We have all heard that breathing exercises are helpful in reducing stress, but most people do not know how to do it and why it is so beneficial. Over the next three weeks, I will share with you some different types of breathing/ mediation exercise that I use with my clients.
Breathing exercises are beneficial in that they help you to find new techniques in coping with stressful situations. They also lower your heart rate and get your mind out of the fight or flight response.
Breathing exercises also balance the hemispheres of the brain. Brain waves move at different rates. When we are learning and in deep concentration we are using Beta Waves (this is using 14-21 cycles a second). When we are using Alpha waves (using 7-14 cycles a second) we are in a mediation/relaxation state. Theta waves (Using 4-7 cycles a second) are used when we are sleeping, while Delta Waves (using ½ -4 cycles a second) are when we are in deep sleep. The different types of breathing exercises will help you learn to maintain the Alpha state, which helps our body and brain relax. Below, I have given some examples of different types of ways to get into the Alpha State.

The first type of breathing we will focus on is Abdominal Counting Breathing. This can be helpful in any situation. Many of my clients use it at work to deal with a stressful situation because it is easy to do at their desks: Put your hands on your stomach with your fingers touching and take a breath through your nose and start off inhaling to the count of three and then exhale to the count of three. You can work your counting breath up to 7 seconds. This will slow your mind and your heart rate. You will notice your hands separating slightly on the exhale and coming back together in the inhale. Repeating this exercise ten times will help you become more grounded.

A useful tool is the Emwave Personal Stress Reliever. This portable device can help slow your breathing. It does so by monitoring your heart and helping you to be aware of your stress levels (heathmath.com). For further information about this or book a 30 minute stress consultation please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Natalie Shay is a National Stress Management Coach and Career Counsellor. She has experience working with hundreds of large Canadian Organizations. Natalie has helped her clients improve their life and learn how to be happy in their career by learning and implementing new stress coping skills.

Over the years, clients have come to see me for stress management and to treat their physical symptoms. Common physical symptoms include; high blood pressure, weight gain, headaches and stomach issue like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). The symptoms of IBS can be debilitating. Some of these symptoms include; bloating, depression, anxiety, abdominal pain, and difficulty having bowel movements. Many people do not realize that IBS can drastically be reduced with stress reduction techniques. My clients have experienced less cramping and less pain after implementing these new techniques into their lives. IBS goes hand in hand with stress, anxiety disorders and depression.

A few basic and helpful skills that can help reduce symptoms include; learning breathing techniques, effective confrontational skills and effective eating habits. A very simple way to start incorporating breathing techniques into your life is to do 10 deep breaths 3 times a day. The key to effective breathing is to breath using your diaphragm and inhale with a 5 second count, then exhale with a 5 second count . Another method of managing stress is to start looking at how much you internalize your feelings. If you find that you do not express yourself when something bothers you, it may be helpful to start changing this pattern.

Changing the way you express your feelings can be done simply by implementing something called the WIN formula. This stands for WHEN (you did this) I (felt this) and NEED ( you to this). For example, let’s say you had plans with a friend and they cancelled on you at the last minute. If you were non-confrontational you would tell your friend that it is not a problem. This results in them holding all the frustration and anger inside. Instead of approaching the situation like this, a positive approach to this would be to call the friend up and say: "When you cancelled on me I was really upset that you did not give me more notice and I would really appreciate that in the future you could let me know ahead of time". People who do not confront tend to not realize how much this can impact their IBS, but time and time again I see the difference it makes.

Eating is another area that can affect this, emotional eating is a big trigger. Writing down your feelings before you emotionally eat is a great way to start learning to decipher when you are emotional eating and when you are truly hungry.


Natalie Shay is a National Stress Management Coach and Career Counsellor. She has experience working with hundreds of large Canadian Organizations. Natalie has helped her clients improve their life and learn how to be happy in their career by learning and implementing new stress coping skills. Call 416.579.9105 to arrange a complimentary 30 minute stress health assessment. Available for a limited time only.


 

People always ask what the "real” connection is between positive thinking and stress. Most people do not realize that high blood pressure, panic attacks, anxiety, and many other health conditions start off with negative self talk. It has been shown through studies that an average person will have 10-15 negative statements repeating in their mind. For example, negative self talk such as “I should have gone grocery shopping today. I’m such an idiot ", could positively be turned into "I did not have time to go grocery shopping today, hopefully I will have time to go tomorrow” . When we use the word “should” , we are blaming ourselves. Alternative statements without the use of the word “should”, help create a positive chemical reaction in the brain.
Another example of negative self talk is over generalizing. You could be at a wedding and have someone insult your attire, so you assume that anyone who sees your attire will feel the same way.  You do not have to attribute this sentiment and over generalize. It is one person’s opinion, not everyone at the wedding.

The best way to start changing this behaviour is to notice what you consciously say to yourself. Carry a small note pad with you for a week and write down whenever you catch yourself saying something negative. There are 10 common categories of negative thought processes. For a full list of these categories, feel free to email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
 

 Q: Dear Dr. Tung:

I am a 34 year old female with recurrent adult acne that comes typically one week before my period.  I also get a lot of breast tenderness and water retention one week before my period.  Would a naturopathic consultation help with my skin and other symptoms?

A: Yes, a naturopathic consultation would be an important part of your treatment plan.  During your consultation we would discuss your health history and come up with an individualized approach and ways we can treat your acne and other premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms.  One of my favourite herbs is Vitex Agnus-Castus, commonly called Chaste Tree.  It has an long history of use for female hormonal conditions such as PMS.  Chaste tree acts via it’s ability to stimulate the pituitary gland’s production of luteinizing hormone ( LH), which results in an increase in the production of progesterone in the body.  Clinical trials have shown that chaste tree significantly reduces the symptoms of PMS such as; acne, water retention, breast pain, anxiety, difficulty sleeping and mood changes. Studies have also shown it to be effective for treating infertility related to decreased progesterone levels or high prolactin, and irregular menstrual cycles and menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes.

Another favourite for the skin and acne is zinc citrate. Zinc plays a major role in the synthesis and metabolism of protein, promotes glandular and reproductive health, and assists with proper immune system function.  It is used in the treatment of acne, stretch marks, heavy metal toxicity, and for accelerating wound healing following injury or surgery. During your consultation with your Naturopathic doctor, we would discuss this as well as other treatment options specific for you.

To book an appointment with Dr. Amy Tung ND, or any of our other Naturopathic Doctors, please contact us at 416.579.9105 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it