Category: stress

Posted by Christine Pope on in Health Care, Homeopathy, stress

Processing Shock and Grief After the Bondi Tragedy
A French press with brewed tea sits on a tray beside an empty glass cup and a piece of sugar, with flowers and a rustic wooden table in the background.

Like so many people, I have felt deeply shaken by the events at Bondi. Even if you were nowhere near the scene, shocking events like this can cut through our sense of safety and leave us feeling unsettled, emotional, or simply not safe.

Personally I wanted to do something to help but it was difficult to know what to do. Was there a useful charity for donations ? Should I be advocating on the issue but what could I do when so many have tried to find solutions for the religious terrorism that was displayed this week.

It’s important to acknowledge that what many of us are feeling right now is a very normal response to an abnormal and distressing event. Shock, grief, fear, sadness, anxiety, tearfulness, anger or even numbness can all show up in the days and weeks following something like this.

There is no “right” way to respond. What matters is finding supportive ways to help your nervous system settle and to allow emotions to move through rather than becoming stuck.

Gentle Strategies to Support Yourself

Limit exposure to distressing media
While staying informed is understandable, repeated exposure to graphic or emotional coverage can keep your nervous system in a heightened state of alert. Consider checking the news once or twice a day rather than scrolling continuously.

Ground your body
Simple grounding practices such as walking barefoot on grass or sand, slow deep breathing, stretching, or holding something warm like a cup of tea can help bring your body out of fight-or-flight mode.

Reduce stimulants
At times of stress, caffeine can amplify anxiety and jitteriness. Swapping coffee for something more calming such as chamomile or peppermint tea can be surprisingly helpful in settling frayed nerves.

Connect with others
Talking about how you’re feeling with a trusted friend can be incredibly healing. This week I’ve had several conversations with people about how they felt after what happened, and many were surprised by how moved they were by the compassion and solidarity shown across social media and the wider community.

If talking feels difficult, writing can be a powerful alternative. Putting your thoughts and feelings on paper often helps release emotions that feel stuck or overwhelming.

A wooden table displaying an assortment of glass bottles filled with various essential oils, next to jars with natural ingredients, surrounded by fresh flowers and herbs.

Homeopathic Support for Shock and Emotional Distress

Homeopathic remedies can be a gentle option for supporting emotional wellbeing during times of shock and grief. As always, individual responses vary, and remedies are chosen based on how you are experiencing things.

Aconite
One of the first remedies to consider after a shock. A helpful way to think about Aconite is the “shock of the shock” — like replaying the impact of a car accident over and over in your mind.

Aconite may be helpful when symptoms are sudden and intense following a traumatic event such as an accident or disaster. You may feel:

  • Agitated or restless
  • Fearful or panicky
  • A pounding heart
  • Dry skin and mouth, with thirst

Aconite can also support ongoing anxiety linked to a recent or past traumatic experience, especially when the fear feels immediate and overwhelming.

Arsenicum album
This remedy is often helpful when anxiety centres around safety, security and what might happen in the future. There may be excessive worrying about health, finances, or loved ones.

People who resonate with Arsenicum often:

  • Feel better with company but may become controlling
  • Are very neat, tidy or perfectionistic
  • Feel chilly and prefer warmth

Ignatia
Ignatia can be supportive when grief feels raw and emotional expression is strong. It is commonly considered when:

  • You feel very teary or can’t stop crying
  • You lose your appetite when upset
  • There’s a sensation of a lump in the throat

Bach Rescue Remedy
A beautifully gentle option for acute stress and emotional overwhelm. One of the advantages of Rescue Remedy is that it can be taken frequently. While the standard dose is four drops, four times a day, during periods of significant stress it can be used more often if needed.

Be Kind to Yourself

Events like this can shake our sense of safety and remind us of how vulnerable we all are. If you’re feeling “off”, emotional, or unsettled, it doesn’t mean you’re not coping — it means you’re human.

Give yourself permission to slow down, reach out, and seek support if you need it. If feelings of anxiety, distress or grief persist or begin to interfere with daily life, professional support can be incredibly valuable.

We heal not by pushing emotions away, but by allowing them to be seen, felt, and gently supported.

