SchoolofCT

The School of Complementary Therapies

About Blood Sugar

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It’s important to know about blood sugar levels and how important blood sugar stabilizing is for reducing stress and lessening feelings of anxiety.

As defined in the dictionary, blood sugar is the glucose in blood that rises and falls depending upon what we eat. All carbohydrates are ultimately converted to glucose to be used by the body as fuel for the brain and muscles. When we are feeling low on energy we often crave sugar or caffeine. Caffeine appears to release stored glucose. Instinctively we know that these substances will raise our energy (or sugar) level quickly.

So, what’s wrong with that? The problem is that this high concentration overloads the system, causing the levels to swing up above normal giving  us a lift, then fall rapidly to way below normal. Then we feel even more tired and crave more sugar or caffeine…so, we have another cup of coffee, glass of coke, sugary snack…our energy swings up again and crashes down again…over and over! Riding on the chemical roller coaster leads to irritability, depression, anxiety, confusion and fatigue. It actually becomes an addiction cycle! We are not nurturing and taking care of ourselves when we are in this pattern.

Ideally we want a strong, steady level of energy all day long. We want to avoid the swings up and down by eating healthy food in healthy amounts. We need to avoid sugar and caffeine, and instead eat whole foods that are digested slowly. These are complex carbohydrates: fruits, vegetables, grains. These foods slowly release their energy into the body. As a Natural Health Consultant I suggest most people need to eat three meals a day and two to three snacks, so your body is receiving quality energy all day.

  • I suggest that you start by replacing sugar with fresh fruit. Whenever you crave something sweet try eating an apple. Apples are nature’s fast food-easy to carry with you and easy to eat! You may feel deprived at first, but you will adapt and eventually find those sugary snacks too sweet.
  • Start kicking coffee by using good quality decaffeinated coffee. You will have the taste without the caffeine. If you are a heavy coffee user, wean yourself off by cutting the number of cups you drink daily. Caffeine withdrawal produces bad headaches and other side effects that may give you an excuse to give up. Go slowly, this is a process of loving yourself, not punishing. Try herbal teas. There are hundreds on the market, buy sample packs and find your favourites. Try coffee substitutes, you may find you like them.
  • And drink water! At least six glasses daily. Don’t like water? Try fizzy spring water with ice and a slice of lemon in a beautiful glass. Put some pleasant tasting chlorophyll into the water-Nature’s Sunshine has a spearmint oil added. Take a 1.5 litre bottle with you in the morning and promise yourself you’ll finish it by bedtime, then finish it by noon and feel pleased with yourself!

If you would like to learn more about “Eating Well as Part of Loving Yourself” and integrating good eating habits into your life, give me a call or drop me a line and we’ll set you up with an appointment and get you started on a personalized wellness program.

Jacqueline Fairbrass

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call      206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.
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Don’t Eat Dead Food!

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Most of us don’t know what “dead” foods are. We didn’t learn about it at school and many parents never think about food as being “alive”. Simply, foods with “life” are the foods that give “life”. Alive foods give the body the nutrients that the body needs to live. “Dead” foods are foods that are without their natural vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes due to processing. They include bleached, canned, polished, preserved, refined and otherwise devitalized foods.

These “dead” foods are often presented to us as “fast” and “convenient” foods. They are easy to prepare and save us time. We can always grab a quick something at a nearby fast food restaurant, however the price we pay is the lack of nutritional value in the food. Ever see a fast food restaurant advertising the nutritional value of their food? Perhaps that’s because there is none! Fast foods are generally refined; high in fat, salt and sugar and nutrient-poor. While they may soothe your appetite they do little to give your body the necessary vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes that it needs. They do little to build and maintain a healthy body.

The closer the food is to its natural state-fresh, unprocessed, unrefined-the better it is for you and your family. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Make a big green salad with a variety of raw vegetables part of your daily diet. Raw vegetables contain lots of nutrients and fiber which your body needs.

