I’m proud to share this new self-paced course featuring my mindfulness facilitator teacher, Wendy Quan, Founder of The Calm Monkey. I’ve seen this course myself and highly recommend it – it’s filled with helpful teachings, stories and most importantly, easy practices that can be very powerful for your state-of-being. In these challenging times having some kind of meditative and mindfulness practice is crucial for work life balance and mental wellness.
Course: “Mindfulness for the Workplace”
Learn to create a better experience for yourself at work and in life, no matter what your current circumstances are or what the future might hold.
This course focuses on practical, secular and evidence-based mindfulness practices that can be incorporated into your workday. Meditations are also included!
Learn what mindfulness truly is and follow guidance to apply it into your daily life.
• This is for absolute beginners and experienced practitioners
• The examples given are work-related but everything can be applied into any aspect of your life
• 12 lessons to help you unwind your stress and anxiety, interact better with co-workers, build resilience, deal better with change, start a mindfulness practice at work, and improve team dynamics – and more.
1. The Great Courses · Individual course purchases via ‘Instant video’ for streaming or download, or DVD. · Receive a course discount here (this link will provide a significant discount that’s not always available to the general public).
2. Wondrium · Streaming access to thousands of educational, entertaining videos for anything you’ve ever wondered about. I recommend this platform as you’ll discover their wide variety of course titles! · Receive a 14 day Free Trial here so you can watch the course for free!
3.Audible.com · The audio version of this course is free with their 30-day trial!
Get this course today and create a better experience for yourself at work.
A dieter wrestling with cravings for fatty foods might be tempted to blame their tongue: the delicious taste of butter or ice cream is hard to resist.
But new research investigating the source of our appetites has uncovered an entirely new connection between the gut and the brain that drives our desire for fat.
At Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute, scientists studying mice found that fat entering the intestines triggers a signal. Conducted along nerves to the brain, this signal drives a desire for fatty foods.
Published September 7, 2022, in Nature, the new study raises the possibility of interfering with this gut-brain connection to help prevent unhealthy choices and address the growing global health crisis caused by overeating.
“We live in unprecedented times, in which the overconsumption of fats and sugars is causing an epidemic of obesity and metabolic disorders,” said first author Mengtong Li, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of the Zuckerman Institute’s Charles Zuker, Ph.D., supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. “If we want to control our insatiable desire for fat, science is showing us that the key conduit driving these cravings is a connection between the gut and the brain.”
This new view of dietary choices and health started with previous work from the Zuker lab on sugar. Researchers found that glucose activates a specific gut-brain circuit that communicates to the brain in the presence of intestinal sugar. Calorie-free artificial sweeteners, in contrast, do not have this effect, likely explaining why diet sodas can leave us feeling unsatisfied.
“Our research is showing that the tongue tells our brain what we like, such as things that taste sweet, salty or fatty,” said Dr. Zuker, who is also a professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics and of neuroscience at Columbia’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. “The gut, however, tells our brain what we want, what we need.”
Dr. Li wanted to explore how mice respond to dietary fats: the lipids and fatty acids that every animal must consume to provide the building blocks of life. She offered mice bottles of water with dissolved fats, including a component of soybean oil, and bottles of water containing sweet substances known to not affect the gut but that are initially attractive.
The rodents developed a strong preference, over a couple of days, for the fatty water. They formed this preference even when the scientists genetically modified the mice to remove the animals’ ability to taste fat using their tongues.
“Even though the animals could not taste fat, they were nevertheless driven to consume it,” said Dr. Zuker.
The researchers reasoned that fat must be activating specific brain circuits driving the animals’ behavioral response to fat. To search for that circuit, Dr. Li measured brain activity in mice while giving the animals fat.
Neurons in one particular region of the brainstem, the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNST), perked up. This was intriguing because the cNST was also implicated in the lab’s previous discovery of the neural basis of sugar preference.
Dr. Li then found the communications lines that carried the message to the cNST. Neurons in the vagus nerve, which links the gut to the brain, also twittered with activity when mice had fat in their intestines.
Having identified the biological machinery underlying a mouse’s preference for fat, Dr. Li next took a close look at the gut itself: specifically the endothelial cells lining the intestines. She found two groups of cells that sent signals to the vagal neurons in response to fat.
“One group of cells functions as a general sensor of essential nutrients, responding not only to fat, but also to sugars and amino acids,” said Dr. Li. “The other group responds to only fat, potentially helping the brain distinguish fats from other substances in the gut.”
Dr. Li then went one important step further by blocking the activity of these cells using a drug. Shutting down signaling from either cell group prevented vagal neurons from responding to fat in the intestines. She then used genetic techniques to deactivate either the vagal neurons themselves or the neurons in the cNST. In both cases, a mouse lost its appetite for fat.
“These interventions verified that each of these biological steps from the gut to the brain is critical for an animal’s response to fat,” said Dr. Li. “These experiments also provide novel strategies for changing the brain’s response to fat and possibly behavior toward food.”
The stakes are high. Obesity rates have nearly doubled worldwide since 1980. Today, nearly half a billion people suffer from diabetes.
“The overconsumption of cheap, highly processed foods rich in sugar and fat is having a devastating impact on human health, especially among people of low income and in communities of color,” said Dr. Zuker. “The better we understand how these foods hijack the biological machinery underlying taste and the gut-brain axis, the more opportunity we will have to intervene.”
Scott Sternson, Ph.D., a professor of neuroscience at the University of California, San Diego, who was not involved in the new research highlighted its potential for improving human health.
