The symptoms of depression can vary from person to person, however strong evidence is mounting that exercise may just be the answer to treating this common mental illness treated with supplements infused withCBD oil. Not only that, several studies are also finding that our physical activity may even outperform medication designed to treat the symptoms of depression. For years we have all known that diet and exercise can help prevent chronic physical illnesses such as heart disease, obesity and diabetes, but now the focus is on the effects exercise has on our mental health and the results are optimistic.

Depression is a serious problem worldwide
One in six New Zealanders and Australians will experience serious depression at some point in their lives. One in four British adults experience at least one diagnosable mental health problem in any one year and in the U.S one in eight adults have being diagnosed with clinical depression.

Over 121 million people worldwide currently suffer from the symptoms of depression with the war-torn country, Afghanistan reporting the highest prevalence. Overall, women have high rates of depression than men often the risk increasing in the weeks after having a baby.
But it’s not just adults being overcome by the mental illness. Worldwide, it is estimated 1.3 million adolescents died in 2012 with the top three causes of death being road traffic injuries, HIV/AIDS and suicide. For adolescent girls alone, the second-biggest killer after suicide was complications during childbirth.

The statistics on depression are scary and they are not getting any better. Globally, it is responsible for more ‘years lost’ to disability than any other condition including chronic lung disease, diabetes and alcohol related disorders. Switzerland is a country which offers some of the best support in mental health with more than 40 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, however it has a higher rate of depression than the U.S. For more information and resources on this critical issue, visit our website.

A report prepared by the UN agency has suggested that over half the people who develop mental disorders have their first symptoms of depression by the age of 14. It appears better mental health care and knowledge of mental illness seems to not be reducing these stats. In fact, the World Health Organisation estimates that by the year 2020, depression will be the second most common cause of ill health and premature death worldwide.

Could exercise be the best drug in treating the symptoms of depression?
I’m sure you know that going for a run or taking a yoga class can be a great way to alleviate stress after a tough day. We all hear that the rush of endorphins released when we exercise is responsible for lifting our mood and making us feel more positive about life.
 

But researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have found that exercise actually detoxes harmful chemicals from our body and in turn can alleviate the symptoms of depression. During exercise, the muscles start to act similarly to the kidneys or liver and produce an enzyme which is essential to purging a molecule linked to causing the brain harm and depression.

Dr Jorge Ruas, principal investigator at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology stated their “initial research hypothesis was that trained muscle would produce a substance with beneficial effects on the brain”.

What they found during their study was the opposite. “Well-trained muscle produces an enzyme that purges the body of harmful substances. So the muscle’s function is reminiscent of that of the kidney or the liver” says Ruas.

Their results even pointed to the type of exercise which could have the biggest impact on reducing the symptoms of depression, lifting mood and reducing stress. Ruas says cardiovascular exercise was seen to have the strongest effect although “it is possible that other kinds of exercise will also have an effect, like resistance training such as weight lifting. But our results support the use of aerobic exercise like biking and running.”

In the same study, the researchers looked at why those who do not regularly exercise end up feeling sluggish, show signs of depression and are more prone to chronic diseases. “Skeletal muscle appears to have a detoxification effect that, when activated, can protect the brain from mental illness” Ruas says.

It was previously known that the protein called PGC-1α1 increases within the skeletal muscle as the individual exercises, but the reason why was unclear. By observing mice, researchers found that after five weeks of being exposed to a stressful environment of flashing lights and loud noises one group of mice were displaying strong symptoms of depression.

The other group of mice with high levels of the protein appeared to be protected from experiencing mental illness. This is thought to be due to the protein producing an enzyme called KAT, which is responsible for converting the harmful kynurenine molecule into kynurenic acid. This is a harmless substance that can be easily passed out of the body.

Exercise vs medication in beating depression
Exercise has been long recommended as a therapy for treating mild symptoms of depression or as an adjunct therapy for those on anti-depressive medication. But could it be just as effective as prescribed medication?

Neuroscientist at Duke University, James Blumenthal, specialises in depression and published a very interesting study in the Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine. In this study Blumenthal split a group 156 adults who had mild or moderate cases of depression into three.

One group was prescribed the antidepressant drug, sertraline. The second group was prescribed sertraline and given an exercise regime three times a week for 45 minutes. This regime consisted of a 10 minute warm up, 30 minutes of jogging or walking at a pace that would keep their heart rate at 80 to 90 percent of their maximum and then a 5 minute cool down to finish.
Group three were only given the exercise regime above as treatment for their symptoms of depression.

The results were surprising. Over the 16 week period, the participants were supervised by the researchers and professional staff. They found that all three treatments delivered equal results. Treating the participants with exercise alone was just as effective as treating those with sertraline, yet the risks weren’t as high. Sertraline has been linked to a wide range of concerning side effects, including major depressive disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder, and social and panic anxiety.

The long-term impact was where the results were really profound. After 16 weeks of treatment 83 percent of the participants were considered to be in remission and free from any symptoms of depression. When the study had concluded, participants were able to continue with the treatment received or try something new. Researchers followed up with the patients six months later and found…

38 percent of the participants on prescribed medication relapsed into depression.
31 percent of the participants who exercised and took medication relapsed into depression.
Just 8 percent of the participants who only exercised relapsed into depression.
Blumenthal described the differences between exercise and medication in this statement. “One of the positive psychological benefits of systematic exercise is the development of a sense of personal mastery and positive self–regard, which we believe is likely to play some role in the depression–reducing effects of exercise.”

Regular exercise should be the focus rather than intensity or duration in treating depression
A review published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry looked into the benefits of exercise for the clinically depressed. Researchers of the Division of Psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine found positive association with exercise in alleviating the symptoms of depression.

It was suggested that it is likely a “combination of biological, psychological, and sociological factors influence the relationship between exercise and depression”. This is consistent with the view on current treatments for depression involving pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy.

While we regularly focus on the intensity when we train, the research interestingly suggests this focus can be overwhelming to someone who is depressed. Current recommendations for most countries is that adults exercise at least 30 minutes a day at moderate-vigorous intensity. Based on the findings from this review, those who are experiencing depression are better of exercising for 20 minutes a day, three times a week at a moderate intensity. According to the researchers, this is significant enough to reduce the symptoms of depression.

What I also found interesting was that while depression may be an additional risk factor for exercise noncompliance, it was reported drop-out rates among depressed patients were not too different from those in the general population who were not suffering a mental illness.

Unhealthy lifestyle driving an increase in chronic diseases and mental illness globally
The evidence is there in front of us that an unhealthy lifestyle is driving an increase in the burden of chronic diseases and mental illnesses like depression worldwide. Research suggests that by just including an hour of walking per week into your life can reduce your risk of developing depression by 50 percent.

Promoting physical health within the communities vulnerable to developing depression is a valuable mental health care strategy. But let’s be honest. Statistics suggest we are all vulnerable of experiencing the symptoms of depression at some point in our lives. While there is growing acceptance that the mind-body connection is very real, I think we tend to forget how powerful maintaining good physical health can be at reducing our risk of suffering from a mental illness.

While some studies suggest aerobic exercise is the best therapy for those depressed, there is plenty of evidence to suggest any form of exercise that gets your heart rate up and blood pumping is beneficial. The best advice is to find an exercise routine you enjoy and can partake in consistently. Practice yoga, meditation or go for a swim if high intensity exercise is not for you. Run, box or cycle if you like to sweat it out a bit more.

Whatever it is, a healthy lifestyle is one of the simplest ways to treat the symptoms of mild to seasonal depression and maintain good mental health. If you think you are suffering from depression, it’s time to speak to someone. Follow the advice of your physician, but it might be worth your while to ask about trying natural lifestyle changes before or instead of anti-depressant medication.

Fermented foods are all the rage right now with health nuts switching from coffee to kombucha, serving lunch with a side of sauerkraut and a breakfast smoothie with a dollop of kefir. Some of you might be thinking this is just another food trend to make its mark on the healthy industry and you’re right. But fermented foods are not a new concept and there are some amazing nutritional benefits of consuming fermented foods products worth knowing about.

A brief history of fermented foods
Fermented foods go a long way back in our ancestor’s diet. Evidence suggest that the fermentation of wine and beer (yes, you heard correctly) dates back to around 7,000 – 8,000 years ago. There is evidence fermentation in the making of bread dates even earlier. The process of fermenting was not only used as a way to preserve food but also to support intestinal and overall health.

You may have already consumed pickled fermented delights like cabbage, cucumbers and carrots while enjoying Asian cuisine. Dating back centuries, various cultures within Asia consumed these foods along with fermented turnips, eggplants, onions and pumpkin and they play a large role in their diet still today.

In ancient India, the refreshing yoghurt drink, lassi, was consumed as a pre-dinner beverage for the probiotic quality. The Romans consumed sauerkraut, the Bulgarians ate a high amount of fermented milk and kefir and the Ukrainians were known to enjoy raw yoghurt, sauerkraut and buttermilk in their traditional diets.

