De-stress, Essential Oils, Meditation, Mindfulness, Yoga, Yourself

SLEEP, STRESS & ADRENAL FATIGUE MISCONCEPTIONS

So your stressful life has contributed to sleeping issues? You have been diagnosed with adrenal fatigue or all at the very least the symptoms seem to fit. Your energy levels have dropped off significantly over the years and it’s especially problematic during afternoons.

The best remedy combines B-vitamins, magnesium, adaptogenic herbs and critical amino acids like GABA. However, there is no such thing as adrenal fatigue. Unless you have Addison’s disease, your adrenal glands are working as intended. It’s the signaling upstream that is the problem.

Adrenal glands don’t excessively secrete cortisol to the point where they can’t produce unless damaged. This is the finding by the vast majority of scientific research. So why do adrenal fatigue support formulations work? It’s because the effective formulas are resetting the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA axis) just as the vitamins, minerals and herbs previously mentioned.

Why is this distinction important? If only your cortisol levels are tested a patient can get a false negative for “adrenal fatigue” or worse. Then the patient is given cortisol that might exacerbate the situation. This is one more reason to always choose well-formulated herbal based supplements rather than synthetic stimulating or suppressing cortisol drugs.

Cortisol plays a critical role in sleep, stress and inflammation. Our cortisol levels should be highest when we first awake so we are alert and then it tapers off quickly. When perceived stress or chronic inflammation occurs, cortisol secretion is initiated. During times of stress it boosts our system in a threatening situation. Where there is chronic inflammation, cortisol reduces the inflammatory response to protect us from the aging process. Unfortunately sleep is interrupted when cortisol is secreted anytime other than early in the day.

There are four triggers causing HPA axis imbalance between these three glands mistakenly referred to as, “adrenal fatigue,” according to Dr. Thomas Guilliams, an expert the field of Molecular Immunology.

Perceived stress.
Inflammation primarily in the gut caused by small bacteria or candida overgrowth.
Sugar dysregulation.
Circadian dysregulation.

While this topic deserves a deeper dive, the important takeaway is that the HPA axis includes a set of neurotransmitters with self-regulating feedback loops. When the body isn’t in balanced, the pathways either no longer result in cortisol secretion or the cells become cortisol insensitive like a diabetic in the presence of too much insulin. This is the body’s system of checks and balances.

To address the four triggers, incorporate stress-reducing behaviors like meditation, yoga, essential oils and supplements. Begin by reducing inflammation in the gut by eating a healthy diet reducing sugar and eliminating rancid vegetable oils. Try to get outside and take in natural light and stay away from your computer screen late at night.

September 2, 2017/0 Comments/by Alison

Healthy mind, Meditation, Wellness Wednesday, Yourself

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY WITH BRENDAN COURTNEY

For this weeks #WellnessWednesday features Brendan Courtney, he is many things but primarily a dear friend with one of the biggest hearts I know.

As a Broadcaster, Fashion Designer, Writer & Entrepreneur his work has touched many lives in different ways. This year his authored doc for RTE1 “We need to talk about Dad” has shaken the government to change the law around care in the community. As well as a change maker he is one of my favourite designers and alongside Sonia Lennon they have just launched their new www.lennoncourtney.com collection in Dunnes Stores.

He is the editor at large for (online female lifestyle platform) frockadvisor. He was recently listed as “The most influential (fashion) journalist on Twitter” by the Murray Index.

We first met back in “The Clothes Show” days where he was responsible for the return of the BBC Show which he produced and presented for a number years.

However today I want to know how he balances it all so I asked him to do my #WellnessWednesday quiz and heres what we found out:

How would you describe your lifestyle?

Reasonably healthy! I try and be good to myself but do slip into naughty treats occasionally.

What’s your favorite food? Naughty or nice.

Thai curry ! Or anything Italian.

Do you exercise and if so what do you do to keep fit?

Yes, I was actually a fitness instructor in a previous life so I run, do yoga and indulge myself with a personal trainer twice a week.

How do you find balance in your day-to- day life?

I try to meditate as often as I can, and consider everything I put in my mouth.

