All posts by andrewnaturopath

DIY Herbal Medicine To Support Your Nervous System

Herbal medicine and addressing the nervous system often go hand in hand as many herbs and natural remedies have been used for centuries to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being. Very often when I am treating clients for various conditions, we have to address the nervous system as one of the underlying issues that is contributing to less-than-optimal health, healing and wellbeing.

In today’s Article I want to stir up a little bit of enthusiasm for herbal teas – a great DIY strategy that is often glossed over. Let me share with you a brief summary of some common herbs that you can pretty easily find so that you can take advantage of their medicinal properties, primarily as teas – an often underrated way of gaining all the goodness from herbal medicine.

But I want to reiterate what I just said which is the importance of the nervous system and the role it plays in your over all health. Of course it is important to find ways to relax and reduce stress and tension. Stating the obvious right? Please don’t just brush this aside thinking it is only herbal tea! And tea you can buy from a health food shop or your corner store.

“Herbal Teas Can Have Profound Positive Effect On Your Health”

So if you are not as well as you’d like to be, or you want to promote your health in some way, then DIY herbal teas are one place to start – and you really can’t go wrong!

Herbal Teas For Nervous System Health

Chamomile: Best known for helping the nerves to calm and to promote a relaxing sleep, chamomile is worth having on your shelf. It has been shown to have an effect on the central nervous system (1). Personally I don’t love the taste of Chamomile – I think I overdosed on it during my college years! So I like to blend it with something else that is relaxing. And that’s a good strategy to take generally. You want your herbal r=teas to taste nice of course, but when you are taking a health-focused DIY approach, then make sure the herbs you mix have a similar medicinal effect. (Chamomile and peppermint is not good for relaxation)

Lavender: I love this herb and use a lot of it in the skin products I manufacture at the clinic. As a herbal tea, a small amount is so nourishing on the nervous system helping to provide calm and balance. In herbal medicine I often prescribe it when there has been some sort of trauma – physical or emotional as well as for clients that are suffering anxiety.
Valerian Root: One of my favourite muscle relaxants which is very handy when stress and tension are felt physically in the muscles. I love the taste of this tea – the plant is rich in essential oils, iridoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, amino acids, and lignanoids, giving it the characteristic scent and taste (2).

Passionflower: Used as a herbal tea when you want to help induce sleep. Now I tell my clients, even when I have prescribed them a potent herbal tincture of something like Passiflora, that these herbs are not like taking a strong pharmaceutical sedative that will ‘knock you out’. No. When you take these herbs with the intention of sleeping better, they will have a physiological effect that is calming and sleep-promoting, but if you are sitting up watching some thriller on TV, then I’m sure you’ll remain wide awake! These herbs facilitate calm and relaxation.

Lemon Balm: I’m including this one because it is used a lot on herbal teas. It’s a great tasting one so can blend nicely with other herbs. It’s a more gentle relaxant, still valuable for sure, and it has the added benefit of helping to ‘calm’ the digestive system.
One study (3) showed that lemon balm had a positive effect on memory, judgment, and problem-solving – all associated with nervous system functioning.

Storage:
Please keep your herbal teas in an airtight container. If left exposed to the air the essential oils will evaporate the there will be oxidation of some of the active ingredients (4).

Concentration of Tea:
The safest (and easiest) way to have herbal teas is to buy them already in tea bags or prepared and packaged as loose leaf tea and to follow the recommendations from the manufacturer.

