Cucumbers are so good for you

Cucumbers are a great addition to your salad or to have as a snack. They are good for keeping cool during summer and great for hydration. Cucumbers are also full of nutritional benefits that help with several disorders. We all know about the cucumbers on the eyes after a tough night but what else can these little round rings do?

In around half a cup of raw, chopped, un-peeled cucumber there is 10.2 micrograms of Vitamin K for starters. There is also 19.9mg of calcium. Vitamin K is good for assisting calcium absorption. Together they help optimize bone health. The same half a cup provides you with 2% of your magnesium and potassium needs every day.

Health Benefits

Some of the health benefits that cucumbers provide includes help with Osteoarthritis. This is an age-related condition that’s caused by wear and tear to the joints. It’s caused by underlying inflammation in the body. Managing symptoms is very important as well as the causes. Medical management involves high doses of painkillers and anti-inflammatories which will kill your gut. These also have a number of side effects and dependency risks. Cucumis sativus is an extract from cucumbers. It has been found to work well in managing osteoarthritis, possibly better than glucosamine-chondroitin. Studies involving patients diagnosed with moderate knee osteoarthritis, found that the cucumber extract worked better than the glucosamine-chondroitin. Remember everyone is different and what works for your friend may not work for you. That is why you need to always consult your natural therapist before you start any line of treatment. Studies have determined that cucumber was very effective when it came to reducing pain related to moderate knee Osteoarthritis. It is a great alternative for use in the management of knee pain, stiffness and physical functions.

Balance Cholesterol

Cucumber seed is usually used as a lipid-lowering supplement and is effective with mild cases of hyperlipidemia. This is a high level of cholesterol, triglycerides or both. In a study people were given cucumber seed extract. They took 500mg daily. The results showed positive effects on serum lipid profile in the patients.

Diabetes Complications

Cucumber is very good for controlling glucose levels and for reducing diabetes-related complications. One study to note was researchers analysing the protective effects of cucumbers in oxidative and carbonyl stress. These have essential roles in the development of diabetes. Diabetes often develops bad complications. They increase free radical production and impair antioxidant defences in the body. Extracts of cucumber were able to prevent oxidative stress and carbonyl stress.

Stroke

A study of white fruit and veg was conducted in terms of reducing the risk of stroke. Cucumber was included in this as it has a white centre. It was found that a generally high consumption of these fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of having a stroke. Other fruits and vegetables tested were apples, pears, bananas, cauliflower and chicory.

So adding a little cucumber into your daily diet will bring great health benefits. A quick salad for lunch or dinner, on a sandwich with chicken or just the English style cucumber sandwiches on a hot day. Either way it’s a winner!

Top Immune supporting foods

Many people are struggling daily with immune issues such as low energy, chronic inflammation, allergies, autoimmunity and poor brain health. Unfortunately, it is only getting worse. Everyone talks about boosting your immune system, to help fight off microbes but did you know that your everyday food choices play a bigger role in your immune health than you realise? These choices impact your energy levels, mental health, and even your gut health.

The most important thing for your immune health is the food you eat and drink. If you have a diet rich in certain foods that contain key nutrients that may help you build a more balanced, resilient immune system. The good news is that many of these foods are most likely already a part of your everyday diet.

Fruit and Vegetables

It is good to eat seasonal fruit and vegetables. This is because they’re more likely to be full of the nutrients you need. By eating seasonally you’re going to set your body up to get through winter as seasonal fruits such as apples, pears, grapefruit, mandarins and oranges are at their peak for nutrition. Some winter vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms and spinach.

Meat

Chicken and turkey breast with skin removed as well as lean red meat have a good amount of iron and zinc in them. This is important for your immune system. People with low zinc levels may find that their immune systems are not at full strength. It is important that when you do eat red meat, don’t go for the supersized ribs. You should keep your serving sizes in mind. A red meat cooked serving size is about the size of your palm. If eating white meat, like chicken and turkey, one serving is around 80g cooked. Salmon, tuna and sardines have omega-3 fatty acids in them. These are essential for a healthy immune system. They also have Vitamins A, D, B6 and B12. Sardines have little bones which contain calcium. You should aim to have fish 2–3 times a week. Fresh, frozen or even tinned. If you’re eating tinned fish the ones in in spring water are better as this will reduce your sodium intake.