“This exciting study offers insight about the molecules and cells that compel animals to desire fat,” said Dr. Sternson, whose work focuses on how the brain controls appetite. “The capability of researchers to control this desire may eventually lead to treatments that may help combat obesity by reducing consumption of high-calorie fatty foods.”
Prof Sundardas D Annamalay
Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.
The GutBrain Healing online programme with naturopath Dr Sundardas D Annamalay is a holistic, 6 module kick starter programme for you to rebalance your gut health. Through easy to follow video content with a sound scientific basis, participants are educated on the foundational underpinnings of gut health. By doing so you’ll optimise your immune system, digestion & weight management. You will also get rid of symptoms that have been plaguing you all your life. Here’s to a Healthy Gut!
The earlier individuals develop Type 2 diabetes or hypertension in life, the earlier they are likely to develop primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, researchers from UT Southwestern reported in a recent study. The findings, published in Clinical Ophthalmology, could lead to better screening protocols for POAG, which accounts for up to 90% of all cases of glaucoma.
“Currently, we lack the tools to cure glaucoma, but with enough advanced notice, we can preserve patients’ vision. Early detection of glaucoma is the key to better control of intraocular pressure and preventing blindness,” said study leader Karanjit Kooner, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at UTSW.
Tens of millions of people have POAG around the globe. Because this disease has few symptoms in its earliest stages, Dr. Kooner explained, patients are frequently diagnosed in its later stages when vision has already been permanently damaged. Although researchers have identified several risk factors for POAG — including Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, migraines, and obstructive sleep apnea — how they might influence the onset of POAG is not well understood.
To answer this question, Dr. Kooner and his colleagues collected data from the medical records of 389 POAG patients, all seen by Dr. Kooner between June 2019 and December 2019 at the UTSW Eye Clinic. Using statistical modeling, the researchers found no connection between migraines and/or obstructive sleep apnea and the age of POAG onset. However, the researchers found that the age of Type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension diagnosis was significantly linked with the onset of POAG — the earlier patients presented with either or both of these conditions, the earlier they tended to develop POAG.
Dr. Kooner noted that both Type 2 diabetes and hypertension are diseases that affect blood vessels of both the optic nerve and retina, thus potentially causing changes that predispose patients to POAG, another condition with a vascular root. If these connections hold up in future research, he said, Type 2 diabetes and hypertension could be added to the list of factors that can trigger POAG screening — including a family history of POAG, elevated intraocular pressure, and Black race — and lead to earlier diagnosis of POAG, preserving patients’ vision and quality of life.
Let us help you identify your toxicity status that can contribute to blood sugar dysregulation. Book your session with the Oligoscan.
This assessment is normally valued at $350. Now If you book in November 2022 you get you toxicity and nutritional assessment for only$250.
Prof Sundardas D Annamalay
Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.
The GutBrain Healing online programme with naturopath Dr Sundardas D Annamalay is a holistic, 6 module kick starter programme for you to rebalance your gut health. Through easy to follow video content with a sound scientific basis, participants are educated on the foundational underpinnings of gut health. By doing so you’ll optimise your immune system, digestion & weight management. You will also get rid of symptoms that have been plaguing you all your life. Here’s to a healthy Gut!
Did you know that as human beings we actually spend on average, one third of our lives in bed? One third! That means that in one single day of 24 hours, we are in bed for 8 hours, the equivalent of an average workday.
In a week, that is a total of 56 hours spent in bed. Over the course of one year, that is 2920 hours, or 121.5 days spent in bed.
Now think of an average 80-?year life span, over the course of an 80-?year lifetime that’s 233,600 hours in bed for a total of 26.4 years! So as we reach the end of our lives, when we look back to reflect, we won’t even remember 26.4 years worth of time, because we were asleep.
However, those hours spent asleep will have had a tremendous amount of impact on our hours and days in which we were awake. The quality of our sleep influences our ability to function, to be productive, and to have energy while at work or playing with your children. What do you feel like when you skip a night of sleep? I can tell you personally, it takes me two days to get caught back up! So if I stay awake for 24 hours, I personally suffer for the next 48.
How about those nights where you don’t intend to stay awake, but you can’t shut off your mind and you end up tossing and turning and staring at the ceiling as the minutes on your clock keep turning. Even though you intended to sleep, but couldn’t, the next day how do you feel? (Allow them to respond). Do you feel less productive the next day? Raise your hand if you are like me and feel like your body is able to go through the motions of the day, but your mind is in a total fog? Am I the only one who has ever experienced that? (Interact with the audience so they remember the feeling of missing sleep and how it affects their life).
I’m glad we agree that the quality of our sleep is vitally important for our ability as human beings to flourish. So if sleep makes us more productive and able to work more efficiently, why is it that when we are busy the first thing to be skipped is sleep? How many of you used to pull “all-?nighters” in school when you had a test the next morning, or maybe you still do this with pending work deadlines? I am the first person to raise my hand and admit that I am guilty of this.
What Happens When We Skip Sleep?
Let’s take a look at what exactly happens to the body when we skip a night of sleep. Because the physical body is craving sleep and is too tired to function as normal, the physical body relies on the release of the hormone adrenaline to stay awake.
Adrenaline is an important hormone, and it is important to our existence. Adrenaline gives us that rush to achieve super human feats like to jump out of an airplane when going skydiving and to save us in life threatening situations; you know the classic example of running away from a bear. Adrenaline serves us in these situations, and is favorable.
However, to be pumped with adrenaline while sitting at your cubicle at work is highly destructive. The natural response to adrenaline is to fight or to flight. If the body releases adrenaline, and instead of fighting or flighting, we remain sedentary, then the body will store cortisol, the hormone associated with weight gain. In addition to storing cortisol, research also tells us that men who have sleep apnea also have a lower production of testosterone, bringing their sex drive down.
