Month: April 2019

The breath is a powerful source of transformation for brain health and breathwork is a practice that improves it. The rate and rhythm of the breath are intimately connected to our mental & emotional states (Brown & Gerbarg, 2012). Just as the emotions and the mind cause the breath to vary, by consciously controlling the breath, we gain control over our mind and our emotions (Trinity College Dublin, 2018).

 

Anxiety and Stress Eased by Breathwork

Combining this modality of breathwork with the eye gaze by noticing ten things in the room and mentally or aloud saying their colour and what they are, as well as pressing the feet into the floor, will activate your parasympathetic nervous system and bring you into a feeling of calmness (McKay, Wood, & Brantley, 2007).

 

Depression

On the other hand, when a person is feeling the depths of depression and despair, they may sigh a lot with almost a sense of defeat. The breath here is usually more in the belly. To bring more life force or prana into the body, it is recommended to sit up straight, lengthen the spine, and with an open mouth – breathing deep and forcefully into the upper chest. This activates the sympathetic nervous system and creates a sense of alertness and aliveness (Levine & Frederick, 2005). Taking breathwork one step further, raise both arms above the head as you inhale, allowing the eye gaze to follow the hands while keeping the chin level (Rosenberg, Rand, & Assay, 1987). Five to ten of these breaths and one will feel a tingling in the whole body, with the eye focus becoming clearer and a sense of elation.

 

How and why does this happen?

The respiratory system is one of the only major systems in the body which is usually involuntary but can be voluntarily controlled via attention (Levine & Frederick, 1997). The rhythm of our heart is thought to be another involuntary system, but if we want to, we can change the speed of our heart by modifying our breath. Should we slow down our breath, for example, this brings the body and mind into a state of calmness and relaxation, thereby slowing the heart rate.

 

The Breath: A Life Force

Breath is the life force that keeps us going; if we didn’t breathe, we would die. When we are able to control the breath with breathwork, we are able to moderate the way we feel in the moment and develop a sense of control over stress levels.

Your rate of breathing and state of mind are inseparable. Using a full yogic breath or other pranayama techniques reprograms your whole cellular memory (Khalsa & Lumpkin, 2015).

 

History of The Breath

For thousands of years, ancient wisdom techniques from the east have exalted the virtues of breath-focused practices, such as pranayama and meditation for their numerous cognitive benefits, including an increased ability to focus, decreased mind wandering, improved arousal levels, more positive emotions, decreased emotional reactivity, and many other benefits (Yates & Immergut, 2017).

 

What did they know that we are just now validating scientifically? Well, a new study by researchers at Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity, Dublin explains for the first time the neurophysiological link between breathing, cognition, and emotion. The research shows that the way we breathe directly affects the chemistry of our brains in a way that can enhance our attention and improve brain health. This study focuses on changes in the levels of noradrenaline in response to the breath. Noradrenaline is a chemical messenger released in the brain when we are challenged, curious, focused, or otherwise emotionally aroused, and when we exercise. If produced at the right levels, it is essential to help the brain grow new connections (Trinity College Dublin, 2018).

 

Breathwork: A Scientific Study

Outlined here by a Ph.D. candidate at the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and lead author of the study, Michael Melnychuk: “Practitioners of yoga have claimed for some 2,500 years, that respiration influences the mind. In our study, we looked for a neurophysiological link that could help explain these claims by measuring breathing, reaction time, and brain activity in a small area in the brainstem called the locus coeruleus, where noradrenaline is made. Noradrenaline is an all-purpose action system in the brain. When we are stressed we produce too much noradrenaline and we can’t focus. When we feel sluggish, we produce too little and again, we can’t focus. There is a sweet spot of noradrenaline in which our emotions, thinking, and memory are much clearer. This study has shown that as you breathe in, locus coeruleus activity is increased slightly, and as you breathe out it decreases. Put simply this means that our attention is influenced by our breath and that it rises and falls with the cycle of respiration. It is possible that by focusing on and regulating your breathing you can optimize your attention level and likewise, by focusing on your attention level, your breathing becomes more synchronized.”

 

Breathwork and Brain Aging

Even more exciting in this area of research was the understanding and uncovering of how breathwork and meditation may have an effect on the aging of the brain. Ian Robertson, Co-Director of the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity College, Dublin, writes: 

 

“Our findings could have particular implications for research into brain ageing. Brains typically lose mass as they age, but less so in the brains of long-term meditators. More ‘youthful’ brains have a reduced risk of dementia and mindfulness meditation techniques actually strengthen brain networks. Our research offers one possible reason for this — using our breath to control one of the brain’s natural chemical messengers, noradrenaline, which in the right ‘dose’ helps the brain grow new connections between cells. This study provides one more reason for everyone to boost the health of their brain using a whole range of activities ranging from aerobic exercise to mindfulness meditation.”

