely normal and required physiological responses if you are in a car accident, but not so much if you are simply stuck in traffic.

Finally, anything that affects the HPA axis also affects the HPO (think hormones, period issues, libido) and HPT (the thyroid is our master metabolic regulator). Stress reaches literally every organ and system of our body.

A quick note on adrenal fatigue.

The stress response I have described above is really the initial ‘alarm’ phase, but when people get stuck in a cycle of chronic stress, it can lead to what has been termed ‘adrenal fatigue’. A better name for adrenal fatigue is HPA axis dysfunction because it is the signalling that gets dialled down over time, rather than an issue with the adrenals themselves.

When you reach the exhaustion phase of the stress response, where stress hormones are reduced, we no longer have enough cortisol and adrenaline to get jobs done in the body. For example, the adrenal cortex slows the production of glucocorticosteroids, resulting in reduced blood sugar control that can develop into type 2 diabetes. Neurotransmitters including serotonin and GABA are supressed, leading to an increase in anxiety and depression. The immune system becomes depressed, resulting in a reduced capacity to bounce back from illness. And, of course, there is more… but I think you get the idea.

We need our stress hormones, just in the right balance – not too high, not too low.


Kismet Health De-Stress Bath Soak

Case studies.

 I mentioned three patients at the start of this blog post. The first is a woman with autoimmune disease who has a history of significant trauma. She is constantly in fight or flight mode and to date we have only managed to stem the inflammation to prevent a flare in her symptoms. We are unlikely to see a better result until we can find a way to stimulate her vagus nerve (see below for what this is and how to achieve it).

Another patient has type 1 diabetes, and we were really lucky to be able to observe patterns in blood glucose in response to different stimuli (food, exercise and stress) thanks to a continuous glucose monitor. There were visible changes with exercise (long distance running) and significant spikes with stressful events and higher carbohydrate foods which had snuck back into the diet. Remember, ALL these things are a physical stress on the body, impacting on gut and immune function as well as overall health and wellbeing.

The third patient is currently 22 weeks pregnant with her first baby and has recently been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Hopefully this blog post will be a good reminder of the significance of being ‘busy’, along with other physical stressors such as poor sleep and dietary choices, on pregnancy and health.

What you can do to offset the stress response.

The first thing I need to say about stress is that it is not always a negative thing. Stressful events can bring about positive change when you view them as a learning experience. It all depends on your perspective and how you perceive stress.

It is your individual interpretation of stress that will determine its potential health impact.

I want you to go back and read that last sentence again. It is important.

I often talk to patients about switching on their vagus nerve. Never heard of it? Google it and have a look at an image. It is the longest nerve in the body that goes from the brain to every major organ including the gut and is a two-way communication route (so your gut literally communicates with your brain and vice versa). If you are stressed and your HPA axis is engaged, your vagus nerve is switched off and you are in fight or flight mode. Want to be in rest and digest mode? Then you need to find your Zen!

How do I find my Zen, I hear you ask?

What do you LOVE to do? What gets you in the zone where the rest of the world just drifts away into the background? This is what you need to do.

For me it is singing, especially in harmony with others. It takes me to my happy place.

For others it might be gardening, sewing, catching up with friends, hugging (been in short supply this year), art, music, restoring furniture or cars, the list goes on… The key is to find what YOU love to do and DO IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Here are some other sure-fire scientifically proven ways to engage your vagus nerve:

  • yoga
  • meditation and mindfulness
  • gargling
  • singing (even if you are terrible at it)
  • deep diaphragmatic breathing
  • eat foods that make you salivate (this one isn’t too tough is it?)
  • get enough good quality fat in your diet e.g. olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds, oily fish (triggers the release of CCK – a hormone – which is a potent vagal nerve stimulator).

I hope this blog helps to give you a better understanding of the effect stress can have on your health and inspires you with some strategies to help reduce those effects.

It really comes down to making the time and space for YOU. Ditch the guilt (because I know you feel it!) and understand that when you are fit, healthy and happy, you will be able to serve others better.

Need some more help? Our naturopaths are qualified and experienced in managing hormonal health, autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. If you are ready to get your mojo back, please feel free to book an appointment today.

Written by Denise Berry BHSc
Naturopath

November 2020 (43)

Sun Damage and SPF

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Ultraviolet light

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light produced by the sun, repeated over time, eventually begins to damage the DNA of our skin cells, resulting in a loss of DNA integrity and subsequent mutations to our DNA. This means that eventually our body is unable to produce ‘normal’, healthy, proper-functioning skin cells and instead begins to produce unhealthy, dysfunctioning skin cells. Furthermore, this DNA damage can be cancerous, which leads to mutations in DNA that produce cancerous skin cells, such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and melanoma – types of skin cancers.