Cooked vegetables are also great, just don’t over cook them as all the good stuff gets taken out. Lightly steam your veggies, or bake them. Carrots, potatoes and squash all bake really well, add a little tamari and garlic…mmm! And a bonus if you’ve quit the sugar is that they taste really sweet. Leave or minimize the butter, sour-cream and sugar-get used to really tasting vegetables. Avoid as much as possible canned fruits and vegetables as they are often “dead” foods containing extra sugar and salt. In the health food stores you can pick up sea vegetables which can be added to soups and stews; nori, kombo, dulse. They are excellent sources of minerals and add a salty taste without the sodium.

Make up your mind to cut refined foods from your diet. Quit the white “balloon” bread, and eat whole-grain and multi-grain bread. Supermarkets carry good breads nowadays, just read the labels and avoid “enriched white flours”. Once you make up your mind to stop eating refined foods you will find lots of options available. You may have to adjust at first to new tastes and textures, but you will. You will be putting less stress on your system by eating whole foods. Whole grains are rich in B-complex vitamins which play an essential role in keeping stress levels down and therefore anxiety in the body down. They also supply important amino acids, especially when eaten in combination wih legumes. i.e. Mexican style rice and beans!

Want to learn more and make eating well a part of your life for you and your family? Then give me a call or drop me a line to make an appointment to start you on your personalized wellness Program.

Jacqueline Fairbrass

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

Every Breath You Take

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May 2005

Just take a moment before you start reading this to close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Ahh! Doesn’t that feel better? One of the simplest and most effective stress relieving exercises we can do is to breathe!

Watch a baby or a pet breathe. You will see the belly expand as it inhales and collapse as it exhales. That’s how we come into the world breathing. Take a moment and check to see how you are breathing. Is your breath expanding your abdomen or in fact doing the exact opposite? Many of us actually breathe backwards, that is the belly moves inwards with the inhale. This is “stressed breathing”. It accesses the sympathetic nervous system that promotes the “fight or flight” response in our bodies. The tension in our diaphragm sends a message to the brain that danger is imminent.

By conscious or “mindful” breathing we can change the physiological response, and return our bodies to “rest and repair” mode.

When we inhale the lungs fill up like balloons, not just pushing out to the front, but also to the back. If you stand and place your hands over your kidneys, when you take a deep breath you should be able to feel the back expand also. (This may take some practice.)

The diaphragm is the main muscle doing the breathwork, about 75% of the work. Air comes into the lungs where the blood absorbs it and undesirable gases are removed. During exhalation the diaphragm relaxes, as air is pushed out, releasing carbon dioxide.

The deeper you inhale the more oxygen the body can utilize, and the deeper you exhale the more carbon dioxide the body expels. Which gives us another reason for deep breathing – you feel more alert!

Take a Deep Breath

  • Whenever possible breathe in and out through the nose. Nostrils act as filters to clean, warm and moisten air before it enters the lungs, making their work easier.
  • During your day, at any time, when you think of it – take a good deep breath and exhale completely – push out every last ounce of breath. This will help clean the lungs of waste and toxins.
  • Check in with your breathing. Take a moment here and there to check your breath – and if necessary, slow it down consciously by deep breathing and exhaling. Under stress we often actually hold our breath for a while and stop breathing – check in and breathe!
  • Whenever you are feeling tense, whether mental, emotional or physical stress, take a deep breath. This brings you back to life! And back in touch with your feelings! Try it!

Back To Basics

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Delia Smith, Well-Known British Cook, Urges Us To Go Back To Basics

There is an increasing interest with consumers in the use of additives in our foods. Recently we have been told we are exposed to potentially carcinogenic properties of food dye Sudan 1. This food dye is used in many ready made meals and processed foods. Delia smith advocates a return to “basic, old- fashioned cooking” in the March 4, 2005 Daily Mail.  She says: “You do suddenly see the horror of what can happen through one little mistake…I believe that food is a wonderful gift and it is good to give it our full attention.” However, Delia does acknowledge that ready made meals have their place in our busy lives. “I do know that time can play a part.”