So by having a restless night of sleep, we feel terrible, have a headache, our bodies are stressed out, we lack energy, and we are releasing hormones that tell the body to store fat, contributing to the onset of obesity.
Lack of sleep can also be deadly. Of the individuals suffering from insomnia, 90% of this population has another serious health disorder. Meaning that insomnia is a contributing factor to severe chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Sleep deprivation while driving is also lethal, in some cases as bad as being intoxicated. The National Traffic Highway Traffic Safety Administration (US) estimates that 100,000 auto crashes per year are due to fatigue and being drowsy while sleeping.
Mindset Shift
Sleeping is very important. As active members in our community, we are busy, we have careers, many of you are parents, we have commitments to clubs and associations for which we belong. When asked “how do you do it all?” Many people will reply, I don’t sleep.
I want each of you to learn to change this mentality. Lack of sleep should not be associated with success. Success should be associated with well-?rested, alert human beings. If not, you will suffer from burnout. It may not happen tomorrow, but you will reach a point in which your body will not physically allow you to continue at that rate. So the next time someone asks you “how do you manage to do it all?” I want your response to be, I’m well rested so that I can work with optimal efficiency. That is planning to be successful for the long haul.
We had a patient named Joy who had been coming in for about 8 weeks or so for postural correction. One day Joy seemed particularly joyful and had a big smile on her face. I asked her how she was doing, and she said that she was the best she had been in years.
Happy to hear that response I asked her to expand, and to tell me more. She had never told me, but before she started her posture correction treatments, she was an insomniac, and was lucky to sleep 4 hours per night. When she came in she always complained of headaches, which were obviously related to the insomnia. She told me that just two weeks after starting treatment she was able to sleep for about 6.5 hours per night, and her headaches went away. She had more energy each day naturally, and she stopped drinking wine at night to relax herself so she could sleep-? admitting that she was reliant on her bottle of wine per night.
Joy was actually happy to go to work now. Joy is a first grade teacher. Can you imagine what it would be like to have a pounding headache, no energy, and 30 first graders to take care of? In my mind, that’s misery. Postural correction gave her the passion for teaching back. With good rest and healthy alignment of her body, her life completely changed for the better.
I am going to offer each of you a complete posture analysis, a value of $160for just $40. The return on investment for this postural evaluation, for Joy was life-?changing. I am confident that if we find postural distortions we will have transformational results with you as well.
SPECIAL OFFER!
YOU CAN DISCOVER IF YOU HAVE A POSTURAL DISTORTION.
NORMAL POSTURE SCREEN PICTURES AND ASSESSMENT IS $160.
SIGN UP NOW FOR ONLY $40
YOU WILL GET THE SCREEN PICTURES AND A DISCUSSION IF YOU HAVE POSTURAL DISTORTIONS AFFECTING YOUR BRAIN.
CALL US AT 6323 6652 FOR AN APPOINTMENT TODAY!
Prof Sundardas D Annamalay
Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.
Glass jar with green smoothie, served with baby spinach, lemon and green apple over wooden table
Why we need to detox?
Detoxification, or “detox” is a general term referring to any procedure which rids the body of toxins. Exogenous toxins are those molecular structures that enter the body from the environment for which the body has no use and which may also cause damage. Endogenous toxins are products of metabolism of which the body must rid itself.
There is little doubt that our environment is polluted with toxins and harmful substances. One of the keys of anti-aging is to identify useful ways to detoxify our exposure to toxic surrounding elements including our air, water and food. The reason is simple – the more toxins you ingest, the faster you age.The concepts of internal cleansing and detoxification have been around for centuries. Detoxification of the body refers to the cleansing of the bowels, kidneys, lungs, the liver and the blood since these are the organs involved in the detoxification of chemicals and toxins from the body.
Toxins
A toxin is defined as any compound that has a detrimental effect on cell function or structure. Toxins can damage the body in an insidious and cumulative way. Once the internal detoxification system becomes overloaded, toxic metabolites begin to accumulate. We also become progressively more sensitive to other chemicals, some of which are normally non-toxic. It is this accumulation of toxins over a period of time than can wreak havoc on our normal metabolic processes thus causing numerous allergies and addiction.
Toxins include industrial chemicals and their polluted by-products, pesticides, additives in our foods, heavy metals, anesthetics, drug deposits, environmental hormones, and secondary smoke. More than two million synthetic substances have been identified and 25,000 new toxins are added each year. About 30,000 are produced on a commercial scale. Unfortunately, only a miniscule percentage is ever tested for toxicity.
Long term exposure to toxins can result in metabolic and genetic alternations that can affect cell growth, behavior and immune response. This is because the molecular structures of toxins are carcinogenic as they interact with human DNA. The World Health Organization has implicated environmental toxic chemicals in over 60 to 80 per cent of all cancer cases.
Exogenous Toxins
Exogenous toxins are primarily products of the petrochemical and industrial ages. Industry has brought with it high exposure to toxic heavy metals, namely aluminum, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, bismuth, cadmium, lead, mercury, nickel, platinum, silver, thallium, thorium, tin, and uranium. In the pre-industrial age man had almost no exposure these elements except perhaps for silver and lead. In our evolution the exposure has been so meager that human biochemistry has made no use of these metals. Therefore when they enter the human body the only thing they can do is replace the nutritional metals (such as manganese, magnesium, etc.) in enzyme systems. As replacements toxic heavy metals stop the function of the enzymes with which they are associated and this is their toxic effect.
