Our inner microbiome (gut) affects our total wellbeing, from hunger pangs to chronic illnesses, stress and sadness.
It is now well known that gut health is crucial to our overall wellbeing. It is also connected to everything that happens in our bodies. The trillions of bacteria that live in our gut affect our health, our mood and our weight. In a way these microbes work together to form what can be regarded as an extra internal organ and play a huge role in our health.
“Your gut is the centre of your being – it digests and assimilates nutrients from the food you eat”, says wellness expert Robyn Youkilis
Most of your immune system actually resides in your gut and the gut plays an important role in your mood. Robyn had discovered in her practice as a health coach, that healing the gut resolved many of her clients’ health issues, even the most stubborn.
Poor gut health can lead to digestive issues, such as abdominal pain, bloating, reflux and flatulence and other complaints. including fatigue, joint pain, headaches and even skin problems. Robyn says depression, anxiety, mood swings, irritability and poor concentration are now also being linked to the gut’s microbiome. Other more serious illnesses and chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease and even cancer have been linked to an imbalanced microbiome .
Mental connection
The gut has also even been referred to as a “second brain” because it contains millions of neurones which are sensitive to emotion. Our brain and our gut are, in fact, connected by an extensive network of neurones, chemicals and hormones that constantly provide feedback to and from the brain. These signals carry information about how hungry we are, stress, sadness or even anger. Have you ever felt a sinking feeling in your gut when something happens that you were dreading? That’s the brain – gut connection in action. The emotion is triggering a reaction in your gut.
The connection can be a two-way street as tummy troubles will impact on our mood and happiness. Serotonin is responsible for good mood and it is estimated that 90% of your serotonin is made in your digestive track and reduction of this important chemical is reliant on healthy gut bacteria.
Weight Control
Research suggests that gut bacteria can alter the way that our bodies store fat as well as our response to hormones, making us feel hungry or full. Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not what you eat, or the number of calories you consume, that’s important, but how your body is using what you eat. You might be eating nutritious whole foods most of the time, but still feel foggy, uninspired and generally less than your sparkling best. This is probably because your gut is not in good shape… not properly absorbing all the vitamins and nutrients from your food.
This means that your cells don’t have the fuel they need to carry out their role in absorbing and assimilating nutrients from your food.
Improving memory is a goal that many people share, and there are several things you can do when you know how to improve your memory.
Here are a few tips to help improve your memory:
Stay mentally active: Engage in mentally stimulating activities such as reading, puzzles, and learning a new skill or language. This helps keep your brain active and strengthens your memory.
Exercise regularly: Regular exercise improves blood flow to the brain, which can help improve memory and cognitive function.
Get enough sleep: Sleep is crucial for consolidating memories and improving cognitive function. Aim for at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
Eat a healthy diet: Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can provide the necessary nutrients for brain health.
Reduce stress: Chronic stress can affect memory and cognitive function. Try relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises to reduce stress levels.
Stay socially engaged: Social interaction can help improve memory and cognitive function. Spend time with friends and family, join a social group, or volunteer in your community.
Use mnemonic devices: Mnemonic devices are techniques that can help you remember information more easily. Examples include acronyms, rhymes, and visualization.
Remember, memory is a complex process, and some factors that affect memory are beyond your control. However, by adopting healthy habits and staying mentally active, you can help improve your memory and overall cognitive function.
As we age, many of us may think that our mental ability must necessarily decline. But new evidence shows that this is not neccesarily the case.
Many older people think that by regularly
completing crosswords or sudoku, they will enhance their brain power.
However, this is probably not true. At
best, it will do no more than improve their ability to do crosswords and
sudoku. Unfortunately, there is very
little evidence that these activities, along with the myriad of phone apps
available to improve brain function, achieve anything at all.
According to Melbourne neuroscientist Dr Jared
Cooney Horvath, the secret to keeping your brain fresh is continuing to do
something unpredictable. Recent
research has shown that keeping your brain functioning well is not about repeating
the same activities over and over, rather it is about undertaking new thinking
patterns. Dr Horvath maintains that
there are twelve scientific principles controlling the way that we learn and
remember. He says that the idea that we can use tools to boost brain function
is not supported by current evidence. In actual fact, there is very little that
is known about ways that we can help our brains to function better.
