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Providing the yin to anxiety’s yang

Providing the yin to anxiety’s yang

Anxiety is very real to its sufferers. Often recognised as producing symptoms such as constricted breathing, a whirling mind, body tension, pain and shaking hands, anxiety and overwhelm – it really puts strain on the body. An evolutionary trait, anxiety once existed to keep us out of danger, but in modern times, our stress response has become problematic itself when our body tells us to react to environmental factors out of our control.

Our fast paced, digital lives are full of stimulus, stemming from work, home and society more broadly. Our minds are constantly alert to noises, sights, sounds, thoughts, leaving our bodies in near constant fight or flight mode. Even though we understand there’s no real danger most of the time, our bodies recognise the stress and leave our stress hormones coursing through our bodies with nowhere to go to. As our stress levels build, anxiety can set in as a direct response to this unhealthy level of stress and overwhelm, creating an overload in your central nervous system (CNS).

Many patients end up in our clinic after repeated and failed attempts to reduce their anxiety via traditional methods – medication and psychotherapy. We understand how challenging it can be for sufferers of anxiety to continue thriving in their day to day lives and how much the weight of the problem can impact upon work and family life.

How can you help stress?

At Evolve, our therapists are experts at helping you regain control of your anxiety. By gently using CranioSacral Therapy (CST), we can help keep your nervous system flowing in a calm state.  This allows your body to reduce its auto-pilot stress response and return to transmitting hormones that promote a healthy body. Anxiety and stress can cause a chaotic increase in nervous system activity, creating an overall sense of dis-ease within your body and mind. One of our patients, Claire, came into our clinic suffering from tremendous stress during COVID. A number of significant changes in her personal life, coupled with the uncertainty of life in a pandemic caused her sleepless nights, a racing heart and physical pain in her stomach. Having tried medication, Claire was keen to try a gentler and more natural way to try and beat her crippling anxiety and arrived at our clinic desperate for help. Within a few sessions of gentle CST, Claire started to sleep better. Gradually, her panic attacks and anxiety grew less and less until she reached the point where it’s now at a manageable level, allowing her to return to doing the activities she loves once more. 

A light touch manual therapy, many patients say that they feel far more relaxed after CST as their body slows down and has an opportunity to wind down and self-correct. CST offers the body a unique opportunity to reset and break the cycle of stress and anxiety. Dig deep and ask yourself how your body really reacts to stress. How do you deal with looming work deadlines, family problems, traffic jams, being late to pick your kids up from school? They may all be small problems in isolation, but added together, create a fertile breeding ground for anxiety, if not carefully managed.

Our vast experience at Evolve, tells us that the sooner you seek help to pinpoint and treat a health challenge like anxiety, the faster we can treat you back to health. Our caring and knowledgeable clinicians will partner with you on your journey from diagnosis to your return to health. 

Is it time for you to banish anxiety for good?

How Craniosacral Therapy helps beat stress and anxiety

How Craniosacral Therapy helps beat stress and anxiety

There’s little doubt that 2020 has brought with it, a substantial shift in the mental health of Australia’s population. Trends indicate that the numbers of people suffering from stress, anxiety and panic attacks is on the rise and is a true threat to the future state of Australia’s mental health.

Many of our patients arrive at our clinic with the classic but very real symptoms of stress and anxiety. Much of the time, people are aware something isn’t right but aren’t sure what the root cause is, or the extensive litany of symptoms that stress and anxiety can cause to our emotional, spiritual and physical selves.  Our patients find themselves manifesting in a myriad of different ways – becoming irritable, restless, suffering from fatigue, chest pains, insomnia and a racing mind amongst many other symptoms, all seemingly unconnected but potentially debilitating if not properly managed. It’s been estimated that stress related workers compensation claims have doubled in recent years, now costing over $10 billion each year. Let’s unpack the enormity of that number. The huge number of people impacted by stress and anxiety if the average payment is just $250,000. That’s an average of 40,000 people whose claims were so debilitating, that they went to court. Imagine the thousands of other cases, perhaps no less serious but of which we have no recording and we’ll understand the scale of the issue we’re dealing with. 

What does stress do to our body?

We try to help our patients understand that its normal to feel stressed and anxious in small quantities. It’s when we wait until stress and anxiety become overwhelming that issues start to become more marked in our bodies.  In our modern, digital world, stress triggers can exist on a constant level, which stimulates a response in our body. Stress and anxiety stimulate changes in our body and activates our ‘fight or flight’ response, leaving us constantly in an inflammatory response and unable to self-regulate our hormones and responses. In turn, the appearance of mental and physical stress symptoms can cause further stress and perpetuate a vicious circle, people feel unable to break.

How can CranioSacral Therapy help stress?

