Journal
A Voice in the Dark – Decisions and not DNA are your destiny
Genes may load the gun, but environment pulls the trigger Dr Chaterjee’s approach has been our philosophy for the last 20 years. He explains in absolutely crystal clear terms that disease doesn’t just happen and is rarely bad luck. We must take back control and empower ourselves. He is a doctor that wants to treat the root cause and not just the symptoms. Real medicine that emphasises the ‘why’, and not just the ‘what’. Bruce Lipton in The Biology of Belief wrote “The Wisdom of Your Cells is a new biology that will profoundly change civilization and the world we live in. This new biology takes us from the belief that we are victims of our genes, that we are biochemical machines, that life is out of our control, into another reality, a reality where our thoughts, beliefs and mind control our genes, our behavior and the life we experience. This biology is based on current, modern science with some new perceptions added. The new science takes us from victim to creator; we are very powerful in creating and unfolding the lives that we lead. This is actually knowledge of self and if we understand the old axiom, “Knowledge is power,” then what we are really beginning to understand is the knowledge of self-power. This is what I think we will get from understanding the new biology.”
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The trouble with rest
There is no trouble with rest.The only trouble with rest is the guilt we put on ourselves.Too much to do, keep going, reply to all those emails, especially the ones that say “did you get my email” – oops. It is okay, good and right to rest.You don’t need permission from anyone. We are all so busy. Tangled in commitments.I confess, I too feel tangled in the brambles of a busy life. I am learning to take it easier. Kick through the leaves, go to bed early, say no, look at the sky, lie down, close your eyes, breathe deeply and nourish your soul. You must. Let us together start a rest revolution. Life is better when we feel nourished, for you and those around us. Most cures are not in a bottle. Rest might just be the cure you need. “Be as religious and disciplined about your sleep as you are about your work. We tend to wear our ability to get by on little sleep as some sort of badge of honor that validates our work ethic. But what it really is is a profound failure of self-respect and of priorities. What could possibly be more important than your health and your sanity, from which all else springs?” ~ Maria Popova Read this beautiful post here – Winterruhe: Bed Rest, Sleep Recovery and the Lost Art of Convalescence
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The Pill – an endocrine disruptor by design
“The pill has to disrupt the endocrine system in order to stop the production of endogenous hormones. The hypothalamus, the pituitary gland – the brain’s control centre for hormones – is what the pill overrides to prevent pregnancy. When we hear the term “endocrine disruptor” it’s normally in relation to other environmental toxins. In the last year nail polish, fire-retardant sofas, receipts, pesticides and household cleaners have all made the headlines for having endocrine disruptive properties and, therefore, carcinogenic and disease-causing consequences. The pill is an endocrine disruptor by design.” Read more here at The Guardian on how The Pill really works.
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Garlic, Nature’s Antibiotic
My first experience of garlic was when suffering from whooping cough as a baby. Long before my father became a qualified Medical Herbalist he was studying the benefits of garlic. He slathered Vaseline on the soles of my feet and stuck slices of garlic on top, before putting my socks on. I am told that within half an hour the odour of garlic was on my breath. This shows clearly how we ingest through the skin and the strength and power of garlic. I survived what must have been a worrying period for my parents, to no ill effect. I have loved garlic ever since and often make my father’s famous Garlic and Chilli Special. The active component in garlic is Allicin, which is activated when the garlic is crushed and left to develop for a few minutes. When cooking with garlic you should prepare it this way, to allow the Allicin to emerge before adding to food, gleaning the real benefits. AllicinMax is a brilliant product where the Allicin has been stabilised providing an active, garlic capsule where each one is equivalent to 40 cloves of garlic! This is an odourless capsule so no worries there! Nature’s antibiotic, this product is ideal to take through winter for the prevention and reduction of colds and influenza, to support compromised lungs and in the prevention of infections. It is antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic. It also has a positive influence on heart health. In studies garlic has been shown to be almost as effective as penicillin. Interestingly it is reported that the vapour from freshly-cut garlic can kill bacteria from a distance of 20cm! Garlic has been shown to – Reduce cholesterol. Cut the risk of pre-eclampsia in pregnancy. Kill infecting bacteria, protecting the body from the poisons infecting the body at the same time. Inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Prevent and treat stomach ulcers caused by helicobacter pylori. Protect against blood clots which can cause strokes. Be 100 times more effective than two popular antibiotics for fighting Campylobacter, one of the most common causes of intestinal illness.