If we understand the way that our brain works, we
will have a better chance of adopting habits and behaviours that will benefit
us to the extent that we can develop a “super-efficient” brain. As we learn, the brain starts to develop an
automatic prediction mechanism. The secret is “you have to keep doing
something unpredictable”.
Learn Something New
Many people, after they retire, will start doing
cross-words and playing golf and and may become very good at these activities,
simply by virtue of repetition and practice. However, if they were to take up something new,
such as learning an instrument or another language or playing a new sport or
even doing something outlandish, the brain will respond and new thought
patterns will develop, thus improving brain function.
The conclusion is that any decline in normal brain
function is not inevitable as we age. In
fact, if any decline occurs, it is most likely not due to any biological
process, but rather sociological effects.
So, the bottom line, according to Dr Horvath,
is… “force yourself to engage in something new and once you get good at it,
do something new again”. If you have
never done a crossword, it will help your brain by starting to do them. But once you get good at it, learn to do something
else, such as a cryptic crossword or solitaire. Keep on stretching your brain to
function outside of its comfort zone.
In essence, the secret to keeping the brain fresh
is continual learning. If you want a well-functioning brain, you
need to feed it new skills all the time.
THREE WAYS TO BOOST BRAIN POWER
1 Follow the Mediterranean Diet
We have long known that exercise, sleep
and stress management are all essential for our brain to function at its
optimum. But in addition to these three things, we can improve our brain health
when we eat a Mediterranean Diet. The Mediterranean diet helps improve
our short term or working memory.
In essence, the Mediterranean dietconsists of eating lots of fruits and vegetables, along with fish, nuts and salads topped off with olive oils. Diets based on these foods have been shown to greatly improve vascular and brain health. These foods can make up a very healthy lunch or dinner with olives, spinach, goat’s cheese, tomatoes, fish, nuts and extra virgin olive oil.
2 Learn Something New
Learning an instrument or learning a new language
can help improve our intellectual skills. As well as this, new sensory and motor
skills can greatly boost the brain function. Reading about new things also
increases our vocabulary and working memory
3 Go out and connect with Nature
Time spent exploring the countryside is time well spent. Go for drives and explore nature. Meditate in nature, relax and have a picnic. Appreciate nature… the sea, the countryside or bush land. Being outdoors gets you out and walking, breathing fresh air. This all broadens your perspective of the world at large around you and your appreciation of nature… bird life and animals.
So slow down, get off the computer or phone and take a picnic and explore nature. Not only will you improve your brain function, you will feel more connected with the outdoors, the people you meet and you will feel more relaxed and calm.
To be both successful and happy, it is very important to believe in yourself. Our beliefs are generally formed in childhood. We have learnt these beliefs from our parents, our environment and the world around us.
Our patterns of behaviour and attitudes are formed when, as young children or teenagers, we watch and learn about attitudes and behaviours from our parents, teachers and any outside influences we are exposed to. We learn about what is acceptable and what is not, and we start forming our own opinions and belief systems, based on our own experiences. These are our shaped and learnt behaviours. We learn that being polite is rewarded and that being rude is not acceptable.
When processing new information
or experiences as an adult, those core beliefs systems that we have formed and
adopted in our early years can sometimes be challenged, but mostly we go back
to our core beliefs as that is where we feel secure.
The
Problem of Self Doubt
Core beliefs
of parents are handed down the generations and they form the basis for our sometimes
flawed, incorrect belief systems. When
this happens, we can become self-doubters, feel insecure and unnecessary
anxiety can take hold. We begin doubting
ourselves and fighting against these ingrained beliefs proves to be very
difficult. To work through these, we
need to have a positive mindset because overcoming limiting beliefs can
be challenging.
In life, we
limit ourselves with these learnt limiting self-beliefs that somehow we
focus on when faced with new challenges, like entering a new career or trying
out something completely different.