At Evolve Manual Therapy, we practice Craniosacral Therapy (CST) which is a light touch manual therapy which works with the body to promote greater wellbeing and health. It’s a whole of body approach which works to remove restrictions within the cranium and sacrum (head and pelvis) and helps shift the body out of stress mode into a calmer, more relaxed state. Our practioners gently apply manual pressure to help increase mobility and circulation within the craniosacral system. When the body slows down during a session, it’s like untangling a tightly knotted ball of wool – where the stressed and confused reactions and responses get a chance to unravel and rebalance. Our bodies have an innate ability to self-correct and heal and CST, as a non-invasive therapy allows our mind and body to correct in an absolutely safe, non-medicated way.

The science shows the enormous benefits experienced by a wide range of patients suffering with stress or anxiety related symptoms. At Evolve Manual Therapy, we encourage patients to seek support early, whatever the source of stress. We all need help from time to time.

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Making space for wellbeing in amongst digital demands

Making space for wellbeing in amongst digital demands

We live in an age of digital overdose. Our senses are constantly being fired up with noises, lights, sounds and demands. It’s normal to be always ‘on’, to never be out of reach and to sleep next to our mobile phones. But at what cost?

Think back to your last holiday – the one where you really relaxed. Where you lounged in a hammock, book and drink in hand or swam in the ocean with not a care in the world. How good did it feel? No stressing about the next meeting, tomorrow’s deadline or what to cook for dinner – you probably felt calm, peaceful and happy. You likely had time to spend with those you love, playing the board games you never normally get time for, sharing long walks in nature. It’s at times like these that we feel most connected to ourselves and to our families. Does this sound familiar?

Unfortunately for most of us, life isn’t a constant holiday of hammocks and reading by the pool. We have commitments, work, children, ageing parents, friendships to maintain and a whole host of other obligations we try to juggle.  All too often, at Evolve Manual Therapy, we see clients put themselves last, at the bottom of the list under the other responsibilities needing to be managed. Our therapists see clients arrive exhausted and overwhelmed at the sheer amount in their daily to do list, resulting in negative physical and mental health symptoms. Aside from seeking help from our expert team, there are ways we can positively impact our own wellness, in our own time and to the beat of our own tune.

Finding time to stay connected to yourself is critical – losing yourself under a sea of responsibilities is a common complaint we hear and sympathise with. We’ve got a few suggestions to get you started on maintaining your own wellbeing.

  1. Walk in nature – Scientists are beginning to find evidence that being in nature has a profound effect on our brain and on our behaviour. We are physically and mentally more healthy when outdoors – it decreases stress and anxiety, reduces blood pressure and has been shown to improve moods. As an added benefit, walking helps our body to release serotonin, known as the happy hormone.
  2. Reading a book or completing a jigsaw puzzle – We know that by taking time out, we reduce our ‘fight or flight’ response and allow our nervous system to relax. By focusing on something specific, we’re helping to block out the many other ‘lose ends’ constantly buzzing around in our heads – the appointment you need to book, or the project you need to finish, get pushed to the back of your brain.
  3. Catch up with friends – We’re a tribal bunch and most of us thrive on connecting with others. Socialising helps create positive neuron connections in our brain and just having a friend listen to a challenge can help to break it down and reduce the anxiety we feel about that activity or thing. 
  4. Have a soak in the bath – Take the time to relax in warm water to release many health benefits including reducing the workload of your adrenal glands and helping to restore balance within your body. Try using minerals and salts to help soothe, reduce toxins and heal.
  5. Practice meditating. Meditation has long been known to produce wellbeing enhancing benefits both mental and physical and using a guided meditation can help even a beginner to relax, release tension and enjoy a calmer mind.

The way you feel, becomes your essence of living. It’s time to push aside the constant digital demands and make space for our own personal wellbeing and health – when we don’t have time is exactly when we should practice self-love the most.

Feeling a little flat? Time for a natural pick me up

Feeling a little flat? Time for a natural pick me up

Life is a roller coaster of emotions – full of extreme highs and the inevitable lows. Life is unpredictable, yesterday’s highlight can easily become tomorrow’s challenge. As humans, we tend to pack our lives full of people, work, activities, hobbies and a long list of things we ‘should do’. But what happens when despite all our efforts, we feel flat, uninspired and isolated?

We’re genetically programmed to connect and for the most part, have some form of interdependence on one another. Profoundly shaped by our social environment, humans suffer when our social connections are severed, and social pain has been scientifically proven to translate into real pain. We have evolved in such a way that being social, has become a necessity, not just a luxury. We live busy lives in fast paced world and it’s increasingly common for us to feel under the weather, to not really enjoy the life we’re living, even if we’re not sure what’s causing our low mood. The advent of social distancing and isolation with COVID has induced two distinct personas – one is perfectly happy to snuggle down in pyjamas at home, revelling in the slower pace of life and the chance to do the jobs they’ve been putting off for a while. The other has become a little unravelled with the lack of contact and socialising, easily recognised by the constant calls and desperate attempts to find a coffee shop that’s open. Both are perfectly normal responses to what has been an uncertain and unprecedented time.