How do you manage stress in your life? Do you meditate?

Yes, I found meditation 20 years ago when I suffered from anxiety and panic attacks. A brilliant Ozzie women called Pauline McKinnon wrote “In stillness conquer fear” – that became my mantra.

People often set goals or intentions as they go through life. Is this something you do?

Yes of course, every 3 months and revise them and do them every day.

How do you unwind after a busy day?

A walk with the dog, a movie or a glass of red wine (opey!).

It’s the weekend, what do you do for fun?

We do Animal Flow every Sunday (It’s like intense YOGA), I see my family and maybe meet friends for dinner, or we go away!

What’s your top health tip for our readers?

Well being feels better then anything, so learn that treating your self is not chocolate or fags, but putting nice stuff in your body, change your mind set and the worlds your oyster!

Finish the sentence – Being complete for me means…

…being happy and that happiness comes from within, no one thing or person can make you happy, just you.

To keep up with the latest from Brendan follow him below:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

August 30, 2017/0 Comments/by Alison

Meditation, Mindfulness

TRY THIS SIMPLE BREATHING MEDITATION TO HELP EASE ANXIETY

BREATHING MEDITATION:

For this meditation we are going to use the breath as a support.

I find it helpful to take 3-5 really deep breaths as I start to help calm my system down (as most of us are always rushing around)

So

Chose a quiet place and sit in a comfortable position either on a chair or on the floor
Keep your back straight
Close your eyes gently and relax the face, jaw and shoulders
Place your palms face up or down on your lap, whichever is more comfortable
Take 3 deep inhalations and exhalations through your nostrils
Then settle and start to notice the natural flow of your breath. You don’t have to breathe in any particular way here just breathe as you always do
As you breathe in and out it can be helpful to focus on one point like the tip of your nose where the breath enters and leaves again
It’s completely natural for your mind to wander so don’t get frustrated when this happens just gently say to yourself “whoops there I go again wandering off” and come back to the breath again.
Continue with this breathing meditation for 5-10 minutes each day and build from there

MY TOP 3 TIPS:

START YOUR DAY THE RIGHT WAY

I meditate in the morning as I find it helps start my day in a positive and intentional way. It’s a great way to settle yourself before the madness begins and I find if you give yourself 5-10 minutes in the morning your ability to cope with stress and any obstacles you encounter during the day is much better. Focusing on our breathing is a very powerful tool to help with anxiety and depression.

SMALL STEPS EACH DAY

Real change happens when we are consistent with our habits. 5-10 minutes each day is far better and more beneficial than 2 hours once a week. Even though small changes might not feel like a lot, trust me they make a big difference and the kind of difference you are really looking for = REAL CHANGE.

BE EASY WITH YOURSELF

As you begin your journey into meditation be kind and compassionate with yourself. It’s too easy to beat yourself up for wandering thoughts or unwanted emotions arising but this is not the time for that, we do that too much anyway. Instead, this is your time to focus on the present in a non-judgmental way to increase awareness, which in turn helps to calm the body and mind.

Join me on Facebook in my Minding Mum Group for live weekly meditations

Shine Bright

Ali xxx

February 15, 2017/0 Comments/by Alison

Be Happy, Meditation, Mindfulness

WANT TO LEAD A MORE MINDFUL LIFE?

As everyone who reads my blog knows I’m a huge fan of mindfulness. My first brush with meditation was in my late teens and I never looked back. I am been very lucky to have had some incredible teachers from all over the world since then including Kadam Morten In New York and Sogyal Rinpoche who wrote the beautiful book The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

As a daily practitioner for many years now I couldn’t imagine a life without meditation. It has given me the ability to really connect with myself daily, get sober, cope with stress and become more creative and focused. In my book “Minding Mum” I place a special emphasis on both meditation and simple mindful ideas for new mums. You can listen to the meditations here.

In April I will travel to Washington to The Mindful Life Conference to speak alongside an extraordinary group of 25+ presenters including Sharon Salzberg, Fleet Maull, Wendy Palmer, Frank Ostaseski and Diana Winston.

The schedule of speakers is here.