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Garlic, Chilli and Ginger Special
Let every meal be a medical prescription This is one of my favourite rapid recipes. I love it on oatcakes with cheese, added to omelettes, spread over hot cheese and toast and I do have friends who love it on the side of their roast dinner! It has numerous uses and health benefits and can be added as a quick flavour boost to dishes. Recipe 1 bulb of garlic, cloves removed but purple skins left on 4 red chillies A walnut sized piece of ginger 10ml of apple cider vinegar (raw is best) 60ml extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil Method Crush the garlic with the back of a knife and leave aside for a few minutes. In the meantime wash and destalk the chillies, cut in half and add to a mini blender. Peel the ginger and chop in half adding to the chillies along with the garlic cloves, cider vinegar and olive oil. Blend to a coarse mixture and store in a glass jar in the fridge. This wonderful prescriptive blend – Boosts immunity De-congests the lungs Increases protection against cancer Lowers blood pressure Increases energy Increases thermogenesis – valuable for weight management
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Getting back to basics
Our lives are a constant interchange of emotions from joy to sadness, from laughter to crying, solemnity to introspection. All of which is normal as everyday experiences interplay with our hormonal ebb and flow. So why do we stigmatise anxiety and depression? Why are so many fearful of sharing their inner feelings as if somehow they will be branded as outcasts? We accept someone with a broken bone or suffering influenza as normal, so we need to accept those whose mental state is off balance in the same way.The word depression is relatively new and describes a mental state that used to be known as melancholia. Melancholia is from Middle English and late Latin and means ‘black bile’ – it relates to bile and the liver. Sadness caused by a burdened liver! Accordingly, liver remedies – such as the much neglected Dandelion root – would often bring relief. As mind and body are one, therapy was based on this correct rationale.With the emergence of psychoanalysis as a new ‘science of mind’ Sigmund Freud (1856- 1939) and Carl Jung (1875-1961), the stage was set to separate mind and body into two distinct disciplines. The first antipsychotic drug, was introduced in the mid 20th century.This aside, depression (when not suicidal) must have its purpose, and at the very least it De-Presses the sufferer below everyday stress and tension into a hoped-for time of rest and treatment.I am reminded of my long discussions with Timothy, a missionary pilot to the Ashaninka tribes of the Peruvian Rainforest. The Ashaninka had a very substantial medical system based on ritual and plant medicine – and it was from Timothy that I learned of the healing powers of the rainforest liana, Cat’s Claw. However, in treating ‘his deepest’ (so-called mental health issues), the Ashaninka did this through social interaction involving the whole tribe. The patient would be administered a plant extract that induced relaxation and hallucination and the ritual would begin and last all night. In the morning the patient would vomit and appeared to be cured. Does this sound primitive and non-scientific? Behind the scenes a vast amount was going on. Just imagine the heart-energy directed to the patient and the mental focus and love of the entire community. Also, the herbal draught and the discussions and the preliminaries. How would this compare with the often isolation and years of adverse reactions from drugs?The word shaman, often connotes primitiveness and occultism, but this is wrong. The jungle healers are experts on the action of powerful but safe plant medicines and (as in the case of the Ashaninka medicine-men) undergo years of training. I was told by Timothy that chosen trainee shaman would literally disappear into the rainforest for many years, with no contact, before returning qualified to their tribe where they would then assume medical guardianship.Fortunately, some of this wisdom is starting to emerge in the western world but we are a long way from where we should be. The foregoing is by no means a slight on the invaluable work of mental healthcare in the western world which covers a wide spectrum of behavioural issues, from psychosis and violence to intractable disorders of the nervous system. However it casts light into a dark corner of the profession both on its reductionism, reliance on psychotropic drugs and neglect of traditional wisdom in the treatment of ‘everyday’ anxiety and depression.The forerunner of depression (when not liver-related or connected to a physical malady) is mostly anxiety, another fairly modern word that has replaced a much more descriptive one going back to the Norsemen – care, or specifically overcare. Care, of Germanic origin related to ‘grief or lament’ and Old Norse for ‘sickbed’. Indeed, when the apostle Paul was writing to the Philippians he advised “be careful over nothing”. An example will explain this. Healthcare nurses are amongst our healthiest citizens and the central reason for this is that true care is a heartfelt energy that embodies compassion and altruism – it is a healing force to the ill but also elevates salivary IgA (the first line of defence in our immune system) in the caregiver. But when care slides into overcare, salivary IgA plummets and immunity suffers. This is where stress leads to tension and tension brings overcare or in modern parlance, anxiety, which in turn often heralds depression where the sufferer can be in need of urgent professional help.A fragmented society (the very opposite of the close-knit Ashaninka, for example) where people are isolated and feel ashamed of sharing imperfections is the breeding ground for ‘mental’ health issues. Television and the media – with its obsession for celebrity worship – portray idealism and unattainable wealth and style is another erosion of inner peace and contentment. Our ‘always-on’ connectiveness opposes rest, relaxation and sleep to further undermine health both of body and mind.