So, what do you think? Is it realistic to expect busy women and men to make every meal from scratch, or do we have to accept that not all of us have the time or energy to cook a full-blown meal every day? There is something you can do! Take time to plan your meals for the week. Before you panic and think “oh no, here’s another thing to add into my hectic schedule” take a deep breath or two, and relax.

Planning the week’s meals will save you money at the grocery store – you make a menu, then make a shopping list. Post the menu on the fridge, include snacks. When you get home, or the kids get home, all anyone has to do is check the menu. No time standing in front of the fridge thinking “what shall I prepare for dinner tonight?”. See how you can begin to save some time and energy?

When preparing meals make two or three extras and freeze them – ready meals without the additives. Can’t think of anything? How about:

  • chili
  • pot-roast
  • stew
  • loads of chicken recipes
  • brown rice can be cooked on Sunday and warmed up all week without substantal loss of B vitamins.

My friend, Rose, roasts root vegetables with a little olive oil and fresh herbs, then warms them up as needed. Get the kids to grate a big bowl of cheese and keep it in the fridge. I bet you can think of lots of ways to spend a little time in the kitchen and not eat so many ready meals and processed foods.

Anything to share? Let us know and we’ll pass the information along.

Jacqueline Fairbrass

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

Does Anxiety Make You Stand In Front Of The Fridge?

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When we are feeling stressed or anxious we often reach for food as a way to comfort ourselves. Does this sound familiar to you? It may be chips (salty and crunchy) for one person, while another is drawn to chocolate (sweet and creamy) or sometimes it just seems we can’t eat enough, so we keep eating whatever is around. The drawback is, what seemed soothing and stress relieving at the time often makes us feel worse later. We can end up feeling bloated and even worse, guilty!

If you find yourself standing in front of the fridge when stressed, here are a few things to think about:

  • First thing – reach for a glass of water. Sometimes we are thirsty and we don’t realize it! Make sure you get your six to eight glasses a day. This helps to fill you up and helps the digestive system stay healthy. (It’s also good for your skin.) So, drink before you eat.
  • However, don’t drink alcohol or caffeine when stressed. These can actually make your feelings worse or prolong your anxiety and its side effects.
  • Stop all activity for a few moments and take several long slow deep breaths. You will probably notice that your breathing became quite shallow, and this will help you get back to normal breathing.
  • Do not smoke – all the carcinogeous stuff in ciggies make you feel more anxious…it’s the deep breathing that relaxes you. Just pretend you have a cigarette in your hand, and breathe!
  • Now, you have had a glass of water and you are deep breathing, check in with yourself – are you hungry? If the answer is yes…
  • Remember to keep your blood sugar levels stable by eating three nutritious meals and a couple of healthy snacks daily rather than three large meals, or the ever popular “skip a meal because you don’t want the calories.” That will bite you back!
  • Do your best to include some omega-3 fatty acid rich foods in your diet. These include flaxseeds and walnuts, salmon and deep sea fish.
  • Magnesium helps relax muscles and is found in most foods, especially dairy products, fish, meat and seafood. Also include in your diet apples, bananas, brown rice and tofu.
  • And magnesium is found in chocolate!

Oh well, we are not looking to be perfect, just to be healthy.

If anxiety is causing you misery and your eating feels like it is out of control, try helping yourself by improving your diet and drinking more water. If you need more help, please contact me for an appointment and we will work together to get you back on track.

  • And my final tip…walk away from the fridge and take a brisk walk outdoors. You will breathe deeply, get some exercise and begin to clear your thoughts.

Jacqueline Fairbrass

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

Welcome To The School Of Complementary Therapies

jacqui

Hi, I’m Jacqueline Fairbrass—licensed Hypnotherapist, holistic wellness therapist, vivacious health coach, and founder of the School of Complementary Therapies.