Green tea

Green tea contains a lot of antioxidants. These can help protect your body’s cells against damage. Green tea does contain caffeine, although it’s much lower than coffee. Aiming for no more than 2 cups a day is a good way to regulate the caffeine.

Nuts

Nuts contain protein and healthy fats and are a really good source of vitamin E. These are needed for a strong immune system. Raw and unsalted nuts are best, otherwise you may be eating too much sodium which is not good for your blood pressure or heart. You need to be mindful of serving sizes though. You should aim to eat around 30g of nuts a day.

Rolled oats

Oats contain beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre, which has immune-boosting properties and can help your body to fight infection.

Greek yoghurt

Greek yoghurt is full of B vitamins, folate and calcium, and it has a lot of good bacteria in it for your gut. Nutrients, found in good quality yoghurts help boost immune function, digestion and the absorption of nutrients, and help fight against unfriendly bacteria.

Garlic

Garlic contains the antioxidant allicin, which has antibacterial properties, helps your immunity and reduces your risk of catching colds. When cooking with garlic to get the most out of this health-boosting ingredient leave it for around 15min at room temperature after crushing it, before you use it.

Remember to check with your naturopath or nutritionist what your food sensitivities are because these foods are not good for everyone. If you have a sensitivity to a food it will cause inflammation so individual testing is needed, either saliva or hair, to see which foods in particular upset your system. This clinic does testing which will come back in a report to you as to what foods you are sensitive to and from that we can get you well on the way to being fit and healthy. Give us a call, email or message today.

What is Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia is the loss of skeletal muscle which happens as we get older. This loss of muscle is due to reduced strength, function and muscle mass. We have all been warned about the loss of bone mass, called osteoporosis, but there has not been much attention paid to this equally debilitating loss of muscle mass. The weakness associated with sarcopenia can cause issues in your day-to-day life. This is because it can cause you trouble doing daily tasks such as carrying shopping, getting up out of your chair or getting out of your bed. When you have a decrease in muscle quality you may be at a higher risk for having falls and fractures. Sarcopenia generally appears after the age of 40 and accelerates after the age of 75. It is most often seen in people who are physically inactive. However, it is also common in those who stay physically active throughout their lives.

What happens with Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia is not only caused by inactivity. It can also occur from inadequate hormone levels, inflammation, not enough protein in your diet, oxidative stress and other nutritional imbalances as well as a lack of exercise.

Sarcopenia and osteoporosis usually come together or one follows the other. Muscles help keep your bones healthy. When muscle activity is reduced, it increases your risk of losing bone mass. Loss of muscle mass can have other effects other than the obvious loss of strength and functionality. Your muscle acts as a metabolic reservoir. For example, when you suffer a traumatic event, your muscle will produce proteins and metabolites you require. This suggests that people with decreased muscle mass may have poorer outcomes after major surgery or traumatic accidents.

When you get older you will experience declining levels of many of the essential hormones in your body, particularly tissue-building hormones, such as growth hormone, DHEA, and testosterone.

Slowing the process of sarcopenia

If you want to increase your muscle strength and function then increase your vitamin D levels with a supplement. This will reduce the risk of falls. Sitting in the sun is a good way to start but it may not be enough to increase your vitamin D levels. Ten to fifteen minutes a day in the sun is a good start though. You can also talk to your natural therapist/naturopath about vitamin D supplements. They are specifically trained in supplements and the right person to ask about all natural health matters. Try to eat the recommended amount of protein each day such as lean meat, seafood, eggs, nuts, dairy, lentils and legumes. Remain active and do some strength training exercise to make sure you maintain muscle strength and function.