Also, others
can influence our thinking very easily, if we let them, putting up blockers for
our vision for the future that we have set for ourselves. Peer pressure can play a role in confusing us
at times when we want to break out of the mould and set our sights on something
personally challenging. Others will have
their own limiting mindset, so don’t be influenced by them. We can listen and may take their advice. We can ask others but we must draw our own
conclusions.
Don’t let
others stand in the way of what you really want to do. Parents, friends and associates may criticise,
or their comments may come from the best of intentions, but do your own
research and listen to someone who has a more open mind. If they are someone that you can bounce ideas
off, you will respect their advice. Listen
to them and ultimately make up your own mind.
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. THE
SKY IS THE LIMIT!
be happy
Don’t let go of the dreams,
passions and values you have set down for yourself. Having put these in place, ultimately the
decision is yours. The sky is the limit when
facing new challenges. Anything can be
achieved if you believe in yourself.
Believe
in yourself, believe that things will happen. Change will take place as you grow and learn. Don’t go through life missing opportunities. Grab them with both hands when they come along;
learn, act and inspire others to do the same.
How to Change your MINDSET
Having made
the decision, don’t doubt your abilities. If you need to take steps to improve
your skills, do so. Do everything in
your power to achieve your dreams. Your
abilities are unique to you and belief in yourself is the first step in
your journey to success. You are on your way to YOUR FUTURE SELF.
Every morning of every day, say to yourself, “I BELIEVE IN ME. I am capable of so much. I am willing to learn everything it takes to be successful, for I am going to succeed and go forward in my life, because I am ME. I am Positive and Confident”.
We all suffer from nerves. It can happen to anyone. It happens to famous musicians before going
on stage. We actually need such feelings
of fear to spur us on to overcome things… when we are starting a new job,
meeting new people, taking on a new challenge, sitting for an exam, having to
give a speech in front of a group of people, maybe your peers. These nerves can
affect us in everyday life and can cause ANXIETY and SELF-DOUBT and it can
affect some of us more than others.
I am a strong believer in SELF-TALK
. Look in the mirror and tell
yourself how good you are, what skills you have, how you are so capable at
particular skills. Look yourself in the
eye and say you can overcome what’s holding you back with thoughts of SELF
DOUBT. Tell yourself you are going to
change, you’re going to be a more positive person who always looks for opportunities
and is grateful and thankful for opportunity and everything around you.
Your attitude towards everything should be from a positive mindset and this is critical to your success and belief in yourself.
Many people go through life accumulating wealth and that’s great, but if it’s not coupled with giving to others, then what is it for?
It is more about themselves than about others.
They need to discover the power of giving.
Giving means offering something without expectation of receiving something in return; or more specifically the act of giving generously of time, money or work without expecting return favours.
If we want our lives to count for something, we should live our lives to advance our knowledge and abilities so that we will have money and time to use for the benefit of others as well as ourselves. This has been described as “win-win”.
Life is not just about getting for ourselves and taking at the expense of others. Life is so much more. A full and meaningful life includes the joy of giving.
It can take
only one person to influence another person’s life and this can impact on the
whole family or the whole community and beyond, for the benefit of so many
people. One person’s giving can change a whole community or even change
the world. Giving to others generously
and graciously can not only advance and improve others’ situations in so many
ways and for generations into the future, it also does so much for our own
sense of worth and well-being.
We should
never give to others simply so that we can gain. We need to give with
gratitude, with no strings attached, no paybacks required and certainly no
future reminders of how generous you were. By giving from a gracious
heart you will find you gain back so much more.
It will enrich your life beyond your wildest dreams.
The Benefits of Giving:
We are happy people for giving to others
Giving to others strengthens our own health and well-being.
It impacts on all parts of our own lives.
We are happier people for giving to others.
It improves our own sense of worth.
It gives us a sense of contentment, a warm and fuzzy feeling and we in turn reflect on our own self-worth and gain a sense of pride and achievement in contributing something worthwhile and of value to the world.
