Health and wellness is a journey, and thinking back to the beginning of my personal journey in the world of wellness takes me pretty far from where I am these days.
For one, my La la level has changed from a zero to a solid five or six. What’s a ‘La la level’ you ask? (hold the eye roll, please)…. Some call it woo-woo or spiritualness, but basically, it is about believing in things you can’t see or quantify. A few years ago I was the person saying that “if you can’t show me the gold standard, peer reviewed scientific studies, then it’s rubbish.” But these days I have opened up my mind up to the fact that there are things that work for people that science can’t explain (yet). Most of these health practices are not as woo-woo as you may think, and many do in fact have scientific backing and shouldn’t be overlooked as quackery.
This said, I still like the clinical science-based way I look at things, and while I am not storing crystals in my bra just yet and still only use scientifically backed nutritional and herbal medicine, there are a few things that I think can add to something to your life if you’re willing to open your mind to new possibilities.
A few La la practices to try:
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient form of treatment originating from China. There are two theories as to how acupuncture works; the first is that the needles stimulate nerves sending messages to the brain causing the release of neural hormones like endorphins, the second theory is that the needles cause a micro-injury at the site which encourages the body to jump into action and send out anti-inflammatory hormones and nutrient rich blood to the site to heal the injury and as a result the tissue around the needle site is also nourished and healed. Acupuncture has been proven effective for nausea (caused by pregnancy and drug side effects like chemotherapy), chronic pain, allergies, depression, migraines, muscle pain and injuries and many other things.
I have used acupuncture a few times for various things and really enjoy it. Some people worry about it hurting but it is just a tiny sting when the needle goes in – like a mosquito bite, and sometimes you don’t even notice it.
Energy Healing
Energy healing is the balancing, moving or realigning of the energy in the body. It is practiced by many cultures and is given a variety of names including; reflexology, reiki, or chakra balancing.
Before attending an energy healing session I had the attitude of ‘oh well, at least it will be a nice time to nap’ but one hour later… wow! It’s hard to explain what you feel during an energy healing session but you can feel something moving through your body, your think about things you haven’t thought about or felt in years and you leaving feeling lighter and more relaxed. Call it witchcraft, magic or voodoo – I don’t care, I totally dig it.
Girl Time
Now, this topic is probably the hardest to explain and is perhaps the most la la…. but you know that feeling you have after a really good catch up with your girlfriends? That happy, relaxed, loving, supported feeling is all part of the feminine energy. Feminine energy is creativeness, loving, healing, communication and compassion, whereas masculine energy is about progress, action, control, protective and logical. Everyone one has both masculine and feminine, but women usually tend to associate more with feminine energy and men with the masculine. But modern lifestyles have pushed many women to lose touch with their feminine energy, this might be due to the type of work they do, the responsibilities they have or simply the lack of time they have to interact with their female friends.
Often women are looking for something in their lives and are not sure what it is exactly, but more often than not it is the connection and peace that comes with being in touch with your feminine energy. In order to boost your feminine energy you need to get back in touch with what really makes you happy and brings you joy, you need to do the things that make you feel creative, and most importantly spend time with other women. Being around other women allows you to communicate on the same wavelength (men usually communicate differently), have a gossip, talk about the things that matter to you, get things off your chest, and get the type of support that can only come from other women. Make a time each week or second week to meet with a bunch of women, they don’t have to be your best friends – when any women come together you can all find common ground and come away feeling better than when you arrived.
Gratitude
Spending a few minutes a day identify the specific things you are grateful for can make a real difference to your health. You can keep a journal or simply think of the things you love about your life, your day, your job, friends or family. Multiple studies prove that participating in a gratitude practice improves your mood, reduces depression, increases your self-esteem and can even help you sleep better.
While my treatment protocols are rooted in science I still believe that so many different practices can add to your overall wellbeing and assist you on your wellness journey.
Where to go for some La la education?
Emma Mildon – Spiritual PA Extraordinaire
Melissa Ambrosini – Self Help Guru
Women Who Run with the Wolves: Contacting the Power of the Wild Woman by Clarissa Pinkola Estes (book)
Bradley Jones from Be Physio – Physiotherapist and acupuncturist to get you back on track
Tracy Whitton from Stillness Through Movement – One of a kind energy healer
Pregnancy is a physically demanding process. Your body needs extra nutrients to ensure that you and your baby get the nutrients needed for optimal growth and development.
In my opinion over the counter supplements and those provided by GP’s and midwives are not good enough.