Other toxins we are exposed to are the halogens. The body can make use of only one halogen: iodine which is used to make thyroid hormone. The other halogens, e.g. fluorine and chlorine, are worse than useless to the body. Using biased studies, the aluminum industry has persuaded the American public that its very own waste byproduct , fluorine (as fluoride), should be painted onto and brushed into teeth, and swallowed with every drink of water. Epidemiological studies show that fluoride intake is directly linked with cancer. (And, by the way, it does not make stronger teeth.) Likewise chlorine which is dumped wholesale into most water supplies.
From the 1890s until the 1940s, organic chemicals were produced by the fractional distillation of coal and tar. No new chemicals were produced, only those already present in coal and tar were isolated. The petrochemical era was born in the 1940s. In 1940, by using new technology, synthetic chemicals were created which had never existed before. With the advent of thermal and catalytic cracking, it became possible to take petroleum, fractionate it, isolate particular chemicals and then, with a process of molecular splicing and recombination to produce any chemical you wanted to produce.
In 1940, we produced about one billion pounds of new synthetic chemicals. By 1950, the figure had reached fifty billion pounds, and by the late 1980s, it became 500 billion pounds, including a wide range of toxic, carcinogenic, neurotoxic and other chemicals. Most of these chemicals have never been tested for toxic, carcinogenic or environmental effects. We have been able to identify around 600 of these chemicals which are carcinogenic.
Endogenous Toxins
So, by man’s ingenuity we have been increasing the load of toxins almost daily — as if we needed more toxins. The body has all it can do to detoxify itself from the waste products of its own metabolism. To this end it devotes the largest organs in the body: the skin, kidneys, liver and colon. The body is designed to detox quite well if given enough pure water and fiber. However, the cultural norm is to drink very little (if any) pure water and to eat little fiber. In the place of pure water we have: tap water, mineral water, soda pop, coffee, tea, milk, juice, etc. (Distilled water is the only pure water.) In the place of fiber is meat (and yes that includes fish and fowl), breads, pasta, rice, potatoes, corn chips, milk — you know, the Standard American Diet (SAD).
When you add together the exogenous toxins and the endogenous toxins, practically the entire population is toxic. You can detect this by simply noticing the number of people with foul breath. Foul breath is almost always due to the presence of toxins, particularly when concentrated in the colon.
Signs that Detoxification is Needed
If you have unexplained headaches or back pain
If you have joint pain or arthritis
If your memory is failing
If you are depressed or lack energy
If you have brittle nails and hair
If you have abnormal body odor, coated tongue or bad breath
If you have an unexplained weight gain
If you have psoriasis
If you have frequent allergies
If you have a history of heavy alcohol use
If you have a history of natural and synthetic steroid hormone use.
If you have an exposure to cleaning solvents, pesticides, diuretics and certain drugs
Benefits of Detoxification
Digestive tract is cleansed of accumulated waste and fermenting bacteria.
Liver, kidney, and blood purification can take place that is not possible during regular eating patterns
Mental clarity is enhanced as chemical and food additive overload is reduced
Reduced dependency on habit forming substances such as sugar, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and drugs
Stomach size is returned to normal as bad eating habits can be stopped
Hormonal system is enhanced which is especially true for growth hormone
Immune system is stimulated.
Let us help you identify your toxicity status. Book your session with the Oligoscan.
This assessment is normally valued at $350. Now If you book in November 2022 you get your toxicity and nutritional assessment for only $250.
Prof Sundardas D Annamalay
Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.
The Gut Brain Healing online programme with naturopath Dr Sundardas D Annamalay is a holistic, 6 module kick starter programme for you to rebalance your gut health. Through easy to follow video content with a sound scientific basis, participants are educated on the foundational underpinnings of gut health. By doing so you’ll optimise your immune system, digestion & weight management. You will also get rid of symptoms that have been plaguing you all your life. Here’s to a healthy Gut!
Ask anyone in a long-term partnership and, chances are, they’ll tell you that relationships are hard work. Misunderstandings and miscommunications happen, boundaries are crossed, and arguments ensue—after all, no person is perfect, and therefore no pairing is without its pitfalls. But, while everyone can make mistakes when interacting with their partners, there are certain unhealthy behaviors that should raise a red flag.
Here are 11 warning signs that may signal a relationship has veered into toxic territory. Take note of them as areas to focus on and correct for future interactions—or, in some cases, as signs that the person or relationship is beyond repair and should be abandoned immediately to avoid further harm.
Warning Signs That May Signal A Relationship Has Veered Into Toxic Territory
1. Toxic communication
As a cornerstone of every healthy relationship, communication is key. Hence, issues in this area can point to stalemates and dissatisfaction ahead. Constant interrupting or talking over the other person, for example, shows a lack of respect, as well as a lack of willingness or ability to listen to someone else’s point of view—which, in turn, makes understanding and empathy impossible. Rash reactions should be replaced with active listening. To avoid a communication breakdown, you can even have the listener repeat back what they heard to avoid any crossed wires or “lost in translation” moments.
2. A lack of support
In a supportive partnership, you should always feel you have a best friend in your corner, cheering on your successes and commiserating over any disappointments. But, in a toxic situation, you may find yourself feeling the opposite—as if you have a secret saboteur on your side instead. If you’re hesitant or afraid to share good news with your other half, perhaps out of fear of his or her reaction, or if you hit a wall of negativity every time you’re in celebration mode, it may be time to look deeper at your relationship’s dynamics. A supportive partner stands by your side in times good and bad, so if that feeling is lacking, it may spell doom over the long term.