We gain depth of character.
It creates a desire within us to be more open to others and their social and economic needs.
We gain from giving to others and we then look for new ways to give of our money, our knowledge, our wisdom and insight.
It gives us a greater understanding of others and their real needs and a greater desire to resolve issues for them, that impact on the lives of others.
It gives us a stronger sense of love and kindness for others and brings serenity to our lives beyond what we could ever imagine.
It creates patience, tolerance and acceptance of others and gives us an inner desire to advance others.
Giving will make your own world a better place.
Be generous and give of yourself to others. If you have a heart to give to others, you will want to grow your own assetsso that you are able to give. Boosting your income is a way of increasing your own wealth and thereby your ability to give to others in need of help.
Giving gives us a stronger sense of love and kindness for others
THE IMPACT THAT STRESS AND ANXIOUS FEELINGS HAVE ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
strengthen immune system
Many of us would like to feel a little happier, especially in this currently stressful world of Covid-19. Isolating at home during the Covid 19 pandemic can be one of several stressors that can result in psychological stress, which can in turn lead to a compromised immune system. This can reduce your immunity to viral infections. Reduced immunity is one of the physical symptoms of anxiety that can affect your health and wellbeing.
LAUGHING TO BOOST A WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEM
joy meaning
One of the best ways of reducing anxious feelings and stress-related issues is to try laughing more often. Laughing out loud can be an effective way of combating feelings of being socially anxious, especially if you are staying at home during the crisis of Covid-19.
It has often been said that laughing is the best medicine and it’s true that laughter can directly improve your feeling of wellness and even make you happier at home. You don’t need to be the joker, laughing all the time, but to be happy and to relieve stress symptoms, you need to make laughing out loud a regular part of your day.
WHAT IS STRESS?
We experience stress when demands are placed upon us, but we fear we do not have the resources to cope. Stress is an internal reaction that can be caused by either physical or emotional pressure. Stress can result in an uncomfortable, anxious feeling that can even cause overwhelming distress. Such feelings are often described as anxiety disorder or strain. It occurs in circumstances of environmental pain and suffering.
When feeling highly anxious about possible events, whether real or imagined, a symptom of such anxiety may be its effect on the immune system.
Psychological stress can result in one being socially anxious when going out. (Social anxiety is the fear of being judged by others).
Overwhelming Psychological stress can result in physical symptoms of anxiety that can affect not only the immune system but your overall health and wellbeing.
If you are feeling highly anxious about having to stay home alone, it may be that you need to destress, and this might include an online chat with a professional at a health and wellness centre.
EFFECTS OF STRESS
When you are highly anxious, stress affects the body and particularly the immune system. Whether it be a psychological stress, an environmental stress, or even or a physical stress signifying danger, your automatic response mechanism reacts immediately with the “fight-or-flight” reaction.
Stress can be related to your own internal perceptions of an outside force. Stressors or environmental situations, that may impact on your health and wellbeing, cause you not only distress, but to become highly anxious. When you are regularly in a heightened state of stress, your health and wellbeing is compromised, and you may be at a much higher risk of stroke or heart attack.
SIGNS OF STRESS
When you experience significant stress… either physical, emotional, or psychological stress, your nervous system reacts and causes the adrenal glands to respond suddenly to the stressors, putting a huge strain on your heart.
When the nervous system frequently reacts to stressors, it puts continuous strain on the heart and blood vessels. When frequent chronic stress is experienced from stressors, this also puts extra strain and stress on your digestive system. So, your heart, your blood vessels and your immune system are all affected. Even children can suffer from childhood anxiety and distress which can compound and develop into chronic stress in adult life.
If you have experienced childhood anxiety, work stress, or chronic stress or feelings of being socially anxious all these stress-related issues have a negative impact on your immune system.
STRESS SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of anxiety and stress
A certain amount of stress in daily situations is normal and can be a good thing, but……
if you are experiencing the following symptoms, you may be experiencing overwhelming stress which may be detrimental to your health and wellbeing …….