Over time, repeated UV exposure also depletes our skin of its natural antioxidant defences, causing oxidative stress, which further damages the DNA of our skin cells and contributes to the increased production of unhealthy, dysfunctioning skin cells.

The production of poor quality, unhealthy, dysfunctional skin cells causes them to appear damaged or ‘aged’ to the naked eye. Since our skin is composed of trillions of skin cells, then trillions of poor-quality, unhealthy, dysfunctional skin cells equals visibly damaged or aged skin.

UV exposure further damages our skin by disrupting the natural production of collagen and elastin – the proteins responsible for giving our skin its suppleness, strength and elasticity. It triggers an enzymatic reaction that breaks down collagen and elastin within the body, so while our bodies are always working hard to produce collagen and elastin (which naturally declines as we age), UV exposure is working to break it down or hinder the process.

If you have ever had an intensive skin treatment designed to ‘promote collagen production’, your skin therapist has probably told you to avoid UV exposure for some time afterwards. This is because UV exposure is going to undo the collagen production, just as quickly as your body is working to produce more.

It is important to note that sun damaged or aged skin does not suddenly appear overnight, but rather it is a culmination of repeated, daily UV exposure over years and decades, with a few episodes of sunburn thrown in here and there for good measure. For this reason, it is never too early to start looking after your skin.

 Sun protection factor

It is commonly believed that the higher the sun protection factor (SPF), the higher the level of UV protection, however there is actually only a very small (5%) difference in the level of UV protection offered between an SPF 15 and an SPF 50 (93% protection versus 98% protection).

What SPF actually relates to is the unique UV exposed burn time of your skin.

For example, if your natural UV exposed burn time (the amount of time where your skin cells start to react, not necessarily burn) is 10 minutes, then using an SPF 15 sunscreen means that, ideally, you are extending your skin’s natural UV exposed burn time by 15 times longer than this, so up to 150 minutes (10 X 15 = 150). Based on this, wearing an SPF 50 rated sunscreen would extend your burn time by 50 times, so up to 500 minutes (10 X 50 = 500).

It is important to note that this is not an exact guide (no one should be exposed to the sun for 500 minutes and rely on one single application of sunscreen). Everyone’s skin is different and there are many factors involved (genetics, water, UV index, time of day, weather, location, altitude, seasons etc.) that alter your skin’s natural UV-exposed burn time, which therefore alters how often you need to reapply sunscreen. SPF should be used to give you a better idea of how often you need to reapply your sunscreen.

Another important thing to note is that SPF + SPF does not equal a higher SPF. For example, if you apply sunscreen with an SPF 15 and then apply make-up with an SPF 20, this does not equal an SPF 35. You are only ever protected by the highest SPF, in this case SPF 20.

Kismet Health Skin Healing Cream

Physical v chemical sunscreen

For a few years now there has been much debate about chemical versus physical sunscreens and which is better.

It is typically thought that chemical-based sunscreens absorb UV rays (convert them into heat and then release them from the body) and that physical sunscreens scatter or reflect UV rays, however this is not entirely true.

According to studies, physical sunscreens scatter or reflect no more than 15% of UV rays. The remainder is absorbed, just like a chemical sunscreen, meaning both chemical and physical sunscreens absorb UV rays.

Both chemical and physical sunscreens are equally as effective as one another, and one isn’t better than the other, they just work in slightly different ways.

So how do you choose a sunscreen?

My advice is to choose a sunscreen based on the non-active ingredients and what impact they will have on your skin cells. Select a sunscreen that is free from fragrances, colours, dyes, preservatives, emulsifiers, sulphates etc. as these can irritate the skin.

Physical sunscreens are ideal for sensitive skins as they typically contain fewer chemicals, meaning they are less likely to cause skin irritation. They do, however, tend to contain zinc oxide, which can make them quite thick and therefore sit heavier on the skin. This can lead to surface blockages (breakouts) so people with oily, congested and acne-prone skin need to be mindful of this.

On the other hand, chemical-based sunscreens typically contain between 3–4 chemical compounds in the one sunscreen and are therefore more likely to cause skin irritation than physical sunscreens. They are, however, more light-weight and don’t sit as heavy on the skin and therefore have their place with people who suffer from oily, congested and acne-prone skin.

How do you apply sunscreen?

Sunscreen needs to be applied at least 20 minutes BEFORE exposure to the sun. This gives the active ingredients time to settle into the skin and take effect – the effectiveness of sunscreen is all in the time it is given to absorb into the skin and start working.