Depending on the culture, the food fermented and the process differs, but it is evident this way of preserving and enhancing the nutritional profile of foods is deeply rooted in tradition. Unfortunately over time with the advances in technology and food manufacturing fermented foods were out and microwavable TV meals were in! Pasteurisation replaced raw milk and yoghurt and even the process of soaking, sprouting and fermenting grains is no longer a common practice especially on a commercial scale.

What does fermenting actually do?
Fermenting actually takes place when the food is submerged into a salty brine and harmful bacteria is destroyed, but the healthy bacteria, Lactobacillus, survives. This is an essential bacteria for the health of our gut.

Lactobacillus then starts converting the sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) in the food into cellular energy and a metabolic by-product known as lactic acid. The lactic acid is what helps preserve the foods by creating an acidic environment and gives the product that classic tangy flavour which many can’t stand! Believe me, it takes some getting used to.

The lactic acid also produces the important digestive enzymes, amylase and protease. These enzymes become active as we chew helping us predigest the food, which is particularly beneficial for those of us who have digestive issues. The micronutrient profile of foods is also enhanced. These foods become alive and dynamic, making them a powerhouse of probiotics, vitamins and minerals.

Health benefits of fermented foods
All the good bacteria and probiotics in fermented foods have made them a pretty desirable product to include in your diet. Here are a list of some of the health benefits you may experience through eating fermented foods:

Increase in nutrient profile:
As mentioned earlier, the lactic acid in fermented foods enhances the levels of important nutrients including vitamin K2, A, B and C, depending on the type of food utilised. Cheese curd for example, is a great source of vitamin K2 which has been linked to the prevention of arterial plaque build-up and heart disease. It also has been seen to exhibit cancer-fighting properties and may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

Vitamin C found in sauerkraut, is integral to the strengthening of the immune system and fighting infections. Not only that, it helps make collagen essential for strong bones, skin and joints and can protect us against cancer and heart disease. Vitamin A will help produce healthy skin, protect against infections and give our immune system a boost, while vitamin B is essential for producing energy from food and for our brain function and digestion.

Restore gut health:
The health of your gut will directly affect your ability to fight disease as it is estimated up to 80 percent of your immune system is located here. The lactic acid in fermented foods promotes the growth of healthy flora within the intestines. Probiotics aid in the production of antibodies and play a crucial role in the development of the mucosal immune system located in our digestive tract.

A healthy gut means you have a robust immune system and better equipped to fight invaders against all disease. Not only that, there is evidence to suggest that gut health could affect allergies, inflammation and autoimmune disorders in the body.

Balance stomach acid production:
Too much or too little stomach acid has been associated with digestive discomfort which is experienced by many. Fermented foods can increase the acidity of gastric juices when the production of hydrochloric acid by the stomach has decreased. When the stomach produces too much of the hydrochloric acid, fermented foods protect the stomach and intestinal lining from damage.

Typically when we age, we see a decline in the production of the digestive juices and enzymes in the stomach. This affects are ability to digest food, hence the reason we experience discomfort such as abdominal pain and bloating. By including fermented foods such as sauerkraut and pickled vegetables our bodies can make up the loss and bring our stomach acid back into balance.

Helps with detoxification
A build-up of toxins in our system can have a drastic effect on our health. During the fermentation process good microorganisms help break down nutrients in the food and create natural chelators. Chelators are small molecules that bind to toxins and heavy metal ions drawing them out and removing them from the body.

If you are first starting to include fermented foods in your diet, it is important to introduce them slowly and not too many at once. This is due to its efficiency at detoxifying the body. Too much and you will experience pretty strong detox symptoms. You need to give your intestinal microbes a chance to adjust to the new environment.

Helps inhibit the growth and destroy pathogenic bacteria
‘Bad’ or pathogenic bacteria are often sensitive to acidic environments making it hard for them to grow and flourish in your system. During a European typhoid fever epidemic in the early 1950’s, fresh sauerkraut was seen to be an effective agent in killing off the typhoid bacteria. Recently in Germany, researchers have discovered a particular strain of lactic acid found in sourdough bread can be extremely effective in destroying unwanted microbes. Although the studies are in their infancy period, results are showing this strain of bacteria can quickly destroy super-bugs that have become resistant to many antibiotics.

As we gain more and more knowledge into the power of good bacteria for our health, we are seeing more and more ways the state of our gut contributes to our overall health. Dysfunctional gut microbiota can impact us in the following ways:

Behaviour
Gene expression
Diabetes
Autism
Obesity

The challenge for us is optimising the healthy bacterial population in the gut to help nourish our bodies and fight invaders capable of causing disease.

A warning before consuming fermented foods
There are some downsides to consuming fermented foods particularly those commercially made. This is that they often contain high amounts of added sugars and salt (sodium).

A lot of the fermented foods you purchase at a supermarkets have been pasteurised and cooked at a high heat. This kills off the good, friendly bacteria defeating the purpose of consuming them in the first place.

Commercially fermented dairy foods do not always contain live cultures of probiotics. You want to be consuming those products with the term ‘live cultures’ on the label to get the full nutritional benefits. Look out for products that include added sugar or flavourings as these will have much higher calories than the plain varieties and should be steered clear off.
Most savoury fermented foods such as pickles, kimchi, miso and sauerkraut contain a pretty high amount of sodium. Try stick with low-sodium products if you are purchasing commercially made fermented foods or better yet, make your own. This enables you to control the amount of salt you add.

Fermented foods you should incorporate in your diet
Clearly, there are some pretty amazing benefits to including fermented foods in your everyday diet. And while, yes they are trendy, it is for good reason. One of the other things I love about fermented foods is that these are truly an inexpensive superfood! Kombucha, kefir, whey and sauerkraut are all cheap to make at home and could be one of the ingredients that give you the biggest bang for your buck! This is because fermented foods can contain up to a 100 times more probiotics than a supplement.

So, here are a list of fermented foods that you should try. Just remember start off with small quantities and listen to your body as fermented foods really do pack a punch!
Kombucha – a great drink containing a variety of microorganisms. If you purchase Kombucha rather than making it yourself, just watch the sugar content.

Sauerkraut – literally fermented cabbage, sauerkraut is one of the simplest fermented foods to make yourself. It has seen to improve brain health including depression and anxiety.
Pickles (not the ones from McDonalds!) – are an easy one to add to a meal and not as harsh on the nose as some fermented foods.

Coconut yogurt – this dairy-free yoghurt is delicious and is packed with enzymes and probiotics. It is a great alternative for those wanting to limit their dairy intake.

Miso – made from fermented soybeans and grains, miso is an awesome fermented food because of its nutritional profile. This is an easy one to add to vegetables or soup.

Kimchi – have a spicy kimchi dish and you will see a boost in energy as well as a noticeable improvement in your skin.

So what do you think? Are you going to join the fermented foods trend?

Believe me, we have all been there.
You’re working hard towards a career goal and then all of a sudden your enthusiasm dies. Or you have been adhering to a healthy diet and one weekend everything gets thrown out the window as you have a binge; perhaps you stuck to a rigid exercise regime for months and then found yourself slipping, only to end up lazy on the couch again.
It’s not uncommon to fall off the wagon and lose track of what you are working towards. It’s happened to me and I’m sure it has happened to you at some point in your life. It’s hard to keep the motivation alive and the energy up, especially if the journey to your goal is a long one.

While the goals and the reasons for falling off track are going to be different for each individual, there are a few things I have learnt along the way that relate to everyone regardless:

The most successful people in life have fallen off track and have made mistakes along the way. It’s all part of being human. This doesn’t define you as being a failure, instead it creates challenges, makes you work harder, highlights strengths and weaknesses of your personality and makes achieving your goal even sweeter.

In the Harvard Business Review, author Frederick Herzberg once wrote about motivation and it is something that has really stuck with me. He stated that motivation comes from within you. Others can motivate you, but it will only last for a short time. In order to stay motivated long-term it needs to come from you. Only you can reignite your motivation when it’s low. And believe me, no one person is immune to losing motivation (I certainly am not!).

There are some key things I have learnt to keep my motivation alive and to pick me up when I have felt like it was slipping:

Surround yourself with positive people
I find this particular important when I am striving to achieve something and stay on track. As you spend time with those people that make you want to be a better person and simply do better in life, you will find your network might shrink. The more time you hang out with people that refuel your energy, the more inspired you will be to keep working towards you goals.

Ditch the negative people
It might sound a little harsh and to some point it is, but it is important for your self-worth, motivation and personal success to reduce the contact you have with negative people. Spending time with negative people brings your energy down and can have an effect on your overall outlook to life. I’m sure you have been in a situation where you can literally feel your motivation being sucked out by your friend over a coffee as they complain and exude self-pity.

