Stress management with mindfulness practices
Mindfulness is the art of immersing yourself in the present moment (Creswell et al 2012). Regular practice – even if it’s just 10 minutes a day – can help to lower or manage your stress levels. A mindfulness activity we commonly recommend is conscious breathing.
To practice conscious breathing:
- Lie down or sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes and bring your awareness to your breath.
- Notice the cooler air as it enters your nostrils, and the warmer air as it leaves your nostrils.
- If you lose focus or catch your mind wandering, that’s okay; simply acknowledge your thoughts without judging them. Just bring your attention back to your breath each time this happens.
If you lose focus or catch your mind wandering, that’s okay; simply acknowledge your thoughts without judging them. Just bring your attention back to your breath each time this happens.
Nutraceutical or herbal medicines
In some cases, additional support may be required, such as when the inflammation is long-standing or where short-term symptomatic relief is required whilst working on the long-term treatment plan. Supplementing with anti-inflammatory nutraceuticals or herbal medicines (e.g., omega-3s, curcumin, grape seed extract) may be beneficial if you aren’t able to reach the therapeutic requirements for these nutrients through diet alone (Jurenka 2009, Calder 2017, Terra et al 2007).
Always consult with a qualified health practitioner before starting a new diet, supplement or routine, especially if you have any diagnosed health conditions, are on any medications, are pregnant/breastfeeding, or in the very young or elderly.
Reference list
Calder, PC 2017, Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory processes: from molecules to man. Biochemical Society Transactions, 45(5), 1105-1115.
Casas, R, Sacanella, E, & Estruch, R 2014, The immune protective effect of the Mediterranean diet against chronic low-grade inflammatory diseases. Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders-Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets-Immune, Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders), 14(4), 245-254.
Creswell, JD, Irwin, MR, Burklund, LJ, Lieberman, MD, Arevalo, JM, Ma, J, & Cole, SW 2012, Mindfulness-based stress reduction training reduces loneliness and pro-inflammatory gene expression in older adults: a small randomized controlled trial. Brain, behavior, and immunity, 26(7), 1095-1101.
Jurenka, J. S. (2009), Anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin, a major constituent of Curcuma longa: a review of preclinical and clinical research. Alternative medicine review, 14(2).
Margină, D, Ungurianu, A, Purdel, C, Tsoukalas, D, Sarandi, E, Thanasoula, M, & Tsatsakis, A 2020, Chronic inflammation in the context of everyday life: dietary changes as mitigating factors. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(11), 4135.
Rohleder, N 2019, Stress and inflammation-The need to address the gap in the transition between acute and chronic stress effects. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 105, 164-171.
Terra, X, Valls, J, Vitrac, X, Mérrillon, JM, Arola, L, Ardèvol, A, & Blay, M. 2007. Grape-seed procyanidins act as anti inflammatory agents in endotoxin-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages by inhibiting NFkB signaling pathway. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 55(11), 4357-4365.
Ward, PA, & Lentsch, AB, 1999, The acute inflammatory response and its regulation. Archives of surgery, 134(6), 666-669.
Yang, SN, Hsieh, CC, Kuo, HF, Lee, MS, Huang, MY, Kuo, CH, & Hung, CH 2014, The effects of environmental toxins on allergic inflammation. Allergy, asthma & immunology research, 6(6), 478.
Biophilia Health is founded by partners and Naturopaths Lachlan Mullen and Connie Pasta. They share a passion for health and well-being, and their mission is to connect with, empower, and enrich the lives of others. Lachlan and Connie are passionate about igniting a culture of greater health independence and responsibility, believing that people thrive when they take ownership and maintain active involvement throughout their life-long health journey.
