Are you getting your eight hours every night but still feel sleepy throughout the day? If so, you might be one of the millions of people worldwide suffering from a hormone imbalance.

Dr. Pavinee Maneepairoj, a wellness specialist at the Lifestyle Medicine Clinic at Thanyapura Health and Sports Resort recommends that people who feel “tired all the time” get a thorough work up from a physician who understands fatigue management.  “Conventional medicine often lacks the time and patience to sift through the issues to get to the root cause of the problem,” she says, “and often discounts the critical that role, exercise, stress and diet play in hormone balance.“

Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers and the endocrine system is the factory that produces them.  Hormones regulate everything from sleep to menstruation to mood, and if if you have a hormone imbalance, then chances are your mood, sleep patterns, libido, appetite and energy levels are out of balance too.

One of the most common symptoms of hormone balance is fatigue.  According to a report in the New York Times, fatigue was either mislabeled or misdiagnosed up until the 1980s.  Today, researchers and doctors alike recognize the correlation between our fast paced, always-on, urban lifestyles and the rise in conditions related to hormone imbalances.  Key hormones that affect mood and energy levels include:

Cortisol

This is the body’s stress hormone and having the right balance of cortisol is crucial to keep your energy levels in check. Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that chronic stress was more likely to blame for cortisol imbalances than a problem with the adrenal glands that produce it.  This research clearly points to lifestyle, especially stress, as a culprit for adrenal fatigue.

Thyroid

An overactive or underactive thyroid can often be the underlying cause of fatigue, particularly in women. This hormone controls the body’s metabolism (how food is converted to energy). Just like a car engine, an overactive thyroid will cause you to burn out and an under active thyroid won’t get you started.

Testosterone

Testosterone is best known for its role in developing male sexual characteristics, such as hair growth, muscle mass and libido, but it is produced (in smaller amounts) by women too, and low levels of production have been linked to both fatigue and weight gain.

Estrogen

Estrogen comes in three forms – estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3). Maintaining the correct ratio of these three elements is important for both men and women, although women are more susceptible to estrogen imbalances. Studies have linked low estrogen production to certain types of cancer and heart disease, although more common symptoms include hot flashes, insomnia, painful sex, night sweats and fatigue.

Dr. Pavinee says that fatigue or ‘low energy’ is a common complaint of people these days, and while not life threatening fatigue affects quality of life and should be addressed sooner rather than later.

If you are not feeling your best, make an appointment to visit the Lifestyle Medicine Clinic at Thanyapura Health and Sports Resort.

We are all human. We place value on our health and wellbeing, and strive to live in contentment. Sometimes we get sick and then, hopefully, we get better again. While physical sickness comes in many visible forms, mental sickness can be a much more concealed, conniving and consuming creature.

On 10 October each year, World Mental Health Day sheds light on the stigma that still surrounds the topic of mental health. It provides an opportunity for individuals, groups, and organisations working in the expansive field of mental health to discuss their work and promote the importance of mental health care for people around the world. This year, the World Health Organisation has highlighted Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World as the focus topic.

Regardless of an individual’s background, adolescence and young adulthood is a critical time of transition and change, often bringing with it uncertainty and stress. Events like moving house, changing schools, leaving a familiar area, living away from family for the first time, or even moving to another country can adversely affect a person’s mental wellbeing. For youths living in destabilizing environments resulting from natural disasters or active conflicts, mental wellbeing is particularly at risk. And seeking balance in a world overflowing with technology is an additional cause for concern amongst young people. The pressures that come with social media (striving towards a perceived ideal, cyberbullying, fake friends made online and not enough real life interactions) can have a huge impact on mental wellbeing.

Poor mental health frequently has a knock-on effect for other health and developmental issues in young people, from lower achievement scores due to depression, to hospitalisations as a result of struggling with an eating disorder. Substance abuse can also often go hand in hand with mental illness. This can create a co-occuring disorder situation, where the individual finds themself having to deal with two illnesses at the same time.

According to the World Health Organisation, half of all mental illness begins by aged 14, but the vast majority of cases go undetected or untreated. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents between the ages of 10-19, and mental health disorders take 2 of the top 5 causes of ‘years lost to disability’ in 10-14 year olds. Mental health is not yet getting the global action it so desperately needs. The shocking reality is that mental health disorders affect 1 in 10 children in countries like the UK, commonly as a direct response to an external event affecting their lives, but up to 70% cases go without treatment.