I will be speaking on the following topics:

– Minding mum – Why selfcare and presence is the key to real balance as a mum

– Sitting with emotions good and bad and how understanding that part of myself finally helped me to heal

The conference takes place on April 21-22, 2017 at Gaylord National Resort, DC Metro Area

Don’t miss out on this annual gathering for the Mindfulness Movement. Mindful Life explores mindfulness and compassion in many different areas including work life, family life, civic life, education, health & wellness, social activism and culture. There will be talks, roundtables, workshops, yoga and mindful movement, contemplative practice, social events, and optional day long intensives.

Some Topics to be explored include:

· How to bring mindfulness and compassion into organizations and schools

· The state of the mindfulness movement and where things are heading

· The core skills needed for conscious living and loving

· What’s new in mindfulness technology

· The latest science on mindfulness – and what the research says about how we can improve our well-being and performance

So why not be part of the excitement as hundreds of people from around the U.S gather in the nation’s capital area to explore big-picture topics, learn practical tools and best practices, share success stories, make one-on-one connections, and build community.

Visit AllThingsMindful.org for more information.

February 11, 2017/0 Comments/by Alison

Be Happy, Meditation, Mindfulness

WHAT MEDITATION REALLY MEANS AND MY TOP TIPS TO GET YOU STARTED

In my opinion meditation is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself and a very powerful tool to have in your wellness toolbox. I have been meditating for many years and have a daily practice, which enables me to reconnect with myself each day. Most of us are distracted and live too much in our heads. Very rarely do we check in and come into our bodies and notice how we are feeling. For years I focused on external things like money, career and boyfriends to bring me happiness but I’ve learnt that true happiness and contentment actually comes from creating peace from the inside out.

It’s almost like reversing everything we have been told in our western culture and truly understanding that we actually have everything we need to be happy within us already, we just need to tap into it and work with it. This takes time, patience and practice but with some consistency and work its one of the most worthwhile and rewarding practices to include in your daily life.

It has been said if you want more wellbeing, inner peace, happiness and less stress in your life then learn how to meditate. Researchers at Harvard University even found that during the practice of meditation the body has what they call ‘the relaxation response’ that gives the body deep rest, which is actually deeper than the rest we get from sleep.

[bctt tweet=” Meditation is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself” username=”alicanavan”]

Now I know that beginning a meditation practice can seem intimidating and often confusing because there are so many different types and trends out there today. Trying to quiet your mind can also seem like an impossible task or if you are anything like me when I first began I thought I had to stop my own thoughts! The good news is that not only do you not have to stop your thoughts but you can let them come and go with ease during your practice after all its impossible to stop your thoughts unless your are enlightened or indeed dead.

I have been trained in many different types of meditation and it’s important to find what works for you because we are all so different. There is plenty of support out there today in the form of apps, websites, online courses, books and more. I personally don’t believe that one type is more superior to another and in my own practice I use different supports like mantras, visualization and breathing techniques when I feel I need them. It’s important to note that you learn to meditate by meditating and you will grow with your practice.

[bctt tweet=”Meditation allows us the opportunity to work with our mind and understand that we are not our thoughts” username=”alicanavan”]

Meditation allows us the opportunity to work with our mind and understand that we are not our thoughts and that we can change them and in time even catch them before they catch us. In a study by The University of Wisconsin-Madison they found the first evidence of specific molecular changes in the body following a period of mindfulness meditation. This is truly amazing because it shows us that your genes do not automatically determine your future. This is called epigenetics and it is actually mainstream science and not on the fringe as you might think.

Basically how you live can have an effect on your genes almost like a volume control button. Based on your day-to-day experience the dial either gets turned up or down. By including meditation in your daily life it has been shown to have a positive effect on your gene expression and this expression can be passed down through generations if you have children, which means changing your lifestyle habits today can help the next generation become healthier too.

So not only can meditation change our brain activity and structure it can also have an effect on our genes too. But wait there’s more: because we know each aspect of us is interconnected recent research is also looking at the connection between meditation and our gut health too. Because meditation elicits a relaxation response it has been shown to have a significant impact on clinical symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

I didn’t fully appreciate all the research until I started to experience the real benefits for myself. My life has been transformed through meditation and yours can too.

