New research has come out showing in quite amazing detail how regular exercise causes changes at the molecular level in brain tissue, and how these changes can help your ability to cope with stressful situations. In the study mice that were given a treadmill to run on for 6 weeks showed significant changes in brain tissue compared to a group of mice who just sat re-watching Season 3 of Game of Thrones (my God, how good was it!).
A couple of quotes form the study:
“Running produced a large increase in the …

With the weather staying this beautiful I know what I’ll be doing this weekend – getting out in the sun for a run down by the beach. Apparently this will provide yet another benefit – exercise improves cognitive functions like memory. A new article on the New York Times website has all the info you need:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/how-exercise-may-boost-the-brain/?ref=health

Is your child laying awake at night coughing and you’re not sure what to do? A new study has found that honey can be used as an alternative to cough syrups etc for young children suffering from Upper Respiratory Infections (URI).
The study involved 300 children aged 1-5 over the period of a year. The children were given a single dose of 10 g of eucalyptus honey, citrus honey, labiatae honey. I personally have had great results with Manuka honey so would have loved to have seen how effective that was, knowing …

The documentary “Stress: Portrait of a Killer” was on ABC on Thursday night, here is a link to it from the ABC website, not sure how long it will continue to be available for on the site so check it out now. It was a really interesting program outlining the dramatic physical effects prolonged stress can have on your body. My rating – 4 stars
Never underestimate the effects of stress, a new study has shown that the hormones related to stress make it easier for malignant tumours to grow and …

Season’s Greetings! I thought I’d put out a quick piece on the kinds of things you want to keep an eye on this summer to keep yourselves in good health. Hope you all get some time off with loved ones to catch up and de-stress (studies have shown that time off is needed to reverse the effects of long term stress).
Xmas Hours – If you need to see me about anything I will be working right up until Christmas but then taking the next week off, and returning Monday January …

I’m going to take information from a couple of recent articles to outline the effects of chronic stress. Obviously this year has been very stressful for a lot of people, and we’ve certainly been seeing that in clinic. Everyone is feeling the pressure this year, and it’s easy for things to escalate out of control. But the good news is relaxation can reverse the negative effects stress has on your body.
Stress is bad enough in the short term, but when it is maintained for a longer period of time, it …

Science meets common sense. I read an article last week which summarises findings relating to how stress can affect your immune systemt, and thought I would post a quick summary. It’s something I think we all know deep down, but it’s worth reminding ourselves of, especially as we all get towards the end of the year and start to feel the effects of the last 12 months.
Researchers asked whether the widespread phenomenon of getting a cold during exam time or feeling run-down after a big meeting is merely coincidence, or is …

Regular moderate physical activity positively influences many aspects of health. For example, a physically active lifestyle is associated with decreased risks of coronary heart disease and high blood pressure.
It has been believed for some time that a physically active lifestyle may also decrease the risk of bacterial or viral illness.
Previous studies had shown that people who were sedentary and under high levels of stress had elevated disease incidence.
Researchers hypothesised that voluntary physical activity may prevent stress-induced suppression of the immune system, thereby reducing the increased susceptibility and severity of infectious …

In various articles, books and websites you will find lists of benefits from Meditation for pretty much every system of the body and facet of your life. Some use it as a way to relax from their busy lives or reduce stress, others to increase energy, mental strength, or to gain insight or enlightenment. Studies have proven many positive effects.
People who meditate regularly show increased blood flow to the left brain, which houses the parts of the brain responsible for feelings of joy, happiness and enthusiasm (and therefore away from …