References

(1) Chamomile tea: Source of a glucuronoxylan with antinociceptive, sedative and anxiolytic-like effects
Pedro Felipe Pereira Chaves et al. Int J Biol Macromol Dec. 2020
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32795578/
(2) Chemical Components and Cardiovascular Activities of Valeriana spp.
Heng-Wen Chen et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4695638/
(3) Reviews of articles on medicinal herbs.
Wendy McLean, Australian Journal of Herbal & Naturopathic Medicine; National Herbalists Association of Australia (NHAA) Jun2023; v.35 n.2, 86-90. (5p)
(4) https://www.goodandpropertea.com/blogs/all/how-to-store-tea
Pictures
Lemon Balm
lemon-balm-770051_640
Image by congerdesign from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/congerdesign-509903/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=770051
Chamomile Tea
Image by congerdesign from Pixabay
chamomile-829220_640
https://pixabay.com/users/congerdesign-509903/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=829220
Herbal tea Assorted
Image by gate74 from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/gate74-5942741/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2519551
tribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=770051

Massage Supports Immunity

The Four Key Ways Remedial Massage Supports Your Immune System

When thinking about ways to stimulate your immune response, there are times that a multi-faceted approach will serve you well. Over the years, as a homeopath & Naturopath I have treated many clients with immunological problems of one sort or another using natural medicines. Sometimes this is enough. There are times, however, that Remedial Massage can also contribute to a well-functioning immunity.
In this short article I want to cover four ways in which massage will help support and stimulate your immunity.

1: The Need To Reduce Cortisol

One of the more obvious ways Remedial massage can stimulate your immune system is because of the stress reduction that occurs with treatment. Increased stress means increased cortisol in your system and too much cortisol leads to increased vulnerability to illness and disease. This hormone is made in the adrenal glands in response to stress and helps your body to cope with these stressors. So we need some cortisol, but the problem is when we are chronically stressed, continuously high levels of the hormone plays havoc with your physiology – including your immunity. So with massage the levels are reduced and this contributes ton a feeling of relaxation and calm.
An interesting study (1) discusses how relaxation promotes immunity:

“Patients with cancer suffer a wide range of physical symptoms coupled with psychological stress. Moreover, cancer chemotherapy induces immunosuppression and consequently causes respiratory infections. Massage therapy has been reported to reduce symptoms in cancer patients via an increase in psychosocial relaxation and to enhance and/or improve immune function.”

2: Parasympathetic – WAY TO GO!

With a good therapeutic Massage Treatment, the nervous system is calmed. Many of us experience this after a treatment. So what’s happening is that your sympathetic nervous system is being ‘turned down’ and as a result of this, the parasympathetic nervous system becomes more dominant. Now what’s interesting here is that it is the sympathetic nerves that contribute to the production of cortisol and so levels are reduced when you are relaxed.

Diego reported in Moderate Pressure Massage Elicits Parasympathetic Response (2008) the effects of massage on the nervous system and its relaxation effects. (1)

“The article reports on the efficacy of moderate-pressure massage in increasing vagal activity and causing greater parasymphathetic nervous system (PNS) activity. Results of a study investigating the impact of massage on vagal activity and autonomic nervous system show higher level of responses, decrease in heart rate and blood pressure.”

Endorphins are also stimulated by remedial massage and unlike cortisol, a peak of endorphins is a great thing! They are stimulated by various things like laughter, exercise, excitement and Massage. These experiences lead to an increased sense of relaxation and we know relaxation (or less stress) stimulates the immune function.

3: Blood & Lymph Are Key

One of the more obvious effects of Remedial Massage is the stimulation of blood and lymph flow. Both of these things play a vital role in the functioning of a healthy immune response. Immune cells are transported throughout your body via the blood and lymph flow also helps direct where the immune cells go in your body. By stimulating blood and jymph flow, the immune function is supported.

4: Sleep – The Elixir Of Life

The final example of how Remedial massage helps your immunity, is that sleep can improve after treatments and we all know a good night’s sleep is a key driver of a well-functioning immunity. There is a lot of research these days showing the effect of broken sleep and how your health is adversely affected, including immune decline.