If you need personalised support or just want to catchup for a cup of tea, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Posted by Christine Pope on in Cancer support, exercise, Fatigue, Health Care, Healthy Ageing, stress

Beating Cancer Fatigue: How to Support Recovery with Rest, Nutrition and Gentle Movement
Two jars of green smoothie with striped straws, surrounded by fresh cucumber and leafy greens on a wooden surface.

One of the most common and frustrating side effects of cancer treatment is fatigue — the kind that doesn’t always go away with a good night’s sleep. It can linger for weeks or months after treatment, leaving you feeling flat, foggy and frustrated.

Cancer-related fatigue is different from ordinary tiredness. It’s a whole-body exhaustion that affects your physical energy, mental focus, and motivation. The good news is that with the right mix of nutrition, gentle movement, supplements and restorative rest, you can gradually rebuild your strength and vitality.

Understanding Cancer-Related Fatigue

Cancer fatigue has many contributing factors, whether its the stress of the diagnosis and difficulty sleeping, medications that impact you with different side effects, inflammation as you recover from surgery or chemotherapy, low red blood cell counts or even changes in hormones. Treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation will deplete the body’s reserves, affecting energy metabolism and muscle recovery.

This means that recovery requires a whole-body approach: nourishing your body, rebuilding muscle, and supporting your nervous system to rest and repair.

1. Nourish with Adequate Protein

During and after treatment, protein needs are often higher than usual. Protein supports muscle repair, maintains blood sugar balance and helps regulate energy levels throughout the day. Without enough protein, your body struggles to rebuild tissue and produce essential enzymes and hormones that support recovery.

Usually people need around 1g per kilo of weight of protein daily however after surgery or treatment that will increase to 1.5- 2.0 g depending on your overall health.

How to include more protein:

  • Start the day with eggs, Greek yogurt or a protein smoothie.
  • Include lean meats, fish, tofu, legumes or lentils with lunch and dinner.
  • Add nuts, seeds, or hummus for healthy snacks.
  • For those with reduced appetite, protein powders or soups can be an easy way to boost intake.

Aim to include a source of protein at every meal — even a few mouthfuls can make a difference in stabilising blood sugar and maintaining energy.

2. Balance Blood Sugar for Consistent Energy

Many people recovering from treatment notice energy crashes after meals or when skipping food. This is often due to unstable blood sugar, which can worsen fatigue and brain fog.

To keep your energy steady:

  • Eat regularly, ideally every 4-5 hours.
  • Combine protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats in each meal (for example, chicken and quinoa salad with mint and shredded snow peas and cranberries with an olive oil dressing).
  • Avoid relying on sugary snacks or caffeine, which cause temporary energy spikes followed by a crash.
  • Stay hydrated — even mild dehydration can sap energy and concentration.
A woman practicing gentle yoga in a cozy, well-lit room, stretching her body with a focus on relaxation and recovery.

3. Move Gently to Rebuild Strength

It might sound counterintuitive, but one of the best ways to reduce fatigue is to move more — gently.

Gentle exercise improves circulation, oxygenation and mood, and helps reduce inflammation. It also stimulates muscle repair and improves sleep quality, all of which support recovery. Again its essential if you haven’t exercise in a while to go low and go slow.

Start slowly and build up gradually:

  • Begin with short walks, stretching or gentle yoga.
  • Aim for 10–15 minutes daily and increase as tolerated.
  • On low-energy days, focus on movement over intensity — even a few minutes counts.
  • Listen to your body and prioritise rest when you need it.

Regular movement helps reset your energy rhythms and supports your body’s natural repair processes.

4. Support Recovery with Targeted Supplements

While food provides the foundation, certain supplements can help support energy metabolism, muscle recovery and cellular repair. These should always be tailored to your individual needs, but some that may help include:

  • Magnesium: Supports muscle relaxation, energy production and sleep quality.
  • B Vitamins: Essential for energy metabolism and nerve repair, often depleted during treatment.
  • CoQ10: Supports mitochondrial energy production, particularly after chemotherapy.
  • Adaptogenic herbs such as Withania or rhodiola may help regulate stress response and resilience. Personally I do like the 5 mushroom Chinese combinations for energy and immune support however these are best suited to being supported by a practitioner to check on interactions with medications.

