When the world is quite literally on fire, you’re facing threats outside of your control or you’re overwhelmed with the heaviness of it all, these mindful somatic practices can help you regain connection with your authentic self and access a moment of peace and nervous system regulation: * 1 - Coregulation, if the warm and loving embrace of another is available lean into it-and this counts for pets too! As a social species we’re wired to entrain with other nervous systems. Share the love. 2 - If you don’t have another to lean into or on, wrap your arms around yourself, squeeze your upper arms ..read more

Welcome to the end of Spring! Appropriately enough, I’ve been seeing more babies in clinic recently. It’s not something that everyone thinks of in relation to osteopathy, but treating babies is definitely part of what we do as do osteopaths. Babies frequently come in with feeding issues, for example if they’ve been referred following a tongue tie release. An osteopath can help to release any tight muscles around the jaw and neck associated with the tongue tie, which allows the baby to open up its mouth more fully and achieve a better latch. As part of feeding, babies also need to coordinate br ..read more

Could something as simple as exposure to light hold the key to protecting us from depression and anxiety and safeguard our mental health? The findings of a major recent study suggest it does. Messing With Your Circadian Rhythm First, let’s recap how our body reacts to light. Cells in our brain respond to light or dark in our environment by triggering hormonal changes. These hormonal signals activate a cascade of reactions in our body which affects almost every system in the body including the body’s temperature, our metabolism and whether we stay alert or wind down in preparation for sleep. W ..read more

Spring has arrived and with it we can feel the change of seasonal energy. The days are getting longer and the sun is getting warmer, thank goodness! According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), spring is a time of upward and expansive movement of energy, of creativity, of planning and change. Nature expresses this in the new growth in the garden, the buds and blossoms on the trees and the first blooms of spring. In Chinese medicine we aim to keep healthy by aligning ourselves, including our behaviours, actions and attitudes with the seasons. While winter was a time to conserve energy and ..read more

The surprising link between gut health and sleep It’s well established how important a good night of sleep is for our overall physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. I’m sure you’ve experienced the brain fog, fatigue and lack of concentration that follows a night of restless sleep. The microbial cells in our digestive system (also known as the gut microbiome) have a large role in supporting our overall health and wellbeing, as they absorb nutrients from the food we eat, produce immune system molecules, influence metabolism, and produce neurotransmitters and other key molecules for our healt ..read more

You may have you heard about the gut-brain connection, or heard the gut being referred to as our ‘second brain’. But what if I were to tell you that you could fundamentally change your mental health and how you feel, by treating your gut? Sounds “out there”, doesn’t it... But if you’ve ever “followed your gut”, had “butterflies” in your tummy from excitement, or a “knot” in the pit of your stomach when you’ve been worried, a “gut-wrenching” experience, “lost your appetite”, found yourself “hangry” (being a moody-chops because you haven’t eaten in a while), or had the proverbial “s**ts ..read more

You may have already heard the term “leaky” gut floating around. Also known as Increased Intestinal Permeability, “leaky” gut is a term used to describe a condition whereby the integrity of the tight junctions and cells of the intestinal wall, and thus its functions (particularly the containment of materials and toxins) have been compromised. So the gut ends up “leaking” undigested proteins, particles, microbes, toxins, and waste metabolites into the bloodstream where they freely circulate (and shouldn’t be!). This can impact many aspects of our health, and can even affect the brain. Why a gut ..read more

When it comes to healthcare, we are lucky to have a wealth of information and options at our fingertips. If you prefer to be an active participant in your health, one of the best ways is to ask your healthcare practitioners for more information. In past generations it’s probably fair to say that the norm was to do what our doctor told us to do without asking questions. Nowadays, at the very least, patients are encouraged to be make informed choices. Even better is to work collaboratively with your health care provider. They will be able to provide expertise and knowledge, but ultimately you a ..read more

1. Acupuncture promotes a state of relaxation Do you ever feel there are just not enough hours in the day to meet the demands of work, family, and self-care? Are you operating in a state of chronically high stress? Acupuncture can switch on your body’s relaxation pathways and retrain your body and mind in how to relax. 2. Acupuncture can help improve sleep Acupuncture treats the root cause of what is causing the insomnia and actually benefits your overall health at the same time as well as restoring restful, reliable sleep patterns. 3. Acupuncture can boost your energy Fatigue is one of the m ..read more

You’ve probably heard of the molecule histamine in relation to allergies and hayfever symptoms. However, histamine serves as more than just a trigger for these conditions. It also functions as a neurotransmitter, playing a role in various bodily processes such as sleep/wake cycles, alertness, arousal, appetite regulation, stress resistance, and anxiety reduction. Additionally, histamine aids in stomach acid production, blood vessel dilation, intestinal muscle contractions, memory, learning, and other vital functions. Small amounts of histamine in the body are beneficial, and even vital for go ..read more