References:

(1)Leg massage therapy promotes psychological relaxation and reinforces the first-line host defense in cancer patients.
Noto Y et al. Journal of anesthesia [J Anesth] 2010 Dec; Vol. 24 (6), pp. 827-31.
(2)Moderate Pressure Massage Elicits Parasympathetic Response.
Diego, Miguel A. Massage Magazine. Oct 2008, Issue 149, p92-92. 2/3p.
pictures:
1: Immunity
defense-1403067_640: Image by Bruno from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/bru-no-1161770/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1403067
2: Massage
https://pixabay.com/users/kian2018-9392571/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3666269. chinese-medicine-3666269_640

Health Connection Meditation

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”7258″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Below is the link to my complimentary, downloadable guided MP3 meditation”Health Connection”. I’m sure you’ll love it and get a lot of value from it.

I know many of you will think the same as me. We all have an inner voice, intuition or an inner intelligence. Some call it a gut feeling. Now the exciting thing is that we have a gut feeling about the things that may help to nourish our health and promote healing. I believe there is part of us that is able to help steer us in a positive and healing direction – help us to make decisions, or to take some sort of action, or to see a particular practitioner or make some lifestyle changes.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”I call this inner knowing our “Inner Health Guidance“” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:center” css=”.vc_custom_1681194736895{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;padding-left: 5px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I’m sure most of us can think of times that we had a gut feeling about something and followed that through.
So i have a question for you:

“Do you specifically  listen to and trust your Inner health Guidance to help you towards better health or wellbeing?”

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”7270″ img_size=”large” css=”.vc_custom_1681195575150{padding-top: 6px !important;padding-right: 6px !important;padding-bottom: 6px !important;padding-left: 6px !important;}”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]So I have made you this MP3 specifically for this reason – to help you to tune in to your inner voice and see what you can do, right now (or very soon), that is going to move you towards better health and healing. I think it can take some practice to tune in and hear what is revealed and not filter it or reject it because it wasn’t something you were expecting.

And this doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming. That’s why I made this MP3 only 10 minutes!

I want you to be able to quickly access your Inner Health Guidance and use this inspired information to help you take a positive step towards health in a way that is ‘soul’ lead if you like.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

The Next Step

So check it out and enjoy. If you want to linger longer in the meditation, then just stop the recording in the appropriate places.

Here’s the download link 10 min MP3: Health Connection Meditation

Let me know what comes up for you – I’d love to know! Send me an email.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Pictures

1: Blue Ripples: https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2758146

2: headphones: https://pixabay.com/users/firmbee-663163/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=605422

3: Meditation: https://pixabay.com/users/leninscape-2892621/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2176668[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

An Intentional Christmas

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“With The Right Intentions, Allow This Christmas Positive, Powerful And Healing For You”

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”6928″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]You get to decide how Christmas is going to be for you this year. Regardless of circumstances, you have the ability to make this a powerful, positive and healing time for you. Let me explain.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I know for many of us Christmas I a wonderful and joyous time while for others it is subdued, lonely or illness-focused.

So how can we ‘make the best’ of this Christmas and really use this time to celebrate, nourish and heal in a deeper, more profound way?

It comes down to being intentional about how you want your Christmas to be. Let’s plan to embellish the highs and be sensitive to our vulnerabilities in a way that is positive and promotes our wellbeing. A great way to do this is to work out your Christmas Theme for 2022.

Let’s Design Your Christmas Theme
An easy way to begin to do this is to focus on the emotions – they are our guide to what’s happening for us at a deeper level. Think about what kind of emotions you want to experience over Christmas. Of course we will all experience all sorts of emotions, but what would you like to be a focus for you? What emotions would be appropriate to really acknowledge so that they are honored and not ignored.  Now I’m not talking about superficial levels here! Go a little deeper and tease out what’s below the surface. I suggest you choose between 1 and 3.

