Covid 19, Colds And Flu

It’s that time of year again just to add to the whole Covid 19 scene. The winter nights are cold and soon cold and flu season will be upon us here in Australia. Especially now it is important to keep your immunity up to help combat ordinary colds and flu, let alone the virus. Here are a few natural herbs that you can take to help give your immune system a boost.

Natural immunity boosters

Garlic

Garlic is an anti-microbial, antibiotic, antiseptic, and anti-histamine. It can help with your chest, sinuses and even your gut.

 Ginger

Ginger helps to stimulates digestive juices so it can help a sluggish digestive system if you have poor appetite, slow bowel movements or cramps. It also helps to remove toxins so you can absorb nutrients better thus boosting your immunity. Ginger also helps to relieving nausea & motion sickness. It contains anti-inflammatory, antiseptic & natural antibiotic qualities.

Lemon

Lemon has great immune boosting qualities and is also has a strong anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-viral & anti-septic effect within the body. The essential oils in the lemon rind may also help to uplift your mood and make happier.

Turmeric

Turmeric has many properties including being an anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic; which means it helps protect the cells making it good as a possible immune booster in preventing cancer. It’s also anti-microbial, anti-biotic, promotes liver & gallbladder function, and helps to soothe digestion. When combined with a lipid such as coconut oil or pineapple and black pepper the absorption is enhanced.

Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil is a highly nutritious food to include in your diet. Fats in Coconut Oil are medium chain triglycerides which are healthy fats with medicinal benefits. These benefits include being anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral. Also, it helps to support your body’s metabolism and fat burning power. Coconut oil is also used in oil pulling which is a great way to get the toxins out of the body and for mouth hygiene.

Black Peppercorn

Black pepper is an anti-inflammatory, anti-septic and is great for fever and is an analgesic meaning it relieves pain.

Cayenne

Cayenne is an anti-septic, digestive tonic and anti-oxidant. Cayenne also helps to accelerate the actions of other herbs and foods it is combined with so add it to your foods as a flavouring to make a healthy dish.

Himalayan Salt

Himalayan salt is an unprocessed natural salt that is great for helping to regulate the body’s PH balance making it more alkaline. It helps to balance hormones, blood sugar, supports adrenal function and is a natural anti-histamine.

Raw honey

Raw honey that is unprocessed and non-heat treated is full of amino acids, antioxidants, minerals, and enzymes. The heating and processing of this destroys all of the natural enzymes & antioxidants in the honey so better to buy the fresh unprocessed one from your local bee keeper.

Thyme

Thyme is anti-septic, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, astringent & expectorant. Also, thyme & garlic together can help to ward off intestinal worms.

If you find that you are needing an immune system boost to help ward off this seasons cold and flu, try adding some of these ingredients into your diet. They make a nice additive to many a dish and enhance your food. Turmeric can be drunk as a tea and so can lemon, honey and ginger. Add a touch of cayenne and thyme to your foods and don’t forget the garlic. It makes for added flavour to what you are eating and your body’s absorption abilities will increase.

There are of course many other ways to boost your immunity so if you are struggling and your food does not seem to give you the kick you need then give us a call to see how we can help. Our clinic specialises in immune disorders and can assist.

Help For Your Thyroid With Essential Oils

Your thyroid is a gland that does not get the attention it deserves. Often we only become concerned when it becomes a problem. Some of the common thyroid diseases are hypothyroidism (when it doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone) or hyperthyroidism (when it produces too much thyroid hormone). You can also get nodules, which are lumps or abnormal masses in the thyroid which can start as, or be caused by cysts, tumours or sometimes cancers in the thyroid.

Our thyroid is a large endocrine glad found in your throat area above the collar bone. It helps to get your metabolism started and helps control circulation of calcium within the body with the help of the parathyroid gland. The endocrine system of which it is part, sends hormones to targeted organs and tissues. Essential oils can be helpful as they use the same delivery system. Some specific essential oils have been known to help support certain organs and glandular function.

Symptoms

 Symptoms of hypothyroidism can include fatigue, poor concentration, dry skin, constipation, always feeling cold, fluid retention, muscle and joint pain, depression and a prolonged or excessive menstrual bleeding for women. Hyperthyroidism symptoms on the other hand can include tremors, nervousness, fast heart rate, fatigue, heat intolerance, increased bowel movements, increased sweating, concentration issues and unintentional weight loss.