The power of connection shouldn’t be underestimated. At Evolve Manual Therapy, many of our clients have been coming to us feeling the disconnect between their body and the connection with themselves and others. Clients typically come into our clinic aware that they’re feeling low and a little flat but unsure how to restore their natural vibrance and a happier demeanour. Many are missing the healing power of touch – an essential feeling which ground us from day dot – a parent with their child, a couple in love, a Grandparent with their grandchild – we’ve been raised to enjoy, and even need human touch. Isolation over the past few months has deprived many people from the joy of human touch and has impacted upon the health and wellbeing of countless others. Medical research has proven that Neuroscience has shown touch lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol and increases the amount of oxytocin, a feel-good hormone. 

Raising your mood, gently and effectively

At Evolve, we practice a gentle, hands on approach called CST (CranioSacral Therapy) which is a delicate manipulation of the cranial bones and sacrum.  It’s non-invasive and works by helping the flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the central nervous system to be normalised and removes blockages or tension, enabling the body to heal. The relaxation of the body and brain during CST can have a positive effect on the regulation of mood and on the reduction of stress. As your body secretes the ‘happy hormone’ serotonin, your body is flooded with a feeling of wellbeing and calmness.

It’s a natural way of lifting yourself up, no cocktails of chemicals required, only a regular appointment with your favourite therapist.

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Breathe Easy and Find Your Calm

Breathe Easy and Find Your Calm

Innovative technique helps you to breathe easy

Evolve Therapist, Karen Leo is passionate about all things related to the jaw, mouth and breathing. Through her own experiences of the impact of tongue-tie on her life, Karen has spent many years pursuing training in Yoga, Breathwork, Orofacial Myotherapy, Buteyko Breathing Method and is also now returned to the university campus to complete a degree in Speech Pathology!

Working with the mouth and jaw not only assists with pain and dysfunction in these areas, restoring easy breathing patterns is essential to finding your calm and having a well regulated nervous system!

The Breath

Breathing is the life-force of a human being. From the moment we’re born, until the moment we leave this Earth, we breathe. Such an important essence is critical to maintain a good quality of life and stay connected with our physical body and the present moment. Many people assume that their breathing is fine (‘I’m still alive’) and don’t connect the worrying or frustrating symptoms they may suffer as a result of ‘not being fine’. Dysfunctional breathing can have an enormous impact on your wellbeing, even if you haven’t been diagnosed with a medical condition.

Have you noticed yourself snoring, yawning when you’re not tired, sniffing or sighing more frequently? Do you suffer from reflux, gastrointestinal symptoms or anxiety? All could be a sign your breathing is sub-optimal.

Karen’s role as a BBT therapist is to positively impact your breathing, and therefore your health.

Buteyko Breathing Technique (BBT)

The Buteyko Breathing Technique (BBT) is a set of breathing techniques and tools designed to assist people with breathing issues, to learn how to correct and remedy their breathing. It teaches people how to ‘breathe less,’ whilst still concentrating on their overall health and wellbeing and is currently a technique used in the National Health Service (NHS) in England to teach patients to take control of their asthma symptoms or breathing problems. We’re thrilled that Karen is one of very few qualified practitioners in South Australia! Especially helpful for people with asthma, hay fever, poor sleep quality or sleep apnoea, as well as oral restrictions such as tongue tie, BBT is also fantastic for other serious respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), hyperventilation, bronchitis and emphysema.

What to expect

In your initial consultation, Karen will assess your overall health and wellbeing to help in identifying if this technique can help you. You’ll learn the Buteyko Breathing Techniques (BBT) over a period of weeks, much like a gentle crash course in breathing. Each subsequent week will build on your brain’s ability to learn and change (neuroplasticity) until your breathing changes and adapts to the new rhythm. Your BBT training will start with Karen educating you on the following:

+ How to breathe through your nose: Whilst this sounds simple, it’s a technique many still need to master!
+ Relaxed breathing: Let Karen teach you how to slow and control your breathing.
+ The control pause: A simple breath test to provide feedback on your symptoms.
+ Restricted mouth breathing: Mouth breathing is often just a bad habit – BBT shows you how to decongest the nose by holding your breath, retraining your brain to breathe correctly through your nose permanently.
+ The Stop Cough: Learn gentle techniques to control your breathing and stop a cough or a full-blown asthma attack

Video Consultations Available

What’s really exciting is the ability to conduct consultations online, over zoom after your first initial meeting with Karen. Perfect for those who are busy with work, have little children at home or just want the convenience of no travel. Learning and practicing Buteyko Breathing Techniques can permanently correct your breathing difficulties and can be practiced anywhere – on your morning walk, your commute to the office or in bed at night before you settle down to sleep.

At Evolve, our highly trained therapists treat your whole body and address the root cause of your issues, not just find a quick bandaid fix that doesn’t last. BBT is a holistic, natural and safe way to improve your breathing and your quality of life. There are few problems we haven’t seen before and we love working with you to make your own wellness journey, that little bit easier. Call 0406 249 221 today or book an appointment with Karen online.