Here are a 2 very different examples. I’ve over simplified things here, but you’ll get the point and you can then apply the process to your situation.

eg 1: A kind of obvious one is just enjoying being around family. But looking a little deeper there is a strong feeling of appreciation towards your sister and for the ways she has supported you this this even though it hasn’t been easy for her.  You may feel this love and appreciation for others in your family as well for different reasons. Can you articulate what this appreciation is for and how does it feel to you?

eg 2: Experiencing an illness or injury (yes that’s my knee!). How will I feel if I am not physically feeling well, or in pain on Christmas day? Would be easy to feel depressed! What if my health is not going to ever get back to what it was before? Ok, so Christmas may be more subdued this year.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”6819″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

The Alternative

The alternative to having an intentional theme, is to leave things more to chance allowing our emotions to be more easily side-tracked, depending on what’s happening around us. It’s a bit like an athlete who turns up to a major event, not fully prepared and expects to do well and qualify for the state championship.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Allow Your Theme To Emerge!

Now that you given some thought about the emotions that may come up for you around Christmas, can you build a bit of a theme around them that is true to what you feel and honours what is is that you need that’s nourishing, positive or perhaps embellishing. Using the above examples:

eg1: I want one theme this Christmas to be about appreciation of family members that have been part of my life

eg 2: I want one theme to be acceptance – acknowledging my health as it is right now. Accepting that I might feel depressed at times over Christmas.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”6936″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Intentionally Shape Your Christmas

So now that you have 1-3 themes, have a think about how you might be able to express those themes or re-word them in a way that is not only real and truthful but also positive in one way or another. Ok, back to our examples:

eg1: I’m going to hand make some ‘appreciation’ Christmas cards this year and express my love to certain family members. I will find a beautiful poem to read out just before Christmas dinner.

eg2: On Christmas morning, I will still do a meditation I found on line to help release some anger I feel about my health and how it has affected me. But then I’ll reflect on the last 12 months and remind myself of all the positive things that have happened to me throughout the year. “Even though I may feel low at times over Christmas, I intend, as much as I can to acknowledge all the good things I have experienced over the last 12 months.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Embellish Your Theme

eg1: I’ll make a card to hand out to everyone on Christmas day, expressing why I appreciate them. I’m going to make a real effort to find something to appreciate in people I meet over Christmas and if and when it’s appropriate, I’ll tell them! Or I might tell them anyway!

eg2: I am going gift myself a new journal, a nice pen and a candle for Christmas and spend time day-dreaming about the next 12 months and  write down my aspirations and dreams for 2023 no matter how ‘big’ or ‘small’.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”6938″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Possible Themes

Here are some ideas for your Christmas Themes – tweak and modify accordingly!
-Celebration of family
-Appreciation of friendships
-Progress with your health
-The joy of a relationship
-Christian reflections
-Taking a rest from work
-Acknowledging loneliness
-Reflecting on the pandemic and government responses
-The loss of friends & loved ones
-The level of your current health
-Health: your current state of health, healing that has occurred, how you’d like your health to be in 12 months time,
-Relationships: Celebrate family & friends, , appreciation and love for a partner, acknowledging loniness, the loss of friends and loved ones
-Spiritual: Reflect on how much you are loved, Christian qualities, your belief in a greater power,
-Personal: celebrate achievements, acknowledge disappointments, taking a rest from work,[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

How Would You Like This Christmas To Be For You?

So as you can see, there are ways to influence how we experience times like Christmas. I’d love you to let me know how you intend your Christmas to be this year.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Pictures

1: Pic by Monicore: https://pixabay.com/users/monicore-1499084/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3009949

2: Man thinking: from Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/users/peggy_marco-1553824/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=5011953

3:Deborah Hudson – Card: https://pixabay.com/users/hudsoncrafted-5201554/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3481061

4: Candle: https://pixabay.com/users/congerdesign-509903/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1750640[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Intentional Stretching

Intentional Stretching:
A Path To Healing

 

There are many different ways to stretch (1), depending on what you want to achieve and the current state of your muscles and joints. Sometime strengthening certain muscle groups is also important, it in this article I’m focusing on stretching. Generally speaking, gentle and very controlled stretching can be a wonderful addition to a holistic approach for musculoskeletal problems – in other words, when you are trying to address various aches, pains or injuries. When it comes to healing and treating these problems, incorporating mindful and gentle approach is usually the way to go. I call it, intentional stretching.