Always ensure your healthcare team is aware of any new supplement, especially during or soon after treatment.

5. Prioritise Rest and Recovery

Rest is not a luxury — it’s essential to healing. Cancer treatment places enormous stress on the body, and deep, restorative rest helps rebuild the immune system, hormones and nervous system balance.

Try to:

  • Create a regular sleep routine, aiming for 7–9 hours nightly.
  • Build restorative breaks into your day — even 20 minutes of lying down, meditation or quiet time can recharge you. Download the free meditations on The Meaning Of Life.TV for 30 days of options.
  • Avoid pushing through exhaustion; your body needs signals of safety and rest to heal.
  • Try mindfulness or gentle breathing to calm an overactive stress response and promote deeper sleep.

Recovery is not linear — some days will be better than others. The key is consistency over perfection.

6. Rebuilding Your Energy: A Holistic Perspective

Cancer fatigue is multifactorial — which means recovery needs to be multi-layered too. The most effective approach combines nutrient-rich food, balanced movement, stress management, and rest. Over time, these habits help restore your body’s energy systems, reduce inflammation and support emotional wellbeing.

Many years ago I remember asking a very experienced practitioner which change made the most difference? The response was that each intervention added about 16% so decide on how many of those changes you are prepared to implement.

Even small steps — like preparing a protein-rich breakfast or taking a slow walk in nature — signal to your body that you’re rebuilding. If you are not up to a walk by the beach to recharge then just start with a cuppa at a cafe somewhere peaceful.

🌿 Finding Your Energy Again

In my clinical practice, I often work with clients to create personalised recovery plans after cancer treatment — focusing on restoring energy, rebuilding strength and supporting overall vitality. Fatigue doesn’t have to define your recovery journey. With the right nutrition and self-care strategies, you can gradually reclaim your energy and quality of life.

If you’d like help creating a nutrition and recovery plan tailored to your needs, visit christinepopenutritionist.com to book a consultation. If you would like a meal plan that gets you started on recovery download my Better Brain Health recipes to get started today.

Posted by Christine Pope on in Gluten Free, Health Care, Healthy Ageing, Nutrition, stress

Seven ways to make sure Christmas is as much fun as when you were a kid!

Do you remember the excitement of Christmas when you were a kid ? Trying to figure out where Mum and Dad had hidden the presents ? Looking forward to eating three different types of desserts or just pudding and custard? Better still if the weather was fine enjoying weeks of school holidays with a gang of friends moving from house to house.

When you get older it gets harder to enjoy the day as so often the run up to Christmas day can be exhausting. It’s often a busy time with a combination of end of year events, extra shopping and cooking plus organising a range of presents. All this whilst trying to hold down a job as well as possibly wrangling children as well. So how do we find the magic of the day again?

  1. Start by only accepting invitations to events you really want to attend. Things that sound like fun or at a restaurant you really like or with people you really want to catchup with in person. Also look at your diary and make sure there aren’t too many events in the same week. If the invitation involves standing around at a pub drinking and you would rather be soaking in a hot bath then give it a miss.
  2. Make sure you are looking after yourself in the weeks leading up to Christmas – prioritise exercise by scheduling it in first. Book in appointments that are important for you whether its massage, acupuncture, beautician or hairdresser. You will enjoy the day more if you are in top physical form and not jump limping to the end of the year.
  3. Make gift giving easier by suggesting Secret Santa, even if its just for the adults. Buying one gift instead of six or eight reduces the load for shopping and also usually means that you get one gift that you really like. Other options could be doing a charitable donation instead of giving presents. It really depends on what will make your family happiest and reduce the stress associated with gift buying.
  4. On the day ensure the food preparation is shared with all the adults attending. Splitting responsiblity (and costs) for the celebration make it easier. Whether its prawns or ham, salads or desserts, sharing the work makes a big difference. If you are dealing with a variety of food intolerances then have a look at my blog A Gluten and Dairy Free Christmas .
  5. Break out the board games for entertainment, having some at an appropriate level for the group can really provide good entertainment for a few hours. Current favourites in my house are Ticket to Ride and Settlers of Katan but don’t forget old favourites like Monopoly and Scrabble. We also have a tradition of finding the silliest games possible like Hungry Hippos and Peanut Elephant.
  6. Make sure your Christmas menu includes something you really enjoy. The most recent addition to our Christmas menu is Donna hay’s wonderful stuffing cup recipe. It’s not hard to make and ensures there is enough stuffing for everyone.
  7. Start a new tradition such as watching classic Christmas movies as a family (options rang from Die Hard to Love Actually or The Holidays) or enjoy opening one gift each on Christmas Eve. Bake a favourite cookie, pudding or mince pie. The blog A Gluten and Dairy Free Christmas has my recipes for both pudding and mince pies, well they are modified versions of my mother’ recipes and are gluten free with a dairy free option.