Increased risk factors

Factors that contribute to Sarcopenia include inadequate protein intake, insufficient calorie intake, and chronic, low-level metabolic acidosis. This is an abnormal increase in acidity in the body’s fluids. However, it is important to remember that, while consuming an adequate amount of protein is important for older adults, too much protein can result in a low-level, diet-induced metabolic acidosis. The overly high protein intake and a low intake of fruits and vegetables can cause a low-grade metabolic acidosis. This can then contribute to the decline in muscle and bone mass as your get older. So as always it’s important to have a good balance in the foods you eat.

This clinic specialises in ways to get you healthy and keep you healthy. Call us or email us to book a session either online or face to face at our Sydney clinic.

Nutrients That Support dental health

Dental health is very important but not many people think about it as much as looking after their bodies and mental health. There are some important nutrients that are vital for your oral health. By making sure you are getting enough of these supplements in your daily diet you will find your teeth and gums benefit.

Supplements good for your teeth

Vitamin A helps keep your teeth, skeletal and soft tissues, and your skin healthy. If you have severely low levels of vitamin A you may be at risk of periodontitis (gum disease that can lead to tooth loss).

B Vitamins such as vitamin B9 and B12 are also important. They help inhibit bacteria overgrowth and reduce the risk of cavities. A deficiency of vitamin B12 is linked also too many dental problems. Studies show that toothpaste that contains vitamins B3 and B5 helps reduce plaque build-up compared to toothpaste without them.

Vitamin C is also great for your immunity. A vitamin C deficiency can cause gum ulcerations and tooth loss. This vitamin reduces the risk of gingivitis and oral inflammation.

Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium properly and keep your bones and teeth strong. A deficiency in this vitamin will also cause gingivitis, periodontitis, and tooth loss. Couple this with calcium which is a mineral for strengthening your teeth. It protects your enamel from cavities and decay just as Phosphorus supports calcium in the building of strong bones and teeth. It can naturally protect and rebuild tooth enamel.

Probiotics are not just for your stomach. They can help prevent and treat oral infections such as dental cavities, periodontal disease, and bad breath. The gut is the centre of all health so look after your gut with probiotics and digestive enzymes.

Foods and Drinks for Dental Health

There are certain foods that are great for your teeth! Some of these foods are meat and dairy products. If you choose a vegetarian and/or vegan diet you could be at a higher risk of some forms of dental disease. There are alternatives that you can add to your diet to ensure you are receiving enough of these nutrients but it is also good to eat the real thing.

Shiitake mushrooms have anti-cavity properties. Extracts from shiitake mushrooms have antibacterial characteristics and may help prevent cavities. Garlic and onion are another food that is great as they inhibit bacterial growth and treat a variety of problems. Oral application of garlic inhibits growth of bacteria which causes gingivitis and cavities. Berries, more specifically dark coloured ones, contain polyphenols that lower risk of tooth decay, plaque, and gum disease. Pears are good as they have a high-water content. This dilutes their natural sugar content. The fibre can help to prevent particles and bacteria from sticking to your teeth and gums. They are also high in vitamin C but lower in acidity than fruits such as oranges. Dark leafy greens can also help your teeth stay healthy. Some other foods that help your teeth and gums include sweet potatoes which contain beta carotene (Vitamin A) associated with a lower risk of mouth cancer. Whole grains contain dietary fibre. This also lowers the risk of periodontal disease. Lastly green tea is rich in antioxidants, which also helps reduce risk of oral cancer. Green tea may help reduce the bacteria in your mouth that causes cavities, bad breath, and periodontal disease.

The prospect of having to have false teeth because your own were neglected is not a good idea. False teeth are uncomfortable and often there are issues with implants even. There is nothing better than the health of what nature has provided for you so look after your teeth. Go to the dentist every six months for a check-up and don’t fill your mouth with mercury. There are other options if you need fillings. Remember your teeth hopefully, if you look after them, can last you all of your life.

Boosting Serotonin Naturally

Serotonin is a chemical in your intestines, blood and brain that effects your mood. The role of antidepressants is to try to increase your serotonin levels. When you increase your serotonin levels you should start to feel your mood change however it is not easy to increase serotonin. Often it is used to help people who are suffering from depression.