Mobility
Firstly, gentle and appropriate stretching helps improve flexibility and range of motion within the limits of a particular injury or restriction. This is particularly beneficial if you’re dealing with physical discomfort or restricted movement due to muscles or joints. It encourages blood flow to the muscles, promoting healing and reducing stiffness as well as helping inflammation to subside.

Sometimes a more general stretch like ‘dog pose’ will help a specific area you are treating.

Mindfulness
In the context of a holistic approach, that is intension stretching, this practice not only addresses the physical aspect but also taps into the mind-body connection. As you stretch, focus on your breath and cultivate a sense of mindfulness. This can help you become more aware of your body’s needs and promote a deeper connection between your mental and physical well-being.

Mind Body Techniques
You may already know that as a Homoeopath & Naturopath part of my approach is to help make sure that my clients have the right kind of mindset while they are taking natural medicines in order to maximise their health and healing. While you are treating, for example, a sore back, or headaches or stiffness in your shoulders, then having the right kind of mindset is going to give you that healing edge. So as you are stretching, visualise the muscles releasing and feel how good it feels to release tension. You can take some time to imagine or even journal on how it feels to be healing, feeling the relief. Enjoying how your body feels. Now this might seem a bit strange if your not used to doing this sort of thing, but it’s taking basic visualisation and positive thinking to the next level.

Your stretching routine could include a few minutes outside

Consistency
Remember, consistency in your stretching is really important and will help you to get the best results. Regular, gentle stretching, coupled with your holistic approach and possibly some natural medicines, can become a valuable part of your overall well-being routine. Listen to your body, be patient, and celebrate the progress along the way. Now many of my clients are ‘time poor’ and find it difficult to spend a lot of time stretching. Now let me tell you a little secret – even if you do 5 minutes when ever you can, that is far better than doing none at all right? Also if you are cherry picking your stretching, doing the salient ones that will give you the biggest benefit, then it makes it much easier to maintain a bit of a stretching program that consists of 4 or 5 or even just 2, stretches. You can always build on what you are doing.

And Remember….

If you think the exercises are not helping then let your practitioner know. Sometimes a bit of tweaking makes all the difference.
It goes without saying, unless you have been told otherwise by your therapist, if there is any pain or discomfort – STOP!

References:

(1) Current Concepts In Muscle Stretching For Exercise And Rehabilitation https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273886/

Pictures
Main Pic: yoga-day-4542707_640
Image by Veronica Bosley from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/veronicatxoxo-13701527/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=4542707
Dog Pose: yoga-2662227_640
Image by Keifit from Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/users/keifit-2065861/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1686065
Red Singlet: yoga-2662227_640
Image by 3534679 from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/3534679-3534679/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2662227

Intentional Healing 3

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“Intentional Healing – Step 3 ”

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5840″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]I find today’s topic so interesting when are exploring ways to promote healing  that goes beyond just healing symptoms. Now don’t get me wrong here!  Dealing with and treating symptoms is an integral part of health – this has been my approach with my clients for over 30 years. Getting relief from symptoms using natural medicines is such an important part of my holistic practice. Now there is a time to take a step back and say, “ok, you’re benefiting from a holistic approach to your health and taking healing natural medicines, so what’s next?” How do I experience an even deeper level of health, healing and wellbeing? So let’s take a look now and see ‘what is next’ for those who want to take the next step and see what it means to experience more profound wellbeing.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Understanding and indeed experiencing your own boundaries of your health is one of the first steps to take. Now this often happens at the same time as having treatment for symptoms, or dealing with an illness, or finding mental and emotional balance. So what do you understand the limits of your wellbeing, to be? For example, do you think the migraines you are having are just part of life and something you will have to get used to or do you see them as a passing? Is your IBS or other digestive issue, something that is unlikely to go away and that you’ll always some level of digestive issues unless you take steroids, for example.  One last example might be that you believe feeling various levels of depression is inevitable given the state of the world we live in.