Essential Oils

You can use certain essential oils to help treat your thyroid issues. These oils can be used in two ways, the first can be applied directly over the location of the glands or the corresponding reflex points on the feet. The oils when used in this way need to be diluted with your choice of a carrier oil. A carrier oil is a neutral oil and the reason for this is to avoid evaporation and to help prevent skin irritations as most people have a sensitivity to the undiluted oil.

The second way to use these oils is as an aromatic. You can place 5 to 10 drops of the oils you choose into the diffuser or alternatively you can inhale the oil from the bottle or from a few drops in your cupped hands. Putting the oils onto a tissue also works well.

Essential oils that you can use include:

• Frankincense – helps support the pineal, hypothalamus and pituitary gland
• Sandalwood – supports the pineal, hypothalamus and pituitary gland
• Geranium – supportive of the hormone/glandular, and adrenal gland.
• Ylang Ylang – supportive of the hormone/glandular, and adrenal gland.
• Clove – supportive of the thyroid.
• Lemongrass – supportive of the thyroid especially when used with clove.
• Rosemary – is stimulating to the glands and brain function as well as offering support, specifically to the adrenal glands.
• Myrrh – is beneficial for overall thyroid health and immune system support.
• Basil – is supportive of the adrenal, pancreas, parathyroid, pineal, and the pituitary gland.

If you choose to use these essential oils, remember to make sure you talk to your natural therapist or Aromatherapist to help combine with modern treatment options in the best way for you.

Borderline Personality Disorder – How To Handle It

Borderline personality disorder is an illness that is often demonised, stigmatised and dramatised because people watch movies such as ‘Single White Female’ and ‘Girl Interrupted’ and get the wrong impression about the illness.

What are some of the symptoms?

Sometimes people with borderline personality disorder find themselves struggling with feelings of emptiness and don’t seem to have the same spark as others do. Sometimes they find they are struggling with opposite feelings and emotions at the same time and they know inside that it just doesn’t feel right. However it is important not to self-diagnose. A doctor or therapist can best assess if you have the disorder or if you are simply feeling overwhelmed and anxious.

Most of the symptoms for borderline personality disorder however start showing during late teens or early adulthood. There is no definite cause however it is believed that family biology or childhood trauma are key factors. Symptoms can include emotional detachment, anxiety, self-harm, fear of abandonment, paranoia and over self-analysis. These symptoms sometimes cause the person to act out in ways such as excessive drinking, risky behaviour, anger and promiscuity and little care for those they are hurting around them. The illness is often a lifelong struggle but it can be controlled.

Things you can do to progress

• Remember to talk through your issues with your loved ones and reach out if you are overwhelmed, upset, feeling isolated and alone. They are there to help you. If you are uncomfortable or your boundaries are being overstepped tell people. Put some healthy boundaries in place and you will find you are not triggered as much and can stay more in control. Communicating how you feel to others will help them recognise when they need to step back also. Sometimes people are not aware they are over-stepping your boundaries. Talking is a good way to identify behaviours that you may feel normal but don’t appear so to others.
• Make a list when feeling overwhelmed of the pros and cons of the issue. Next to the issues write what is the worst that can happen, what is the best that can come from it. Also perhaps make a list of the pros and cons about yourself. What negativities defeat you and what helps you. This can help you to look at your life more logically and help you realise if you are over reacting.
• Journaling will help you write down all the bad thoughts you are feeling, the anxiety and every emotion. This helps to release these negative emotions and thoughts. Buy a nicely covered book and simply put the date and sit down and write. Whatever comes, comes. This is your personal journal. No one need ever see or read it. Use it to air your likes, dislikes, what you hate, what makes you angry, what you love.
• Find ways to stay calm, practice yoga and meditate as it can help you identify your triggers. When you are in a calm state of mind you are open to see things more clearly and more open to broaden your perspective.
• Seek medical help from a counsellor or psychologist who can help you identify triggers or a psychiatrist who can prescribe medication to help you control your emotions. There are also a range of natural therapies which may assist in conjunction with your medical treatment. Be open to exploring them also.

These practitioners will listen and help you work through your issues. The disorder does not need to control you. You can take control back and you don’t need to live in fear of your condition. The more you understand about the disorder and your triggers the sooner you will be able to get on with living your life and doing the things that make you happy so don’t let it hold you back. Give our clinic a call to see how we can help you best.