There are many natural ways to try to increase your serotonin. It is important however that you don’t stop taking your prescribed medication and use the natural methods under the guidance of a trained natural therapist in consultation with your doctor.

Natural ways to boost serotonin

Vitamins and supplements

One way to boost your serotonin levels is to increase your time in the sun. Natural sunlight is imperative if you want to stay healthy as it contains vitamin D. This vitamin helps our bodies produce serotonin and low levels of vitamin D can affect your serotonin production. The B vitamins, especially your B6 and B12 vitamins are also important as is good quality sleep.

Quality Sleep

If you have poor sleep quality it can reduce your serotonin levels. So, make sure you are getting between 7 to 9 hours a sleep of a night. A good night’s sleep will help to improve your overall mood.

Food and Omega 3, 6 & 9

You should also try adding healthy fats such as omega-3, 6 and 9 to your diet. These fatty acids don’t directly increase serotonin levels but do make your cells more sensitive to it which helps it to work more effectively. Also consuming lean protein regularly can help. Serotonin is made from tryptophan, which is found in foods that contain protein. These foods include turkey, chicken, fish, beef, legumes and eggs. Sometimes it is not enough to just eat the right foods so you need to consult a natural practitioner to take the right supplements to boost your levels.

Foods to avoid

There are certain foods however that you should avoid. Not only do these foods effect your serotonin levels, but they are not good for your overall health. These foods include anything that is processed, refined and unhealthy.

Exercise

It is also important to get regular exercise. Exercise boosts serotonin and this is why you feel like your mood has improved after a workout. Maintaining a healthy body weight is important as excess body fat can reduce your serotonin levels. This is due to fat cells increasing your inflammation and inflammation in the body lowers serotonin levels.

Reduce your stress levels

Stress creates a hormone called cortisol which also can lower your serotonin levels. You can reduce your stress levels in many different ways such as yoga, meditation, calming walks in nature, reading a book, listening to music or many other ways that work for you.

Consult a natural practitioner to take the right supplements to boost your levels, find out what foods to eat, work out what you are deficient in and get help with making a program that suits your short and longer term needs. With a little help you will soon be feeling much happier and enjoying your life much more. This clinic specialises in assisting people improve their mental and emotional health and to build healthier lifestyles. Call us today to find out more.

Colour Therapy and how it can help you heal

Colour therapy, also known as chromotherapy is a method used to energetically treat disease with the use of colour. This powerful, natural, non-invasive treatment is a way to heal. It uses the therapeutic energy of the seven colours of the rainbow akin to the energy centres (chakras) in the body to restore imbalance by applying coloured light or vibration to your body.

Colour therapy is used to restore the balance you may be lacking. Practitioners of chromotherapy balance the colours as the lack of any one of them can cause a range of diseases. The different colours are also associated with different physical and emotional aspects of your body. This is why, when the energy circles (chakras) of the body are imbalanced, it can cause physical and emotional health problems. These imbalances can however be restored by using the correct colour on the corresponding body part.

How to determine which colour needs restoring

The chromotherapy practitioner will first do an examination to find out which colour your body is lacking. They can do this by looking and observing the colour of your eyeballs, your nails or enquiring about your urine and excrement. Some energy practitioners can see the colours. When you are lacking in the colour red, they will find that your eyes and nails will appear to be a more bluish colour and your urine and excrement will tend to be more white or bluey. If there is a deficiency of the blue colour your eyes and nails will be more reddish and urine and excrement more reddish or yellowish.

The colours of your body and how they may affect you

Red symbolises heat, fire and anger and is a motivating, energising colour. It helps stimulate arterial blood. You will find it in food such as tomatoes, radishes, beetroot and red cabbage. Also it is in most red-skinned fruits as well as red berries.

Orange is associated with prosperity and pride. It stimulates blood supply and revitalises nerves. It is in orange-skinned vegetables and fruit. Examples are oranges, mangoes, papaya, apricots, and peaches.