Here are some of my top tips and a over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing some meditations so sign up to my newsletter below if you’re interested.

TOP TIPS:

NO EXCUSES: The biggest obstacle to starting is YOU. The most frequent thing I hear is the excuse that we have no time. This is also the excuse I used for many years although I found time to do plenty of other wasteful things for hours on end! If you can scroll through Facebook for 10 minutes you can gift yourself the essential 10 minutes to meditate and practice self-care.

JUST DO IT: Don’t overthink it too much just begin. We all have to start somewhere so choose an app or a class or a guided online meditation or simply follow my easy guide below.

GOOD WEBSITES: www.10percenthappier.com www.zen12.com www.omharmonincs.com www.freemindfulness.org, www.chopra.com, www.fragrantheart.com, www.tarabrach.com

GREAT APPS: Sattva, Buddhify, Calm, Headspace, Take A Break, Mindbody Connect, Omvana, Relax Melodies, Smiling Mind

I also have weekly live meditations for mums on facebook (join here) every week and there are 3 meditations available free to download from my website in the resources section for my book.

START YOUR DAY THE RIGHT WAY: I meditate in the morning as I find it helps start my day in a positive and intentional way. It’s a great way to settle yourself before the madness begins and I find if you give yourself 5-10 minutes in the morning your ability to cope with stress and any obstacles you encounter during the day is much better.

SMALL STEPS EACH DAY: Real change happens when we are consistent with our habits. 5-10 minutes each day is far better and more beneficial than 2 hours once a week. Even though small changes might not feel like a lot, trust me they make a big difference and the kind of difference you are really looking for = REAL CHANGE.

BE EASY WITH YOURSELF: As you begin your journey into meditation be kind and compassionate with yourself. It’s too easy to beat yourself up for wandering thoughts or unwanted emotions arising but this is not the time for that, we do that too much anyway. Instead, this is your time to focus on the present in a non-judgmental way to increase awareness, which in turn helps to calm the body and mind.

Please feel free to comment below with any meditation questions you have…

Shine Bright,

Ali xxx

January 31, 2017/1 Comment/by Alison

Be Happy, Inspiration / Motivation, Meditation, Newsletter

MY TOP 6 TIPS FOR A HAPPIER DAY EVERYDAY

So we all want to be happier but some days it really feels like we’re playing tug-o-war with ourselves. However, did you know that YOU actually have a huge part to play in how happy you are! According to research happiness is like a muscle that needs to be exercised daily.

“It’s a choice and it’s a practice. “according to author and Harvard trained researcher of positive psychology Shawn Achor

But how many people do you know who are addicted to negative thinking and why is it that negative thinking seems to be a much more comfortable space for a lot of people? Well it’s actually a bad habit that people have become very good at after all they practice it non-stop.

So according to Shawn Achor, we can actually retrain our brains to be happier and the best news of all is that it only takes 5-10 minutes out of your day.

So, if we are what we attend to in this life, here are some simple happiness habits you simply must attend to every day:

GRATITUDE

Practicing gratitude every single day can have enormous benefits for our health and happiness. Choose 3 different things every day that you are grateful for and really feel the gratitude. I keep a “Thankful Journal” and writing in it each day is very simply just another habit like eating and sleeping for me now. In research studies even people testing as low-level pessimists after practicing gratitude for 21 days became low-level optimists. A 2-minute habit for 21 days can change and increase your happiness levels. (Martin Seligman) Gratitude has even been shown to trump your genes and environment and it also changes your vibrational frequency in the world.

SMILE MORE

A simple smile can actually change your brain chemistry. Yes it’s that powerful so smile more today and every day for yourself and others. You never know you might just brighten someone’s day.

STRETCH AND MOVE YOUR BODY

Build muscle and happiness by moving your body every day. Get out for a walk; take a class or just dance around your living room! Your body was made to move. Jump up and down for a few minutes and see how different you feel. As I always say its possible to shake your booty and dance your mood away!