Get reinspired
Have you ever watched or read something that just made you feel like getting out there and tackling your own personal goals? I know sometimes I hear something and get really inspired to the point where my motivation reaches its peak. So when you are feeling like your motivation is taking a nose dive and you are falling off track, start to read, listen or watch inspiring content and things you love to be influenced by.

Create mini goals
When you have set a major goal, it’s almost impossible to keep your motivation up and feel energised for the duration until you have conquered it. Creating mini goals to break it up in small bite sized pieces is the best way to keep your motivation levels up. You will be able to start accomplishing things every day and that will make you feel like you are one step closer to achieving your dreams.

Motivation of course plays a huge part in keeping you from falling off, but what is clear is that successful people have the ability to get back on track quickly and bounce back from any failures or obstacles that they may have experienced. They have key strategies in place to help them do this. It’s not easy and not something that comes naturally, but once you set them in place they will help you succeed.
These strategies will just become part of your life and be the support you need when you do find yourself losing your way.

Create a schedule
Regardless of your goal, the first thing you should do is create a schedule for your habits allocating a specific time for them in your life.
There will be habits you can physically schedule into your diary to ensure you meet you targets and stay on track. If you want to up your exercise regime, schedule in your training times each week. Perhaps you want to get back to painting, create a website or start meditating; schedule in time in your studio or your office and be specific i.e. 10am Sundays, I will be there!

Then there are the habits that you want to include in your life that are not as easy to set a particular time. For example, you may want to drink more water throughout the day or become more mindful or happier in yourself. Instead of using time to schedule these habits into your day, harness the power of triggers to act as a reminder to help you do them.
Want to drink more water? Start by drinking a glass before you sit down for a meal or while you are waiting for the kettle to boil for your cup of tea. If you want to be more mindful, switch everything off while you eat and focus on the flavours, textures, smells of your food rather than your Facebook feed. Perhaps it is inner happiness you are trying to achieve? Find a trigger that occurs regularly in your day, this could be your phone ringing for example. When it rings, tell yourself one thing you are grateful for.

Before you know it these habits will just become part of your everyday life. A constant, that when you start to fall off the track, you can reach for.

Make any attempt to stick to the schedule
Let’s be honest, sticking to a schedule can be difficult and sometimes you just can’t make it to that gym session because a work meeting gets in the way. Missing one commitment is not going to throw you right off track. It is when you consistently stray from your personal goals that you will find yourself thrown off course.

There is a simple way around this and that is to make any attempt to stick to your schedule. So you can’t go to your gym class, then do a 15 min high intensity workout in your living room. Perhaps you don’t have time to write that article for your website, then write a paragraph. The early breakfast meeting doesn’t give you time to carry out your meditation practice that morning; instead focus on your breathing during your commute.
It is these little efforts that show that you are committed to your goal and the life you are trying to curate for yourself.

Create an accountability system
Research shows that those who share their goals with others are more likely to stay on track and achieve them. A lot of the times we associate this with exercise and having a friend or personal trainer who helps you keep on track and encourages you to follow through on your commitment.

But creating an accountability system isn’t just applicable for those who want to stick to a regular workout. When you know someone expects something of you, you are more likely to show up, get the work done and keep up with your commitments.

An accountability person could be your partner, a friend, a business coach or colleague. As long as you trust them and respect them enough they can become a key element to help you stay on track. Schedule regular catch ups with them and ask them to help you set mini goals together so they have some expectation of you for the next time you meet.

Shift your focus
Everyone has excuses and believe me, I hear a fair few from my clients and also from myself.
‘I’m too busy’! ‘It’s too expensive’! ‘There isn’t enough time in the day’! I’m too tired’! Sounds familiar?

As soon as we let these excuses regularly slip in, we will fall off track. It’s important to recognise these excuses as excuses and instead of focusing on what is holding us back, we need to spend more time focusing on what we can work with.

Often we all start from similar places in our lives. Perhaps we have a lack of money, we are working a full time job while working on our dream project at the end of a long day, and maybe we have little experience or no resources. The difference between those that keep striving towards their dreams and those that don’t is that they start anyway.

Gaining success isn’t easy. It takes perseverance, discipline and inner strength. Instead of looking at all the things that are holding you back, shift your focus to what you can work with, what is available for you and just start!

Create conducive environment
You may think you have all the motivation in the world and have surrounded yourself with positive people, but if you place yourself in an environment that is not encouraging you for success than that might be the tipping point of whether you make it or not.

Sometimes we don’t think about this until we have fallen off track. A dark, dingy home office that houses the crap that you don’t know what to do with in boxes around your desk, isn’t the most inspiring work environment. In the same way, a pantry full of unhealthy processed food is not going to help you with your ambitions for a healthy lifestyle.

Help yourself remain inspired and on the path to achieving your goals by creating a conducive environment. Clean out your office and decorate it in a way that makes you want to spend time there. Throw out all your junk food and fill the shelves with healthy whole foods. I want to also point out, it isn’t not just the big changes that make a difference. It could be simply purchasing a water bottle that you love and want to carry with you all day, encouraging you to drink more; or a new yoga mat that makes you want to practice.

Understand where you went off track
Understanding where and why you went off track is possibly one of the most powerful things you can do in order to refocus and continue the journey to achieving your goals.
Think about it, if you know what made you binge eat that weekend you can better prepare yourself. Perhaps you were upset or stressed. When you recognise this you can start to put in place strategies to help you overcome the situation without falling off the wagon.

We are all human and while it can be hard falling off and trying to get back on track again, it is all part of the process. If you really care about the goal, you will find a way to keep your motivation thriving and make it work in your schedule regardless of the hurdles and excuses.

Often when we are implementing new habits we see a pattern of taking two steps forward and one step back. It’s how you anticipate these obstacles that makes the world of difference. Developing strategies to get you committed to your routine and to support you when you do face challenges will help you get back on track as quickly as possible and hopefully succeed.

Most of us have experienced food cravings in the past. That intense desire to devour a specific food without too much thought about the consequences. It’s not that we just want something to eat; we want salt and vinegar chips or a white chocolate Freddo. It’s really like a battle with the mind and very difficult to overcome unless you know how to control your cravings.
Surveys found that almost 100% of young women and 70% of young men experienced food cravings within a period of a year. Westerners have a habit of craving foods that a highly appealing to the palate and energy dense. So those foods that have a high sugar or high fat content, or both. This is because our brains are biologically wired to find and consume high-calorie, fatty foods. But it is making us sick. There are more and more studies to show these food cravings are leading to obesity, diabetes, sleep deprivation and eating disorders.
Our natural survival mechanisms dates back to the days of hunter-gatherers. From what scientists know about our early ancestors is that they were fixated on consuming high-calorie foods to stay alive. Eating these foods ensured they would be able to store excess calories as fat in order to survive through the lean times.
You can see where this is going right? Today with the availability of food, most of us of Western societies don’t experience those lean times thanks to the supermarkets, fast food joints and even vending machines! It was only about 10,000 years ago that people only ate the meat that they could hunt and the plants that they could gather. Not only that, these people where expending energy to get their food. How much energy do you expend when you collect a meal through the drive-thru or wonder around the supermarket?
Causes of our food cravings
According to a research article posted in the Frontiers Journal, food cravings are a multidimensional experience and can be broken into categories:
Cognitive – thinking about food
Emotional – desire to eat or changes in mood
Behavioural – seeking and consuming food
Physiological – salivation
This is a really interesting finding as we can start to pinpoint what drives our food cravings and how we can work towards controlling them.
A study published by the International Journal of Eating disorders found that more women than men were food cravers. The women in particular were much more concerned about their weight than the non-cravers of the study. What I found interesting is that women were said to experience more frequently negative feelings when indulging their cravings, whereas men experienced positive feelings more frequently. This study came to the conclusion, the food cravings were strongly associated with mood but just in a different way depending on the gender.
This was further confirmed in a study published in the Appetite Journal where food cravings, dietary restraint and mood were analysed in a group of 206 women. It found that while some food cravings related to dietary restraint, the majority were linked to emotional eating and susceptibility to hunger. The authors of the study, chose 20 women to continue the study to further understand their relationship to food cravings. This group consisted of 10 women who experienced food cravings and 10 women who rarely craved foods. They were to keep a diary which outlined the food intake, daily mood and any food craving episodes.
The eating behaviour of the women in both groups weren’t too different, however the food cravers tended to consume a diet slightly higher in energy than the non-cravers. What was interesting was that the cravers had significantly higher ratings of boredom and anxiety throughout the day and dysphoric mood was evident prior to experiencing the food cravings.
There has also been plenty of research studies to suggest mental imagery may be linked to food cravings. People with specific food cravings often have a vivid image of what that food looks like. The more vivid the picture, often the more intense the person’s craving is likely to be. This is believed to have a knock on effect to our ability to function as the mental imagery consumes our brain power. Those who were imagining a specific food were found to have less focus, recalled fewer words and took longer to solve problems than those who weren’t experiencing cravings.
The science behind making foods
Not surprisingly, food manufactures have jumped onto this attraction we have to certain foods and used it to make their own products more desirable. Food scientists spend their time making sure there is the perfect amount of salt, sugar and fat in their products for you to keep wanting to consume more and more.
Steven Witherley is a food scientists who has studied what makes certain foods tastier than others for over 20 years. He acknowledges there are two main factors that make the experience of eating more pleasurable.
1. The sensation of eating food – what is takes like, smells like and feels in the mouth.
2. The macronutrient make-up of the food – the blend of proteins, fats and carbohydrates
Taking these two factors into consideration, Witherley suggests there are specific ways in which food companies create processed foods that excite your brain and keep you buying their product.
Dynamic Contrast – this is where the one food has different sensations such as an Oreo cookie with the crunchy biscuit and creamy filling.