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease needs both medical treatment and natural therapies to precipitate healing

Lyme disease (Borrelia Burgdorferi) is an infection that is contracted through being bitten by a tick. Symptoms usually include a red rash that starts as small red spots and the slowly spreads into larger circles, however not everyone that develops Lyme disease has the rash. There are other symptoms that you may get as well including headaches, fever, joint pain, and tiredness.

If Lyme disease is left untreated it can spread though the blood steam and cause infection in the brain, around the heart and also cause inflammation around the joints, the spread of the infection can cause long term neurological symptoms.

Lyme disease is a controversial topic as some will be told there is nothing wrong with them as Lyme disease doesn’t exist, while others will be offered a number of treatments. This makes it hard for the person who is feeling unwell. Sometimes the diagnosis of Lyme disease is used to describe people with different illnesses who have no evidence of Borrelia Burgdorferi. So people can have illnesses with Lyme like symptoms caused by a tick bite.

Treatment includes a dose of an antibiotic called doxycycline. However, you could also try to treat your symptoms using natural remedies. In a mix of echinacea angustifolia and echinacea purpurea has antibiotic type effects and builds the immune system. Any immune boosting supplement could help but probably won’t get rid of the Lyme disease completely. Some of these are Vitamin B1, Vitamin C, fish oil, Magnesium, garlic, turmeric, Echinacea and phytonutritionals. In some cases Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has helped and also a detox of heavy metals using chelation therapy to remove the toxins. Sometimes saunas help alleviate symptoms as does ultra violet light and electromagnetic frequency treatments. There are other treatments also which would be too numerous to list here.

Every person is different so your first step is to find a therapist/naturopath who you can trust and who will work in conjunction with your doctor to assist you. The end result is a mix of antibiotic treatment if necessary and raising your immunity with the correct supplements as recommended by a trained, registered natural practitioner. Give us a call if we can assist.

Is Your Medication Depleting You Of Nutrients?

We take medication when we are unwell but are they adding to our health problems in some ways? All medication has side effects and some many side effects. It is a good idea to check these when starting any medication as the side effects may include depleting you of nutrients your body needs. The medication may actually absorb all the essential vitamins and supplements you need to stay healthy which in turn can lead to more health issues as well as the ones you started with or even worse.

What drugs use up essential nutrients I need?

Some of the common drugs that absorb important nutrients are birth control pills as they use up the essential B vitamins (important in stress), vitamin C, selenium and zinc (for immunity). Hormone replacement therapy can also cause depletion in vitamin B6 (which helps with fluid build-up), vitamin B1 and 2, folate and magnesium. Metformin which is used for diabetes affects your folate, vitamin B12 and coenzyme Q10 (important for heart health) levels. Over the counter medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin also have side effects that can lead to a nutrient deficiency in iron, folate, zinc and vitamin C.

Further to this antacids taken for indigestion can deplete in nutrients that lead to osteoporosis in the long term. They deplete the body of vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron, folate, zinc and magnesium. These are only some of the drug medications that can affect your nutrient level. The list is long and also includes antibiotics and penicillins such as amoxicillin. These kill off your gut bacteria and can upset your gut balance.

How the lack of nutrients affects the body

The lack of nutrients these drugs deplete can cause a huge range of health issues such as fatigue, ulcers, anaemia, birth defects, heart disease and depression. Some of the main vitamin deficiencies that can cause health problems include vitamin C deficiency which can lead to a weakened immune system, easy bruising and problems with wound healing. If you are feeling fatigued, depressed, have memory loss, balance problems or have a swollen tongue you may be lacking in vitamin B12. If you are suffering with dermatitis, depression, mouth ulcers, fatigue, or anaemia it could be vitamin B6 that you need. Lack of vitamin D can lead to depression as well as bone weakness and an increased risk of some cancers. A lack of folates can cause birth defects, anaemia and increase your risk of heart disease.

What to do?

If you are finding that you are not feeling well then you may be lacking in some important nutrients so take the time to consult your health care practitioner to find out exactly what you need. They can check the levels of your vitamins through a blood test or a sensitivity test although some may be difficult to test. Once you find out though what you lack you can then work out the right treatment. As a general rule and to be on the safe side make sure that you take at least one multivitamin daily. If you are deficient you may need to take much more but taking a multivitamin daily is a good start. So if you are feeling a bit under par and not well give us a call and let us do an analysis of the food you eat, what medications and supplements you are on, a sensitivity test and we can find out exactly what supplements you need to help you feel better.

