Sleep on it

With the new year fast approaching it is time to make some positive changes and rise to the challenge of being the best version of yourself.

It’s a challenge we set most years but do we often achieve it?

This year to ensure our success we need to use the tools from our own personal toolbox and learn improved techniques to create better health, wealth and experiences for ourselves.

Learning is triggered by being able to focus our attention on a combination of meaningful events over time. This creates lasting changes thanks to the neuroplasticity of the brain. Put simply it’s brain training.

Neuroplasticity is the brains ability to learn, adapt and change over time. The brain is a bit like a house plant, given the right conditions it can thrive.

Water, nourishing food, nourishing experiences, human connection, sleep and resilience all add to the right conditions and enhance our feeling of wellbeing so we can attract more of the same.

To help people realize their goals I introduced the Mind Body intuitive goal cards and intuitive perfume.

Other forms of affirmations have been used with varying degrees of success for a number of years and their success mostly depends of a persons ability to make the skill real for them.

The one dimensional nature of a goal card means the attempt at change is usually suspended without too much effort and therefore does not have a great deal of influence on your psyche.

The problem these standard goal affirmation techniques have is the delay in reward. They require effort to do but it takes time before you see the benefits. Much of the brains ability to adapt and change is dependent on the ability to receive an instant pleasure response, (there are plenty of guilty pleasures out there all of which give that instant pleasure, and that’s the reason there are so many unhealthy addictions. But that’s another story)

Knowing this there are things we can use to trick the brain with an immediate pleasure response to lock it in while it’s waiting for a long term benefit.

Sound is one tool. Smell is another.

With this in mind I have created my range of perfumes and colognes linked to my intuitive goal cards.

The goals are focus on addictions, shock , growth and, self worth and the perfumes contain my own blend of essences and essential oils to create a aroma that is specific to the goal card.

The Mind Body perfume range gives the user the a self paced tool to have the power to improve their overall outlook and wellbeing. The aroma of the perfume gives the instant pleasure response and connects the words of the card to the intent of the day.

As a Kinesiologist I am all about congruency and this is a wonderful tool to add to your other skills so you have what it takes to achieve this year resolution.

Remedial Massage

mindbody-pic

A Remedial Massage Therapist is trained to use specific techniques to stretch and lengthen connective tissue and muscles, reduces pain and discomfort, bringing wellness and a sense of relaxation and mobility to the client.

Remedial Massage shortens recovery time from muscular injuries by flushing the tissue of lactic acid, uric acid, and other metabolic wastes. Massage improves circulation and stretches the ligaments and tendons, keeping them subtle and young.   While also stimulating the skin and nervous system. Massage reduces stress, both emotional and physical, and is suggested as a regular program for stress management. It also has specific clinical advantages to assist in a medical, rehabilitation or remedial therapy program.

Remedial Massage imparts feeling of deep relaxation and calm. This occurs because during massage the release of Endorphins, the brain chemicals (neuro-transmitters) that produce feelings of wellbeing.  Levels of stress hormones – such as Adrenalin, Cortisol and Norepinephrine – are also reduced.  Studies indicate that high levels of stress hormones impair the immune system.

Remedial Massage improves health and wellness by relaxing the tension in the muscles, stimulating the flow of blood through the muscles, breaking down and eliminating toxins, enhancing oxygenation of the brain and relaxing the nervous system and mind.

The skin is the largest organ of the human body and is packed with nerve endings. Any Form of Remedial Massage is going to sooth the nervous system  and encourage relaxation.

Modern studies have shown that Remedial Massage can be used to assist a variety of disorders, including anxiety, arthritis, back pain, chronic pain, constipation, depression, headache, insomnia and high blood pressure.

I am a fully qualified Remedial Massage therapist I can assist you reduce your discomfort, feel good and recover from injury.

Remedial Massage Back, Neck, Head30min$70.00
Remedial Massage60min$90.00
Specialised Craniosacral Massage60min$100.00
Kinesiology90min$130.00
Reflexology60min$70

Call for an appointment.

Hyview

33 Fourth st, South Littleton

0448513171

MOST HEALTH FUNDS PROVIDE A REBATE FOR REMEDIAL MASSAGE

Call out fees apply for off site work

Goal setting with the assistance of Essences.

Essences are a tool that many Kinesiologists use to assist clients to become more aware of how their emotions are a by-product of how events and circumstances impact who they are at any given time.

In my early study, the very first course at Nature Care College was the Bach Flower Remedies and how these seemingly simple essences helped their discoverer Edward Bach, a British Doctor, Bacteriologist and Homeopath, treat himself and others with Essences from plants and the energy pattern of a flower. Bach Flowers are easily available at chemists and supermarkets the most popular being Rescue Remedy which is safe for all and often administered in periods of stress or after shock.