EAT FOOD TO FEED YOUR MOOD

Good fats feed our mood so make sure you are getting your omega 3’s daily and if you are not eating oily fish 3-5 times a week you should probably consider a supplement. I take ESKIMO OMEGAS daily because I know I don’t get enough in my daily diet and during my recovery from Post Natal Depression Omega 3’s helped greatly.

Omegas are what we call Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) The term ‘Essential’ in nutrition means that your body cannot synthesise/make it itself so you need to get it from your diet or supplement. I also love avocados and I use a lot of coconut oil daily too along with nuts and eggs. Eating fresh wholefoods in a variety of colours is also important and essential for good health and mood so my top tip is – shop and eat the rainbow.

MAKE REAL CONNECTIONS

We have some of the loneliest people living in the biggest cities in the world. It’s imperative that we get back to nurturing our deep connections with each other. Real life relationships have a powerful affect on our happiness. Friendship and love are so important but these days some of us are so busy we forget to connect so pick up the phone to that special someone today.

MEDITATE

All you need to do is stop, sit and focus on your breath from as little as 2 minutes a day to see a real difference. Meditation has infinite positive benefits for our health and wellbeing. Check out my beginners video right here.

January 28, 2016/3 Comments/by Alison

Alison TV, Be Happy, Meditation, Mindfulness, Newsletter

GETTING STARTED WITH MEDITATION- THE EASY WAY

I wanted to make a very simple video to introduce everyone to the idea of meditation and take away some of the preconceived ideas of great difficulty that can sometimes get attached to buzzwords.

I have been meditating for many years now and I have had a great many teachers from all over the world. Some teachers made it easy and some made it incredibly complicated. I practise daily now and its very simply just a part of my day like sleeping and eating. Very few of us even get a chance to stop and breathe each day so maybe just try and take a few minutes for yourself each day and check in.

This quote really sums it up for me:

“One who does not touch the stillness of his life, one who does not touch the stillness of his being, one who does not know or has not tasted the stillness within and without, will invariably get lost in the movement.” Sadhguru

Sometimes the greatest power is in keeping things simple!

Have you tried meditation? Do you like it? I’d love to hear from you

Namaste

Ali xxx

ALL VIDEOS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY COULEUR CARAMEL IRELAND

January 16, 2016/0 Comments/by Alison

De-stress, Meditation, Mindfulness

CAN MEDITATION HELP IMPROVE DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY

Is breathing good for you? Well of course it is we need to it to keep us alive but have you ever noticed in situations that are stressful our rates of breathing change and some of us even hold our breath without even realising it!

Down through the years I have struggled to find something that really works for my depression and anxiety. Don’t get me wrong I have found lots of things that have worked temporarily, but I was sick of being on a roller coaster and simply craved consistency in my moods and my ability to cope with everyday life.

Regular meditation practice has given me the just that! Through meditation I have received the most precious and priceless gift of peace both in myself and also in the world I live in. It helps me to cope with stress, depression, anxiety and the everyday challenges that come with daily life.

In a study called: The effects of Mindfulness based therapy on anxiety and depression, Published by The Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, they found that mindfulness based therapy was moderately effective for anxiety and mood disorders and the results suggest that mindfulness-based therapy is a promising intervention for treating anxiety and mood problems in clinical populations. Their meta-analysis was based on 39 studies totaling 1,140 participants who received mindfulness-based therapy for a range of conditions, including cancer, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and other psychiatric or medical conditions.

But too be honest the clinical evidence backing meditation and mindfulness now is plentiful and hard to argue with. The reason I actually chose this study was because the results said moderately effective. Sometimes people expect miracles but in my opinion the miracle is the ability to cope with life a bit better.

If we do a lot of little things that are moderately effective imagine how powerful they would all be when they work together?

I really wish I had been given the kind of prescription in this picture when I was a teenager rather the usual pill filled kind we have become so used to today.

Don’t get me wrong I know that there’s a place for medication but there is no way we need the amount of medication being prescribed today. I have swallowed or drank my emotions for well over half my life and making changes is hard, in fact it is very hard at times, but the thing is those changes are so worth it in the long run even if it doesn’t seem like it at the time.