3. Jealousy or envy
Some partners with less than supportive motives harbor a case of envy, which means they want what you have. Jealousy, on the other hand, usually involves a third party—perhaps a co-worker, friend, or even a stranger that the partner feels is getting special attention. While a small amount of jealousy can be normal and natural, excessive or unfounded jealousy can signal insecurity and deep-seated distrust. If your partner accuses you of cheating every time you run errands, it’ll be difficult, if not impossible, to convince them otherwise, which will likely sow seeds of resentment on both sides of the table.
4. Possessiveness or controlling behaviour
Signs of this type of issue can manifest in various ways—everything from one partner requiring frequent check-ins or monitoring movement via technology, to isolating a partner from friends and family, with the end goal of cutting off networks of support to make them more dependent on a significant other. Additional examples include telling the partner how to act or dress; requiring “permission” for basic tasks; or snooping through private possessions (like a diary), texts, or emails. Ultimately, possessive and controlling partners want to usurp freedom and autonomy, which makes an unsustainable setup for long-term happiness.
5. Lies and half-truth.
Outright lying begs the question: What is the partner trying to hide? Dishonesty may be covering up more serious infractions, such as infidelity—but, even if not, relationships require a foundation of truth-telling in order to build trust. Without these basics, it’s impossible to create a positive and peaceful connection in which both parties feel at ease. Alternatively, half-truths can be just as damaging, eroding trust over the long haul as a partner tries to control the narrative through means such as minimizing, “selective memory,” evading, and so on. When a partner says something that later turns out to be untrue or half-true, suspicion builds and eats away at mutual goodwill.
6. Imbalance of power
Could anyone in the relationship accurately declare, “What I say, goes”? When one partner in the relationship seems to have all of the say-so, it creates an unhealthy balance that actually harms both parties. One person can get tired of having to make all of the decisions, for example, while the other can feel overlooked, unheard, or misrepresented. This ultimately leads to resentment and dissatisfaction for both. Though it’s possible to have a slight differential of power among partners, gaping imbalances can point to trouble.
7. Walking on eggshells
If one partner is often worried about saying or doing something wrong, for fear of upsetting the other person or inciting anger or rage, it can be difficult to engage in open and honest discussions, and one person feels like they can’t truly be themselves around their partner. Though it’s a good idea to behave in ways that don’t intentionally harm or upset the other person, there is an issue when one feels like daily life presents a minefield—never sure if where they’re stepping might set something off and cause an explosion.
8. Withdrawal or isolation
This related pair of relationship red flags is another that can be mutually harmful in couples. Those who withdraw or isolate are usually engaging in a form of self-sabotaging behavior, while the other partner feels shut out, hurt, or confused. If this is a go-to strategy for one or both partners, it can be difficult or impossible to reach real resolutions after disagreements, meaning they’re likely to crop up again. Meanwhile, stonewalling (shutting down all communication) can be a feature of more troubling tactics, including emotional abuse.
9. Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
Any of these three behaviors should sound the loudest of alarm bells, inciting the immediate end of a relationship. Abuse tends to worsen, not improve, over time, and can lead to severe consequences like injury or even death. Though the signs of domestic violence and sexual abuse are more well-known, emotional abuse includes behaviors like manipulation, verbal abuse, and gaslighting, plus many of the other behaviors on this list, like attempts to control. Even though not physically threatening, these are designed to be damaging to a person’s emotional well-being and should be taken very seriously.
10. Cruelty
This can come in many forms—it can take place in public, such as belittling, shaming, or mocking the partner in front of others, or it may be done privately, such as criticizing or making cutting remarks behind closed doors. Either way, cruelty leads to distrust, anger, hurt, and even deeper effects like lowered self-esteem. A partner who’s healthy and supportive should be working to build you up, not tear you down.
11. Making excuses for your partner
If your other half engages in any of the above behaviours—or other harmful actions—do you try to explain them away rather than confront them? For example, you may say (to yourself or others), “He was just having a bad day,” or “She was just drinking too much that night and overreacted.” If you find yourself searching for excuses for inappropriate or hurtful behavior, and especially if you need to frequently do so, it’s time to directly broach concerns that arise, rather than avoiding and justifying.
Recognising the warning signs of a toxic relationship is just the first step. Understanding why your partner acts the way they do, why you put up with bad behaviour, or why you sabotage your own relationships is a critical part of fixing a broken partnership.
“Psychosomatic experiencing is about working directly with your nervous system. You are about to become intimately familiar and comfortable with your inner survival system. You will learn how to shift the different emotional states to a manageable level within a few minutes.
When our emotions are running our lives, we are not in a state of calm aliveness. Rather, there are imbalances in the nervous system that cause problems. It causes imbalances in other systems and organs in our body. Not to mention how these imbalances influence our thoughts, feelings and behaviours towards ourselves and others.”
Have you ever made the commitment to ditch an unhealthy habit-guzzling sugary energy drinks all day long, bingeing on Netflix every night, or smoking cigarettes—only to find that after a few days it feels nearly impossible to quit? You might even have started to feel depressed and lost without it. You know you made the right decision, but why is it so hard to follow through? The short answer is your brain doesn’t always want to do what is best for you.
The human brain is extraordinarily complex with its 100 billion neurons and the trillions of connections between them. It is involved in everything you do, think, feel, say, and desire. Your brain makes you who you are, but sometimes it outsmarts you in a way that is deceiving—perhaps even a little manipulative.