These are the warning signs of stress
Memory and cognitive problems
Feelings of depression or excessive anxiety
Lacking clear thinking
Anxious feelings or distress
Weight fluctuations
Digestive problems
Problems sleeping
Reproductive system issues
Feelings of isolation and being lonely
CAUSES OF STRESS
OUTSIDE INFLUENCES THAT CAN AFFECT YOUR STRESS LEVELS …
Marriage or partner breakdowns
Shifting house
Financial difficulties
Loss of employment
Having a new baby
Relationship difficulties
Custody battles
Overwhelmed with work
Change of school, uni. or work
Facing a deadline, or exam
A death of a family member
A major health issue or crisis
Hospitalisation
A major accident
An impending retirement
STRESS MANAGEMENT
We all experience stress and resulting anxiety differently.
Many people, facing challenging situations, thrive on the adrenalin rush whereas others melt with anxiety and are overwhelmed with anxious feelings, resulting in sleepless nights and psychological stress and strain.
These unexpected emotions caused by sudden stress can be tremendously debilitating. When a person experiences one, two or more of these stress related situations all at the same time, this could lead to major chronic stress, depression, serious health, and wellbeing issues, all affecting your immune system.
It’s always wise to seek a professional’s advice if you find yourself suffering with overwhelming stress and anxiety, whether it be from external stress causes or from emotional or psychological stressors.
HOW DOES STRESS AFFECT THE IMMUNE SYSTEM?
Whether it be psychological stress, work stress, exam stress or just feeling stressed and depressed, studies have shown that your immune system function will be affected to some degree.
Depending on the severity of the stress the responses to stress vary somewhat. Many changes to behaviours can occur, putting stress on the immune system. Such examples might be influences to sleeping patterns or increased alcohol use, changes to diet, a precondition to health and wellbeing issues.
For a healthy immune system, it is particularly important that the body has an adequate amount of the varying types of immune cells. Studies have shown that differing degrees of stress and stressors can play a damaging role in the capacity of the immune system to function normally.
Studies have shown that in some cases of increased levels of stress, there were changes to a person’s immunity because of their age, precondition health issues plus other issues such as bereavement and trauma. This chronic stress made them more vulnerable to a significant decrease in T cell response and the killer cell cytotoxicity, when subjected to infections and viruses.
Stress shifts the balance of the immune response and opens it up to becoming a weak immune system. Psychological stress, acute stressors, anxious thoughts and thinking patterns of behaviour weaken a person’s health and wellbeing and it eventually takes its toll on your immunity.
A healthy immune system subsequently becomes a compromised immune system and is more susceptible to infections, virus, and other health issues.
3 WAYS TO BEST DEAL WITH…
THE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS,
ANXIETY AND
THE STRESSORS IN YOUR LIFE…
1 LAUGHTER AS STRESS RELIEF
LAUGHTER IMPROVES HEALTH AND WELLBEING
There are many ways to relieve stress but laughing is the best medicine to destress and unwind. When we are with friends, family and with kids, laughing is a great way to relieve stress and anxious feelings.
Laughing is the best medicine for not only releasing stress but laughing has the power to help overcome and heal any anxious thoughts and feelings.
LAUGHTER AND HEALING
The experience of laughing and being a happier person releases endorphins in the brain allowing you to better cope with pain and anxious feelings. This allows the body to heal itself. These naturally produced endorphins affect the nervous system when laughter occurs and allows the body to better cope with pain, whether it be from psychological stress or other stressors that put strain on your everyday health and wellbeing.
Laughing with friends can reduce anxiety about health, giving you a better feeling of self-worth and wellness.
LAUGHTER AS EXERCISE
The body needs regular physical exercise and a good belly laugh exercises many muscles, A good dose of laughter is healthy as laughing is the best medicine to relieve stress and anxious feelings while reinvigorating the body. There is nothing better than laughter to soothe the mind, body, and spirit. Laughter is often regarded as a stress release, just the same as physical exercise.
Laughing is an anxiety reducing exercise. So, watch a funny movie when you can. Laughter benefits your health and wellbeing and can consequently improve your immune system.