Yellow is associated with joy and happiness. It coincides with the emotional centre in the body. It can cause a laxative and diuretic effect. However, it is good for your brain, your liver and your spleen. It is in guava, mango, yellow apples, lemons, limes and sweet limes, grapes, pumpkin, melons, and bananas.

Purple combines the red and blue. It is a great stimulant and won’t irritate you. It helps sooth eyes, ears and your nervous system. This is found in all foods that have both blue and violet colours in them.

Green is the combination of blue and yellow. It is the colour for harmony and acts as a mild sedative. You will find it in most green vegetables and fruits such as spinach, lettuce, pea, green mango, pears and beans.

Blue is a cool, soothing colour and also sedative. It rids your body of pain, reduces bleeding and helps heal burns. For this colour you will need to eat blue grapes and blue plums.

Lastly is violet which is found in foods such as purple grapes, berries, eggplant and black carrots.

Colour therapy, used in unison with the healing of the energy centres in the body, will create a balance in all areas of your life. Consult a colour therapist and energetic healer today at this clinic. We will look at how you can balance your intake of the right foods combined with proper exercise, enough sleep, meditation and mindfulness. The upliftment of a quality lifestyle will help you get healthy and stay healthy. This clinic specialises in this type of holistic healing to support your efforts in your new lifestyle. Contact us now.

Kindness is a deliberate act

The impact of Covid and the cost of living on the rise has caused a lot of struggle for many people. Christmas is just around the corner so this is a great time to show others more kindness in the spirit of the season. You never know how much someone is really struggling so random acts of kindness can really make someone feel just that bit more special and turn tears sometimes into a smile.  

Ways to spread the kindness

Sometimes it can be the little things that will make someone’s day. It can take just a nice complement to turn someone’s day around. It could be something as simple as offering to return a trolly or help load groceries into the car for a stranger at the shops. If they are elderly, it could be a massive help after they may have struggled through the masses of people for Christmas shopping. You may see a parent juggling a baby, the shopping and the return of the trolley – all these small observances can brighten someone else’s day if you give them a hand.

It could be something as simple as offering the delivery man a drink of water or asking the workers in your garden if they would like a cookie, or to offer to buy a homeless person a nice meal. It needn’t cost a lot of money either. It might be taking the clothes you no longer wear to a charity or sending someone a message with word of encouragement or leaving a note in your neighbours or a random letter box with a positive message on it.

Spreading the kindness to your family

Spreading the love like that doesn’t have to always be strangers. It is great to share it through your own family as well. You may like to do this by simply cooking someone special to you their favourite meal, or surprise them with breakfast in bed. You could hide a $5 note where they will find it. If you’re feeling like you would like to make a bigger gesture then ask to borrow a loved one’s car, fill it up and take it back to them full, or give it a clean for them. Petrol prices are so high now it might be just what they needed. If you know your loved one is overwhelmed offer to help to take some if the load off. This could mean that you run an errand or two for them, or help clean their house or even take their kids to swimming for them one week. If you work you may like to surprise your co-workers with some holiday treats for everyone to share. This could be chocolates, cookies, biscuits or even a cake to share.

Why are Essential Oils Expensive?

If you have ever purchased good quality essential oils you may have noticed that they are not exactly cheap. When deciding to purchase these oils you may like to do your own research. If you do you will notice that there can be some notable differences in prices. However, there are reasons behind these price differences and the cheaper ones may not always be worth the savings due to the quality of the essential oil.

Why are quality essential oils costly?

The cost all tends to come down to the way these essential oils are made. Essential oils are basically plant extracts. The oils are made by steaming, distilling, resin tapping or pressing various certain parts of a plant. These parts include the flowers, the bark, the leaves or the fruit. They do it like this to capture the compounds that produce fragrance. This process can take quite a lot of a plant to produce just one bottle of essential oil.