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Mental health, the body and the breath
I think that there is often a misconception in our society about what ‘mental health’ is. We can often associate it with serious mental disorder or illness but I believe that as well as those very serious conditions, it is something that affects us all at some point in our lives. Have you ever been so stressed that you couldn’t sleep or eat? So unhappy that you felt that you couldn’t get out of bed? So anxious and fearful that you felt physically sick? These are all physiological manifestations of something being out of balance with your mental health. The mind and body are intrinsically linked. Here, I am writing with yoga in mind and thinking of yoga as modern day psychotherapy for the body and mind. In yoga we use asanas (physical postures), mudras (physical gestures) and mantras (short words, phrases or affirmations) to maintain health of body and mind but I believe that pranayama (working with the breath) is the thread that links our physical body with our mind. Our breath is a physiological manifestation of our mental state. Our breath is steady, slow and comfortable when we are sleeping or relaxed and our breath is shallow, rapid and rasping when we are afraid. “the breath not only influences the body and the mind but can serve as a powerful instrument for inducing states of higher consciousness.” Yoga and Psychotherapy by Swami Rama, Rudolph Ballentine, MD and Swami Ajaya PHD p26 Breath awareness has been proven in scientific research to successfully treat medical conditions such as hypertension and anxiety. However, it is using techniques that work the physical body (muscles) as well as the breath that have proved the most effective thus showing yoga’s power as a psychotherapy for the bodymind. Research by Swami Rama, Rudolph Ballentine MD and Swami Ayaya PHD showed that: “the greatest improvement was in those who had undergone a combined treatment where both breathing and muscle relaxation were used.” We often have to work our muscles in order to understand how to relax them. Working to first contract a muscle means we can more easily then feel release. In modern society people often don’t realise how they are holding tension in the body and yoga is the perfect method to demonstrate to people where the tension is and how to release it. How is it possible to breathe properly making use of the full capacity of our lungs and the correct use of our diaphragms unless we practice some kind of correct posture? “In this light, it is clear that the practice of unrestraining the breath can be seen as synonymous with the identification and release of the bodily tensions that obstruct the expression of our system’s intrinsic equilibrium.” Yoga and Psychotherapy by Swami Rama, Rudolph Ballentine, MD and Swami Ajaya PHD quoting from “Anxiety Reduction Through Breathing and Muscle Relaxation Training: Cognitive and Affective Components,” PhD dissertation Duke University , 1973 Alfred L Scopp p27 Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews p21 Working with posture and with the breath really can release physical tension and mental distress. It is a physiological fact that our parasympathetic nervous system (our basic rest and digest response) is activated by full diaphragmatic breathing. However, I realise that “it is only when you “quote” from your own experience that your words have weight.” The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Translation and Commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda p78 I could talk and write all day about the benefits of the breath and yoga as a whole but isn’t it always more believable when someone tells you of their real experience in their life or when you experience something for yourself? I first became interested in the human mind at an early age. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 12 and subsequently began to suffer from debilitating panic attacks and claustrophobia stemming from an innate fear of having lost control of my body. Of course, I didn’t know that this was the reason at the time, but I was desperate to seek help for my psychological condition. It had begun to severely impact my daily life as I was unable to use everyday things like lifts and trains due to the claustrophobia and it was becoming harder and harder to try to hide my panic attacks from my peers. I also knew I shortly had to take a flight and being trapped on a plane was the most terrifying thing I could imagine. I would have daily panic attacks at the thought of having to get on this plane to the extent that I was prescribed Valium by my GP as he could think of no other way to help. Luckily GPs nowadays are usually much better informed. Desperate to help my plight, my family tracked down a rather amazing gentleman named Dr John Wilkinson – a medical doctor turned ‘hypnotist’ who was able to cure anxiety disorders through a process he called ‘self-hypnosis’. He had previously worked with deep sea divers who had suffered panic attacks and claustrophobia due to the nature of their job and had enabled them to go back to work. I attended weekly individual sessions with him where I was taught ‘self-hypnosis’ which he advised I practice assiduously and daily. I was utterly sceptical about ‘this breathing nonsense’ but to my utter surprise it worked and I was completely free of all psychological symptoms and their physical manifestations within 6 