Mindfulness for Stress Management

Why use mindfulness

Mindfulness allows you to be in the present moment and become more aware of your emotions and reactions without judgement. It has the ability to gently build inner strength & resilience, tolerance, improve mental clarity and emotional intelligence.

• Mindfulness also helps improve mood and sleep.

• It helps to relieve stress, reduce negative thoughts & feelings.

• Positive psychological effects include increased feelings of well-being, reduced emotional reactivity and improved regulation of behavior.

• It helps you to become aware of your own thoughts, gives you a moment to pause and enhances focus and problem solving.

• It’s beneficial for common forms of psychological distress e.g. anxiety, worry, fear & anger.

Tips about starting your practice

• Mindfulness techniques can be done in as little as 3 minutes or as long as you like.

• It can be done passively or actively e.g. walking meditation.

• The more you practice the easier it gets. The type of mindfulness activity you choose can be flexible and depend on your availability of time and personal preferences.

• It may be difficult for some people to switch off their mind – which is ok.  It is about becoming aware of your thoughts & letting them pass.

• You may need to try different techniques before you find one that suits you.

Different types of mindfulness/meditation

Breath awareness meditation:  Focus your entire attention on breathing in and out, how your abdomen rises and goes down with each breath. If thoughts start crowding in, gently let them go and refocus on your breathing.

Progressive relaxation or body scan:  A practice where you focus on each individual body part in turn, from head to toe. Some people like to tense each body part and then completely relax.

Walking meditation:  Concentrate on the feel of the ground under your feet, breathing while walking & observe what is around you as you walk, staying in the present & enjoy the moment.

The observer-thought meditation: This teaches you to notice as thoughts arise, label them as positive or negative, but avoid getting absorbed in them.

Five senses meditation:  What are 1-2 things you can see, feel, hear, smell or taste.  This exercise is used to quickly ground yourself in the present when you only have a moment. The goal is to notice something that you are currently experiencing through each of your senses.

Loving-kindness meditation:  A meditation to improve positive feelings of love and care, toward a close loved one, to yourself and others.

Guided visualisation: Practiced by listening to guided meditation with or without music. It focuses on visualisation and designed to deepen your body awareness, calm your mind and improve relaxation.

Different breathing techniques

There are numerous breathing techniques you can practice during mindfulness practice. The easiest breathing technique is to count your breaths, start by counting 1 on the inhale, 2 on the exhale, 3 on the inhale and so forth.

Some other breathing techniques include:

Abdominal Breathing Technique:  With one hand on the chest and the other on the belly, take a deep breath in through the nose, ensuring the abdomen (not the chest) inflates higher than the chest.  Take 6 to 10 deep, slow breaths per minute and aim for 10 minutes each day to experience reductions in stress response and heart rate.

Box breathing:  Helpful during extreme stress, where you practice the following process: Inhale for a count of 4 ... hold your breath for a count of 4 ... exhale for a count of 4 ...wait at the very end of the exhale for a count of 4, and repeat. This is a deep breathing exercise that has been shown to calm and regulate the nervous system.

The Breathing Waltz:  Breath in for a count of 3 ... Hold your breath for a count of 3 ... Breath out for a count of 3.  Repeat steps 1 to 3 for a period of one minute or as long as needed.

The 4-7-8 technique:  Breathe in quietly through the nose for 4 seconds ... hold the breath for a count of 7 seconds ... exhale forcefully through the mouth, pursing the lips and making a "whoosh" sound, for 8 seconds. Repeat the cycle up to 4 times

A practice such as mindfulness is not only beneficial to both mind and body, it is free and has a positive impact on overall health and wellbeing. It is safe to do and anyone can try it no matter what age. It can be done as a stand alone practice or combined with psychological or other therapies.

6 Steps to Clear Skin

Treating Acne Naturally

It is important to address different contributing factors when treating acne, as it has been shown that different body systems play a role in the development of the skin condition. For example, there is cross-talk between the central nervous system, the skin & gut and the hormonal systems, and is termed the brain-gut-skin axis. 

Acne Vulgaris is a common inflammatory skin condition that affects the hair follicle, hair shaft and sebaceous gland.  While genetics and hormones play an important role in acne, evidence also associates nutritional and lifestyle factors.  It is also common for people with acne to develop emotional & psychological issues, affecting self-esteem and social interactions.

Inflammation is now known to initiate and generate the development of acne development through the activation of the immune system.  Hormone changes in the quantity of sebum can disturb the skin barrier function. Oxidative stress is also a contributing factor as it plays a part in the irritation and destruction of the wall of the hair follicle.

It can get confusing when managing the condition, but keeping your skin care routine simple and treating your skin as sensitive will help decrease any redness and inflammation.

6 steps to manage acne

Below are 6 main areas to focus on which treats acne holistically & helps to achieve naturally clear skin.

1. Skin Barrier

• Don’t use abrasive soaps which can cause irritation to skin (some of these may include alcohol, perfumes/fragrances). Use mildly acidic skincare products to help protect the skin microbiome & outer layer.

• Irritation from sweat can cause bacteria (P. acnes) causing a mild inflammatory response, ensure the skin is washed after strenuous activity.

• Gentle exfoliation (without harsh chemicals or strong fragrances).

2. Nutrition

• Improve general nutrition:  Include adequate fresh fruit & vegetables and natural whole foods, healthy fats, quality protein sources & antioxidants.

• Identify & eliminate foods which exacerbate the condition e.g. dairy, sugar & processed carbohydrates.

• Ensure you are well hydrated with adequate water and/or herbal teas.

• Increase Omega 3 fatty acids to maintain skin barrier & inhibit inflammation.

• Zinc is a bacterial suppressor, wound healer, tissue regenerator and vital to acne treatment. Foods high in zinc include:   Oysters, beef, poultry, cashews, pumpkin & sunflower seeds, legumes, yoghurt, milk, cheese, kefir, eggs.

3. Stress Management

• Ensure adequate rest, exercise, fresh air, sunlight & sleep. Choose your favourite way to de-stress i.e. yoga, walking, music, reading, social activities.

• Chronic stress increases cortisol and increases insulin which thickens sebum in the hair follicle.

• Exercise on most days of the week to decrease stress and to also stimulate lymphatic function – this helps rid the body of metabolic waste.

• Managing stress also helps to avoid poor food choices.

4. Digestive Health

• Compromised gut health can aggravate acne by prolonged inflammation & tissue damage in the intestinal tract.

• A disrupted gut lining or barrier function contributes to a poor immune response, inflammation and oxidative stress.

• Bowel issues such as constipation can contribute to the condition because of sluggish elimination. Without proper elimination, this may increase skin congestion & the reabsorption of toxins and hormones.

5. Hormones

• Elevated hormones such as androgens (testosterone) and insulin play a role in the development of acne & the production of sebum. 

• Following a low sugar diet & consuming minimal refined foods helps to reduce excess androgen & insulin.

• To help balance your hormones, eat a nourishing diet, manage stress and get enough sleep. Hormonal fluctuations can lead to increased oil production, leading to generally oiler skin.

6. Liver/Detox

• A sluggish liver can cause digestive disturbance & decrease the ability for the liver to detox & cleanse efficiently.

• Inadequate breakdown of hormonal by-products, which is one of the liver’s functions, can contribute to hormonal imbalance.

• Consume liver supportive foods to help clear acne, as hormones are processed in the liver. E.g. cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower and leafy greens as well as high fiber fruits, such as berries, pears and apples.