The simple explanation for this is the brain is biologically wired for reward and pleasure. Back in the caveman days, this likely served as a survival mechanism in that it provided the motivation to find food and water. Even though access to these is much less of a concern now, the brain still drives us to repeat behaviours that result in a perceived reward, regardless of whether the activity is positive—such as watching a beautiful sunset—or harmful, like using cocaine. One of the key drivers for this is dopamine—a neurotransmitter intricately involved with pleasure, focus, and motivation.
DOPAMINE and the brain’s reward system
Within the brain’s reward circuit are structures that are often referred to as the pleasure centers. Although they are very small, they have a lot of influence over the choices we make. Therefore, whatever you do that causes dopamine to be released, your brain will encourage you to repeat it because it anticipates a reward from that behavior. To make it even more complicated, pleasurable experiences are linked to emotions and memory, which makes giving up unhealthy habits even more challenging.
Your brain’s reward system doesn’t really care that your sugar-filled morning Frappuccino or a few drinks with friends after work each day is adversely affecting your mental health and physical well-being. In fact, just thinking about engaging in these habits causes dopamine to be released and essentially hijacks your brain.
A simple strategy to override your brain’s pleasure centres
Even though bad habits can be tricky to overcome, you can learn how to outsmart your brain’s natural inclinations. With practice, you can override its power and make the healthy changes you want.
When you’re used to doing a certain thing regularly, life can initially feel empty without it—and this is normal. There’s a part of your brain that is kicking and screaming because it isn’t getting the reward from the habit you have given up. One way to help you process this discomfort is to think about the circumstances that got you hooked on it to begin with.
For example, imagine that the unhealthy habit you want to stop is having pizza and a large soda for lunch on too many days each week. Think back to your original memories associated with it. Perhaps you started eating that way in college with a group of good friends, and not only did you enjoy the indulgence and taste of the meal, but also the laughs and camaraderie that came with it. Fast forward a decade or more to where you are today with a multitude of responsibilities and not enough time on your hands. Now, you run out to pick up a big slice of pizza and a soda for washing it down while sitting at your desk during your lunch break. You might not even enjoy it all that much, but you (and your brain) do it because it’s what you (and your brain) have always done.
Notice the difference between the memory of how you felt in college and how your current experience with the pizza habit makes you feel. There’s a very good chance that it’s not as pleasurable as it used to be.
Using this memory-based information, you can start vetoing your brain’s drive to hit the pizza parlour by choosing to adopt a new, healthier lunchtime habit that makes you feel better about yourself. Start becoming aware of the benefits you experience from, for example, choosing a salad with grilled chicken and having sparkling water instead of having pizza. Pay attention to how the healthy choice nourishes your body and brain, increases your energy, and maybe even helps you lose a few extra pounds. Keep your focus on all the positive things you are gaining with this change.
Revising behaviours that have been reinforced over time won’t happen overnight. It takes daily practice. Each day, remind yourself about the positive and pleasurable feelings associated with your new habit. Regardless of what you want to change, the more you do it, the more it gets wired into your brain as a reward and puts you back in the driver’s seat for choosing what is best for you.
At Sundardas Naturopathic Clinic, we’re here for you.
Prof Sundardas D Annamalay
Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.
“Psychosomatic experiencing is about working directly with your nervous system. You are about to become intimately familiar and comfortable with your inner survival system. You will learn how to shift the different emotional states to a manageable level within a few minutes.
When our emotions are running our lives, we are not in a state of calm aliveness. Rather, there are imbalances in the nervous system that cause problems. It causes imbalances in other systems and organs in our body. Not to mention how these imbalances influence our thoughts, feelings and behaviours towards ourselves and others.”
The GutBrain Healing online programme with naturopath Dr Sundardas D Annamalay is a holistic, 6 module kick starter programme for you to rebalance your gut health. Through easy to follow video content with a sound scientific basis, participants are educated on the foundational underpinnings of gut health. By doing so you’ll optimise your immune system, digestion & weight management. You will also get rid of symptoms that have been plaguing you all your life. Here’s to a Healthy Gut!
You’ve probably heard the word “resilience” pop up more often recently—and for good reason. With so much uncertainty and change in the world around us during the past couple of years, many people—young and old— have been struggling with high stress levels.
So what is it that makes some people seem relatively calm and collected when faced with adversity, while others become completely overwhelmed?
It’s the degree of emotional and psychological resilience they have.
This means that when serious stressors, crises, tragedy and other types of trauma occur, they can recover more quickly and adapt to the changing circumstances more easily. This doesn’t mean they don’t experience emotional pain and distress about bad situations, but rather they employ helpful thought patterns and behaviors that support them as they go through difficult times.
Some people may naturally have a greater capacity for being resilient, but even when that’s not the case, it’s something that can be developed with the right strategies when faced with life’s unexpected twists and turns.
7 Ways to Increase Your Emotional and Psychological Resilience
1. Diet
If you follow me, you know it goes without saying that keeping your brain balanced with a healthy and regular exercise are foundational for managing your stress, especially when challenges arise. However, building resilience takes additional effort, so here are 5 things you can start practicing now:
2. Use your ability to respond.
Sometimes things happen to you that are no fault of your own, and though you cannot change what occurred, you can take responsibility for what you do afterwards. This is important because it keeps you from staying in “victim mode,” especially when someone or something has threatened or harmed you. By using your ability to respond, you empower yourself.
3. Identify what you can control, and what you cannot.
One way so many people elevate their stress level is by focusing—or even obsessing about the things outside of their control. Worrying endlessly about some uncertainty sends you down the rabbit hole of fear. Instead of doing that, focus on what you can control each day, even if it’s just little things.