Christine Pope is a naturopath and nutritionist and has an online program called Ageing Outrageously. She is in practice at Elemental Health, St Ives and appointments are available on (02) 8084 0081 or by booking online at elementalhealth.net.au .

Posted by Christine Pope on in Ageing, exercise, Healthy Ageing, stress

Find out how what factors might put you at risk of developing chronic pain

Why do some people experience chronic pain and others have complete resolution of that pain? One in six Australians suffer from chronic pain and there are a number of factors which can predispose you to experience that condition. Chronic pain is defined as pain that continues for more than 12 weeks after the initial trauma or injury.

First up the concept of pain is more complex than originally thought. When you experience an injury the tissue that is damaged sends a series of signals through nerves to the brain. The brain then decides how to interpret that signal. It usually regards it as pain initially and then over time as the tissue heals the signal decreases and the brain usually acknowledges the signal as reduced pain. There can be times however in the presence of high levels of stress or anxiety that the signal to the brain is not adjusted as the tissue heals, this is what can happen with chronic pain.

The brain also interprets those signals through a filter of previous experiences and emotions, factors which may lead to an increased risk of chronic pain being experienced.

For many people testing or scans may no longer reveal the presence of an injury but they are still experiencing pain. This may lead to the feedback from practitioners that the sensation is not real, however it is real and the patient is still experiencing that sensation.

So what are the major risk factors for developing chronic pain (1);

  • Based on the earlier description you can probably guess that one of the major risk factors for chronic pain is a prior experience of chronic pain. That’s right the brain in filtering this information “remembers” a prior experience and this can increase your risk for developing chronic pain.
  • Two other significant contributors can be related to your workplace. Being in an environment where the injury is subject to compensation or being in an environment where your relationship with your boss is strained both lead to a higher risk of chronic pain. To a certain extent this relates to the elevated cortisol you produce when you are in a stressful situation which then leads to a reduction in the ability to modulate or reduce pain signals in the brain. When your nervous system is in overdrive you are less able to calm the signals.
  • There are gender differences in the experience of pain and responses to pain management. Women are more likely to express more sensitivity to pain and less likely to respond to conventional treatment. (2) In a 2007 review of pain research 79% of studies had been conducted solely in male animals and only 8% in female animals. Further women are more likely to experience chronic pain conditions than men.
  • Significant distress during the initial phase of the injury and high levels of anxiety in relation to the injury both predispose you to developing a chronic pain condition.
  • History of domestic violence or abuse increased the odds ratio of pain to 1.6. The data was based on a three year population study of over 24,000 women (3).

For those people who experience chronic pain it needs to be treated with a holistic approach that looks at physical, psychological and social factors. Whilst manual therapies for example can be of assistance in treating acute pain and assist in managing symptoms, graded exercise therapy provides more significant benefit in most of the research done to date. Combining this with appropriate counselling or stress management as well improves the overall resolution. Effectively this condition requires a team approach.

It also is clear that a lot more research is needed on the type of pain and what the best approach is in regards to it. Much of the research is 10-15 years old and often limited to common conditions like low back pain. For this reason you may find that you get more relief from a particular treatment than indicated as more commonly treatments like remedial massage are researched but there are very few studies on other forms of manual therapy such as lymphatic massage, myofascial release and Bowen therapy.