In sum, breathe deep! It’s good for your brain health.

 

References

Brown, R., & Gerbarg, P. (2012). The healing power of the breath: Simple techniques to reduce stress and anxiety, enhance concentration, and balance your emotions. Shambala Publishing.

 

Khalsa Kaur, J., & Lumpkin, N. (2015). Enlightened bodies: Exploring physical and subtle human anatomy. Kundalini Research Institute

 

Levine, P., & Frederick, A. (1997). Waking the tiger: Healing trauma. North Atlantic Books.

 

Levine, P., & Frederick, A. (2005). Healing trauma: A pioneering program for restoring the wisdom of your body. Sounds True Inc.

 

McKay, M., Wood, J.C., & Brantley, J. (2007). The dialectical behavior therapy skills workbook: Practical DBT exercises for learning mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. New Harbinger Publications Inc.

 

Melnychuk, M.C., Dockree, P.M., O’Connell, R.G., Murphy, P.R., Balsters, J.H., & Robertson, I.H. (2018). Coupling of respiration and attention via the locus coeruleus: Effects of meditation and pranayama. Psychophysiology, 55(9). DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13091

 

Rosenberg, J.L., Rand, M, & Assay, D. (1987). Body, self, and soul: Sustaining integration. Humanics Publishing Group.

 

Trinity College Dublin. (2018). The Yogi masters were right — meditation and breathing exercises can sharpen your mind: New research explains link between breath-focused meditation and attention and brain health. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180510101254.htm

 

Yates, J., & Immergut, M.. (2017). The mind illuminated: A complete meditation guide integrating Buddhist wisdom and brain science for greater mindfulness. Hay House Publishing.

 

Author

Charmaine Husum, DKATI, RTC, CT

 

Art Therapy has the powerful healing effect of integrating the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Typically the left side of the brain rules the orderly, statistical, mathematical, logical, practical, rational way of thinking; seeing things in straight lines. The right side of the brain represents creativity and passion. It also experiences taste and feelings, free spirit, imagination, yearning, sensuality, movement, vivid colours, and the senses.


Without activities that stimulate integration within each side of the brain, one side can’t make sense of how the other sees things. You cannot put feelings and expressions into boxes as the left hemisphere would require. They will become restricted. To truly experience feelings, they must be felt. Subsequently, the right brain also has difficulty making sense of how the left-brain sees things. As a society, we tend to be mostly left-brain dominant. This causes an imbalance that can create great disruption in the natural flow of everyday living. This is why it is so important to create integration and balance within both sides of the brain.

 

 

Creating Art is Therapeutic

 

Observing, drawing, and creating art, allows for this integration in the most therapeutic way. We integrate the hemispheres of the brain whenever we do anything that requires logical and creative thought simultaneously.


Another powerful way Art Therapy works to change the brain is by rerouting neurotransmitters. In 1949, Neuropsychologist Donald Hebb described the formation and reinforcement of pathways in the brain through repetition. His quote, “Neurons that fire together, wire together,” coins the thought. Through repetition, we develop habits and ways of being in the world. Though these habits may not always serve our highest purpose. Art Therapy offers an opportunity to explore life in new ways. Using mindful awareness of our emotions, messages from within the body, and tactile sensory expression through art-making.

 

 

What is Art Therapy?

 

Art therapy is a mental health profession using the creative process of art-making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well being of individuals. This works for all ages.  It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to improve life. It resolves conflicts and problems, develops interpersonal skills, manages behavior, reduces stress, increases self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight.


Art therapy uses the creation of art as a primary mode of expression and communication (American Art Therapy Association, 2013).  It integrates psychotherapeutic techniques with the creative process to improve mental health and wellbeing. Sometimes referred to as creative arts therapy or expressive arts therapy, it encourages people to express and understand emotions through artistic expression and the creative process. 

 

 

Making Art Spontaneously

By making art in a spontaneous way, one is able to bring unconscious feelings into consciousness.  Art Therapy can help a person give expression to their feelings and hidden inner conflicts that they may not have words for.  As one creates, they are able to uncover aspects of self that may be locked in the body. When people are then able to associate feelings verbally to the artwork created, the therapy speeds up recovery.

 

Psychotherapy and Art

The idea of using art in psychotherapy has been around since the early days of Carl Jung.  This modality of healing has continued to grow and expand, showing people the benefits of making art in a safe, secure setting. Feelings, once trapped inside the body, will move and expand through the making of art. Doing this brings awareness to ourselves previously uncovered.

