Anna Hartman introduced our Club's guest speaker Dr. Katie Rothwell. Anna and Katie both attended Regent Public School and asked that it not be held against either of them. Anna recalled fond memories of Katie's 'ice cream' made for blended frozen fruit as well as their 'house chickens' and mentioned that Katie's path to naturopathtic medicine was well rooted in childhood.
Katie discussed that goal of her talk was to share strategies to reduce stress and increase energy levels. The focus was 'hacks' to help minimize time and effort and maximize the benefits. The 3 hacks to be discussed were: food as fuel, maximizing sleep, and creating calm.
Food as Fuel
Katie noted that many people suffer from the '3PM slump'. In 90% of cases this is as result of blood sugar levels relative to diet. One 'hack' is to ditch the standard breakfast and shift towards a high proteins, healthy fats, and high fibre for breakfast. Options include vegetables, beans, fruits and nuts.
Maximizing Sleep
Many high stress low energy individuals suffer from non-restorative and restless sleep. The key is to maximize high quality sleep. Strategies include: Reduce your exposure to electronics and use 'blue light' filters prior to sleep as 'blue light' which is emitted by electronics stimulates the production of cortisol the 'stress hormone'. Work with your natural circadian rhythms and sleep more hours prior to midnight. And lastly, enjoy a small and healthy pre-bed-time snack to help balance your blood sugar during sleep.
Creating Calm
Most individuals suffering from high stress and low energy need to find ways to create their own calm during their day. One strategy is to book-end days with 5-10 minutes of 'meditation'. Meditation could be, but does not need to be, in the traditional sense; other options include walking, yoga, diaphragmatic breathing, or hobbies. The key is to make sure that the activity is mindful. Meditation has been proven to change your brain in a positive manner.
Katie noted several other challenges that can lead to high stress and low energy levels such as nutrient deficiencies (iron, vitamin B, vitamin D), low thyroid, chronic disease, and the the side effects of medication among others. If you feel like you are suffering from high stress or low energy talk to a professional!