Australian Bush Flower essences are another commonly used essence utilising the power of native Australian bush plants, Shell Essences, or colour essences such as Aura Soma. Each offer a individual element of vibration which assists, people harness personal growth and wellbeing.

An element of intuition is often needed when creating and administrating an essence for example I have made essences from flowers, colours , sounds, and native honeys I’ve found in the bush all interesting elements and which all seems to fit together and match the goal setting I do as an Kinesiologist.

I find goal setting the most important element of any session I do with a client. Its feels like a chat in which we decide what would feel better than the point they are at now. Many of the affirmations or goals give the persons unconscious clear instruction of how we should move forward. Kinesiology is biofeedback technique which aims to achieve self regulation.

I have adapted many of the goals I use with clients, coupled with a collection of my artworks and that of my talented daughter Beth Flynn to create an ever expanding affirmation card deck collection. In so creating the cards, and pairing essences together I’ve added to a fragrance base made from essential oil combinations.

.

its all connected

Chances are if you are experiencing a racing heart, restlessness, irritability , nervousness, insomnia, mood swings, feeling overwhelmed you may also be experiencing gas, nausea, bloating, brain fog, diarrhea , sugar cravings , headaches, muscle pain , leaky gut, autoimmune disfunction or IBS.

When it comes down to the basics, stress is bad for you. You’re body regulates stress in the Autonomic Nervous system which regulates heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and digestion. The Autonomic Nervous system has 2 parts the Sympathetic Nervous system, where the fight or flight stress response tells the brain that you do not feel safe, and the Parasympathetic Nervous system, the come back down response of rest, relax and restore. With constant and repeated stress in our lives the body has trouble regulating the Autonomic Nervous system.

The physical aspects of worry and stress develops as a habit of contraction of the body. So adrenalin and cortisol levels increase, the muscles of the neck, shoulders, arms and hands tense often we pull the legs up unconsciously to protect the abdomen as in the foetal position. As tension increases smooth muscles get tense and heart rate increases. repeated stress takes a toll and can lead to burn out and changes in posture from repeated episodes and the body trying to defend and protect itself from stress.

So Super charging the Parasympathetic Nervous System is key to unloading stress. So to do this involves calming the Vagus Nerve. The Vagus Nerve is essentially responsible for the mind body connection. It is the longest Nerve in the body and has branches to all the major organs from the brain to the colon. It works as the connection part of us between the thinking brain and feeling emotions.

So the Vagus Nerve listens to the way we breathe and adapts the heart rate in response. When we breath slowly the heart rate also slows. Exercises which slow the mind body connection and bring us back into the present moment are useful in regulating the Parasympathetic nervous system.

A simple exercise of orientation can help calm your Vagus nerve. By simply noticing where abouts in a room you are sitting and noting what is immediately around you? What colours you can see? Then can you can send your gaze beyond where you are and into a distance and focus there for a moment all the way to the horizon if you are able. This can shift your perspective and centre you in the present moment?

Anything closed in like screens and small rooms tend to make you feel closed in as well. Moving your gaze beyond your immediate area to a window or out to the horizon can calm breathing and heart rate. Also slowing eye movement helps with calming and rapid eye movements can be an indicator for stress.

We are always looking for instant and fast paced changes to health and lifestyle. The quick fix. This is not the pace that the Parasympathetic Nervous system or the Vagus Nerve work. Any changes need to slow relaxed and manageable to be effective. With this in mind here are some Kinesiology goals which may help improve you’re health and stress levels.

  • I am calm and relaxed as I make good choices in my own best interests.
  • I am safe, supported and loved.
  • I calm my nervous system and allow healing.
  • I continue to improve the way I manage stress and develop effective long term health .

Calm Little Birdy

The Vagus Nerve plays a major role in the Autonomic Nervous System. The Autonomic Nervous System has 2 parts: The Sympathetic Nervous System and the Parasympathetic Nervous System .

The Autonomic Nervous System regulates bodily functions such as heartrate , blood pressure, pupil dilation , heat, sweating and digestion. In quick response the body is flooded with a rush of hormones, sending extra blood to the muscles and the heart rate quickens, you become more alert and extra oxygen flows to the brain so your are hype- alert and infusion of glucose pours into the bloodstream for extra energy boost. All to keep you safe from clear and present danger.