Antibiotics And Health Risks

Antibiotics, although they fight bacteria can compromise our immunity which we often take for granted. Our immune system is working constantly to protect against pathogenic bacteria and deadly viruses and without it we would not be able to survive.

The immune system works by processing nutrients from the food we eat, filters and removes waste and uses probiotics to protect against harmful invaders to heal. The immune system is designed to work with the central nervous system to regulate a few important bodily processes. Having a poor diet, or too many toxins in the body can throw the whole system out of balance and this can result in some serious health issues. Antibiotics can also cause the system to be thrown off balance creating the same health risks. These damaging antibiotics can be prescribed for anything including colds, pneumonia, strep throat and ear infections.

The reason antibiotics are not good for the immunity is because they destroy the body’s internal microbial terrain. They target both good and the bad bacteria in our intestinal tract which creates the opposite effect of what our body’s immunity is trying to do. Our immune system is capable of keeping pathogenic bacteria at bay, as long as it is functioning properly.

Antibiotics, because they are made to destroy everything in their path, affect the protective microbes in our bodies that are helping to keep the yeasts, fungi, and other invaders from getting into the intestinal lining and infecting the body. When these harmful bacteria get into the body, this is what causes the infectious diseases and not necessarily the bacteria that are being targeted by the antibiotics. Antibiotics actually help the yeasts and fungi as they remove the natural immune barriers that would have killed them off.

Adaptability

Bacteria can be very adaptable and learn to overcome the challenge the antibiotics present making them pointless. The bacteria becomes stronger and more resistant. When this happens we call them superbugs.

These superbugs are becoming a problem and more frequent. This is because of the overuse of not only conventional medicine but also commercial animal farming practices. Farmers are pumping animals full of products to make them look fatter and nicer, but these animals are often very sick and full of harmful toxins so when they are killed their meat passes on the diseases to the public.

To help combat this we need to avoid antibiotics and reduce their acceptance for being used in food production. If you have already got a damaged gut you may need a boost of probiotics to help relieve the issues.

Mycotoxins

Mycotoxicosis, also known as mould poisoning is also a health issue. There are millions of people suffering from the effects although many of them don’t know why this is so. Science however, is uncovering how the various metabolic by products of pathogenic fungi known also as Mycotoxins, are responsible.

Antibiotics are commonly Mycotoxins disguised as medicine. The non-synthetic medications come from fungal metabolites, which operate in much the same way which then causes the same types of systematic damage, leading to health conditions such as urinary tract infections. UTI’s are usually blamed as a result from bacteria but this is not the case. Antibiotics are usually the cause for them.

We can also be exposed to Mycotoxins from our food. The reason for this is because these affected foods are often grown in diseased/dead soil caused by the crops being over sprayed with chemical pesticides and herbicides. Affecting the soil like this is similar to how the human immune system becomes compromised due to antibiotic exposure, to be stripped of their protective bacteria which leads to their eventual infestation with damaging fungi.

There are natural solutions to becoming healthy apart from antibiotics. Consult us to find out what you can do if your gut has been damaged by too many antibiotics, if you have leaky guy or a poor immune system and we will help you overcome these issues.

Female Hormones – when they just aren’t balanced

Hormone imbalances are extremely common for both sexes but more so in women. There are many types of hormonal conditions, which lead to a lot of frustration and sometimes confusion as to how to fix them. Did you know there are a range of natural medicines that can help with hormonal imbalances and get you back on track?

There is more to hormonal conditions than just our hormones though. Other factors play a part in throwing out our normal hormone levels. Traditionally hormone imbalances are treated by manipulating sex hormones, recently however there have been research that shows hormone levels in women with conditions such as fibroids, endometriosis, menopause and PMS don’t often change, leading to the belief that there is more to our hormonal imbalances than just hormones being imbalanced.

Contributing factors to hormonal imbalances

Inflammation and mast cell activation, axis dysfunction caused by continuous stress, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA), thyroid and pancreas function, excess fat, the microbiome endocrine disrupting chemicals and daily diet and lifestyle habits are all factors that can disrupt how your hormones are working. All these need to be assessed to come to correct conclusions as to how to assist you.