 

Although we may have needed these coping mechanisms at one or more times in our lives, they often become a source of pain as they no longer serve the purpose they once did. For instance, maybe you were bullied as a child and now find yourself on guard and ready to attack when provoked. When in reality the threat is no longer with you.

 

You can develop a deep-seated fear to speak out for yourself if you were scolded or physically reprimanded as a child for being too loud or acting out. Maybe this stifling of your voice and spirit has even created a thyroid condition or goiter? These emotions in the body are real and will eventually manifest into physical ailments. By bringing mindful awareness to the body, we are invited to let go of these parts that no longer serve us. and hold us back from living life to our fullest potential.

 

 

Implementing Art Therapy

 

By implementing Art Therapy, I invite you to experience the profound healing that both modalities offer. You don’t need artistic expertise and there is never any pressure to fold like a pretzel or push yourself beyond what is safe for your own body. Honour and listen to your body. Step into a new way of being in the world by allowing space for feelings and messages to arise. I look forward to crossing paths with you soon.

 

Author
Charmaine Husum, DKATI, RTC, CT

Fresh fennel is an excellent food to incorporate into your Spring lifestyle. Not only is it high in fiber, antioxidants and Vitamin C, it is good for digestion and it is a diuretic vegetable, meaning that it increases the volume and frequency of urination which helps to remove toxic substances from the body. It is fresh, light, crisp and has a mild anise flavor. Adding it to your juicing recipes and chopping it into salads and soups are easy ways to get this health promoting and detox supporting vegetable into your diet.


Fennel Strawberry Salad

 

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion.  Rinse well after cutting and soak in enough red wine vinegar to cover for about 15 minutes (this will lessen the intensity of the onion in the salad.
  • 1 large handful of Spring Mix salad greens or Arugula
  • ½ bulb fennel cut into ½-1 inch chunks rinsed well and patted dry.  Discard the stalks but save the leafy fronds for garnish.
  • ¼ of a large sweet bell pepper cut into ½-1 inch pieces.
  • 3-4 inch piece of English Cucumber cut into ½-1 inch pieces.
  • 4-5 large strawberries cut into ½ inch pieces.

 

Vinaigrette

  • 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 ½ tsp Red Wine Vinegar
  •  ½ tsp dried oregano flakes
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp raw honey
  • ½ orange – squeezed
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

 

Instructions:

  1. Chop up vegetables and place in glass bowl.
  2. Put dressing ingredients in a jar and shake them up
  3. Serve and enjoy

 

Fennel Apple Salad by my husband!

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 fennel head, thinly sliced
  • 3 apples, julienned or very thinly sliced
  • 3 green onions – greens only

 

Dressing:

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp raw honey
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp ground mustard
  • ¼ tsp ground celery seed
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder

 

Instructions:

  1. Chop up vegetables and place in glass bowl.
  2. Put dressing ingredients in a jar and shake them up
  3. Serve and enjoy

 

Fennel, Celery and Apple Salad by Samantha Gilbert  

 

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons raw honey
  • 2/3 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
  • 3-4 stalks celery, with leaves – stalks thinly sliced, leaves chopped
  • 2 large apples, peeled, quartered, cored & thinly sliced (gala and jazz are nice)
  • 2 small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced crosswise
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds

 

Instructions:

  1. Blend lemon juice and honey, then whisk in extra virgin olive oil.
  2. Combine celery, celery leaves, apples and fennel in large bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss to coat.
  3. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper.

 

Apple-Fennel Soup by Dr. Axe

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 1 bulb fennel, stalks removed, cored and sliced
  • 2 green apples, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cups cubed butternut squash
  • 1 knob fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 4 cups chicken broth

 

Instructions:

  1. In a pot over medium heat, melt coconut oil. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften. Add fennel and apples and cook until softened.
  2. Add squash, ginger, salt and pepper and to stir to combine. Add broth, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until vegetables are tender (the longer the simmer, the more flavorful the soup)
  3. Transfer soup to blender and working in batches purée until smooth. Return to pot, season to taste and heat through.

 

All of these salads are a great compliment to fish dishes or other proteins of choice. If you add 3 Tbsp hemp seeds to any of these salads or to the bowl of soup, they can be a complete meal on their own.


Enjoy trying something new! That is what Spring is all about – switching it up and creating stimulation and change to the taste buds which will create stimulation and change in the body!

 

The disconnect between eating well and being nourished is Nutrient Depletion

Nutrient depletion refers to the loss of nutrients and micronutrients in the most basic of places, the soil in which we grow our food. Over the last 50-60 years, the number of nutrients, including protein, B vitamins, calcium, iron, and magnesium have decreased dramatically in our crops. In some of these, the amounts have decreased as much as 300-400%! Crops are larger, which decreases the richness of soil micronutrients and organic matter. Fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides deplete nutrients and block our ability to absorb them well. Farmers pick fruits and vegetables when they are not fully ripe, therefore, they are lower in phytonutrients.