Some oils may be higher in price purely because the plant produces less oil than others when distilled. This means there are larger amounts of the plant needed to produce the same amount of oil. Rose essential oils can be quite costly because it takes a lot more effort to cultivate the flowers and the raw botanical material that goes into producing the final product. It actually can take as much as 9.98 kilos of rose petals to make just one 5ml bottle of the Rose essential oil.

Why do prices vary so much?

There are many factors that come into play when it comes to why some essential oils are more expensive than others. Some of these things include how easy it is to harvest the plant, how much botanical is needed to produce the oil, the plant time sensitivity, the purity of the oil, the rarity of the plant and also shipping costs.

Why are some so cheap?

Some oils may be cheaper due to many things such as the ingredients used, the company background, and how they make their oils. The problem with these lower priced oils is that they are often a poorer-quality of oil and are diluted to achieve cheaper prices. When shopping for essential oils it is important to check they don’t have any synthetic fillers. Oil singles should have only be one ingredient – the oil itself. However, for oil blends it is important to ensure that the ingredients listed are pure botanical oils. There are of course some high-quality blends that may be diluted with a neutral carrier oil such as jojoba or grape seed. These carrier oils will depend on the product’s intended application. There are some blends prediluted with natural oils and/or glycerine because not everyone can use the oils in pure undiluted form – such as children and pets. However, normally you will want to avoid additives and dilutions, especially the synthetic ones.

Essential oils can brighten up your home and workplace with their fragrance as well as heal your body. Read up on what you are using and why and to be really successful consult an Aromatherapist. Here at the clinic we make grounding oils, oil elixirs and massage blends to fulfil your needs. What is it that you are needing to add that bit of harmony in your life? Give us a call today to see how we can help.

Endometriosis can ruin every area of your health

Endometriosis is an inflammatory condition that affects your uterus. It can upset your monthly cycle and cause many other hormone fluctuations. It can also cause growth adhesions to other areas inside your pelvic cavity which includes your uterus, bladder, ovaries, fallopian tubes and bowel. In some cases, it has been found in other organs such as the brain and the lungs. The condition is painful and can affect your fertility and the function of other associated organs. Endometriosis is quite common and can affect up to one in ten women.

Symptoms of Endometriosis

If you suffer with endometriosis you may find that it causes you pain during menstruation, during intercourse, while you’re having bowel movements and it can also cause heavy bleeding or irregular bleeding. However, these symptoms do vary from person to person and can be an unreliable predictor of the severity of your condition.

Causes of Endometriosis

Women that suffer with endometriosis have been found to have a higher-than-normal amount of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and also disrupted interleukins patterns. There have also been vascular endothelial growth factors found within both the peritoneal fluid and the plasma. The inflammatory agents can increase angiogenesis, which are critical for endometrial lesion proliferation and their survival in the peritoneal cavity.

Endometriosis can also cause significantly higher lipopolysaccharides in menstrual fluid and peritoneal fluid. The increase in endotoxins from gram negative bacteria tends to contribute to the inflammation and can cause increased endometrial lesion proliferation. This is a common feature of this condition and can also cause irritable bowel syndrome in some women.

Simply put the causes of endometriosis need to be assessed by a natural practitioner who will look at your lifestyle, diet, absorption levels, bowel movements, hormone analysis and inflammation levels. ALL of these come into play to helping you overcome this condition and changes in diet, lifestyle and proper supplements will be needed to get you up to par to overcome endometriosis.

Natural treatments

Natural treatments tend to focus on reducing the inflammation within the body. This helps to reduce the proliferation of endometriosis lesions.

There are a few antimicrobial herbs that can help women who suffer with endometriosis. Some of these include phellodendron (rich in berberine) which can be helpful in down regulating LPS (Lipopolysaccharides) and help fight gram negative bacteria. Simply put this means lowering your toxin levels and inflammation in your body.

Another herb that is great for inflammation is Curcumin. Curcumin has the ability to stop and slow down inflammatory enzymes and it also helps to suppress prostaglandin synthesis. Curcumin has an antioxidant effect and all this helps when it comes to reducing the progression of endometriosis.