The focus here is not what is true or not true, not what you have been told by your medical practitioner and not on your past experiences. These things of course play a role, but at the end of the day we simply want to just understand and experience  what is that you believe about your health. Or to put it another way, to …

 

“Experience Your Current Health- Reality”

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Natural Medicines

Apart from increasing our own self-awareness, one of the reasons I encourage my clients to acknowledging the here and now and experience their current health-reality, is so that as a practitioner, I can prescribe appropriate medicines that take this into account. For any system of holistic medicine, what the individual is experiencing at a deeper level can determine the approach and the medicines used to help them.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Be open

It is certainly not always an easy thing to face the status quo honestly and sincerely. I have some clients for which this step is so very challenging for one reason or another. But the important thing here is to be open to the process. Sometimes it is the job of an experienced practitioner to guide the client to a deeper understanding of their deeper experiences. Sometimes it takes an individual just to quieten the mind and to listen.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”6816″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Moving Forward

Whether for self-awareness or as part of holistic treatment, one of the main reasons for all this emphasis on accepting the present state is that it allows us to move forward with our healing with some level of acceptance of where things are now with regards to your health. From this position it can be easier to move forward with healing and wellbeing. Here’s a simplistic example that makes the point: if you have more acceptance of your health, then it is likely that feelings such as resentment or anger, will be less. It is more difficult to experience deeper healing when there is anger. And even if there is still anger, having that openness to accept that, ‘I am still angry’ can help us to process the emotion and move towards a more balanced emotional state.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Easy Exercises For You

Mind Focus: You probably do this already to some degree, but if you haven’t already, I encourage you see if you can deepen your experience a little more. You might like to proceed with some sort of meditation to become more centered. I have some examples of questions (see below) that are designed to help open you up to deeper levels. When you’re relaxed, simple ask these questions of yourself and then be patient and wait to see your response. It might be an answer in thoughts, an image or a feeling. Just allow yourself to respond without judgement and without trying to change or modify what comes up for you. Try to be that interested observer, having equanimity and not reacting to what comes up for you.

Journaling: Many people find writing in their journal a wonderful way to focus and allow deeper levels to be reached. So use the questions as journaling prompts and see what comes up for you. If your not sure what to do, write out the questions and then, without judgement, just write whatever come to you. Don’t edit. Just express it and follow your feelings and thoughts. ‘

Go Below The Surface

There will be different levels to your answers, so we want to go beyond the more ‘obvious’ ones and see what’s beneath that. For example, having migraines means there are times you can’t even think and have to go to bed until it passes.  At a deeper level, it might mean for you that it is really challenging for you to practice the violin and therefore this might affect your audition. This then brings up your anxiety about money.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”6819″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Questions To Ask

How healthy can I be?
Are then any less obvious factors that get in the way of my healing?
How much healing can I experience?
In what ways does my health affect my life?
What are some of the less obvious ways my health limits the things I want to do?
If I was healthier than I am now, what’s one thing I would do that I currently don’t?
With a higher level of wellbeing, what would you do differently in your life?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

The Next Step

Now that you have focused on the here and now with regards to your health, I believe you are in a better position to move forward in one way or another – enhancing your healing and levels of wellbeing. This can be self-directed or you may seek the help of a practitioner to use natural medicines and mind-body approaches to help you.

 

Note: For some people it is very difficult and challenging facing the reality of their current health and they may really benefit from seeking professional help.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Interested In Intentional Healing With Me?

If you are interested in allowing me to help you with your health and healing and you want to enjoy a deeper level of wellbeing, then I’d love to hear from you. Best thing is to go to my website and use the form to get in touch with me.

https://andrewjamesnaturopath.com/book-a-consultation[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Pictures

1: Journaling: from Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/users/pexels-2286921/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1868015

2: Man thinking: from Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/users/peggy_marco-1553824/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=5011953[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Healing With LOA Coaching

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“Is It Time To Step Into The
New & Healthier You?”