It costs nothing to try meditation and if you are struggling to sit still and focus on your breathing try some guided meditations from websites like Zen 12 or Omharmonics I find these great if I’m very hectic and stressed or in an airport, on a plane, bus or train.

But try my simple “first steps” approach and see how you get on:

Meditation can be done anytime and anywhere and the busier you are the more you need it.

START BY:

Sitting in a comfortable position with your back straight

Start to notice the natural flow of your breath

Inhale and exhale slowly and keep repeating

Don’t try and stop your thoughts, instead just observe them and let them go by almost like watching a motorway and if your favourite car drives past, let it go and don’t follow it!!

Start small and build – so even a couple of minutes a day building in more time each week. This way you will be able to incorporate it into your routine without you even noticing.

Finally Enjoy it!!!

#MindfulMonday

December 7, 2015/0 Comments/by Alison

Be Happy, Meditation

CHANGING NEGATIVE PATTERNS ONE STEP AT A TIME

Its #MindfulMonday again and this week is a very special Monday for me as I have just returned from Dzogchen Beara in West Cork, where I have been on a meditation retreat for the weekend with Sogyal Rinpoche. Rinpoche is a world-renowned Buddhist teacher from Tibet, and author of the highly acclaimed The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying which I read when my dad passed away and it helped me to make sense of my grief and it also helped me to heal and understand the human condition better.

I have been working really hard and I really needed a weekend of meditation and teachings. I now know when I’m entering what I call the danger zone and warning lights come on letting me know that I need to act to prevent myself slipping bad to my old ways and into a world of anxiety and depression. Over the years this has become increasingly easier as I get to know myself better and become more comfortable in my own skin.

My old way of dealing with these issues was very simply to go out and drink my head off leaving me with the “fear” the next day along with some free gifts of depression and anxiety. After 20 years that became frustrating and incredibly boring and its nearly a year now since I’ve had a drink and let me tell you it’s a very different world.

I’ve been making changes very slowly during the past few years, which is the only way they become part of your daily life. Making too many big changes quickly usually leads to a feeling of frustration as you try to keep up and then end up disappointed when you can’t keep up and revert back to your old ways.

What we need to remember is bad habits took years to develop and they will take quite a considerable amount of time to break.

I went looking for something this weekend, answers to problems and daily frustrations but what actually happened was that I left something behind and I’m glad I did. I was desperately trying to get rid of my negative thoughts, tiredness and patterns that just don’t serve me anymore.

We are all constantly changing and I was reminded yet again this weekend to be kinder to myself and to understand that as a human being as I evolve and grow I will reach hurdles and obstacles but as long as I’m willing to work through them I have the incredible opportunity to really learn and grow. I was reminded once again that happiness is an inside job but a job well worth putting the effort into.

So this week be kind to yourself and take time to just be in the moment. It’s these small changes that will move you forward to becoming the most complete you that you can be.

Ali xxxxx #becomplete

November 23, 2015/0 Comments/by Alison

Be Happy, Meditation, Mindfulness, Yourself

IS MEDITATION REALLY BENEFICIAL?

It’s Mindful Monday again and today I wanted to talk about mindfulness and meditation becoming trendy and cool.

I thought this was great in the beginning but now the inevitable has happened and on a daily basis I now get people sending me links to articles questioning does it work or is it just ridiculous. Where’s the real proof etc…

I’ve been meditating for over 15 years now. I was first introduced to it at the end of my yoga classes in London but then it developed into something much more. I have explored many different types of meditations in my time and I currently practice primordial sound meditation and I also have my own visualization techniques and affirmations that work for me. I have never needed science to back up how it made me feel.

Over the past few years I have deepened my practice further and again I have not needed studies that cost millions to verify the benefits that I am living, feeling and noticing in my day to day life from my practice.

I do however respect and understand people that are interested in the scientific proof and thankfully we have that now. This area is called neuroplasticity, which is a term that is used to describe the brain changes that occur in response to experience.
There is an abundance of studies on how meditation affects the brain now and they are amazing to read with more and more benefits being proven everyday.