months. What was this mysterious ‘self-hypnosis’? Diaphragmatic breathing coupled with mediation and visualisation. In other words, yoga breathing and meditation. Thus I learnt early on the huge power of the breath. Dr Wilkinson became a friend and I continued to visit him for many years. I only discovered after his death at 91 that he had turned to working with the breath after TB as a young man had left him with the use of only half a lung. The power of the breath is truly fantastic. Just take five minutes today to notice how you are breathing. Just sit in a quiet corner and become aware of your breath. Are you breathing just with your upper chest? Are you breathing too quickly? Don’t judge yourself but just be aware. Daily practice of just breathing in a relaxed way is the first step to better mental health for everyone. If you want to try some yoga then visit The Yoga House website to find out more. www.theyogahouse.co.uk
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Surviving the sabre toothed tigers
FEELING WOUND UP? STRESSED? ANXIOUS? States of mind that large numbers of us are very familiar with in our busy, full-on, hectic lives. Also feelings that so many of our young people are struggling with, as I see in my work as a school counsellor and psychotherapist. It is thought that as many as 1 in 6 young people will experience an anxiety problem at some point in their lives (Young Minds 2016). Thankfully people are gradually becoming more open about sharing their experiences of anxiety, with both James Arthur and Zoella talking very honestly about their struggles just this last week, as well as our lovely ‘leader’ (Naomi), in her blog for this World Mental Health Awareness Day. Often, alongside these mind states, come those distressing physical symptoms of a racing heart, sweaty palms, fast breathing, tension or shaking, running to the loo, a churning or nauseous tummy, dizziness and many more. But these sensations are all there for a purpose. They come about when, for whatever reason, our mind tells us that we are under threat. The body responds immediately, via the Sympathetic Nervous System to initiate a rapid chain of events whereby chemicals such as Adrenalin and Cortisol flood the body and prepare us for fighting off the threat or running to escape from it – the ‘Fight or Flight’ response. These powerful bodily reactions to threat have, very cleverly, come about over thousands of years through the process of evolution, but of course the ‘threats’ that we face today are very different from those our ancestors had to deal with. In years gone by when hunter-gatherers were out looking for their next meal, they may well have come face to face with a very real threat of something like a sabre tooth tiger jumping out of the bushes at them. At this point there would have been no time to think smart. Their bodies would have had to act smart immediately and either battle the tiger or run for their lives. That is why we experience all those strong physical sensations in the body. The increase in heart and breathing rate to deliver plentiful oxygen to the muscles in our arms and legs, ready to run or fight. Those muscles may then become tense and tremble in anticipation of the effort. The blood supply will be diverted away from our central organs of digestion to prioritise the peripheries as those arms and legs spring into action. This can cause the sick or butterflies feeling. Very cleverly (and somewhat amusingly for the teens I work with) our body sheds its load to make us lighter so that we can run faster, which explains those repeated pre-exam or public speaking rushes to the loo! Profuse sweating will not only cool us down, but also make us more slippery so we can escape more easily if caught (nice!). These symptoms themselves can feel very frightening which can increase the sense of threat and repeat the cycle, which can then escalate things further. Sometimes understanding where these feelings stem from, can reduce that fear factor and reduce the intensity of the experience. It can be the case that, if the mind and body have experienced prolonged exposure to heightened levels of stress or anxiety, this can start to become the norm and people can experience the symptoms of anxiety without there being a recognisable trigger. It is also very important to acknowledge that there can be experiences in our past that may not have been able to be processed, elements of our personality or difficult current life events that mean we are more prone to feeling anxious in certain settings. It can sometimes be beneficial to think about these with some professional support, if you feel it could help. However, whilst it is thankfully pretty rare for us to be pounced on by a sabre-toothed tiger these days, there are many 21st century threats that face us which often tend to be more mental than physical. These might include things like relationship difficulties, financial worries, work stresses and those pressures to be living the ‘perfect life’, amongst a myriad of others which I’m sure most of us could list pretty easily. However, unfortunately our minds don’t necessarily differentiate what type of threat we are under – it just screams ‘LOOK OUT!’ and the body reacts. For those facing the tiger, they would quite literally have had to fight or run for their life and this would have had the important effect of burning off all those stress hormones, allowing the balance to be restored. They might