If you are suffering from aches and pains and would like to understand more about how to support yourself then this free webinar on my site could be really helpful, 6 Tips for Ageing Outrageously .

References

(1) Mills SEE, Nicolson KP, Smith BH. Chronic pain: a review of its epidemiology and associated factors in population-based studies. Br J Anaesth. 2019 Aug;123(2):e273-e283. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2019.03.023. Epub 2019 May 10. PMID: 31079836; PMCID: PMC6676152.

(2) reenspan JD, Craft RM, LeResche L, Arendt-Nielsen L, Berkley KJ, Fillingim RB, Gold MS, Holdcroft A, Lautenbacher S, Mayer EA, Mogil JS, Murphy AZ, Traub RJ; Consensus Working Group of the Sex, Gender, and Pain SIG of the IASP. Studying sex and gender differences in pain and analgesia: a consensus report. Pain. 2007 Nov;132 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S26-S45. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2007.10.014. Epub 2007 Oct 25. PMID: 17964077; PMCID: PMC2823483.

(3) M Ellsberg, H Jansen, L Heise, et al. Intimate partner violence and women’s physical and mental health in the WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence: an observational study Lancet, 371 (2008), pp. 1165-1172

Posted by Christine Pope on in Detoxification, Energy, Environment, exercise, Fasting, Nutrition, Research, Sleep, stress

Six ways to increase your energy

One of the most common reasons for people to see a naturopath is that they are really tired and lack energy. If you are feeling like this at the moment its important to understand why your energy is low but there are also several things you can introduce which may help improve your energy levels on a permanent basis.

The area of the body that produces energy is a component of each cell called a mitochondria, think of them like little factories. As we get older the number of mitochondria in the body can reduce, typically we see a halving of the levels between 20-40 and then again by the time we reach 70. These mitochondria can also be damaged by a range of environmental factors which means they don’t work as effectively and produce less energy.

There are a number of “hacks” which can improve both the number of these little factories and also the quality. Most people are aware of the benefits of regular exercise however they may not be aware that muscle cells will build more mitochondria as a result and they will operate more effectively. However often when people are really fatigued they are not in a position to exercise so these are my top six strategies for improving cellular energy. There are other strategies however this list focuses on those with minimal costs.

  1. Thirty minutes of daylight as close to waking as possible. This is an invaluable reset for your body’s circadian rhythms and helps you produce a reasonable amount of melatonin. Melatonin is important to generate sleep but turns out it also helps with cell repair and can improve energy. Literally one week of eating my breakfast outside followed by a short walk saw a significant improvement in my energy levels.
  2. Mild stressors for the body such as cold can improve energy quality. Its really important with this strategy to start with a very modest amount and slowly increase. A cold swim in a mountain stream might be the goal but start by having a minute or two of your shower with cold water. If you are very temperature sensitive start with it on your arms and legs and then gradually move to the trunk.
  3. Eat in a 11-12 hour window. Allow the bodies waste systems to function effectively by giving them a reasonable window to operate with. This is particularly important if you suffer from brain fog as a result of tiredness. This is really fairly straightforward and may just see you have breakfast at 8am and dinner at 7pm.
  4. Reduce your exposure to blue light from computers and devices. This could involve using blue light blocking glasses however a lower cost solution is as simple as switching off all devices at least one hour before your bedtime. Blue light blocks the production of melatonin and results in more difficulty in getting to sleep. Low melatonin will also reduce the ability of the mitochondria to repair themselves and result in a worsening of fatigue.
  5. Sleep in complete darkness using blockout curtains and turning off all lights and devices. Good quality sleep is essential for energy as cell repair happens during our deep REM cycles. Typically if you aim for 7-8 hours of sleep you will have between 3-5 REM cycles. Each cycle tends to be longer with the first being about 90 minutes. For more information on improving your sleep quality read my blogs on Can you build up sleep Pressure and Six Sleep Myths Debunked
  6. Reduce inflammation in your diet as much as possible. Chronic inflammation reduces your ability to produce energy in your cells. The first step could be avoiding any known allergens or intolerances and the second to try and ensure that you are having at least three cups of vegetables a day. For more information on reducing inflammation my blog on Post Viral Fatigue has some useful resources. More generally to understand which vegetables are most useful for your health What are the best vegetables for feeding your gut ?

