Far too many people suffer with daily chronic pain, headaches and/or fatigue. Unfortunately this often leads to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and feeling of inadequacy. Others may form addictions to pain relief such as alcohol and certain medications.
When people turn to their doctors and pharmacists for assistance with this issue, they may be advised to take paracetamol, ibuprofen and/or codeine. These drugs may be effective in treating pain in the short term, however they come with an increased risk of constipation, ulceration, kidney and liver disease - so they are not really something we want to rely on for more than occasional use. As many of you know, I have just returned from a 3 week trip to the UK where I visited family. During this trip I faced many shocking truths which really hit home the importance of Natural Medicine in improving overall health and reducing chronic conditions. My grandmother has a scoliosis. Unfortunately in her youth in the UK, chiropractic treatment wasn't as available or well known as it is here in Australia today. Therefore she has lived with chronic pain, fatigue and digestive issues for her entire life without knowing that health was available.
A strong and determined woman, who has traveled the world and even lived in the Middle East (in Iraq) for a time in the early 80s, my grandmother has tried to live a healthy happy life, determined not to let it stop her.
However cold weather has got the better of her recently and I was shocked to see how immobile she was on my arrival. In the last 3 weeks I've seen an incredible shift in her energy, well-being and mobility thanks to an increase in therapeutic, anti-inflammatory foods, basic supplementation and regular movement.
She not only felt better but had a new found determination to get fitter and healthier and discussed an achievable action plan with me on my final day. She seemed literally 10 years younger by the end of that 3 weeks of eating a little better, moving a little more and taking a daily dose of high strength CoQ10 - Let's all wish this lovely woman, one of my favourite people, good luck in her new venture! There are many causes of pain and discomfort, ranging from lack of movement, having a desk job, overuse of mobile phone, dehydration, stress and poor sleeping habits, plus many more. However there are also many effective natural treatments which are highly effective. Here's my 3 step plan for reducing pain, headaches and fatigue - naturally:
Step 1: Correct your diet and water intake. Eat lots of anti-inflammatory foods (leafy greens, oily fish, olives, avocados), reduce intake of inflammatory foods (refined flours and sugars, deep fried foods, processed foods etc). Ensure you drink a minimum of 2L of water every day, increase your intake if you are particularly tall, have a high body muscle percentage or high activity level.
Step 2: Take measures to reduce stress, try meditation, use natural lavender oil to soothe and promote relaxation, decrease caffeine intake.
Step 3: Once you've corrected these baseline issues, it's time to take it to the next level - get your back and neck assessed to ensure that there are no treatable structural issues which are currently preventing you from feeling your best.
Next week is a big week with 2 major events right here in Sydney which I'd love you to take advantage of:
I am co-hosting an event for Natural Medicine called "Eating for Energy". There will be talks, workshops and cooking lessons. It promises to be as fun as it is educational and we have some excellent events running. Click here to register your interest.
Next week we also celebrate spinal health week and Dr Riaz will be offering free back and neck checks for our members and followers. Click here to book your assessment.
Until next time, stay deliciously healthy.
Jennifer May Adv.Dip.Nut.Med.ATMS
Nutrtitionist