Top 3 tips that will help EVERY condition

With my experience as a physiotherapist and acupuncturist, I find there are generally 3 aspects of our health that will help our bodies return to a balanced homeostasis, assist with healing and regeneration and perform and optimum peak.

1. Sleep

Quality and quantity. This is the time when our bodies and mind rest and our cells regenerate. So if we don’t sleep enough (American’s National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 unbroken hours for an adult), we already start off on a heightened baseline in the morning, thus pain/ injuries/ stress/ restless minds are easier to aggravate and escalate. Inadequate sleep is also linked to decreased functional capacity, alertness, moods (irritability, depression), memory, reaction times, weight control, academic and sporting performance. Ongoing inadequate sleep is linked increased risk of some chronic diseases e.g. hypertension, Type 2 diabetes.

Have a read of my Sleep blog to give you tips for better sleep.

2. Food and drink (i.e. nutrition)

Think of this like our way of giving ourselves the proper fuel we need for the whole day. If we are not eating enough, or the right amounts, or not eating regular enough, we run risk of running empty of fuel i.e. feeling fatigue and lethargy. If we are running low on our fuel and expected to perform or work hard and long, we put our body at increased risk of injury.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

A balanced diet (of your 5 food groups) will help

Foods that help reduce inflammation (e.g. curcumin/turmeric, olive oil, nuts, fish, green leafy veggies, chia seeds)

Foods that are high in anti-oxidants (e.g. goji berries, berries, nuts, spinach, artichokes, beets)

Hydration with water and unsweetened drinks (generally 1.5-2L water a day, unless you are sweating profusely)

Some certain foods to help with wound healing (high in certain vitamins and minerals vital for injury healing and prevention) e.g. proteins, power foods

For more individualised assessment and guidance, our in-house dietitian and nutritionist, Dr Karen Murphy will be able to assist you.

3. Decrease stress

There is certainly ‘healthy stress’ that often keeps us stimulated, however unhealthy levels and particularly long term exposure to these do such dramatic changes to our physical and emotional health. There are 2 aspects to consider:

a) Physical:

Overdoing versus under-doing. If we are overusing the body physically eg continued manual and labor intensive duties, our bodies will be at risk of overuse, increased risk of injuries, wear and tear arthritis, and physical pain. On the other hand, underuse or inactivity of our body can also lead to injuries, weaknesses of bones and muscles, and predisposition for depression and chronic diseases (eg heart disease, diabetes). Finding that happy balance is the key to physical stress. Australia’s Department of Health recommend adults (18-64yo) be active on most, preferably all days; 2.5-5hours of moderate activity or 1.25-2.5hours of vigorous intensity (or the equivalent combination) per week; and muscle strengthening activities 2x/week.

b) Emotional:

By far this seems to be so underestimated on the impact of our health. When we are stressed, it not only has an impact to us emotionally but also on a physical level. Stress and prolonged stress will contribute/cause such symptoms like low energy, headaches, digestive issues (e.g. IBS), chest pains, insomnia, muscle pains, anxiety, tinnitus, grinding of teeth, inattention, forgetfulness, poor judgement, appetite changes, skin and hair changes, mood changes, dependence on drugs, mental health problems, menstrual issues, sexual dysfunctions, and cardiovascular disease. So if you’re not wanting to escalate your existing pain and the above conditions, I would highly recommend reviewing any retained unresolved emotions and your stress coping mechanisms and resilience.

For stress relief tips, have a read of my stress blog here, or for mindfulness tips read here

These are the 3 tips that I tell all my patients for general wellbeing and particularly for those I see who have had ongoing long term issues. So have a look at your current states of sleep, nutrition and stress (physical and emotional) and perhaps see what areas may apply for you. Our circumstances are continually changing, so it is important to regularly check in on our state of wellbeing and see where we could perhaps improve.

Happy health, regards Karen x

Resources

Department of Health. Australian Government. (2019). Australia’s physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines and the Australian 24-hour movement guidelines. Retrieved from http://www.health.gov.au

Househam, A. M. et al. (2017) ‘The Effects of Stress and Meditation on the Immune System, Human Microbiota, and  Epigenetics.’, Advances in mind-body medicine. United States, 31(4), pp. 10–25.

Lallukka, T., Sivertsen, B., Kronholm, E., Bin, Y. S., Overland, S., & Glozier, N. (2018). Association of sleep duration and sleep quality with the physical, social, and emotional functioning among Australian adults. Sleep Health, 4(2), 194–200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2017.11.006

National Sleep Foundation (2015). Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times.