Salivary Response – the more saliva a food causes your body to create, the more the flavour covers your taste buds and fills your mouth. Sauces, butter, salad dressings and ice-creams are all emulsified foods that excite your brain.
Vanishing caloric density – these are foods that literally melt in your mouth. In the process they signal to your brain that you are not eating as much as you really are which leads to you overeating. Witherley points out Cheetos are a perfect example as the puff has an uncanny ability to melt away.

Sensory specific response – food manufactures don’t ever want your brain to lose the pleasure of eating a particular food, otherwise known as a sensory specific response. So they create foods that taste interesting enough to keep you excited, but don’t dull your sensory response.

Calorie density – processed foods are designed to have just the right amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates to trick your body into thinking you’re getting nutrition but without filling you up. Your brain will think you’re getting energy by eating the product, but there are not enough calories to signal that you are full. That’s why you eat a whole bag of chips even though you are not really that hungry.

Food manufactures are spending millions of dollars to create foods that you will crave and essentially keep you buying. Combine that with clever advertising and you might think that we are all doomed!
But it isn’t only the crafty food science and our genetic makeup that has been linked to certain food cravings. Food cravings have also been associated with what our body needs in terms of a specific nutrient, vitamin or mineral. Unfortunately with the wide variety of foods on offer, we often get confused about what our bodies actually are asking for and grab for something with empty calories instead of the nutrient dense wholefoods.
So what does it actually mean when your body is craving a sugar covered doughnut?
Each individual is slightly different, but there are some guidelines to help to explain why you may be experiencing a specific food craving.
Chocolate
Chocolate is perhaps one of the more popular food cravings, in particular amongst women. Often it is an indication you might require magnesium as well as chromium, B-vitamins and/or essential fatty acids. Chocolate is actually high in magnesium, but instead of devouring a your favourite chocolate bar, it’s best to eat a square of dark chocolate greater than 70% (yes I said a square) or add raw cocoa to your smoothie. Eating plenty of dark leafy greens and including nuts and seeds in your diet is another way to keep your magnesium levels up.
Carbohydrates
Craving white flour based products such as bakery treats, chips, savoury biscuits and white breads can indicate a deficiency in the essential amino acid, tryptophan. This is helped to make the chemical serotonin which is vital in regulating your mood. Although carbohydrates don’t contain tryptophan themselves, by raising the blood sugar levels, it is believed it helps drive more of this essential amino acid to the brain. This craving can be counteracted by including more protein rich foods into your diet as well as foods high in tryptophan such as turkey, eggs and bananas.
Carbohydrate cravings can also be a sign you are deficient in chromium, so upping your intake of chromium rich fruit and vegetables such as apples, capsicum, spinach, avocado and broccoli can help.
Meat
Food cravings of meat can be associated with a deficiency in iron and zinc. Without iron we become fatigued and without zinc we are more susceptible to suffering colds and flus as our immune system is weakened. Consuming red meat at least once a week can help up your levels of iron and zinc. Other sources of zinc include lentils, spinach, pumpkin seeds, shellfish and cheese.
Salt
If you are reaching for salty foods this could indicate your sodium levels are too low. Often this is due to dehydration, illness or drinking alcohol. Try consume foods that are naturally high in sodium such as dried anchovies or salted popcorn. A salt food craving is also often linked to fluctuations in our stress hormones. Consuming foods rich in B vitamins such as nuts, seed, legumes, fruits and vegetables can help during periods of stress.
Pica
A pica craving is when you crave non-food items such as clay, dirt or chalk. This is seen more frequently in children than adults however, it can also occur in periods of greater nutritional need such as during pregnancy. It often means you are deficient in iron, so consuming dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds can help overcome this craving.
How to kick your food cravings
Although our food cravings may be associated to how our brain is biologically wired and food scientists are designing foods hard to resist, we can work to control our cravings. This is essentially by reprogramming our brains and research shows you can do this by simply eating less junk foods. Eat heathier and you will notice your cravings for chocolate, ice cream or chips will fade over time.
Here are a few of my strategies to keep you making the right food choices and supress your food cravings until they are virtually non-existent.
1. Change your shopping style
If you have ever attempted to eat healthier, you would have heard of the tip to only shop the outer edges of the supermarket. That is because this is generally where the wholefoods are kept such as the fruits, vegetables, meats and eggs. Enter the inner ring and you are in a world of trouble as you try and navigate the shelves of chips, chocolates, lollies and soft drinks.

2. The ‘5 ingredients or less’ rule
Another good tip is to buy foods which have less than 5 ingredients listed on the package. And steer clear of the products with ingredients you can’t pronounce or don’t know what they are.

3. Eat a breakfast high in protein
There is plenty of research that suggests starting your day with a protein based meal such as eggs, chicken, nuts or seeds can help reduce your cravings as well as help people lose weight and burn calories.

4. Balance your blood sugar levels
Food cravings often come about due to your blood sugar levels being too low. When you experience low blood sugar, you will eat almost anything and in most cases it will be junk. Eating smaller meals or snacks every 3-4 hours can help you balance your blood sugar levels.

5. Create interest
You too can create interest in your food just as the food scientists focus on creating dynamic contrast with their processed products. This is important to keep your mind interested and to ensure the food is desirable to all your senses. Mix a crunchy carrot with a creamy guacamole, add pomegranates into a salad or top your Greek yoghurt with nuts and seeds.

6. Curb your emotional eating
Studies show that we have an emotional attachment to food and stress or mood leads to food cravings. If this is you, it is time to find a better way to cope with your stress and deal with emotions. Changing our behaviour from reaching for a sugary treat when stress arises to going for a walk or doing a workout can reduce our tendency to eat unhealthy foods.

There are several powers at force when it comes to food cravings. There is our biologically make-up of consuming high calorie foods for survival, our tendency to use food to cope with changes in emotions and the power of food scientists designing foods that keep us coming back for more. But these are all moveable focuses and once we understand food cravings, we can learn to control and essentially eliminate them from our lives.

Our knowledge about the importance of healthy living may have increased, yet the dieting industry is bigger than ever before. In 2012, more than 100 million Americans were on some sort of diet, yet according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, 70 percent of American adults remain overweight or obese.
The weight-loss industry reportedly rakes in a whopping $US20 billion annually. This comprises of diet plans and supplements that promise to help you shred the kilos and keep it off for the long term.

But it isn’t just American’s that are struggling to maintain a healthy weight range. According to New Zealand’s Ministry of Health, half the adult population in NZ are either obese or overweight!

So why if the dieting industry is getting bigger, are people worldwide gaining unhealthy amounts of weight? Because diets don’t work!! In fact authors of a recent paper written in the Journal of American Medical Association recommend we forget the word “diet” altogether.

Researchers Sherry Pagoto of the University of Massachusetts Medical and Bradley Appelhans of the Rush University Medical Center suggest that diets are all equally good and bad at helping people lose weight. As a personal trainer, I can totally see where they are coming from. Diets may help you lose some weight temporarily, but ultimately they are not going to be the key to long-term weight management.

The difference between a diet and a healthy lifestyle
Maybe you are thinking a diet and a healthy lifestyle are one of the same. But there are some clear differences. A diet focuses on promoting a certain outcome and in most cases that outcome is weight loss. It does this by temporarily changing your eating habits either through the restriction of calories, certain food groups or through the use of certain weight loss tools such as supplements, weight loss teas or juice cleanses.
A healthy lifestyle on the other hand, is a change in a range of habits that helps promote long-term weight control, fitness and overall wellness. This will include managing diet, physical activity, stress and any pre-exiting health conditions. The key word associated with a healthy lifestyle change is long-term. This is not a quick fix solution.

How to spot a fad diet?
If you are like many, you have probably tried a diet at one particularly stage in your life. Maybe you gave the low-carb diet a go. Perhaps you tried the high-carb diet, the Atkins diet, the Zone diet or even the celebrity favourite, the lemon detox diet. Whatever diet you may have tried in the past, chances are they didn’t do much for you long-term.

There are some key things that fad diets all have in common:

There are some foods completely off-limits
A promise of an unrealistic amount of weight loss in a short period of time
Some foods will be referred to as “good” or “bad”
You may have to stock up on a huge amount of products at speciality stores
The claim may be made that you can lose weight without exercise
The plan is only short term
You may need purchase supplements or food substitutes from the diet company themselves.