also have come home at the end of their somewhat stressful and traumatic day and sat around the campfire, recounting the tale to their friends and family and offloading any powerful emotions. Unfortunately, this ‘campfire time’ may be something that we give less priority to in our busy, modern lives. Another aspect of our full and demanding lifestyles is that we often find there is very little time to stop ‘doing’ and to just take some time to ‘be’; giving space to whatever is showing up. I was lucky enough to hear Jon Kabat-Zinn, (the father of secular mindfulness training), speak some time ago and loved his reminder to us that, “We are after all Human Beings, not Human Doings!!” I’m sure many of us could do well to remind ourselves of this on a regular basis. So how can we work with our worries and anxieties, to support ourselves and take care of our mental health? Of course we are all individuals and there is never one quick fix, but there are a range of possibilities which have been shown to be useful. Talk about your feelings I probably would say this, as a psychotherapist, but so often giving our feelings some space and time can help to process them so they don’t feel so overwhelming. Keep Active The double whammy of burning off those stress hormones that can start to build up, combined with the exercise-induced release of the body’s natural antidepressant (endorphins), is a great reason to get moving. You don’t need to be doing anything too strenuous. A good brisk walk for 20 minutes can do the trick. Eat Well It is so true that what we fuel our bodies with has a huge influence on our wellbeing as a whole, but our emotional health can be especially effected by our diet. The team here at Botanica are extremely knowledgeable and are a great source of guidance and advice. Keep in Touch Friends and family can make you feel included and cared for. They can offer different views from whatever’s going on inside your own head. They can help keep you grounded and can sometimes help you solve practical problems. Even if you can’t catch up face to face, a phone call, message, or chatting online can be really supportive. Keep the lines of communication open: it’s good for you! Do something you enjoy or are good at What do you love doing? What activities can you lose yourself in? What did you love doing in the past? Enjoying yourself can help beat stress. Doing something you’re good at or achieving something boosts your self-esteem, even if it’s just tackling the ironing pile or sorting out a messy drawer. Concentrating on a hobby can help you forget your worries for a while and can change your mood. Take Time Out Rest is a weapon! Taking a pause to ‘be’ is something we rarely allow ourselves and it can prove incredibly nourishing, just to stop for a few moments and breathe! Ask for help None of us are superhuman. Again, this may be something that doesn’t come very naturally or easily to many of us, but we all get tired or overwhelmed by how we feel sometimes, or frustrated when things don’t go to plan. You might also find it’s a boost for the other person; feeling they have done something to help. If you really don’t feel happy asking friends/ family, there are some great online support groups, charities and forums. (See below) If you drink, do so sensibly We often drink alcohol to change our mood or to escape from difficult feelings but the effect is only temporary. This form of self-medication will only make you feel worse because of the way the alcohol affects your brain and the rest of your body. Drinking is not a good way to manage difficult feelings. Accept who you are Some of us make people laugh, some are really creative, some run marathons whilst others cook fantastic meals or can make beautiful gardens. We’re all different and it’s much healthier to accept our individuality than to wish you were more like someone else. There may be things you are not so good at, but also focus on what you can do well. It may sound corny, but be proud of who you are. Care for others Helping out can make us feel needed and valued, and that boosts our self-esteem. It also helps us to see the world from another angle. This can help to put our own problems in a different perspective. However, make sure you are looking after yourself as a priority. We can’t pour from an empty cup. Charities and Online Support anxietyuk.co.uk youngminds.org.uk
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I’m not ashamed to say I’ve had anxiety
Last Friday was like any other day at Botanica; the unexpected can happen. We have a gentleman in his 80’s who comes to us on a regular basis to collect a tonic for a chronic lung condition. He also happens to have chronic anxiety. Californian Poppy soothes his nerves but we have been unable to obtain any for a few weeks, it had sold out. There must be a lot of anxious people out there. As he leaned on the counter I noticed his breathing was laboured. Not only by his lung condition but by the sensation of not having enough breath that comes with feeling panic and anxiety. I asked if he would like to come to another room and have a chat. I am no therapist or counsellor but I wanted to help, if only a little. We sat down, face to face, his breathing was shallow and sharp. He was anxious like he is every day; leaving the house, meeting people, facing the world. He said he gets anxious about everything. I told him there is a name for that, ‘generalised’ or ‘free floating anxiety,’ it is