Thankfully, we are a far cry away from our historical ways of treating mental illness. We no longer label people suffering from a mental illness insane, throwing them into a lunatic asylum where countless lobotomies and electroshock therapies were performed. Our understanding of mental health and psychiatry as a whole continues to develop exponentially, and new treatments are tested every day to aid those that are in need of them. But our collective effort to break down the stigma surrounding mental health still has a long way to go. Public stigma (prejudicial attitudes towards a sufferer) and self-stigma (internalizing those perceptions of prejudice) are still incredibly common, and can prohibit an individual from seeking the help they need.

Schools play an essential role in the development of young people, and many have created strategies to help their students adapt to the pressures of an ever more complicated world. With the mental health of young people considered a global public-health challenge, key skills like adaptability and resilience are important to develop from a young age within the school environment. Some schools have integrated mental health into the curriculum, ensuring that there is a suitable environment where the topic can be discussed and unpacked. Others have developed additional educational components dedicated to social emotional development, which can take on the form of mindfulness practices, group counseling sessions and safe spaces. Many schools are striving towards making the discussion of mental health an open and honest one, and many educators are now receiving basic training in mental health support.

For parents, noticing that their child may be suffering from mental illness can be difficult to determine. Behavioural changes like a lack of motivation, depleted energy levels, avoidance of family and friends, difficulty in concentrating, persistent physical symptoms or bullying others can be key indicators of an undiagnosed mental illness. Ensuring children have a safe environment where trust and open-mindedness are valued is crucial when addressing these issues.

It is important to remember that a person’s mental health can be impacted at any point in their life. Mental illness can arise from unforeseen circumstances like traumatic events, or develop from repeated stresses found in environments like the workplace. Our mental health should be taken just as seriously as our physical health, and we need the support to ask for help when we need it. If you or someone you know is struggling, there are wonderful charities like Mind that can help.

Whether you are looking to shed a couple of pounds or a substantial portion of weight, the sheer amount of information on weight loss that is available online, in magazines and within grocery shops, can be overwhelming. This article aims to act as an introductory guide for healthy weight loss by minimizing the jargon and offering a few pointers to help you get started.

Our initial premise isn’t exactly sexy, and won’t be winning us any marketing awards for its catchy wording, but weight loss and gain ultimately depends on our calories in vs. our calories out. The more calories we consume, the more we need to exercise in order to burn off those calories. It is widely recognised that the daily recommended intake for women sits at around 2,000kcal, and 2,500kcal for men. But these values can vary depending on age, metabolism and physical activity.

In order to undergo effective, healthy and sustainable weight loss, it is important to first understand the body. Whilst our basic biology stays the same, we are all a little different when it comes to our needs. For some, a diet that focuses on reducing the number of complex carbohydrates results in effective weight loss, but for others it can have the opposite effect. And when we start to dig a little deeper into the more popular diets out there (Paleo, Raw Food, Ketogenic, Atkins, Zone, …) we often have to purchase special books or subscriptions and learn new vocabulary – almost a new language – before we can get anywhere.

It is also important to note that your weight is not a direct indicator of health. Many refer to their BMI (Body Mass Index) to determine whether they are at a healthy weight, which estimates fatness based on an individual’s weight and height. A BMI that sits between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered healthy. However, BMI doesn’t distinguish between fat and muscle; muscle is 18% denser than fat and bone is denser than both fat and muscle. So having strong bones and muscles may label you as ‘overweight’ by BMI standards. It also cannot distinguish between visceral fat and subcutaneous fat.

For so many, dieting is an infinite rabbit hole filled with endless online health coaches offering conflicting opinions, advice and recommendations on the ideal weight loss programme. In reality, what is truly needed is a strategy that works with the individual in mind, offering sustainable, long-term results and not compromising a person’s happiness and wellbeing. It may sound like a cliché, but moderation really is key. Flooding your diet with healthy, whole foods whilst ensuring that you are not depriving yourself fully will make the process a more enjoyable one. The occasional cheat meal or lazy day will not undo all your hard work, so don’t beat yourself up about it. Life is for living, and the journey should be valued just as much – if not more – than the outcome.