Applying sunscreen just before you jump in the water or while you are sitting out in the sun does not actually give you proper protection. You need to apply it as you are getting ready to leave the house.

You also need to re-apply your sunscreen following each time you jump in the water, as sunscreens are not waterproof and they do wash off.

Apply sunscreen to all the areas that won’t be covered by clothing and remember the front and back of the neck, your ears and the tops of your feet!

If you would like to work with one of our naturopaths, please feel free to book an appointment to discuss your individual circumstances.

Written by Perri Baldwin BHSc
Naturopath

November 2020 (42)

Forgiveness & Gratitude Therapy

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If you haven’t come across forgiveness and gratitude therapy before now, it might sound like an esoteric concept however it has been used for thousands of years across many religions. While it is tightly tied to spiritual practices, feelings of gratitude and continuously forgiving self and others can bring us some wonderful physical health benefits too.

This therapy helps us actualise what we have in our lives and direct our focus to these as opposed to focusing on the all-consuming negatives which, in turn, stimulates the stress response. A negative focus results in a cascade of activity by neurotransmitters and stress hormones and eventually leads to worsening of many health conditions. As naturopaths, we rarely have a case that does not have some component of stress to it.

Forgiveness and gratitude therapy can be a great alternative for people who find meditation difficult. You can achieve some amazing stress relieving benefits with this remedy in a short amount of time.

F O R G I V E N E S S

noun 1.  the act of forgiving.

What is forgiveness?

To forgive, we must release or let go of negative effects, beliefs or behaviours towards an offender, whether that is yourself or another.

Forgiveness is not about condoning an unkindness, forgetting a hurt or excusing poor behaviour, nor is it about denying or minimising your hurt. These are all valid feelings you might experience. However, the idea in this practice is to encourage and experience greater feelings of peace, power, responsibility, awareness and self-control – feelings which are positive and beneficial to your health. It is about choosing helpful feelings.

At times, forgiveness can feel like submitting but a good way to think of it is that you are letting go of the negative rumination that is causing you hurt and, in turn, poor health.

G R A T I T U D E

noun 1.  the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful.

What is gratitude?

Gratitude is feeling a sense of joy and appreciation of someone or something external to ourselves. It is being grateful for what we have and involves acknowledging good things that happen to us and bringing our mind to beneficial elements as well as recognising the source of our gratitude. Feeling strong positive emotions is key to receiving the health benefits from a gratitude practice.

Kismet Health Calm Bath Soak

How do we incorporate forgiveness and gratitude into our lives?

Daily journaling is the best way to get in your dose of gratitude. Use any type of journal that you like. Begin by writing three things you are grateful for. Don’t overthink it; it can be anything from your family to the sound of the birds in the garden. (A good idea is to steer away from material items as these are not as constant.) The more you follow this practice, the easier it will become and the more you will realise there is to be grateful for. End this by sitting into the feeling to really supercharge the health benefits.

Forgiveness can be a little more difficult. It can be done internally or also undertaken on paper if you prefer. Start by define who and what you would like to forgive and then remember the hurtful event. Empathise with the offender and acknowledge the wrongdoings by self or others. (Note: if working on forgiving yourself, it is good to and see the event from another’s perspective.) Next, commitment to forgive, ensuring you are solidifying the practice by internally or verbally saying you commit to forgive.

Feel free to perform both practices at the same time. However, when a thought of an event strikes, it is possible to undertake the forgiveness practice internally at that moment.

Healthy coping mechanisms

Many of us have unhealthy coping mechanisms which lead us towards a spiral of bad habits. Forgiveness and gratitude have been found time and time again to be associated with good health habits and resilience. When you are next feeling down, take just five minutes before you slouch on the couch and binge watch Netflix to spend writing down some things you are grateful for and one thing you would like to forgive.

What are the health benefits?

Forgiveness and gratitude therapy is gaining popularity due to the significant benefits which result from the practice.

  • Life satisfaction
  • Lower levels of depression and anxiety
  • Builds resilience and will
  • Reduces stress – a big factor in many condition outcomes
  • Reduces blood pressure
  • Lowers inflammation
  • Reduces fatigue
  • Beneficial for symptoms of fibromyalgia
  • Enhanced quality of life for individuals with serious health conditions i.e. arthritis, cancer
  • Promotes other healthy habits

Boost your wellbeing and happiness – starting today – and see and acknowledge all the wonderful positive things already around you.

If you would like to work with one of our naturopaths and learn techniques like this and more, please feel free to book an appointment to discuss your individual circumstances.

Written by Ally Stuart BHSc
Naturopath

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