4. Don’t weather the storm alone.
When you’re faced with something difficult, not only is it okay to reach out to others, it’s also healthier for you. The support we get from people we trust helps to bolster our resilience and reduce the chances we’ll get emotionally overwhelmed and have a hard time coping. All of us need someone to lean on at times.
5. Stop catastrophizing
When a stressful situation arises, people with a pessimistic mindset or who struggle with anxiety can’t stop thinking about the worst-case scenario. This is not helpful. If you tend to do this, it’s time to reality-check your worries by questioning your thoughts with this technique from Byron Katie. Ask yourself:
Is it true?
Is it really true, with 100% certainty?
How do you feel when you have this fearful thought?
How would you feel if you didn’t have this thought?
Turn the thought around to its opposite and see if that isn’t actually truer than the original one.
6. Make time for your spiritual side
Some folks find inner strength through their connection with God or higher power, while other experience solace with meditation, yoga, or by spending time in nature. Whatever your sense of spirituality is, being regularly in touch with the peace it brings you is known to increase resilience in challenging times.
7. Practice makes progress
As with any type of personal growth, boosting your resilience requires effort. For many people it also means releasing unhelpful habits, like runaway ANTs (automatic negative thoughts), drowning your troubles in sugar or alcohol, or choosing to feel helpless in an effort to get someone to do the heavy lifting for you.
But just like you build muscle with regular exercise, being intentional about becoming more resilient to cope better with life’s stressors is so worth the everyday effort it needs. It won’t cost you a dime, but the payoff is priceless.
If you’re struggling and need professional help, Sundardas Naturopathic Clinic is here for you.
Prof Sundardas D Annamalay
Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.
“Psychosomatic experiencing is about working directly with your nervous system. You are about to become intimately familiar and comfortable with your inner survival system. You will learn how to shift the different emotional states to a manageable level within a few minutes.
When our emotions are running our lives, we are not in a state of calm aliveness. Rather, there are imbalances in the nervous system that cause problems. It causes imbalances in other systems and organs in our body. Not to mention how these imbalances influence our thoughts, feelings and behaviours towards ourselves and others.”
An investigation into a seminal 2006 study on Alzheimer’s disease has raised questions about its validity. An analysis of the brain images used in the study suggests they may have been doctored, according to a 2022 article in the journal Science. The original 2006 study claimed its images showed that the accumulation of an amyloid-beta protein in the brain was associated with memory impairment in mouse models with Alzheimer’s disease.
The findings in the 2006 paper laid the foundation for the hypothesis that amyloid-beta causes brain cells to die in people with Alzheimer’s. If the theory is wrong, it means that tens of millions of dollars spent on research to find drugs that fight amyloid-beta may have been wasted. This is disheartening news considering that over 6 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease and that by 2050 this number is expected to triple.
However, it is a reminder of what we at Sundardas Naturopathic Clinic have been saying for decades: Alzheimer’s is a lifestyle disease. Scientists will never find a single pill or vaccine to reverse memory loss because it has too many causes. Yet, there are many daily habits you can start doing NOW to improve your memory and reduce your risk for dementia.
12 daily habits to Improve memory and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
1. Exercise to boost blood flow to the brain
Healthy blood flow is critical to a good memory. On SPECT scans, low blood flow is the #1 brain imaging predictor of Alzheimer’s. To improve blood flow, be sure to include physical activity in your day. For example, walk at a fast pace—like you’re late for an appointment—for 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Learn something new
Getting older is the primary risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. To keep your brain from aging too rapidly, make it a point to learn something new no matter how old you are. For example, learn to play a musical instrument, learn a foreign language, or take ballroom dancing lessons.
3. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet
Chronic inflammation damages the brain and increases the risk of dementia. Eliminate pro-inflammatory foods from your diet, such as sugar, fast food, and vegetable oils that are high in omega-6 fatty acids. Stick with anti-inflammatory foods like salmon which is high in omega-3 fatty acids, green leafy vegetables, and avocados.
4. Know your family history
There is a genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Make it a priority to find out if your grandparents or parents developed Alzheimer’s.
5. Protect your head
A wealth of scientific research shows that traumatic brain injuries—even mild head trauma that doesn’t cause you to black out—raises the risk of developing dementia. Avoid activities that put you at risk for head injuries, wear a helmet when riding a bike, hold the handrail when going down stairs, and work on your balance to avoid falls.
6. Ditch alcohol
Excessive drinking is linked with memory problems and dementia. In a 43-year follow-up study of more than 12,000 people, moderate-to-heavy drinkers had a 57% higher risk of dementia compared with non-drinkers and light drinkers—and they developed it at a younger age. Protect your memory by avoiding alcohol.
7. Get treated for psychiatric issues
Mental health issues, such as depression and ADD/ADHD, are associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. If you have depressive symptoms, or you struggle with focus and attention, it’s important to seek professional help. The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics shows that psychiatric conditions are not single or simple issues. They all have different types. Brain imaging can help identify your type, so you can get the targeted treatment you need.
8. Boost your immune system
Research following the pandemic shows that people with long COVID are more likely to suffer from memory problems and brain fog. More investigation is needed on the consequences of COVID infection on the future development of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. In a 2016 editorial in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 33 scientists expressed concern that infectious diseases were being overlooked as a major cause of memory problems and dementia.
9. Balance your hormones
Hormonal imbalances have been linked to an increased incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Abnormal hormone levels are also linked to a greater risk of heart disease, diabetes, and depression—all of which are also associated with higher odds of Alzheimer’s disease.
