Stress

Ways to Practice Self-Care Daily

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Today’s society is very go, go, go, and often, we put ourselves last due to the demands of life itself. Individuals can be left feeling burnt-out, tired, drained, and overwhelmed. When we over-burden ourselves and drive ourselves to the point of exhaustion, it can be difficult to bounce back. By practicing some “self-care” every day, it can help to prevent you from reaching this breaking point.

5 Ways to Practice Self-Care

  1. Eat Well – your gut can be the gateway to overall health. By eating a well-balanced diet that is right for you, you can help your stress, mood, energy, sleep and overall health. By speaking to a naturopathic doctor or a holistic nutritionist, you can determine a plan of action on how to best eat for your health situation.
  2. Exercise – exercise can be a great outlet for stress and aid with overall health. When we look at aerobic exercise (for example, walking), we see many great benefits including reduced stress, depression, and anxiety. In addition, exercise can give you the energy you need to accomplish your to-do-list that may be adding to your stress.
  3. Ask for Help – Asking for help is not easy for a lot of people but it can make a big difference when you are feeling overwhelmed. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It provides you with the potential for more support when you need it most. Asking for help may also include going to see a health care professional, such as a Naturopathic Doctor, to help you with stress management, work-life balance, pain, mood, energy etc.
  4. Pace Yourself – Many people rush to get things done saying that there are not enough hours in the day, there is too much to do, etc. If you constantly run in 5th gear, you may find that you are worn out much quicker. Pacing yourself and accomplishing a set amount each day can provide space for you to recover. It is also important to forgive yourself for items you may not have accomplished especially if you take time for yourself. Time for yourself is necessary recuperation time and is justified. It is important to put yourself higher on your priority list.
  5. Leave Work at Work – For some individuals that run their own business or feel like they mentally carry their work home, this is much easier said than done. Try not to bring the concerns of work home with you and instead leave it at the workplace. Use the commute home to be your dividing line or find other constructive tangible ways to create a separating point between work and home. This can help decrease the burden that you carry when you get home. It helps to separate work-life from home-life. Ultimately, we need to start to establish healthy boundaries between work and home, and this conversation may even extend itself to other areas of your life where you need healthy boundaries.

If you benefitted from this blog, Dr. Elisha Cook ND will have her book published soon that has information like this AND MORE. Contact us by emailing info.pnhc@gmail.com or through the contact portion of our website. Let us know if you want to be a part of her launch team and get early access to her book!

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share this article with someone who you think might benefit from the information and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling/texting 226-232-7665 and book your appointment today!

Earthing/Grounding

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Blog Written by Dr Elisha Cook ND

If you are a patient of mine, you may have heard me explain this concept. In all reality, what comes to mind when someone uses these words is “hippy”, “Tree-hugger”, and “New – Age”; when the concepts are much more advanced than that.

Earthing or Grounding is described as the act connecting the body with the earth to cause a grounding or electrically balanced state. Ultimately, it revolves around grounding physics, similar to when we think about electricity in our home and grounding it. The intention of earthing or grounding is really for therapeutic gain. You might ask how reconnecting with the earth would cause any health benefits, but there is a fair amount of research that shows that this type of exercise can prove to be physiologically advantageous (i.e. it’s good for your health!).

What are the Health Benefits of Earthing or Grounding?

When we look at the research behind earthing or grounding, we see some pretty remarkable changes to ones physiology.

  • Changes in white blood cells (immune system) (1)
  • Changes in cytokines (inflammation) (1)
  • Reduces blood viscosity and clumping (Cardiovascular) (2)
  • Reduces cortisol (stress hormone) (3)
  • Normalizes circadian rhythm (sleep) (3)
  • Improves circulation (4)
  • Mobilizes glucose and muscular uptake (Energy exertion and recovery) (5)

These physiological changes can translate to

  • Reduced muscle soreness onset post injury (1)
  • Reduced pain (1)
  • Reduces risk of cardiovascular events (2)
  • Reduced Stress (3)
  • Improved Sleep (3)
  • Improved Mood (6)
  • Increased Relaxation (6)
  • Improved energy with physical exertion (5)

How can I Earth or Ground?

When we say “reconnecting” with the earth, many would believe that this is a weird or exhaustive process when in all reality there are some very ways to reconnect with the earth that might actually already be apart of your everyday life.

  • Walking barefoot in the grass
  • Standing bare foot in the grass
  • Lying with skin exposed on the ground
  • Swimming in a pond, river, lake, ocean, etc.
  • Having a shower
  • Washing your hands

I will often suggest to patients that really any amount of time is better than nothing. The research is pretty mixed on the length of time needed to produce a benefit, but again, anything is better than nothing. 

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in any of the above therapies to help you work through your health concerns and are wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact the Plattsville Natural Health Clinic by calling 226-232-7665 and book your appointment today! 

References:

  1. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/James_Oschman/publication/274644091_The_effects_of_grounding_earthing_on_inflammation_the_immune_response_wound_healing_and_prevention_and_treatment_of_chronic_inflammatory_and_autoimmune_diseases/links/555b14d708ae6fd2d8286cd1.pdf
  2. http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acm.2011.0820
  3. “The effect of earthing (grounding) on human physiology”. Gaetan Chevalier, Kazuhito Mori, and James L. Oshman. European Biology and Bioelectromagnetics Jan 31 2006; 600-621.
  4. http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?paperID=58836
  5. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Zbigniew_Jastrzebski/publication/302590367_Earthing_modulates_glucose_and_erythrocytes_metabolism_in_exercise/links/5731e05a08ae298602da2942.pdf
  6. http://encompass.eku.edu/swps/2016/undergraduate/15/

How to Cope with Stress in a Pandemic

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With recent discussions of a “Second-Wave” for the COVID-19 Pandemic, I think it is safe to say that everyone is getting a bit fed up with all of this pandemic talk. However, we at PNHC feel it is important to help patients by giving some strategies on how to cope with the stress.