Fibroids and Endometriosis

There are around 10% of women who suffer from endometriosis which is an inflammatory disease consisting of endometrial type tissue developing outside the uterus. This tissue duplicates and becomes surrounded by immune defences which then forms cysts and lesions. These can be very painful and create scar tissue and adhesions. Fibroids affect around 50% of women by the age of 50. Both endometriosis and fibroids are caused by an excess of oestradiol or E2 excess which leads to fibroids in the myometrium. Soy isoflavones, turmeric, and rosemary are all good for helping these conditions.

PMS

There are around 80% of women who suffer from PMS which is caused by alterations in progesterone (normally the levels are to low). Symptoms are connected with increased inflammation and oxidative stress as well as epigenetics, HPA axis alterations and environmental factors. To help with PMS Vitex sticks to dopamine-2 receptors and opioid and oestrogen receptors which inhibits prolactin production and supports healthy progesterone function. This leads to less mood swings and lower other PMS symptoms. Withania also helps as it functions to decrease stress and anxiety, as zinc and vitamin E help when it comes to reducing oxidative stress.

Menopause

Hot flushes are a common symptom of menopause. These are caused in part by declining oestrogen levels. When you are going through menopause, your body has a narrow thermoneutral zone, meaning that even the slightest change in temperature can trigger a hot flush. While low oestrogen is partially responsible, this response is also caused by increased sympathetic nervous system activity in the hypothalamus. Using Rehmannia Six may help to rise oestrogen levels and combining it with Sisyphus will help to control hot flushes as well as anxiety, insomnia and night sweats.

If you are suffering with a hormonal imbalance contact us to help you get on the right track to rebalancing your hormones, giving you better lifestyle tips to get you healthy and keep you healthy.

Astragalus Oil And Its Herbal Healing Qualities

Astragalus oil comes from a plant native to Northern China. Its proper name is Astragalus Membranaceus and it’s made from the root. Other names it is known by are also Huang Qi, Hwanggi and Bei Qi. This plant is really a member of the pea family. It has yellow roots and has a sweet-smelling flower.

Health Benefits

Astragalus oil has great health benefits and can be used as a massage oil, made into a cream and also into tea. It is commonly used for many things from fatigue, low immunity, ulcers, flu and to prevent allergies. It may also assist with shortness of breath, bloating, night sweats and urinary tract infections. Due to the fact that it assists in raising immunity is can assist with many other illnesses also.

The Astragalus plant contains zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, calcium, potassium, selenium and sodium. Some of the benefits of using the oil are that it may help increase your white blood cell count, stimulate antibody production, lower cholesterol levels, glucose levels and improve the digestive system. The oil in some instances has been known to assist greatly with stomach ulcers, liver and kidney function.

Before using Astragalus oil it is best to check with your health care practitioner. Don’t just go and buy any aromatherapy oil without consulting a natural therapist. Also make sure you buy the proper brands – organic and no chemicals. There are certain times you should not use this oil though such as while you are pregnant or breast feeding or if you are under a doctor’s care then you need to check with both the doctor and the natural therapist if it is not conflicting with treatment or prescribed medications. Also check if you have any allergic reactions to the pea family with your natural practitioner through a simple test.

Making Astragalus at home

If you want to make Astragalus oil at home you will need Astragalus roots, a carrier oil, which is the base of your mixture – like sweet almond, coconut or grapeseed oil. You need to use an unbleached cheesecloth and have a way to store it.

Combine the Astragalus root with the base carrier oil, 1 cup of carrier oil to every ¼ ounce of Astragalus. Heat the mixture slowly over low heat 60 degrees Celsius for about 6 hours or so. Once done strain the mix through the cloth and put it into a glass jar. To store place the jar in a cool, dark place and it will last for about 6months before its properties will decline. This mix can only be used externally.

If you want to use Astragalus as an herbal tea the recommended dose is 3 to 6 grams of the dried root to 12 ounces of water up to three times a day. However, I would consult your healthcare professional for advice before you use any aromatherapy oil.

 

What To Do For Anxiety Issues

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Feeling tension is often a normal response to uncertainty in our lives but if it turns to overwhelm it can translate as stress and anxiety. Constant change can bring too many disruptions to our lives and make us feel unstable. This may in turn stop us from doing things that allow us to live to our full potential. This is when we need to do something to manage the anxiety so that it doesn’t control us.