Why diets fail at helping with long-term weight management
If fad diets really worked, than the global weight-loss industry made up of thousands of brands targeting the venerable wouldn’t be making the incredible amount of money it does. We would all be skinny and look fabulous, right?

In an article published in the American Psychologist journal, researchers of the University of California concluded that diets can help people lose an average of 5-10 percent of body weight within a short period of time. That’s impressive, but the down side to this according to the paper, is that nearly 70 percent of these dieters regain all the weight and some.

Fad diets aren’t sustainable. Restricting yourself of certain foods, having the feeling of always being hungry or feeling deprived is only going to discourage you from maintaining the diet long-term. They also are known to cause health problems including:
Dehydration
Weakness and fatigue
Nausea and headaches
Constipation
Inadequate vitamin and mineral intake

Researchers Sherry Pagoto and Bradley Appelhans suggest it doesn’t matter what the ‘diet’ is, it is the behavioural piece that is key to maintaining a lifestyle. In fact, they see five significant challenges that people face including:
1. Lack of time to cook or exercise
2. Being too stressed
3. Family members bringing junk food home
4. Not having an exercise partner or feeling awkward exercising
5. Feeling hungry all the time

Pagoto and Appelhans say the ratio of fat to carb to protein isn’t the big issue here. The only consistent fact in all diet studies seems to be that adherence is the element strongly associated with weight loss and better health outcomes. For a more accelerated reduction of body fat, you might want to think about undergoing coolsculpting treatment at Bodify Medical Spa.

Why healthy lifestyle changes promote long-term weight management
A 2005 research paper in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that 20 percent of dieters successfully kept the weight off long-term. Through the review of existing clinical data, they found it was the lifestyle changes the participants made throughout the course of the diet and changes that they then continued to adhere to that help keep the weight off.
These changes included eating breakfast daily, exercising on average of one hour per day, keeping tabs on their weight and maintaining consistent eating patterns throughout the week and on weekends.

Eating healthily becomes a natural habit if you change your lifestyle rather than adhere to a short-term diet. It’s like brushing your teeth. Most of us brush regularly and it has become an easy to sustain habit that is just second nature.

Simple ways you can adopt a healthy lifestyle
1. Set realistic goals
Don’t set yourself up for failure by setting unrealistic goals. Meeting these goals and regularly reassessing makes weight loss achievable and gives you drive to continue your healthy lifestyle rather than be overcome with disappointment.

2. Keep healthy foods in your house
Don’t keep unhealthy food in the house as temptation. Keep fresh fruit and veggies on hand that you can grab and eat easily. Stock up on wholegrains, healthy proteins and avoid prepacked, processed foods.

3. Maintain a regular exercise program
Find an exercise that you love be it boxing, yoga, HIIT or running. Find something you love and create a regular exercise program around that particular workout.

4. Eat mindfully
Focus on eating your meal without any distractions. Spend time to plate up your meal so it looks appealing, chew slowly and enjoy every mouthful.

5. Eat breakfast
Breakfasts sets you up for the whole day. Research suggests those who wake up and eat are most successfully at losing eight and over 80 percent of people who are able to keep weight off, consume breakfast.

6. Drink water
Ditch the soda and sugary drinks and keep your body hydrated with water. Drinking water aids in keeping your body functioning and releasing the toxins from your system.

7. Include salad or veggies each day
Make an effort to include an array of fresh salad or colourful veggies in your diet every day.

8. Serve up and put leftovers away
Portion out your meal and make an effort to put any leftovers away before you head back for seconds or even thirds!

Creating a healthy lifestyle is something that does take time, but is not hard to do. Over time you will start to see your taste buds and view of food change. You won’t so much desire the big bag of chips but look forward to eating a healthier alternative. It will become natural for you to look after your body and listen to what it needs and wants rather than giving into temptation.

Are you suffering from Adrenal fatigue?
A year or so back, adrenal fatigue was the buzz word and everyone in the world of holistic medicine and fitness was talking about the condition. As we are squeezing more into our daily lives we were seeing a rise in people not being able to cope with their busy schedules and stressful days. People were feeling worn out and burnt out not being able to keep up?

Adrenal fatigue has even been referred to as the ‘21st Century Stress Syndrome’ or Adrenal Insufficiency and it is occurring world-wide. Research suggests that 75-90 percent of visits to the GP are related to stress. Results from an NZ survey in 2012 showed one in five Kiwi workers struggle with work-related stress and one out of every 10 are unhappy with their work-life balance.

Sounds familiar? Well for this podcast I wanted to discuss the 4 stages of adrenal fatigue and how to handle them. I discuss what adrenal fatigue actually is and its collection of signs and symptoms. We will also look at ways you can combat adrenal fatigue and restore the balance.

What is adrenal fatigue?
Adrenal fatigue is characterised by a collection of signs and symptoms that are caused by the adrenal glands functioning below the necessary level. These are the walnut shaped glands that sit above the kidneys. The adrenal glands are responsible for the release of hormones such as cortisol and adrenalin.

In healthy people, when the body experiences stress whether it is emotional or physical, the adrenals kick into action. They start sending out hormones in this fight or flight response which help the body deal with stress such as regulating energy production, heart rate and immune function.

In those people who are frequently stressed, suffer from chronic health problems or maintain a poor diet, the adrenals weaken and become overwhelmed. As a result they fail to create and send out the important hormones your body needs to maintain its overall health and function properly.

The most obvious symptom is fatigue, but not the type that is relieved by sleep. The tiredness is especially present in the early morning and mid-afternoon regardless of how good a sleep you have had the night before.

Other common symptoms include:
Feeling stressed, overwhelmed and run-down
Difficulty bouncing back after being stressed or ill
Requiring stimulants such as coffee or chocolate to keep your energy levels up
Lack of lido
Craving salty or sweet snacks
Weight gain
Struggling to lose weight
Feeling light-headed or weak
Poor memory
Foggy thinking
Poor concentration
Lack of drive to do things you enjoy

As you can see the signs and symptoms of adrenal fatigue are pretty board and can also be linked with other health issues, which is why it is often hard to diagnose.

Four stages of adrenal fatigue
There are four discrete stages of adrenal fatigue which characterises it gradual progression. The closer you are to stage four the more intense and damaging the adrenal fatigue can be to your body.

Stage 1 – Beginning the ‘alarm’ phase
This stage is the body’s first initial reaction to a stressor in your life. This could be an event or something that makes you feel a little nervous or stressed such as an exam, a job interview or even a blind date.

You will experience an increased state of arousal and alertness as your body goes through the normal stress reaction process. Your hormones such as adrenaline, insulin, DHEA (a natural steroid) and cortisol will be elevated in response to the stress.
While this is not going to trigger full blown adrenal fatigue, as this occurs multiple times you may begin to see symptoms as a result such as disrupted sleep patterns and intermittent tiredness.

Stage 2 – Continuing the ‘alarm’ phase
During this stage you are likely to be reaching for a cup of coffee more and more as you start to experience the effects of over-worked adrenals.
Your endocrine system, where your adrenals are located, works like clockwork to produce the hormones you need to respond to the stress. But in doing so, the levels of DHEA and other sex hormones start to decrease allowing for all the effort to be put into the production of stress hormones such as cortisol which is why we also recommend this quiet bullet vibrator to increase the benefits

Furthermore, specialists highlight the other activity benefits from sex: the flexing of joints, the stretching of muscles and tendons, and the rise in respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure that can energize the body in a healthy person.

It is common for people in stage 2 to start feeling wired but ultimately really tired. You know when you are alert throughout the day, but as soon as you get home you crash.

Stage 3 – The ‘resistance’ phase
This is the stage where people start to really see adrenal fatigue affecting their quality of life. Whilst they are able to still maintain every day activities such as going to work, housework and social commitments, they do experience a significant drop in their enthusiasm.

Generally people in the resistance phase start feeling regular tiredness, lack of energy and interest, consistent infections and lack sex drive. This is due to the endocrine system continuing to produce stress hormones at the expense of the sex hormones.

Stage 4 – The ‘burnout’ phase
By the time a person has reached the burnout phase, the adrenal glands are over-worked and the body simply runs out of ways to produce the stress hormones. As a result levels in cortisol begin decrease and now both the sex and stress hormones are depleted.
The body literally burns out from the constant stress. This can result in extreme tiredness, lack of sex drive, irritability, depression, anxiety, weight loss and general disinterest in life.

How do you know if you are suffering from adrenal fatigue?
Some people can have an episode of adrenal fatigue and recover relatively quickly without even being officially diagnosed with the condition. There are tests available which can sample the amount of stress hormones in your salvia, however as adrenal fatigue is still not widely accepted in conventional medicine few GPs in New Zealand ask for the tests.