common and nothing to feel ashamed of. First thing out of the way – don’t feel bad about feeling bad I asked him to put his hands over his tummy and try if he could to do just 3 breaths, as deeply as his condition allowed and through the nose. There was a change. We were easy in each others company, perhaps he felt a kindred spirit. I said it might not be hard to recover and cope with this anxiety. We could try something. I told him I knew how it felt to be anxious. It is common. Through the ages the great and the good have suffered with periods of anxiety and depression. Abraham Lincoln was referred to by his friends as the most depressed person they had ever seen. On one occasion he was so overcome with melancholia he collapsed, and here was a man of greatness and power. The president of America. He was assumed to have written the poem published in 1838 “The Suicide’s Soliloquy,”- Hell! What is hell to one like meWho pleasures never knew;By friends consigned to misery,By hope deserted too? In the hope he might not feel so alone I explained that after a tragic event I had a condition I found out later was called Globus Hystericus. Sounds crazy right? A feeling of a lump in the throat brought on by anxiety where the throat muscles tighten and cause an unnerving sensation. It is extremely common and often those with it will gulp a lot and clear their throat, feeling there is something in the way. I explained that a therapy I was taught 12 years ago, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) completely cured it in half an hour. Known as ‘acupuncture without the needles’, it involves tapping on energy points on the body whilst verbalising an affirmation. Easyjet now includes tapping in their ‘Fear of Flying’ course to help frightened flyers regain their confidence. At the time I had no faith it would help, in all honesty I thought it was quackery and only agreed to be practiced on as I was on a training course in Dorset in alternative therapies – we had to take part – some of those on offer crazier than the way I was feeling with this annoying ‘lump’ in my throat. I was wrong on all counts. The EFT worked. I asked this dear man if he would like to practice a little EFT. Tapping on specific meridian points on the body while using his particular affirmation – “Even though I have this anxiety, I completely and deeply love and accept myself.” It is pretty hard to say that out loud to someone you hardly know! We said it together and he followed the tapping points I was doing, tapping on himself. Bless him, we did one round, perhaps 7 minutes in length. I asked him to stop and just breathe normally. I asked him how he felt. He nearly fell asleep he said. Relaxed. Breathing gently and looking very serene. When we started on a scale of how bad he felt out of 10 it was an 8. It was now negligible. He sat on the sofa in the shop while I wrote down simple instructions and gave him an easy to follow print out of how to practice the technique morning and evening. He was surprised how quickly he felt calm and as he walked out of the shop a little girl spoke to him and he engaged happily. I told him whenever he walks by and is feeling a bit off to come in and see me. A different man left the shop. Today, the 10th of October is World Mental Health Day. 800,000 people die every year from suicide globally, that is 1 person every 40 seconds. Suicide rates in young men have soared in recent years. We need to wake up. As a society we MUST accept that feelings of sadness, despair, anxiety and depression MUST be allowed and are part of life. We must not feel too ashamed to share our feelings for fear of seeming weak and useless. It is a lie, and one that causes untold misery. When I heard someone else tell me last week that when depressed she felt there was still a stigma I told her that this change. She suffered doubly because the shame of feeling depressed was piled on top of her already sad state at that time. It is wholly wrong and in no way helps someone recover. On a basic level we must listen and support those with conditions where mental health is fragile. Do away with feeling not as perfect as your neighbour or work colleague or flatmate or friend at university. You are you and unique and special. We are fragile beings and need to support one another and be allowed to meander the hills and troughs in life. We know that tragedy, loss, relationship breakup and hurt can contribute to these negative feelings but perfectionism and pressure just piles on more weight. Let up and let be. It starts young; pressures from parents, schools, media, friends, from ourselves etc! A problem shared may not always be a problem halved or solved but it is good to talk, to write your feelings down, to walk out your troubles, to eat to support your nervous system, to keep your gut healthy, the link between poor gut health and depression is too strong to ignore. The link between inflammation and depression is also strong and must be addressed. Herbs like St Johns Wort (studies show it to be as effective as Prozac), Ashwagandha and Holy Basil can often help as can ReMag magnesium, probiotics and B vitamins. For more information on mental health matters please see Kelly Brogan MD and Mad in America. Above all, the stigma has to stop. There is light at the end of a seemingly very dark tunnel. “All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming.” – Helen Keller
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