Category: Naturopathy

Kickstart your Mindfulness Practice 

Our Naturopath – Meagan Grossman has put together a 3 part series to kickstart your mindfulness practice and this is the first instalment in the series.

Have you heard of journaling before? Perhaps it’s something you did when you were younger and grew out of. Maybe you’ve heard of it before but don’t know where to start. Or maybe this is the first you’ve heard of it. Either way, if you are looking at improving your feelings of stress and increasing mindfulness in your life, it is the perfect place to start. 

This is a three-part journey into the introduction of journaling techniques which aims to improve feelings of self-compassion, mindfulness, stress and even improve sleep quality and onset time. 

In the next blogpost, we are going to dive into self-reflection activities but before we get into that, we first have to understand ourselves and what better way to start than with understanding our core values! 

Values 

To understand yourself, you first need to understand your values for right now. Emphasis on right now is important as our values can change daily, as we get older, and as circumstances change. 

What are values?

Values are things in life that resonate with you. They summarise what makes up the person that you want to be. As we get caught up in life and stress, we sometimes lose sight of the person we are working towards embodying and can end up acting out of emotion and impulse more than we would like. When we have a clear summary of our values, we can actively make choices that align with them which puts us back on track to hitting our goals. 

Your activities:

1. Write down a list of up to 10 values that apply to you. See the image below for a list of examples. 
2. Once you’ve got your 10, list them in order of importance. 

Keep them handy in a notebook or in your phone. We will be building on this in the next blogpost.

Supporting the body pre and post COVID-19 vaccine and booster

Covid-19 and its many vaccines has probably been one of the most discussed topics over the last year. With the current mandates in place for WA regarding the covid 19 vaccine and boosters, you may be curious as to how to support your body naturally before and after the vaccine. While research is generally limited regarding the benefits of natural immune support alongside the covid vaccine, there are a few things you can try to prevent the incidence of unwanted side effects and boost recovery after. We asked our Naturopath, Meagan Grossman, what measures we need to take before we have our Covid-19 vaccine (or any vaccine for that matter).

Zinc 

Zinc plays an important role in the immune system. It also promotes wound healing, improves digestive function, and is involved in taste and smell. Consuming foods that are high in zinc such as oysters, red meat and cashews may be helpful in supporting your immune function following vaccination. If you are vegan, vegetarian or not consuming enough of the foods that are high in zinc; supplementation may be beneficial. It is always best to consult with a naturopath regarding any supplementation to ensure you are taking a supplement that is most suitable to your needs. 

High dose vitamin C 

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that is essential for immune system function. Consuming foods that are high in vitamin C may be beneficial for immune support and recovery post covid vaccine. Some foods high in vitamin C include: 

• Blackcurrants 
• Capsicum
• Kiwi fruit 

Supplementation of vitamin C can also be helpful but again, it is always best to consult with a Naturopath to get the right product for you. 

Vitamin D 

Vitamin D is otherwise known as the sunshine vitamin as the sun’s UV rays are converted by the body into vitamin D. With a lot of the population working indoors, low vitamin D levels are generally common among Australians – particularly during the colder months. Vitamin D is important for optimal immune function and bone health. While most of our vitamin D comes from the sun, some foods contain high amounts of vitamin D. 

Ways to increase intake of vitamin D: 

• Get outdoors more, try exercising outdoors instead of in the gym or eating your lunch out in the sun.
• Increase intake of foods that are high in vitamin D such as mackerel or sardines. 
• Consider supplementation during winter or as part of your preparation for your covid 19 vaccine. 

Cardiovascular support

Support cardiovascular health by increasing your intake of omega 3 rich foods such as fatty fish or start supplementation of a good quality fish oil. Herbs such as Ginkgo biloba and Astragalus membranaceus may also be helpful in supporting cardiovascular health post vaccination. 

Herbal medicine

Herbal medicine is rich in antioxidants and plant constituents that may assist in supporting the whole body following vaccination.

When considering a diet plan or supplementation, it is always best to consult with a Naturopath to ensure the product is right for you and your needs. Do not start supplementation without consulting with a health practitioner first as it may interfere with the current medication you are taking. 

Take away

Diets high in fatty fish, a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and nuts are important to maintain optimal health during times of increased stress (ie. following a covid 19 vaccine). Getting outdoors often is important to ensure optimal vitamin D levels are maintained. If you feel your diet is not meeting its nutrient requirements, discuss a diet plan with a nutritionist and consult with a Naturopath if you feel supplementation is necessary.