There are some common signs you can look out for:

You can’t sleep
Having trouble sleeping is a classic sign of adrenal fatigue. Try getting to bed before 10pm to reset your body clock and create a new rhythm. Even if you can’t instantly fall asleep, lying in bed within a dark room can kick start the production of melatonin which encourages sleep.

Dark circles around your eyes
When you are stressed, emotional drained or dehydrated your body’s healthy circulation is disrupted. This results in dark circles which can be seen through the thin under-eye skin. If this is accompanied by a sunken look it can suggest there are serious problems with your kidneys and it is necessary you consult your GP.

Your menstrual cycle is out of whack
With adrenal fatigue can often come issues with the thyroid and menstrual cycle. This unfortunately is not something that can be fixed with a magic pill or overnight. Balancing your hormones can only really be done as you address your entire lifestyle holistically. That includes diet, stress, sleep and especially your exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

Life has become overwhelming
Most people suffering from adrenal fatigue are overwhelmed by their day-to-day lives and have an inability to handle stress of any scale. This emotional stress often means they put self-care on the bottom of their list. This just heightens the load on your adrenals and speeds up their depletion.

The feeling of soreness and achy
In the case when you hormone levels are out of balance, your body suffers. When your adrenals are exhausted and under strain, your cortisol levels take a nose dive. This results in non-specific symptoms such as the feeling of stiffness, achy in your joints and muscles and a puffy appearance.

You’re not right in the gut
Experiencing an upset gut is a sure sign your body is not as healthy as it could be. Disease and illness extends from an unhealthy gut, so ensuring it is in good health is vital. Bloating and poor digestion are possible symptoms of adrenal fatigue.

Who is at risk of suffering from adrenal fatigue?
Anyone can experience adrenal fatigue from a big shot CEO or professional athlete, to a stay at home mum or student. It also doesn’t matter how old you are and even the healthiest person can express the condition.

If you have suffered from an illness, a tragedy, a dramatic change in lifestyle or are continuing to face difficult and stressful situations you can drain your adrenal resources. However there are certain lifestyle choices, illnesses and situations that can make you more susceptible to the condition including:
Poor nutrition
Substance abuse
Allergies
Lack of sleep
High pressured situations / job
Chronic illness
Repeated infections such as pneumonia
Unhealthy relationships
Maternal adrenal fatigue

Chronic disease place demands on almost every aspect of your health including your adrenal glands. Medical treatment can also add to the diminished adrenal function. Corticosteroids for example are formulated to mimic the actions of the hormone cortisol. Often the need for corticosteroids steams from the adrenals not functioning at their optimum and producing adequate amounts of the hormone. The use of corticosteroids whilst addresses one issue to do with the adrenal function it has a knock on effect. Over time it supresses the adrenal glands’ natural output of cortisol.

How to enhance adrenal function
Recovering from adrenal function, particularly if you have reached stage 4 phase, is a slow and long process which requires patience and dedication. During this time your body requires adequate hydration, time to rest, sleep and proper nutrients to ensure the reserves are not depleted.

There are some natural ways to enhance your adrenal function and prevent a full blown crash:

Evaluate your lifestyle – this includes all aspects such as work, social, emotional, family, nutrition and exercise
Ensure you get an adequate night sleep for a consecutive period of time, not just one or two good nights a week.
Ensure your body is well hydrated daily
Increase your electrolytes and minerals in the form of foods such as bone broth, fermented vegetables etc.
Up your intake of vitamin C
Ensure your diet is packed with nutrient-rich foods
Create balance – in everything

Experiencing adrenal fatigue does not mean that your body is going to continually suffer as a result of stress. Promoting healthy adrenal function and maintaining good health particularly during the stressful times will help you support your adrenal glands.
Your adrenals secrete hormones and if not functioning correctly give you imbalances which can play havoc on our daily lives. With each increment of reduction in your adrenal function, every organ and system within your body is more profoundly affected. Staying on top of this is vital for your overall health and wellbeing.

Here are some articles I have written previously on this topic that may interest you.

Dietary Recommendations For Adrenal Fatigue 

What Is Adrenal Fatigue And How Do I Fix It?

8 Signs Your Adrenals Are Fatigued

How To Tell If Your Adrenals Are Fatigued 

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I have been through adrenal fatigue and this is why I am so passionate about helping others deal with theres. Information is vital and inside the online gym I share as much information as I can to help you take care of your adrenal health through proper nutrition and lifestyle balance. Fine tune your diet and start improving your energy with the webinars, details questionnaires, autoimmune diets, menu plans and so much more inside the online gym. 

The pursuit of happiness when you have hit rock bottom
As a personal trainer it is not uncommon for me to see clients when they are at the lowest of lows. This might be due to putting on a large amount of weight, losing their job or confronting a divorce. Heartbreak, money, stress, loss, illness are all contributors of emotional anguish. When facing a divorce, take a look at the qualities of a divorce attorney to ensure you have the right support during this challenging time.

Unfortunately for those experiencing these personal struggles, life as they know it seems to be crumbling before their eyes and they struggle to maintain any sense of happiness and joy.

Regardless of our personal set of circumstances, when you hit rock bottom it feels as though everything negative is coming crashing down all at once with no light at the end of the tunnel. Most of us have been there. And the thought of true happiness seems unattainable.

If this is sounding familiar, you will be happy to know that there are ways you can crawl out of this emotional black hole and rebuild your life. But you don’t have to have hit rock bottom to benefit from these techniques. Maybe you are stuck in a rut and struggling to manifest the life you have always visualised. Or perhaps you are strapped onto the emotional rollercoaster on a downward spiral knowing that if you don’t take control you are going to hit an all-time low.

Over the years of being a coach to a variety of people, I discovered the way to truly find happiness and repair your life when you have hit rock bottom is to work with realigning your mind and body. Sure going on a run or doing a session of high intensity training such as boxing can help relieve stress and enable you to ditch some emotional baggage, but it is a short term solution. Just as finding another job, refinancing your loans or losing weight on a diet is only going to be a band-aide unless you sort out the underlying issues.

This is where yoga comes into play. It is one of the main forms of exercise where the foundations of the practice lies in balancing the mind, body and spirit. It’s not about slimming down, getting more flexible or improving posture. It is about working on the health of your inner and outer body, connecting with your inner self and restoring balance. And if you have hit rock bottom or are on your way down, this truly is a practice you should take advantage of.

Although there is no scientific evidence to suggest particular yoga poses make us happy, there is substantial evidence that the practice of yoga relates directly to increased positive mood and happiness.  It is suggested that certain body posturing, breathing techniques and positive thinking play a huge role in our emotional and physical make-up.

So let’s talk a little about how the practice of yoga can be utilised to improve your level of happiness and help you gain control over your life, emotions and wellbeing.
Yoga teaching you to be present

Yoga helps you learn to be present and focus on each and every moment. When we are going through an emotional struggle we often spend time getting upset over the events that have already occur and start feeling anxious over what might happen next as a result. In fact, a 2010 Harvard study found people spend 47% of their time worrying about things that aren’t happening right at that moment.

Yoga practice teaches us to focus on the moment at hand. As you focus on your breath and your body’s position, in that particular moment your world isn’t falling apart. This allows your mind to rest and your emotions to stabilise as you in a sense pause the noise and drama of your life and reset.

Once you have learnt how to quieten your mind through the practice of yoga and you are able focus on the exact moment in front of you, you can draw on this skill throughout the day. When you are feeling the anxiety levels spike or the pressure becoming too much, connect with your breath and take the moment to discover that little window of happiness, contentment and joy. In addition to these mindfulness techniques, some individuals also explore different microdose products, such as shrooms, to help with anxiety.

Yoga allows you to build confidence
Many of the postures in yoga are designed to open up the body in order to re-energise and reinvigorate the mind and body. As you hold a pose you are breathing in oxygen to a particular area and nurturing your internal tissues and organs. Not only that, according to a 2010 Harvard Study by holding an open-body posture such as warrior, you are decreasing the cortisol levels and increasing testosterone levels in your body. Testosterone is a confidence boosting hormone which helps reduce anxiety and increase your self-assuredness. Enhance your mood and mental clarity with testogen.

These power poses are created to build strength from within and open up the body in the process. When you commit to practice yoga regularly, you will be surprised at how your confidence improves not only in your practice by in your abilities and self.

Yoga helps you find gratitude
When you are in the midst of a mental breakdown or are struggling to see the light at the end of a tunnel, being thankful is almost impossible. And by thankful, I am not referring to the ‘thanks’ you give to the barrister who made your morning coffee or to the cab driver who got you to your meeting on time. I’m talking about real, sincere gratitude.
A study published by the Journal of Happiness looked into the effects of being grateful has on our overall levels of happiness. Through a study of 219 men and women who wrote down a note of gratitude each week, they found that in just a 3 week period participants felt an increase in life satisfaction and overall happiness as well as a decrease in depressive symptoms.