5 Simple Steps for Healthy Weight Loss

1. Get to know you: Take the time to understand what works well for your body and what doesn’t. This may include replacing certain foods with others to reduce bloating and improve energy levels. It is also highly advisable to visit a licensed nutritionist before beginning your weight loss journey.
2. Eat the rainbow: Aim for 10 portions of fruits and vegetables each day, but be mindful of your fruit consumption due to its sugar content.
3. Plants over Animals: Meat, while tasty, is unnecessary and doesn’t offer substantial health benefits. If you are in a position to do so, reduce your meat consumption by finding healthy delicious alternatives made from tofu, beans and legumes.
4. Hydration Matters: Ensure you are drinking enough water each day by tracking your consumption through a reusable water bottle. Starting your day with a large glass of cold water is also the best way to kickstart your metabolism.
5. Get Active: No matter your age, ability or interests, make sure you take the time each day to exercise. Embrace being active by running, walking, cycling, stretching or gardening. Exercising for 40 minutes a day will strengthen the body and improve mood.

Finally, try not to compare yourself to others. Whilst the internet offers us a world of knowledge at our fingertips, it also causes us to constantly measure ourselves against our perceived ‘ideal’. Instead of bombarding your mind with everything you feel you aren’t, take the time to appreciate your uniqueness and your own journey. Because chances are you are more marvelous than you know.

When you are injured, or when you experience soreness or chronic pain, you may receive conflicting advice about what to do. Should you apply heat? Apply cold? Below is an overview of how to effectively use temperature in the healing process.

Cold

What is a cold pack?
Cold packs include blue gel packs that are kept in the freezer, coolant bags that become cold when you punch them so you don’t need to keep in the freezer, and self-made cold packs that can be constructed from a zip-lock filled with crushed ice and a bit of water with the air taken out and then wrapped in a damp towel.

When should you use a cold pack?
Cold therapy can help individuals that are experiencing acute injuries like ankle sprains, muscle or tendon strains, swollen areas or bruising.

How does a cold pack work?
When damage occurs in soft tissue, such as muscle tearing, blood vessels may rupture within the muscle and the injury site begins to bleed internally. This increase in blood volume in the area can cause cell death by what is known as secondary hypoxic injury. Thus, every effort should be made to control excessive bleeding. Following this, the human body’s response to injury is to start the repair process immediately by protecting the damaged tissue (by increasing pain and swelling) and producing a fluid called exudate fluid that carries all the cells and chemicals in the area to repair the damaged tissue (the body’s own type of emergency service). Damaged cells release a chemical that starts this process, and it is essential for healing. If this can be limited then recovery times will be shorter. This process is called inflammation and is vital to tissue healing.

Cold packs are very effective at reducing swelling and numbing pain. An injury swells because fluid leaks from blood vessels; cold causes vessels to constrict, reducing their tendency to ooze. The less fluid that leaks from the blood vessels, the less swelling results. Cold also eases inflammation and muscle spasms – two common sources of pain.

The sooner you apply an ice pack to a sprain or strain, the sooner it can do its job to reduce pain and swelling. For chronic problems such as low back pain or muscle spasms, a cold pack should be applied whenever the symptoms start up.

How long should you use a cold pack for?
Apply cold packs for periods of up to 15 minutes, 2-3 times per day. Do not leave the ice on for more than 15 minutes as you could cause an “ice burn”. Take additional precautions when using cold packs if you suffer from any of the following conditions:

• Hypersensitivity to cold or cold intolerance
• Cryoglobulinemia
• Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria
• Raynaud’s Disease
• Syncope/Cold allergy
• Over regenerating peripheral nerve
• Poor circulation/PVD
• Angina pectoris/cardiac dysfunction/respiratory complications (avoid generalized cold)

Heat

When should you use a heat pack?
Heat packs are used to alleviate the symptoms of chronic pain and sore or tight muscles (i.e. pain in the neck or lower back).

How does a heat pack work?
Heat can increase blood flow and help to restore movement to injured tissue. Warmth can also reduce joint stiffness, pain, and muscle spasms. Apply a heat pack for periods of up to 20-30 minutes, 1-2 times per day. Take additional precautions when using heat packs if any of the following conditions apply:

• Over areas of impaired sensation
• Pregnancy (avoid generalized heating – no heat pack on abdomen or Jacuzzi)
• Poor thermoregulation (very young or very old)
• Edema
• Cardiac insufficiency (avoid generalized heating)
• Over open wounds
• Impaired cognition
• Over areas where topical counterirritants have been recently applied

When should you switch from a cold pack to a heat pack?
Observe by ‘Pain-Swelling-Redness-Hot.’ If you still have these four symptoms together, you apply cold to the affected area. If you have just one of the symptoms and it’s been more than 3 days, you apply heat:

• Pain – feel pain
• Swelling – touch around and compare to other side
• Redness – look red just only that area
• Hot – touch around and compare to other side

In addition to the ‘Pain Swelling Redness Hot’ approach, you can also apply “PRICE,” which should be carried out as early as possible after injury and continued for a minimum of 24-72 hours:

• P = Protection (i.e. support, taping)
• R = Rest – This does not only refer to the prolonged period of time that the athlete will be out of action, but also to the immediate period after the injury. There are a number of different degrees of rest and this depends on the severity of the injury and the type of tissue damaged.
• I = Ice – Usually applied to the injured site by means of a zip-lock filled with crushed ice which is then wrapped in a damp towel for 15 minutes.
• C = Compression – Wrap it up.
• E = Elevation – Allows gravity to drain the fluid away from the injured site. This aids in decreasing the swelling, which in turn may decrease the pain associated with the swelling.

This principle plays an important role in limiting swelling and decreasing pain around the injury and therefore speeding up the healing process.

Perseverance is key to effective hot/cold therapy. If you’re seeing benefits, keep up the treatments until you are fully healed. Get better soon!

5 Essentials for Staying Healthy When Working From Home

Working from home can be a great opportunity, but it does require plenty of self-discipline to stay healthy. When stuck in your chair for too long, it can start to accrue negative effects on the body. Because of that, it’s important to find ways to keep your health in check as you work.

To help you, we’re going to offer 5 things to do regularly to keep your body and mind healthy. These tips can help keep you from burning out or experiencing nasty effects on your health later on. Enjoy!

Maintain a Routine

Keeping a routine can help you get everything into your day that you need. That includes setting aside hours for work, breaks, handling other household needs and even a little you-time. If you’re looking to keep a full time schedule, it will include making sure you work eight hours a day.

Unless you have set hours for your job, then you’ll have the freedom to arrange these working hours as needed. That means if you tend to need more frequent breaks, you can build those into your schedule. Overall, having a routine will help train your brain to know when to settle into work and when to relax. It can be hard to develop and stick to a routine with all the distractions that can occur at home, but it’s worth your effort!

Take Breaks

Just as it’s important to plan your working hours, it’s also important to plan breaks, free time and time off. You should set aside a few minutes as often as you need to help keep yourself from exhausting yourself if you need frequent breaks throughout the day.

Here and there, plan a day off so you can have freedom to relax and recover from your work schedule. If you can plan for a whole weekend, then do it! Spend some time taking care of other household errands, go on a short vacation, or just spend some time relaxing and decompressing. Having a good balance of work and free time can keep you from burning out, or having health problems due to work stress.

Eat Well

It can be easy to find yourself grazing throughout the day if you’re working from home. Ultimately, this can cause you to rely on snacks too much rather than creating real meals. Make sure to keep plenty of nutritious food items around the house. It’s common for people to tend to reach for what is easiest, so if you have a lot of healthy food around it will ensure you aren’t snacking on junk food all day.

Planning meals is also important. You can save time and money by keeping a plethora of crock pot recipes that you can use for easy, healthy meals.

Get Exercise

Exercise is key for keeping yourself in good health. That is especially true when you’re confined to a desk for most of the day. If you can, it’s a good idea to get out and go for a walk or run outside. Otherwise, you can use a spin bike or treadmill for an easy at-home method. If you are looking for an affordable machine, Comparoid provides an interesting review about the best spin bikes to use at home.

It can be too easy to pack on the pounds when you spend hours sitting throughout the day, so adding a regular exercise routine to your day can help you to maintain or lose weight depending on what your body needs.

Know When To Call It a Day

Working yourself for endless hours every day can wear you out quickly. While sometimes it might be necessary to work more than eight hours a day in order to meet a deadline, it’s a good idea to try to stick to an eight hour limit.

By having at least a couple hours in the evening to relax, you can rest your mind and help yourself to prepare to be productive the next day. Stress and frustration can easily build when you’re forced to work hours that are too long, and those can result in health problems for the long term.

Conclusion

Overall, the key to staying healthy when working from home is to make sure you have a schedule that not only includes work, but breaks, free time in the evenings and days off as needed. It’s also a good idea to make sure you get regular exercise as well.

Knowing how to keep a healthy balance of work, play and other household needs can ensure that you stay healthy. It can also prevent you from getting too worn down to work productively. Planning healthy meals can also help to keep you energized and able to be productive. So make sure you plan a schedule with a good balance and get the full benefit of working from home.