There has been a study that showed an increased risk for endometriosis when you eat transfats. Increasing dietary omega-3 fatty acids can help this as women with a higher intake of omega-3 had a lower risk in the study. Remember though to see your naturopath before you start any supplements to find out which are best for you.  

How to get help

Endometriosis can also be very debilitating. It can affect fertility, mental health and has significant costs financially on sufferers. It’s up there with PCOS and other hormone issues which means if you want children you need to attend to it and get healthy. Help is at hand and there are women who have overcome this. There are a number of natural treatments so speak to your natural therapist/naturopath to find out what you need and what suits you best. Our clinic specialises in assisting women with fertility and hormonal issues. Give us a call.

Yoga Nidra can improve your lifestyle

Yoga Nidra is a powerful practice that helps you achieve deep relaxation while at the same time being conscious and aware. This is a concept that was adopted from the ancient texts and Upanishads as well as Tantra. The word nidra means sleep, but it is not the same as we usually understand what it means to sleep. In order to understand yoga nidra you need to understand your different states of consciousness explained in the yogic system.

Your consciousness moves at a regular rhythm in three states. The rhythms are predetermined most of the time. This is called Bio Rhythms.

Jaagrut awastha

This is normal waking state consciousness. In this state you are in contact with the external material world. This happens through your senses – sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch brings information to you from your surroundings.

Swapna awastha

This is your dream state, better known as your sub conscious. This is a completely different dimension from the last state. In this state you will experience a reality through the form of dreams.

Sushupti awashta

This is your deep sleep or unconscious state. When you’re in your deep sleep you will find that even dreams don’t appear to the consciousness. When in deep sleep you will experience an absolute state, and this is mostly untraceable by your common mind.

When you are entering sleep, you will find that your consciousness drifts from the conscious dimension then to other two dimensions without you being aware of the transition.

What does Yoga Nidra do?

Yoga Nidra helps you train your mind to retain the awareness of not only the transition from one state to the other, but also to help you be aware of the actual experience your mind receives while being in each state. During the practice, your consciousness goes into a state that is between sleep and wakefulness, connecting you consciously with your sub conscious and your unconscious dimensions. The scientific definition of this kind of awareness is actually relaxation. This is not what you probably think of when you say you are having a relaxing day. Normally we tend to think of relaxing as watching TV or having a peaceful cup of coffee before the kids come bounding home. These types of things are actually just sensory diversions, they change the direction in which your sense organs are being engaged.

Tension and stress

Creating tension happens when two forces operate simultaneously at the same time. Generally action leads to tension of some kind. On a day-to-day basis you will go about your day doing small and big things that include using not only your body but also your mind or heart. This creates tension. This tension we create stays within us. In your daily routine every activity you do creates some sort of tension. Your body then stores these tensions at several levels. These accumulate and appear as different imbalances, disorders and conflicts within ourselves or in our society.

Yoga helps to identify these tensions rather than you just feeling the symptoms. In yoga this is known as klesha, and is the root of all problems. Avidya or lack of knowledge or awareness is the root of it all. The lack of awareness of this in you is of three types – muscular, emotional or mental.

Yoga Nidra helps achieve physical, emotional and mental release. It creates a transition between different states of consciousness to let go of stored tension and stress, and also helps you break old bad habits by enhancing your learning and opening your mind to new perspectives.

Setting an intention

Yoga Nidra will also help the creative expression of your mind because it helps you handle your fears, phobias and even treats several neurosis. This will give you better concentration and focus (setting an intention or sankalp) until you have successfully achieved your goal. Every time you practice Yoga Nidra it becomes stronger and stronger.

Harmonising your life

Your brain emits different types of wave patterns while you drift from one state of mind to another – alpha, beta, and theta. Monitoring these waves with specific instruments is possible and offers many scientific explanations as to this practice to assist you to harmonise your life. If you are experiencing tension or stress in any area of your life this simplistic yet artful practice could be the answer to achieving peace and harmony. Why not find a good yoga or meditation teacher and begin your journey?