As you take to your mat in yoga, you start to appreciate your body. You block out the noise and focus on restoring balance rather than worrying about the upsets and stresses occurring in your life. You start connecting with yourself and you become grateful for the smallest things at that particular moment.

You might be grateful for your mat providing you a layer of cushion between your feet and the floor. Perhaps you can feel grateful for your health, grateful you have made the time to heal from your pain or grateful for the food you nourish your body with.

Yoga allows you to accept
When you come to your yoga mat and commence the practice you should always try to do so with no expectations or preconceived ideas. As you being moving through a sequence of poses and start to connect with your breath and realign your mind and body, you start to accept who you are. You accept the teacher for who she or he is. You accept the tightness and strain of some of your muscles. You accept your limitations and the feelings you experience throughout the class.

This acceptance often continues when you step back into your busy life. Instead of expecting things to turn out a certain way or expecting someone to act a certain way, you start to learn you can’t control everything. You learn to put your expectations aside and to permit life to flow at its own pace.

Now, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have goals and expectations for yourself, but you have to learn there are some things that are out of your control. You can’t control how someone is going to act and there are many situations you can’t control the outcome. Coming to terms with this and learning expectance can aid in healing as well as preventing disappointment, heartache and stress in future situations.

Yoga provides the space you need to relax and recall memories
Yoga is possibly one of the greatest forms of exercise to feel relaxed during your practice. Being relaxed helps reduce the perception of stress, allows you to collect your thoughts and take a breath from the emotional pain.

The University of Southampton discover when you allow yourself to relax you can pretty much think your way into happiness! By recalling a happy memory or visualising an experience or place that you felt joy can actually make you happier. This can raise your self-esteem, heightens your optimism and in turn improves your overall wellbeing.
So when you are in the Shavasan position at the end of your practice, allow your body to regroup, reset and focus your attention on positive moments in your life. Recall how you felt and let that bring a smile on your face.

At the end of the day taking care of ourselves particularly during times when you are feeling out of control is essential to our overall health and wellbeing. Too often though, we let ourselves hit rock bottom before we act. Indulging in moments of happiness while nurturing your body and mind can help stop things from falling apart. It’s important to tap into that inner well of joy and to restore the balance between your inner and outer body before you get overwhelmed with the journey of life.

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Podcast # 89 – The Many Different Types Of Yoga

Which style yoga should you try?
There are so many different styles of yoga which can often leave people feeling a little confused. Should you try Anusara or Ashtanga? Join a Bikram or Iyengar class? Perhaps you have tried Vinyasa and decided yoga is not for you! But don’t give up yet…
The positive side to yoga’s variety of styles is that there is almost a guarantee you will find a yoga class that suits you and your needs. And as yoga becomes more mainstream there are even more studios and yoga instructors challenging the original perception of the practice. Like yoga hip hop, death metal yoga and even nude yoga (not sure that one is for me!!)!
As we near to the start of our awesome 21 day yoga retreat, I thought I would get you familiar with some of the more popular types of yoga and help you find the right style for you.

Let’s start with Hatha yoga.

Hatha Yoga
Hatha Yoga is one of the six original branches of yoga and really is the foundation of nearly all the modern styles of the practice. “Ha” represents the sun and “tha” represents the moon alluding to the opposites in life similar to yin and yang, dark and light, calm and excited.

The exact dates of when the practice of Hatha first began are unknown, but the earliest written reference is in 1100 AD. The main principle of Hatha yoga is that the physical body comprises both materiality and mentality. Through the practice of Hatha, one can transform the body-mind complex to obtain supernatural powers and a sense of liberation. This form of yoga was originally designed to prepare the body for meditation.

Today, Hatha is all about the physical practice as opposed to chanting. The pace is slow and gentle with a strong focus on breathing techniques, asanas, meditation and basic poses. This practice aims to reinvigorate both the mind and body.

Who should try it? As it is slow paced, it is a great style for beginners or anyone who is in need of calming down and de-stressing! Being the foundation of many yoga styles, it is a great choice for those wanting to also work on their technique.

From a calming form of yoga to a more athletic form let’s talk about Ashtanga yoga.

Ashtanga yoga
Ashtanga is often referred to as ‘power yoga’ due to its ability to get your heart rate up. It’s literal meaning is ‘eight limbs’ referring to eight essential practices including yama, moral restraints; niyama, observances; asana, posture; pranayama, breath extension; pratyahara, sensory withdrawal; dharana, concentration; dhyana, meditation; and samadhi, meditative absorption.

The practice of Ashtanga can be traced back to Mysore, India over five thousand years ago. It was said this vigorous form of yoga was intended to focus the minds and energy of teenage schoolboys! Now that’s a challenge!

In an Ashtanga class today, you can expect a series of six poses that are only held for five breathes before swiftly moving onto the next. You will continuously on the go and might not even feel like you are undertaking such a spiritual practice.

Who should try it? If you are looking for a more athletic style of yoga, Ashtanga could be a good choice for you. If you’re a newbie to yoga, it’s best to get some experience in a slower-paced yoga class before you jump into practicing Ashtanga. You can’t flow if you don’t know the poses!

Onto Vinyasa…

Vinyasa yoga
Vinyasa is one of the smoothest flowing forms of yoga (often referred to as Flow) which requires your mind to be focused in the present otherwise you will miss the sequences. Not to dissimilar to that of a dance class! The term Vinyasa simply means ‘breath-synchronised movement’.

Like many yoga styles, Vinyasa originated from Hatha yoga, but was influenced heavily by Ashtanga. The basic principle of the practice is about continuous movement and breath. It is the power of inhaling and exhaling that assists you to move through the series of poses.

Why should try it? Vinyasa yoga can suit anyone from beginner yogis to those more experienced yoga enthusiasts. The pace can differ depending on the teacher, but whether slow or fast paced, there is a lot of variety and movement to the practice so no two classes are ever the same.

Bikram yoga
Bikram yoga, otherwise known as Hot yoga, is practiced in a room heated to around 40.6 degrees and with a humidity of about 40%. If you are fond of saunas and like to sweat, than this possibly could be the style for you!

It first originated in the early 1970’s by Indian yogi Bikram Choudhury. After suffering from a knee injury during a weight-lifting accident, Bikram was told by doctors he would never walk again. That was until he started practicing yoga. Six months later, his knee had totally healed and he went on to devise the 26 posture sequence now referred to as Bikram.
The principle behind the Bikram poses is the profound healing power on your body and mind. The heat is believed to help drive a deeper stretch and prevent injury in the process as well as draw out any toxins.

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Today, the practice is extremely popular and follows the 26 posture sequence with two breathing exercises in a hot studio. This popularity has driven Bikram to be one of the most well respected living yoga gurus in the world.

Who should try it? If you like the heat, than this is one for you. It does require stamina, but after a few classes you get really used to the heat and can enjoy some great benefits. Just remember to stay hydrated the day of and during the class.

If working out in the heat isn’t your thing, than the gentler form of Yin yoga might be…

Yin yoga
Yin yoga is one of the quieter forms of yoga and is a highly meditative practice. The slow pace is designed to take you much deeper than you have ever been. You may hold one pose for several minutes and others for up to 20 mins! Incredible right?

The technique of holding yoga stretches for a long period of time has been practised for centuries in China and Taiwan as part of the ancient Taoist yoga (a system of stretching and movement exercises that coordinates our breathing with certain postures and movements).

The Yin yoga practiced today began in the 1970’s by Paulie Zink who was a martial arts expert and Taoist yoga teacher. Aptly named, the practice is based on the concepts of yin and yang. Yin being the stable, unmoving, calm aspect and yang being the changing, moving, exciting aspect.

This yoga technique works deeply within our connective tissue. It targets are ligaments, joints, bones and deep fascia rather than our muscles. In a class you will be focusing on the lower spine, hips and pelvis through passive, seated postures. It enhances the flow of chi in our organs and improves the energy flow around our body.

Who should try it? If you want to relax, quieten your mind and focus on your breathing Yin yoga is a great choice. It is also beneficial for those who work out a lot to release tension from overworked joints.

Kundalini yoga
Kundalini yoga focuses on releasing the energy located at the base of your spine called, you guess it, Kundalini. Through the practice, this energy is allowed to move upwards through the body like a coiled sleeping snake just waiting for the sound of music! By doing this it aims to awaken the body.
It was also known as the Yoga of Awareness and originally taught by Yogi Bhajan and dates back to the fifth century B.C. The objective of the practice is to connect with your inner human awareness. The power to recognise awareness, refine it and expand on it provides clarity, the ability to deeply listen, to cultivate inner stillness and ultimately to prosper.

In a typical Kundalini class you will focus on the effects of the breath while incorporating meditation, breathing techniques, chanting and yoga postures into the practice.
Who should try it? Those who desire a more meditative or spiritual element to their yoga practice will love this style. It’s extremely soothing and centring and upon completing the class you will feel grounded and focused.

I want to highlight a newer and less well known form of yoga, just to give you an idea of how diverse the practice can be.