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”6351″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]As a homoeopath & naturopath for over 30 years I have seen natural medicines have a profound, positive affect on people’s health and their life. And sometimes medicines are enough.
However, there are times when healing physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually, there can be huge benefits from addressing the way we think and feel, the stories we tell ourselves, old patterns of behavior and thoughts.

 

Healing With LOA Coaching, is an ideal program when you need extra support and encouragement as you move toward deeper levels of health and experience a growing sense of wellbeing. Using intentional mindset approaches as well as law of attraction (LOA) techniques, I can encourage and support you as you find new levels of health, healing and wellbeing.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

 

Often your old thinking patterns or past emotions can slow your progress. In some cases, they will sabotage your healing and your ability to enjoy the new, higher level of wellbeing you desire. Together, we can find ways to enhance your experience & sense of ‘peace, balance & wellbeing’. We need to be able to move towards a new, better, more aligned version of ourselves. We need to be able to allow the level of health we desire, to evolve and manifest. One way to do this is to make conscious and intentional decisions that will lead us to this deeper level of wellbeing.

This coaching is not counselling or psychology (which has its place for sure). I coach you back to fundamentals, back to the issues that are getting in the way of you moving through and forward. I also help you to focus on nourishing positive mindset patterns and celebrate and affirm with you all the progress you make.
Having me ‘on your side’ to support you in this way may significantly help you move forward more quickly and easily, towards where you want to be with your health, healing and wellbeing.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”6344″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

How It Works: I will give you the following

-my full and focused attention
-concise, intuitive feedback
-laser focused comments
-encouragement to keep on track and step into the ‘new, healthier version of yourself’
-identify old patterns and to replace them with something more aligned
-give you a different perspective on situations
-help you create and live into new stories that you choose to tell about yourself.
-use law of attraction principles to promote your wellbeing and healing, helping to ‘create your reality’
-use intention mind set techniques to help ‘reprogram’ and ‘reshape’ your thoughts & feelings[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”6349″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

The Technology

You and I set up a Voxer group and use the chat & voice recording. You can send me voice message or text whenever you like, 24/7 and as often as you need to during the time period. My intention is to respond within 48 hrs but usually it is much, much quicker than that. If I am able to, I will respond straight away. In other words I under promise and over deliver!! (voxer is a little like what’s app. There’s a free version to download: www.voxer.com)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Not Everyone Suited

Healing With LOA Coaching is not for everyone so if it doesn’t sound right for you, that’s totally fine. For many people, simply using homoeopathic or naturopathic medicines is enough. If your intrigued but not sure, let me know and we can talk about it to see if this is going to help you. If this does make sense to you and sounds like it will help you, then let’s go! Let’s do it!

Investment

One month’s Support (28 days): $450 (AUS) paid in full.
One month is the minimum time I offer. Less than that is generally not enough time to make a lot of progress. We need time so that you can begin to step into the healthier version of yourself. However……..[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Would You Like My Support For One Week?

If you haven’t had Healing With LOA Coaching with me, then I offer a 1 week introduction. It’s a great way to begin to experience LOA and mindset approaches with me and see if we are a match. This is a once only option available for clients. Special 1 week offer – $150 (AUS). Non-refundable, paid in full.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Healing With LOA Coaching may help you to

• move through blocks that are preventing you from experiencing your optimal health.
• help shape the future you
• deal with emotional issues that may rise to the surface during homoeopathic treatment.
• Focus on a particular health issue for a set period of time and use LOA and mind set principles to help shape the new version of yourself and
• Change old patterns of behavior that no longer serve you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]


Payment Options



[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Pictures

1: Smiling Man: Pexels from Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/users/pexels-2286921/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1836445

2: Smiling Woman: Martyn Dix from Pixabay portrait-2827173_640. https://pixabay.com/users/martyndix-6230113/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2827173[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

“How To End The Year On A Healthy High”

I’m doing a series of free Face Book lives and regardless of what sort of a year you have had, I want to really encourage you all to start thinking about ending the year on a “Healthy High”. This means physicallymentally and emotionally.