 

Why the Discrepancy?

Nutrient depletion is why there is a huge discrepancy between what people eat and their nutritional status. In my clinical practice, I often see nutritional testing reveal severe malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies in people eating very clean, whole food diets. Food malabsorption is one obvious reason for this is. Putting food in your mouth and getting it into the cell are two different things. Nourishment requires work from the body. Furthermore, there are many things that affect the food we eat, even before we consume it.

 

Stress and Malabsorption

Malabsorption is a common issue for many reasons. Firstly, we live in a stressed society, with the sympathetic nervous system dominance being the norm. Our gut does not function well under stress. Stomach acid and enzymes underproduce and food goes through partially digested and cannot be absorbed well. Imbalances in the gut microbiome may result, further impairing absorption. Excesses of sugar, caffeine, and alcohol all add to the poor absorption. Anti-nutrients, on foods like grains and nuts, can further block absorption of vital nutrients,

 

Pharmaceutical Drug Use & Nutrient Depletions

The drastic increase in pharmaceutical drug use causes countless depletion in nutrients. They may decrease nutrient absorption, block their use, or increase their excretion. Common nutrient drainers are NSAIDs (aspirin and Tylenol), acid-blocking drugs (Pantoprazole, Rabeprazole, Tums), and statins (Lipitor, Crestor). Antibiotics have also had a huge impact on nutrients through direct effects and effects on the gut microbiome.

 

Toxicity & Nutrient Depletion

Toxicity opposes nutrients. Our bodies suffer exposure to environmental toxins on a daily basis from non-organic fruits and vegetables. Proven harmful toxins cover them. Organic foods are higher in many nutrients, such as antioxidants, lycopene, vitamin C, trace minerals, iron, and magnesium. Studies done on children eating organic diets showed 600% fewer organophosphates (a form of pesticide) than those eating conventional diets. An analysis by the Environmental working group showed that > 20 million children consume more than 8 pesticides daily. Eating non-organic food can pose a great risk to the neurological, endocrine, hepatic, and metabolic health of both children and adults.

 

Nutrients Absorption

Once absorbed, nutrients need to get to the cell, which requires good circulation, healthy cell membranes, and receptor integrity. Factors that block this are toxicity (heavy metals and chemicals) and inflammation. Nutrients use energy more quickly based on the cell’s energy requirements. It is a supply and demand issue. An inflamed or stressed cell has unhealthy cell membranes, blocked receptors, and large energy demand. Nutrients can’t integrate or are used up as quickly as they come in.

So… what can we do about all of this?

 

Food and Supplements

  • Choose organic foods where possible –  eat only the ‘clean fifteen‘ of conventional foods, or at very least, avoid the ‘dirty dozen‘
  • Eat a diet high in phytonutrients (plant nutrients), including lots of nutrient dense herbs and spices.
  • Limit foods that affect absorption of nutrients, which include sugar, coffee and grains.
  • Avoid spikes in glucose and insulin by consuming a lower glycemic index diet to avoid magnesium and chromium depletion.
  • Support cell membranes with a good quality fish oil and/or phospholipid supplement. Dosing and type are guided by your health care professional. Fish oils need to be of high quality, due tot potential for mercury contamination.
  • Support stomach acid and digestive enzyme function, either by supplementation or increasing acidic and fermented foods, as tolerated.

 

Toxins and Medication

Clean up your environment to avoid toxins. This means clean water, clean air, clean cosmetics, and cleaning products. Filter water with a tabletop filter or reverse osmosis unit. A fridge filter or plastic water filter is not sufficient. A HEPA and VOC air filter will remove particulate matter from the air, which is responsible for much of the toxins we accumulate. 

Avoid acid suppressant medications, unless specifically indicated. There are few long term indications for these medications. If you are already using these medications, wean off them slowly with the guidance of a knowledgeable physician to avoid rebound symptoms.

 

Stress

Stress management and calming the sympathetic nervous system improves gut health and decrease nutrient demand. Achieve through meditation, relaxation, exercise, socializing, and acupuncture, among other things.

Find sources of inflammation and toxicity, which deplete nutrients and have functional medicine testing done. This will help individualize your care. When you are feeling like you are doing everything else right but need to get to the root of why you are undernourished, consider the following tests:

  1. Food sensitivity testing
  2. Gastrointestinal/stool testing
  3. Nutrient testing
  4. Heavy metal/chemical testing
  5. Immune system testing

Let’s help you regain your energy and vitality today. Contact us here.

 

Author:

Dr. Michelle van der Westhuizen, MD

 

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