The Sympathetic Nervous System is where the fight-or-flight response happens. In extreme danger the body reacts and readies itself to either fight-or-flee to keep us safe from danger. This proved useful when our ancient ancestors needed protection from real dangers, however now in our fast paced modern world the Sympathetic Nervous System functions in hyper-drive and constant stimulation and high stressed living leaves us in constant state of high alert and anxiety.

This is an involuntary process without conscious direction.

However, as useful as the Sympathetic Nervous System is in responding quickly to danger it is completely useless when the danger has passed. It is the Parasympathetic Nervous System which works to counter the stress response and calm the body down. The Parasympathetic Nervous System gives the opportunity for the body to rest-and-digest. It brings the heart rate down and returns the body to normal functioning or homeostasis.

The Vagus Nerve has a special role in the Parasympathetic Nervous System. It senses our breathing rate and adjusts the heart rate in response. So when we breath slowly the heart rate adjusts and we feel relaxed . Conversely we breath quickly a stress response is initiated.

So when considering anxiety and the bodies reactions to repeated stress, we can begin to consciously practise Vagal Breathing where we use deliberate slow diaphragmatic breathing and exhaling slowly to stimulate the Vagus Nerve and activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System.

This is why meditation, is is often suggested to reduce stress in our busy lives today.

Working with goal balance in Kinesiology here are a list of common goals I would use to help people relax and find you’re calm centred self.

  • I release anxiety and self doubt and embrace peace.
  • I release the feeling of being overwhelmed and make decisions that help me to feel calm and secure.
  • I release the feeling of being overwhelmed and make decisions that help me to feel calm and secure.
  • Every cell in my body is relaxed and I am able to feel deeply secure and worthy.
  • I am calm and focused.
©B Flynn

‘All disease begins in the gut”

‘All disease begins in the gut” is a quote from Ancient Greek Physician Hippocrates more than 2500 years ago. As time passes modern studies have shown much of this statement to be correct at least for many chronic diseases.

We are learning a great deal of how gut bacteria can affect your health and how increasing the good bacteria in your gut can offer health benefits.

The mouth is the beginning of the digestive system and has the second largest microbiome community in the body.

Most people know poor diet choices like simple carbs and sugar, white flour and processed food are bad for your teeth but these foods are actually damaging or reducing the good microbiome which in turn can damage the teeth and cause tooth decay. Poor oral Microbiome can go beyond the mouth and leak into the digestive system causing a host of more serious heath problems.

A balanced diet with diverse, healthy vegetables can improve health. Vegies like chicory, dandelion greens, onions, garlic and banana’s are good prebiotic sources. Probiotics like fermented foods are all good choices to build gut flora. So the healthier your mouth the healthier your gut.

As a kinesiologist I can see the benefit of improving the alignment of the muscles of the throat, jaw, tongue, for more efficient chewing and producing saliva for oral health and digestion.

Taking the time to chew and swallow the food and making the effort to eat healthy foods as well as taking the time eat slowly and not eating on the run can all make a difference to how well your body is able to digest food.

Several studies suggest that ancient Ayurveda technique called oil pulling can be beneficial to oral health. Although sesame oil is traditional. The most common oil used for oil pulling is coconut oil as it has a good vitamin E content.

Oil pulling is when 1 tablespoon of coconut oil is swished around the mouth first thing on a morning on an empty stomach for a period of around 10 minutes before being washed down the sink. and washing your mouth out with water. The process acts a a natural mouth wash and helps to neutralise bad bacteria.

The other important thing to note is swishing muscles around and mouth are useful exercise for the masticating or chewing muscles of the face and jaw and gargling is good for the throat and digestion.

Here are some kinesiology goals that may help to balance the digestive system

  • My inner health is a reflection of my overall heathy lifestyle.
  • I nourish my body with a healthy balanced diet.
  • I safely release bad bacteria and increase good bacteria in my mouth and digestive system.
  • My teeth are healthy and strong.

©C Flynn

Mental Health is not all in our head

Science at this point in time is evolving and the evidence is pointing to Mental and Emotional health is coming from our gut.

So the digestive system breaks down food, absorbs nutrients, processes chemicals and elimates waste. But what else does it do?

The ‘Second Brain’ can control the gut independent of the brain.

The neurotransmitter serotonin ‘the happy chemical’ is responsible for mood and feelings of wellbeing.

Serotonin is primarily found in the stomach and intestines as well as the brain. Serotonin helps to control bowel movements and digestive function as well as many other psychological and bodily functions.

Serotonin is a natural mood stabilizer and impacts your emotional health. its a chemical with helps with , sleep , eating and digesting food. Healthy serotonin levels helps to reduce depression, anxiety heal wound and maintain bone health.