These short face book lives are going to show you how to optimise your health and wellbeing – peaking at the end of the year.

You see, we have a huge amount of input regarding how we end the year in terms of our physical, mental and emotional health and healing. Regardless of where your health is right now, you CAN massively contribute to your sense of wellbeing between now and end of year.

Let’s end this year, the year of challenges, on a “Healthy High” and start 2021 with a renewed and strong sense of wellbeing, feeling as healthy as we possibly can, vital and full of energy.

Come and join me for my short FB lives. Like and follow my face book page Andrew James Healing Centre
The FB lives are not at any particular time so you can catch the replay of course.

I will show you key strategies so that you can shape the rest of the year and be as healthy as you possibly can be. The latest video will be pinned to the top and you can find others under Videos.  Look for “How To Finish 202 on a Healthy High”

Go to Face Book:   Andrew James Healing Centre 

Stages of Acceptance

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The stages of acceptance are so important to understand when yo want to move towards a better state of well-being. These stages apply equally to emotional states like grief as well as physical illness and disease. The very stage is an acknowledgment or acceptance of how things are for you right now. This is not something we immediately think of – we are often so caught up in looking forward, trying to find a way out of a situation and looking for improvement and well-being.  But it is the first step in your ‘health journey’ and finding balance and a better state of well-being.

It is a full, honest and deep acceptance of your state of your physical, mental and emotional health as it is today. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”60px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]You see, it is very difficult to experience a deeper level of health and well-being, when you haven’t fully accepted your health as it is now. Let me give you an obvious example (a case I saw in the clinic) and that way you can see how it applies to many situations that involve both the emotions as well as physical symptoms.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”60px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][hc_info_box info_box_type=”boxed” icon_hc=”hc-icon-leaf” icon_color=”#81d742″ icon_size=”large” title=”A Case Example” css=”.vc_custom_1595381298897{border-top-width: 5px !important;border-right-width: 5px !important;border-bottom-width: 5px !important;border-left-width: 5px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;padding-left: 5px !important;background-color: #e4e8c7 !important;border-left-color: #63a533 !important;border-right-color: #63a533 !important;border-top-color: #63a533 !important;border-bottom-color: #63a533 !important;border-radius: 5px !important;}” box_height=”50″]I saw a client suffering from a severe case of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). It caused not only a lot of inconvenience, but pain and discomfort. Over the years the frustration has been building as they have tried all sorts of treatments and nothing has really helped in the way they would like. Yes, some relief here and there but no long term and stable improvement. They became more and more frustrated and angry. Anger was their daily companion.

Real and sustained healing came to my client only after we spent time playing with idea of ‘accepting’ his condition for what it is. Just being really honest about the huge impact it had on his life and the consequences of that. Not being able to go out for the day without being worried about having to go to the toilet with a few minutes notice.

His condition had massive life-consequences for him and the emotional toll was huge.
Just being with his anguish, anger and sadness and allowing those emotions to ‘be there’ and working through them in various ways, was in itself a tremendous healing process for my client.
And for those of you that like a bit of science as well, go back to the issue of cortisol I talked about in part 6.

I had been prescribing him natural medicines which helped but the best improvement in is health came after this acknowledgement of his health in the here and now and all the consequences of it.
So you get the moral of this story. In most health-situations we need to stop and take stock of where we are. Not looking forward. Not craving for our health to be something that it isn’t.[/hc_info_box][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”60px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Now here comes the exciting part! By accepting the status quo, we are never suggesting for one nanosecond, that our health will stay at that level and that we cannot move towards an improved wellbeing. On the country, its like the acceptance of the now unlocks the ‘channels’ that allow us to progress and move forward in deeper and more significant ways.

All of this means, of course, our immunity is going to have a ‘healthier’ body to be able to do what it is so wonderfully designed to do.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”60px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Pictures

Woman thinking sunset. Image: Free-Photos, Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=401541[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]