What is Stress?

According to Webster’s Dictionary, Stress can be defined as, “a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life, work, etc.; something that causes strong feelings of worry or anxiety; a physical force or pressure”. I think it goes without saying that all of us have experienced stress from the COVID-19 Pandemic. The pandemic is not what anyone expected or prepared for when they determined their plans for the year 2020. We have all had to adjust quickly, and its possible, that we still have not adjusted. Without optimal coping techniques, it can be difficult for many to manage comfortably through all of the chaos that our world is currently going through. We hope that this blog would offer some different ways to cope.

Ways to Cope with Stress at Home

Unfortunately, during these uncertain times, there is a lot outside of our control. We cannot control the state of affairs at any governmental level, and we cannot control for what others do or how they act. This is where I (Dr. Elisha Cook ND) would normally say to my patients that it is important that you focus on the things you can control – your thoughts, your actions, your behaviour, your attitude, and frankly where you put your hope. In addition to focusing on these areas, I also find it useful to use tools that remind you of what you actually can control for. No one answer provides a suitable option for everyone and their coping needs. As a result, I have provided examples below of healthy ways to cope with stress:

  • Journaling – options might include focusing on gratitude, lessons that can be learned from difficult points in a day, or good and bad highlights from the day.
  • Breathing – in particular deep breathing, though this may prove to be difficult for those with respiratory diseases.
  • Exercise – exercise can act as a great way to release any excess tensions in a healthy and constructive way.
  • Talking to others – sharing your more intimate thoughts and concerns with someone is helpful with working through stress. It is important to recognize that you are not alone and you have individuals who can help whether that is loved ones or health care providers. It is okay to open up to others about how you are feeling.
  • Praying or Meditating – both of these have very similar outcomes and they help an individual to become grounded and refocus on what really matters.
  • Take time for self care – Give yourself time for you and do something that brings you joy. This might include taking a bath, getting a massage, or getting lost in a book.
  • Distraction through changing your scenary – changing the task you are doing, if applicable, can help you to redirect your focus from a problem, and might look like engaging in a favourate hobby.  
  • Pet Therapy – if you have a family pet at home, spend some time with them as this can help to reduce blood pressure and activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
  • Adopt healthy sleep routines – having a routine around bed, adopting a consistent bed time, and engagine in relaxing activities prior to bed can help you sleep better and thereby cope better with stress.

The next time you are feeling stressed, and need to find a healthier way to cope with your stress, take the time to explore these options and find what works best for you.

What NOT To-Do To Cope with Stress

As foreshadowed, there are some coping mechanisms that are less than ideal when trying to cope with stress. Below I have provided a few examples of unhealthy coping mechanisms:

  • Binge eating
  • Drinking
  • Avoidance
  • Gambling excessively
  • Smoking
  • Using elicit drugs
  • Isolating yourself from others who can help

Therapies that can help with stress

There are many different things that can be done to help someone to cope with stress. Many alternative medicine therapies can be beneficial for helping to promote the parasympathetic nervous system which is in charge of relaxing and resting. Some therapies that might be useful to help you to cope with stress depending on your specific case and needs include:

  • Acupuncture
  • Massage Therapy
  • Counselling
  • Nutraceutical Medicine
  • Botanical Medicine
  • Reflexology

Each individual is different, and so there is no one treatment that would be good for everyone. So, choose the treatment that is less intimidating and feels right for you.  

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in any of the above therapies to help you work through stress and are wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact the Plattsville Natural Health Clinic by calling 226-232-7665 and book your appointment today! 

This article was written by Dr. Elisha Cook ND

August 2019 Acupuncture Clinic – Aug 16, 2019 3:00-6:00pm

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Event Summary: 

Dr Elisha Cook ND is offering an acupuncture clinic to provide reduced fee for service for individuals without naturopathic coverage, limited funds, and to give a bit of a break to all patients and individuals for some of the fees. This acupuncture clinic is for anyone who is interested and would like to try acupuncture. The cost per treatment is $30 per person. You do not have to be an existing patient of the clinic to participate. This is on a first come-first serve basis as spots are limited, but we will be able to accommodate walk-ins as much as we are able (though pre-registration is appreciated).

Book your spot by messaging us on facebook, calling or texting us at 226-232-7665, or emailing us at info.pnhc@gmail.com.

Event Details: 

When: Friday August 16, 2019

Time: 3:00PM – 6:00PM

Where: Plattsville Natural Health Clinic 16 Albert St Unit A Plattsville ON N0J 1S0

Cost: $30

Pre-registration is appreciated.

How to Register/Book your spot: 

Call or Text: 226-232-7665

Email: info.pnhc@gmail.com

More Information:

For more information regarding this event, please follow the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/events/352476672115440/

For more information on how acupuncture may benefit you, please see one of Dr. Elisha Cook ND’s previous posts on how acupuncture works:

https://www.plattsvilledoctor.ca/how-does-acupuncture-work/