Serotonin is made from the essential fatty acid Tryptophan. This must enter your system through a protein rich diet such as eggs, nuts , cheese and red meat, salmon and tofu to support healthy serotonin levels.

It is as yet unknown if a drop in serotonin causes depression or depression causes serotonin. However eating a healthy diet , exercise sunlight. And making an effort to positively change your mindset with activities such as kinesiology and meditation may offer natural solution.

The psychological and mindset approach to reduce stress and improve diet may help to improve outcomes for people suffering depression.

Here are a list of goals that may be useful for people dealing with depression.

  • My body utilises nutrients from the food I eat.
  • I give myself permission to be happy.
  • I look forward to every new day.
  • I have a passion and enthusiasm for life.
  • I let go of pain from the past and freely move forward with my life.
©Beth Flynn

I trust my gut

The link between emotion and the digestive system is much closer than previously thought. Have you heard of the brain in your gut, in which people refer to as the “Second Brain”. It makes sense if have you ever had butterflies in your stomach, or gone with your gut feeling?

The link between digestion, emotions , mood and health is really significant when you think of the fast paced, high stress world we live in and the diet choices available to us.

The Enteric Nervous System(ENS) has around 100 million nerve cells lining your gastrointestinal tract from the Esophagus to Rectum. so physiological stress response may be coming directly from the second brain to the first brain not vice versa. So that loss of appetite , tummy ache when upset, wind, bloating, indigestion, and IBS are thought to be linked with a greater selection of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.

So it appears its the gut not the brain responsible for these increasingly common ailments and mental health problems we are seeing today.

So this is very interesting to me in my work as a Kinesiologist. I work with goals and incorporate body work to increase overall wellness.

Here are a few common goals I may use in order to improve the digestive system.

  • My digestive system functions at optimal levels.
  • I am able to digest and process stress in my life step by step.
  • I trust my gut.
  • I allow my digestive system to unwind, relax and let go.

©Beth Flynn

Real Food

Eating real food and making good food choices can have a profound effect on the muscular system.  Certain muscles are strengthened by specific foods. Choosing to eat certain foods is a cost-effective way to help to increase nutrients rather than taking supplements.

The gluteus maximus is one of the largest and strongest muscles of the body which helps to give support to our lower back as well as lends support to the reproductive area. Foods which support the Gluteus maximus are green peas, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts , green leafy vegies and cold water fish. So for lower back and reproductive health a diet rich in these foods can help nourish the body and reproductive system.

Here is my salad suggestion for reproduction health

Broccoli and Kale Salad

Kale cut finely

Broccoli diced

Green peas

Cucumber

Nectarine

Pomegranate

Sunflower seeds pumpkin seeds cranberries

1 avocado

 

Dressing

Lemon or lime juice

Mint leaves or any herb blended

Olive oil.

a-1.jpg

Breathing for Relaxation

Breathing is fundamental to living and its our most natural instinct. But to breath deeply, slowly and smoothly is almost and art that brings enormous benefits to our mental state and wellbeing.

So if we cannot breath properly it can be difficult to release stress and fully relax. To breath deeply oxygenates the blood and allows a full range of expression and a clearer head.

So when we are not calm we tend to hyperventilate causing too much carbon dioxide to leave the blood stream and this can cause all sorts of physical and psychological symptoms such as dizziness and panic attacks. In a panicked state we breath more quickly.

It may really be stating the obvious, but air is such an essential element to being human and to make the most of breathing by breathing deeply and evenly can be essential to bring a sense of calm and being able to relax the mind.

There are 2 types of breathing. Shallow, or costal, breathing where the air enters the upper chest and upper lungs and abdominal, or diaphragmatic, breathing where the diaphragm contracts and air enter the lower lungs.

Costal breathing can be a natural response to stress. When we learn to manage our breathing and make sure we are abdominal breathing we can bring calm and clarity to mind and body.

We can use visualisations such as this one to learn to breath fully and deeply.

Breathing slowly and deliberately imagine every deep breath inwards that your entire body is calm centred and beginning to unwind. By closing your eyelids and resting your eyes deep relaxation flows over your entire body. Each breath is  releasing and letting go of tension through out your body. Where there is tensions direct your breath and feel release and lightness and pleasure. As cool clean air reaches your diaphragm your body begins to open up to the feeling of relation.

As you breath deeply imagine a cool green colour deeply penetrating your throat entering your lungs and soothing your heart. As your continue to breath slowly and deliberately this beautiful green energy is wrapping around and soothing each vertebra of your spine and opening your pelvis. The  connection of your throat and pelvis allows freedom of breath and relaxation.

IMG_0762.JPG