10. Maintain a healthy weight and blood sugar level
Being obese or having diabetes makes you more likely to have memory problems. Abnormal insulin levels, a symptom seen in diabetes, has been tied to cognitive decline but not to the accumulation of amyloid-beta proteins in the brain, according to findings in a 2021 study in Diagnosis, Assessment, & Disease Monitoring. The authors of a study on insulin problems and Alzheimer’s in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease say the link between the two conditions is so strong, that they propose calling Alzheimer’s “type 3 diabetes.”
11. Get adequate sleep
While you’re sleeping, your brain performs important tasks, such as removing detritus that builds up during the day (similar to taking out the trash). If you don’t get enough rest at night, your brain can’t perform these vital functions. A lack of sleep makes you more likely to have memory problems, according to a study in Nature Reviews: Neurology. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep a night.
12. Explore brain training and neurofeedback apps
Brain training and neurofeedback have been increasingly found to be useful to help train the brain and support and enhance areas of your brain that need more support.
Memory loss and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Sundardas Naturopathic Clinic, we’re here for you.
Prof Sundardas D Annamalay
Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.
The GutBrain Healing online programme with naturopath Dr Sundardas D Annamalay is a holistic, 6 module kick starter programme for you to rebalance your gut health. Through easy to follow video content with a sound scientific basis, participants are educated on the foundational underpinnings of gut health. By doing so you’ll optimise your immune system, digestion & weight management. You will also get rid of symptoms that have been plaguing you all your life. Here’s to a healthy Gut!
In the same way previous generations pass on genetic characteristics to you, research shows that they also pass along “acquired” or epigenetic characteristics born out of emotionally charged, traumatic experiences. It’s called generational trauma (or ancestral trauma), and it can be a powerful influence in your life as it can increase your vulnerability to a number of mental health conditions.
For those who have never experienced trauma first hand, yet suffer from inexplicable symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other mental health issues—such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, dissociation, hypervigilance, shame, guilt, and more—it can be a great relief to learn that ancestral trauma may be the source.
UNDERSTANDING GENERATIONAL TRAUMA
Generational trauma may begin with a traumatic event affecting an individual, or a traumatic event(s) affecting multiple family members, or collective trauma affecting the larger community, cultural, racial, ethnic, or other groups/populations (known as a historical trauma).
While ancestral trauma has the potential to affect us all, those at the greatest risk are in families and groups that have experienced significant forms of abuse, neglect, torture, oppression, and racial disparities. It’s common in the progeny of war refugees and victims of enslavement, genocide, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and extreme poverty.
Researchers first noted generational trauma in the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of the Holocaust. Findings from a study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research show that children and grandchildren of survivors are at higher risk of anxiety disorders and PTSD.
Another study in the American Journal of Psychotherapy found that among referrals to a child psychiatry clinic, grandchildren of Holocaust survivors were overrepresented by 300% compared to their peers. Research has shown similar effects in the descendants of many other historical traumas. That’s not surprising since children of a parent struggling with PTSD are 3 times more likely to have PTSD themselves.
Generational trauma is also present in families where there has been significant emotional trauma such as divorce, tragic accidents or losses, abandonment, parental incarceration, substance abuse, a death by suicide, or early death of a family member.
These traumas have lasting consequences. For example, with early death, the nervous system can be so deeply impacted that it changes the nature of family members’ genes, which can affect offspring for generations.
Negative parenting behavior can be a source of trauma as well. When parents have unresolved trauma, their parenting can be negatively impacted by depression, substance abuse, mental illness, and other conditions. They can become less attuned as parents and model negative coping skills. They may even become perpetrators of their own trauma; sexual abuse is often repeated in families for generations.
Ancestral trauma has been shown to affect the brain. A large 2019 study found that the children of parents with depression had smaller volume in the pleasure centres of their brain, which placed them at risk of developing depression themselves.
STOPPING GENERATIONAL TRAUMA
The great news is that ancestral trauma can be stopped, but it will not go away on its own. Families can make resilience their new legacy by actively seeking to address the trauma.
Building resilience through open and loving communication between generations is one of the best ways to loosen generational trauma’s grip. Healing happens when family members speak up and work through any hurt, pain, or abuse from the past.
If you are a parent, mental health experts suggest that you seek your own support and share your trauma openly with your children and possibly your grandchildren too. Tell them your story and whatever you know about what happened to your parents and your grandparents.
If you are an adult child of parents or grandparents who may have trauma, ask them about their experiences. Find out as much as you can about your ancestry. Notice any automatic patterns, beliefs, or narratives from your family that you continue to portray.
Talk through them with a trusted friend, family member, or therapist and consider new ways of being and communicating. Start creating a future for yourself without the pain of inherited trauma.
Innovative therapies can be very helpful in resolving generational trauma. For example, somatic therapy is a type of trauma therapy that involves paying close attention to your inner body sensations as a way to regulate emotions.
Also, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy can be a very powerful treatment for people who have been emotionally traumatised. It uses eye movements or other alternate hemisphere stimulation to remove the emotional charges of traumatic memories.
If you suspect generational trauma may be affecting you, reach out to a qualified mental health professional for help. The anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues you experience may not be all yours.
Generational trauma and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Sundardas Naturopathic Clinic, we’re here for you.
Prof Sundardas D Annamalay
Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.
“Psychosomatic experiencing is about working directly with your nervous system. You are about to become intimately familiar and comfortable with your inner survival system. You will learn how to shift the different emotional states to a manageable level within a few minutes.
When our emotions are running our lives, we are not in a state of calm aliveness. Rather, there are imbalances in the nervous system that cause problems. It causes imbalances in other systems and organs in our body. Not to mention how these imbalances influence our thoughts, feelings and behaviours towards ourselves and others.”
