What can help period pain – Part 3?
While taking nutritional supplements suits some women, I know others don’t like taking tablets. So here are a couple of other ideas to assist you with your period pain.
There is scientific evidence that from a trail of women who suffer from period pain that certain yoga poses e.g. cobra, cat and fish reduce both the intensity and duration of period pain. The cobra pose is where you lie on your front, with your hand underneath your shoulders and gently push yourself up bending your back as you come up. The cat pose is when you are on all fours and then round your spine like a cat. The fish pose is when you lie on your back, keep your pelvis and head on the floor and an arch your spine towards the ceiling.
As an aromatherapist there are a variety of essential oils that you can use to help reduce the severity of period pain. Aromatherapists split period pain into two categories:
- Congestive dysmenorrhoea – where the pain starts a few days before the period and can cover the whole abdominal area.
- Spasmodic dysmenorrhoea which comes in spams of pain in the pelvis and/or lower back.
For congestive pain:
10 drops of roman chamomile + 5 drops of clay sage and 15 drops of red thyme in 30 ml of a base massage oil.
For spasmodic pain:
5 drops of lavender, 10 drops of peppermint, 10 drops of nutmeg and 5 drops of cypress in 30 ml of a base massage oil.
In both cases you massage the whole abdomen and lower back daily throughout your period.
References:
Yoga poses >> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21514190
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Headaches – Treatment & Prevention – Part 1
Previously, I explained the different types of headaches. Now I want to explore how you can treat them. Orthodox treatment of headaches is over the counter painkillers, while stronger prescribed medication may be required for migraines. However it should be noted that frequent use of pain killers can trigger what are referred to as rebound or withdrawl headaches. (For more information on withdrawl headaches see >> http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/headaches/Pages/Painkillerheadaches.aspx Or http://www.migrainetrust.org/medication-overuse-headache ) Massage There is scientific evidence to confirm my experience that massing the neck, shoulder & upper back can help alleviate tension headaches and some migraines, specifically the frequency of headaches & the duration of headaches. Researchers believe that two mechanisms could be responsible. Firstly, the increased serotonin could help relieve the headache (many existing headache medications increase serotonin levels). Secondly, the increased hours of sleep and fewer night wakings may lower levels of substance P - a neurotransmitter responsible for pain. So next time you get a headache, consider booking a massage with us. Scientific References
- Cristina Toro-Velasco, Manuel Arroyo-Morales, César Fernández-de-las-Peñas, Joshua A. Cleland, Francisco J. Barrero-Hernández. Short-Term Effects of Manual Therapy on Heart Rate Variability, Mood State, and Pressure Pain Sensitivity in Patients With Chronic Tension-Type Headache: A Pilot Study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2009; 32 (7): 527 DOI: 1016/j.jmpt.2009.08.011
- Quinn C, Chandler C, Moraska A. Massage Therapy and Frequency of Chronic Tension Headaches. Am J Public Health. 2002 October; 92(10): 1657–1661.
Health New Year’s Resolutions
The new year is a natural time for focusing on new goals. At the end of the festive season we can feel like we have over indulged so want to refocus on health. I know I certainly feel like that. So I wanted to share some ideas for health new year's resolutions.
- Focus on 1 health goal for 2018 as this focus will help you acheive it.
- Use the stairs more.
- Go outside for a daily dose of vitamin D.
- Focus on your breath when you feel the stress coming on. It's a mini meditation session.
- Turn off all electronics 20 minutes before lights out at bedtime.
- Write down everything you're grateful for at the end of the day.
- Drink more water than cafine.
- Add one thing to your life that brings you joy.
- Cook at home more frequently. You’ll end up getting healthier in the process.
- Forgive someone. Anger and resentment is like holding onto internal poison and can even harm your physical health. Life’s too short to not move on.
Natural ways to boost fertility through diet
In my previous post, I shared tips on how to change your lifestyle to boost your fertility. In this post, I wanted to share some tips on nutrition to boost your fertility based on scientific evidence. 1. Take a multivitamin Women who take a daily multivitamin take 5% less time to conceive than those taking a placebo. 2. Supplementation Take supplementation to correct any nutritional deficiencies. A study showed that magnesium deficiency is associated with female, infertility, increased miscarriage rates, and increased incidences of premature and low-birth-weight babies. When magnesium supplements were given for four months to six magnesium deficient women with unexplained infertility, all six conceived within the following eight month and produced healthy babies. In men, low levels of zinc have been linked to poor sperm quality and infertility. 3. Optimise your diet. Researchers found that an optimal diet for fertility was one with:
- a lower intake of trans fats with a greater intake of monounsaturated fats (found in olive oil, avocados and nuts)
- a lower intake of animal protein with a greater intake of vegatable protein (found in peas, lentils and beans)
- a greater intake of plant-based iron (from sources like whole grains, leafy green vegatables, nuts and seeds)
- a preference for high-fat diary products (like full-fat cheese and milk)