Reasons we get anxiety

Some of the most common causes of anxiety are lack of boundaries, taking on too many things at once, neglect of yourself over others needs and compromising your principles to try to fit in. Often behaviour patterns run in families so whilst anxiety may not be heredity the pattern within a family may be. Issues such as low self-esteem, risk avoidance, and thinking patterns like perfectionism and control issues which can cause anxiety are often passed as patterns from parents, unknowingly, to their children and in turn down the inheritance line. Sometimes our previous life experiences can also trigger an anxiety attack when we are put in similar situations. If anxiety is unchecked it can develop into panic attacks and depression.

Managing the anxiety

The first step to starting to manage and control the anxiety is to recognise that it is causing issues for you. If your anxiety is severe you may not be able to manage it yourself and will need to seek help from a professional.

In some cases, where your anxiety is being caused by things such as a job interview or examination it may be ‘good’ anxiety as it can push to work better or  project yourself better to the interviewer. This kind of anxiety is only temporary. Anxiety can be managed more easily by meditation and mindfulness, yoga, tai chi and meridian tapping such as EFT. Seek out a trained and certified teacher to help you with these.

Add to this some relaxing herbs to help keep you calm which you can get from a qualified practitioner (not the health food store as they don’t know your particular case). Acupuncture also can have a positive effect as it can help balance the flow of energy through your body, heal your organs and create a positive ‘chi’ affect.

Counselling can help you get some of the causes into perspective and hypnotherapy can help you eliminate the cause, help overcome fears and phobias.

So instead of letting your anxiety take control of your life and stop you from living your life to your full potential, take control of your anxiety by seeing a qualified practitioner to help you get things back on track.

Contact this clinic for help with most of the above and we will teach you some techniques to cope with your stress and anxiety. www.stressfreemanagement.com.au

Listening – how to make it work for you

Are you a good listener? Many people think they are and get very surprised when they find that they are not. It’s important in business and in your personal life to listen. Especially if you are in customer service areas as you need to understand your customers’ needs and wants. The better you do this the more successful your business will become.

Many people think good listening is about letting the other person finish what they want to say, not interrupting and making appropriate sounds to let them know you are listening. That is not the case. Often people also repeat back to you what you said as an exercise to show they are listening to you. This can be very annoying and even sometimes patronising.

Recent research shows that good listeners are usually people who ask questions that show interest and prompt discovery of new information. Questions that may challenge a little yet are constructive. A good question tells the speaker that you have understood what they said and want extra information. So good listening is a dialog meaning an active conversation.

Sometimes it’s good to give positive feedback to what the person said as this makes the speaker feel supported, more confident and lets them know there is an atmosphere open to free discussion. Feedback can then be smooth without defensives. It shows you are not looking for errors to pick on and you are not looking to give a challenging response. Of course if you disagree you may challenge what was said but it’s not an argument to be won, it’s a conversation with a constructive end in view.

Good listeners make suggestions and provide solid feedback which may lead to altered perspectives without attacking the other person. Often it is not the fact that someone has a different perspective to you it is the way that perspective is presented. If your objections are presented in a defensive way it can be off putting to reaching solid, constructive conclusions.

Being a good listener does not mean you need to absorb like a sponge the other person’s comments. It’s not about being passive, shaking your head and being silent. Instead you need to bounce back ideas of them, give positive ideas filled with energy to spark interest in what you have to say and ask questions to clarify your thinking.

A quick guide to some things you can do to be a better listener may be to clear away distractions, turn off phones and laptops, focusing on the other person, make eye contact. This creates a good respectful atmosphere for both of you which can enable you to discuss even the most difficult of issues. Taking a step forward there needs to be a genuine desire to understand what the person is saying. What are their ideas? Ask them questions and make sure you clarify anything you don’t understand. Also look for non-verbal cues – facial expressions, perspiration, how are they breathing, sitting etc. Are they crossing their arms, shutting you out? Are they leaning forward – interested? This will help you to add flow to your conversation with them and once you get started you will find the rapport will build and resolution will come more easily to the discussion.

As hard as it may be sometimes try to be non-judgmental and supportive to their opinion, even if you disagree. Don’t jump in with your emotions and stamp on everything they say. Instead clarify why they feel the way they do.

Finally empathy is a very important part of listening. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and imagine things from their perspective. Maybe then you will see a sliver of their point of view.

Listening is a skill and the more you use it the better you will become at it. Being a good listener also has a flip side. It will help you understand when someone is actually listening to you and gives insight into how to bring about reconciliation when they are not listening. Good communication is one of the most important skills we can learn in both our business and personal lives.