Jivamukti yoga
Jivamukti yoga was created in 1984 by New Yorkers, Sharon Gannon and David Life. The term Jivamukti translates to “liberation while living”. This practice is based on a vinyasa-style yoga delivered in a themed class and often including music, chanting and even ancient scripture readings.
You won’t come across it often in New Zealand as the flow sequences are mostly practiced in NYC. And it is often the real traditionalists that practice this physical / spiritual form of yoga. This is due to the fact that it is very educational based as it encourages students to apply the yogic philosophy in their daily lives. Mind you, celebrities such as Russell Simmons and Christy Turlington have dabbled in Jivamukti yoga!

Who should try it? Those who are interested in the yogic traditions and the spiritual foundations of yoga would love this practice. Perhaps worth a trip to the Big Apple!

Lastly, I want to quickly talk about restorative yoga or more precisely Iyengar yoga as it is a great way to promote relaxation and in turn heal and balance the body.
Iyengar yoga
Iyengar yoga is often referred to as restorative yoga as it focuses on health and aligning the body. It is one of the oldest forms of yoga originating in India by teacher BKS Iyengar. The style of yoga was developed when BKS Iyengar wanted to improve his health while suffering from tuberculosis.

There is an emphasis on the body’s alignment in every pose. Unlike Ashtanga where you transition quickly from one pose to the next, you hold poses over a longer periods of time during Iyengar yoga practice. Often props such as blocks, cushions and straps are used to correct alignment.

Why should try it? Iyengar yoga is suitable for all levels as it aims to teach the fundamentals, correct your posture and builds a stronger foundation and technique for when you attempt other styles. Anyone with health issues or a need for realignment can also improve from Iyengar practice.

If that doesn’t get you eager to roll out your mat and get started with your yoga practice, I don’t know what will. For me, it is so exciting and interesting to discuss the different types of yoga out there and why they are established in the first place. The variety of yoga proves there is something for everyone and can address a wide range of different needs, be it to de-stress, repair or heal the body or simply to gain strength and fitness.

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Check out our online gym and why not try out my style of yoga in the comfort of your living room. I would love for you to join me

This is your Motivation Monday podcast. Once a week I want to bring you a short 5 minute podcast to help set you up for the week ahead. To inspire you to have a week full of energy and for you to do great things. So this week we are talking all about the words we use both for our ourselves and how we set our goals. Tune in and stay motivated and on track through the winter months.

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Podcast # 87 – The Latest Diet To Hit Social Media “Pegan”
You may have noticed over the last month a surge in foodie Instagram pics and tweets with the hashtag “Pegan”. Move over Paleo and vegan, Pegan has combined the best of the two strict eating styles and is the latest diet craze to gain traction amongst the health conscious community.

I don’t usually focus much attention towards diet trends, nor do I feel the need to label the way in which I like to eat and encourage others to. I prefer to keep it simple – eating whole, real foods and limiting refined or processed produce, but the principles of Pegan have certainly sparked my interest.
So for this podcast I wanted to discuss the newest diet and the possible health benefits of converting to a Pegan. Who knows you might already be one and you just don’t know it!

Where it all began
Fortunately, Pegan is not just a diet craze invented by an Instagram healthy with simply a love for food and great photography skills. The internationally recognised New York physician, Dr. Mark Hyman, has combined the strengths of Paleo and vegan to focus on real, whole, fresh and sustainably raised foods coining it Pegan.

I’m sure you all would have seen Hyman on one the many talk shows, across the online media or perhaps in one of the bestselling publications. He has certainly made a name for himself by looking at healing from chronic disease holistically rather than through conventional medicine. For me, this is music to my ears as we are seeing more Western medical practitioners take into account factors such as lifestyle, exercise, diet and emotional wellbeing when healing patients. This idea of preventive medicine is something we should all be working towards.

Hyman is clear that he believes food is medicine and through in-depth research he has been noticing the regular occurrence of studies which validate the foundations of both the vegan and Paleo diets. Studies focusing on vegan diets have shown positive impact on our health including weight, reversal of diabetes and the lowering of cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The association of health benefits and Paleo diets have also been verified in several studies and seem to have the same positive effects.

Studies
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25620754
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25304296
http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v63/n8/abs/ejcn20094a.html
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/29/8/1777.short

Hayman’s question was, which I find extremely valid, is why should be you shunning certain produce such grains in the case of Paleo or animal products in the case of vegan if both eating styles are exhibiting the same positive health benefits? This one of the reasons why, I choose to avoid adhering to a “diet” and prefer to create a lifestyle of eating foods where there is clear evidence they are beneficial to our health.

Combining the two though diets isn’t just about simply merging the two names and creating a buzz. Hayman analysed the actual data from a lot of these studies before combining the best bits. And let me tell you, studies regarding certain foods or diets are often confusing and also not completely accurate. Not so long ago egg yolks where considered to be bad for your cholesterol and saturated fat was linked to heart disease. Now sugar is in the firing line!

So what are the best bits?
When you think Paleo, you think hunter gather, caveman, high meat intake and vegetables. When you talk vegan, you’re instantly thinking no animal products, lots of vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds. Almost polar opposites right? Well they do have some common ground in their foundations.
Both Paleo and Vegan focus on a diet very low in glycaemic load. This mean low in sugar, flour and refined carbs. They both are big on high intake of vegetables and fruits and avoid where possible pesticides, antibiotics, hormones and GMO foods. You won’t see chemicals, additives, preservatives, dyes, MSG or artificial sweeteners in the pantry of either vegan or Paleo diet goers who prefer organic, local, fresh and seasonal whole foods. Good quality fats are encouraged as well as adequate protein, however dairy is shunned from both diets.

So there is definitely cross over from both the Vegan and Paleo diet and in my opinion these are all positive eating habits regardless of whether you adhere to a labelled diet or not.
There both however, have the ability to both be unhealthy diets. Yes, there are unhealthy members of the vegan and Paleo tribe. With the increase in popularity, more vegan pre-packaged products are now available with some suss ingredients. But it really comes down to the combinations of foods the individual chooses to consume. A vegan diet of bagels, pasta and chips provides no nutritional benefit. Neither does a Paleo diet filled with meat with little vegetables.

Differences between the diets
There are some clashes that clearly differentiate the two.

Meat – the obvious distinction between the vegan and Paleo diets is meat. Vegan’s steer clear of all meats for not only health reasons but for many because of its impact on the planet and for animal welfare reasons.
Grains – forbidden in Paleo, grains have been a recent targeted food due to its ability to cause inflammation, autoimmunity, digestive problems and even obesity.
Beans – while a great source of fibre, protein and minerals, beans are not favoured by the Paleo camp due to the concern that they contain lectins and phytates. Lectins can often create inflammation and lead to digestive upsets in some and phytates impair essential mineral absorption.
Eggs – being an animal by-product, vegans don’t consume eggs because they contain animal tissue as well as issues of animal welfare due to the killing of unwanted male chicks.
Fish – again an animal product which is out for vegan’s but in for Paleos. A good thing too as omega-3 fats are essential which isn’t found in plants.

Becoming a Pegan

So how does one go about becoming a Pegan?

Hyman’s idea of going Pegan is not about focusing on portion sizes or what you eat when so much, but putting more focus on what you eat. Taking consideration into the type of food you fuel your body with and where it comes from. It’s pretty simple actually which is why I believe Pegan has some merit.
This kind of eating predominately focuses on eating whole, natural produce. You know, real food! Not the stuff you find in a frozen meal, a jar or in nicely wrapped packaging.

The main foundations of Pegan include:
A focus on glucemic load including more protein and fats
Source: nuts (no peanuts) seeds like flax, chia, pumpkin, coconut, avocados, sardines, olive oil
Eat the good fats
Source: omega 3 fats, nuts, coconut, avocados, grass fed meat
Limit vegetable oils – canola, sunflower, corn
Eat mostly plants
75% of your plate should be low glycemic vegetables and fruits
Focus on nuts and seeds
Avoid dairy
Avoid gluten
Eat gluten-free whole grains sparingly
Eat beans sparingly
Consume meat as a condiment
Sugar should be an occasional treat in all its forms

There certainly positives of combining both the vegan and Paleo eating styles. It provides you with an array of high quality, nutritious foods and avoids the foods which are linked to health implications. For me, adopting a diet is really about eating real, whole foods. Avoiding those foods that list all sorts of health claims on the packaging and with ingredients you can’t pronounce let along know what they mean.

If you stick with what you know is good for you in its natural form, than adhering to a healthy diet is pretty simple! Ultimately though, you need to develop a love for real food. If you are feeling deprived or always feel like you are missing out on certain foods, then you are always going to resort back to your unhealthy ways.

The foundations of Pegan aim to benefit your health and there is an array of great produce that falls under the banner. As I mentioned before, you might already be adopting a Pegan lifestyle!

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Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/foreverfit-fitness-nutrition/id525304751

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