There are also a range of strategies to improve energy using tailored diet plans and supplements however these need to be prepared in consultation with a practitioner to ensure that underlying triggers are identified and addressed.

Christine Pope is a naturopath and nutritionist based at Elemental Health at St Ives. You can make appointments on 02 8084 0081 on online at Elemental Health .

Posted by Christine Pope on in exercise, Gratitude, Health Care, Online Courses, stress

The high points of 2021

Lately I have had a song stuck in my head, not sure what its called, but I just remember the line – I fall asleep counting my blessings. So rather than making a bunch of New Year’s resolutions this year I prefer to reflect on the positives from 2021, both personal and professional ( and there were some!!).

First up for me was my son returning from Canada where he had decided to stay after the border closures in March, 2020. The return trip was a little fraught as he had had COVID a few weeks before departure. We were a little worried about him testing positive still and being unable to fly. At the point in time many flights were cancelled and friends of his had multiple attempts at getting home. Anyway lots of worry but at the end of the day turns out a flight on JAL when the Olympics was on was a good call. It kept to schedule and he made it home. Not only that but the flights were fairly empty and there was lots of room to spread out and sleep. Two weeks of hotel quarantine after he had already done two weeks of COVID isolation was a bit much for him but many care packs were delivered to his room. His sister organised technology to entertain him and we sent in food as well as recommending deliveries from Lettuce Deliver for in room salads.

Inevitably when he got home I was on a Board call on Zoom but pre-warned I just ran to the door and hugged him for a long time (and there were a few tears as well).

The protracted lockdown starting in June, 2021 came with new restrictions regarding your LGA and distances you could travel. This actually resulted in the family focussing on finding new walks as much as possible. Two big positives were finding some lovely walks in the Lane Cove National Park to add to our rotation and meeting a friend on a regular basis to walk around the Wildflower Gardens at St Ives. The weather through this lockdown fortunately was very favourable and we did improve our fitness levels overall.

Another big decision for me at the start of lockdown was continuing to do a weekly Pilates class with Village Pilates on Zoom. Initially I wasn’t convinced but it was a great decision to try it and it really gave my week structure as well as helping to maintain the fitness and balance that classes had already developed. The other benefit was having three other people to catch up with on a weekly basis and this led me to developing my own webinar series initially “Reset in Lockdown” and then a “Spring Reset”. Each week I really looked forward to the challenge of developing content and also the great questions each group asked. (If you want to listen to some of the content click here for the Reset and Recharge in Lockdown ).

Zoom or Microsoft Teams was also instrumental in giving me access to a range of Government consultations and meetings on behalf of my two Boards, COSBOA and the Australian Traditional Medicine Society. In one week I attended consultations on re-opening in three States and our CEO did a further consultation for Tasmania, something that would not have been possible before as physically I would have been unable to attend meetings in three different States. Online access really assisted in my advocacy efforts as it enabled me to participate in a much broader range of meetings than our association budgets would have enabled. Further it helped keep me sane as I love being able to assist in solving problems and working for small business and natural medicine.

The real eye opener for me about inclusion was in part due to an event I attended in early May as part of my COSBOA role. The National Innovation Games was in Newcastle where the theme was Inclusion 365: Navigating physical and digital worlds. For many people with disabilities COVID had opened up access to a broad range of events through digital access, as well as providing better access to medical services with the broader provision of telehealth. The National Innovation Games is a design and critical thinking challenge where teams work on real world challenges for businesses. In this Games we were working with the City of Newcastle to develop concepts to support disability access. The team I was working with developed a concept for an app which would provide information on the best path for someone to travel around Newcastle, incorporating real time updates from existing sources to advise of possible obstacles. We did come in second place although another team with a similar concept came first so we will claim equal first place.

Another personal highlight for me was being told by my daughter that she had referred to being brought up by a strong kick-ass woman. So I will finish the year on that high point. Strong women, may we be them and may we raised them.

Wishing you all the best for 2022, please share your highlights from 2021 in the comments.