LAUGHTER AND HAPPINESS
Laughing is a great way to destress and allow highly anxious feelings to subside for a moment and allow you to be or feel much happier. Laughing out loud at a joke or comedy show releases tension and stress.
Laughter not only helps to relieve stress but helps you to feel a much happier person. Laughter boosts not only your mood but enhances your emotional health and wellbeing, while helping protect your immune system from the effects of stress.
Join a laughing group
Perhaps join a laughing group. These groups are specifically set up to destress the body from stressed or depressed feelings. It helps socially anxious people to cope better while in a small group and is a way of meeting new friends.
These groups have found that laughing improves a person’s health and wellbeing and people feel much happier within themselves. Laughing with others strengthens a person’s resilience to stress.
Laughing, as when someone tells a joke, is releasing stress and boosting your happiness level.
2 EXERCISE TO RELIEVE STRESS
It’s always a good idea to regularly schedule an exercise program because it allows the body to destress from daily work stress tensions or any unforeseen stressors that may affect your health and wellbeing.
Exercise is an excellent remedy for stress symptoms.
Benefits of exercise on your health and wellbeing
Exercise not only stimulates movement in the muscles and joints, but it pumps good blood flow to the heart, lungs, and blood vessels around the body, while filling the lungs with oxygen.
If you’re out of shape, stuck behind a desk all day, or feeling stressed and depressed, exercise (even indoors) will not only activate, but boost your brain’s production of the feel-good endorphin.
These endorphins are important for strengthening the immune system and your overall health and wellbeing while building a much happier person and a better sense of self.
So, set a goal to exercise more, engage in walking, yoga, or more physical exercise as this helps alleviate stress and anxious feelings.
Get up out of the chair or from in front of the TV and start walking. Buy a bike (or exercise bike) and ride with a friend. If possible, join a walking group, meet new friends, and explore the outdoors and you will soon feel happier.
To relieve stress in cold weather or if you don’t like walking outdoors, join the local shopping centre walking group who walk safely around inside. 30 minutes of low impact exercise will strengthen your muscles and joints and provide a boost to your immune system and your mood, while strengthening your health and wellbeing.
Exercise helps you become a much happier person
+ Exercising Regularly Strengthens Your Health and Wellbeing
It’s an excellent remedy for stress symptoms. Walking, running, jogging all destress the body from stress related issues. Deep breathing increases better oxygen flow to the lungs and heart and strengthens the immune system function.
+ Exercise Improves Your Mood
Join a dance class, exercising while meeting new people improves your mood and you will be a much happier person.
+ Exercise Increases Your Energy Levels
It helps you to cope with the stressors in your life. Your immunity will improve, and you will feel happier.
+ Exercise Helps You Sleep Better
Most people need 8 hours per night of good quality sleep to cope with the day’s events. Exercise increases your deep sleep and your quality of health and wellbeing improves.
3 BUILD STRONG SOCIAL BONDS
Socialising helps to relieve stress.
There is huge value in socialising for stress reduction. Socialising strengthens your immune system and those who do appear to have increased longevity. A strong engaged social network of happy, laughing friends not only improves your health and wellbeing, it supports your brain health, lowers your blood pressure and wards off any symptoms of anxiety or stress related issues.
Socialising and increased laughter greatly decreases stress while helping you to feel much happier at home. Having good social connections where you can perhaps all be laughing out loud strengthens your immune system are and is a great ways to become happier in life.
It’s important to surround yourself with positive people who promote laughter that you can feel relaxed with, while having a lot of fun.
To relieve stress, set about increasing your endorphin levels. Meet with friends or family on a regular basis as connecting with others, laughing, having fun, or watching a funny movie together is a great way to engage in lots of laughter and destress.
Meeting with friends on a regular basis for coffee or lunch will aid in helping you feel happier.
If you have any of the signs of stress, symptoms of anxiety, or feel stressed or depressed, and you feel your health and wellbeing may have affected your immune system in some way, it’s important to seek advice from a professional health provider and get a health check.
