4 Week Stress Release: With Dr. Samantha Dass, Naturopathic Doctor

Stress is an all too common problem in our society. Millions of Canadians report moderate to high stress levels across various surveys. We’re stressed about work, school, finances, caregiving, health, relationships and what the future holds for us. I ask almost all of my patients what their stress management strategies are and the majority of them say they don’t have any strategic ways to manage their stress. Some people have a couple strategies that help them feel more calm (like exercise or listening to music) but they wish they were doing more to deal with stress.

It’s easy to feel like there’s nothing you can do about your stress – that it’s just a normal part of life to be stressed out all the time. Life is busy and we all have numerous responsibilities to juggle right? But even if you can’t change stressful situations that you’re in, you can still increase your ability to cope with stress and feel better in the midst of the stress around you.

So many patients have come to me asking for stress management help and that is why I created the 4 Week Stress Release Program. It’s designed to help those who want to manage their stress better. It’s an individualized, easily implemented protocol of acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutritional supplements, diet and lifestyle interventions to help bring some calm into your life.

Imagine a weekly escape to a relaxing acupuncture session. For the first part of the acupuncture session, I’ll guide you through building your natural stress management plan. The remainder of the acupuncture session will be a time of quiet and deep relaxation. You’ll be on a heated table with diffused essential oils and calming music around you. Your acupuncture points will be selected specifically for stress reduction and relaxation. Here is a breakdown of the topics that we’ll cover at the start of each session:

Week 1 – Assess your stress levels and implement carefully selected herbal and nutritional supplement support tailored to your health history and the symptoms you’re experiencing.

Week 2 – Build in science-backed habits for stress reduction.  

Week 3 – Optimize your diet to give your body the nutrition you need to cope with stress.

Week 4 – Reassess stress levels, come up with a maintenance plan and connect to other resources.

If you have a jam-packed, busy lifestyle, you might be worried about how you’ll have the time to implement these recommendations. Don’t worry. I always meet my patients where they’re at and make sure my recommendations are realistic for their lifestyle.

This program may be a good fit for you if you can relate to any one of these:

• You feel like you’re constantly stressed out.

• You want to manage the physical and emotional effects of stress (bowel and stomach issues, acne, eczema flare ups, hair loss, depression, insomnia, anxiety, irregular menstrual cycles etc.)

• You’re going through a stressful period (e.g. preparing for a big event, dealing with a difficult situation).

• You feel like you need more stress management support than what you’re currently doing.

• You need help building stress management strategies into your life.

• You have a good handle on your stress levels and you want to make sure you maintain that.

• You want to make use of your naturopathic medicine benefits in a way that will make a difference in your quality of life.

We all know that stress can take a toll on how we feel both physically and mentally. Getting a handle on your stress can take you from feeling like you’re struggling to make it through the day to feeling more balanced, more at peace and happier in your day to day life.

This is covered under your naturopathic medicine benefits. The duration of the program and frequency of visits can be modified to suit your needs. Book a free 15-minute consultation to find out more.

Surviving the Holidays with PMS

Ever feel like asking Santa for a break from your PMS? The holiday rush and untreated PMS can make for a pretty mean combination. I mean, not only are you busy elbowing through crowded stores, overheating in your winter jacket and negotiating splitting time between different sides of the family – but if you’re doing this alongside PMS, it’s all topped with a dollop of depression, irritability, anxiety, breast tenderness, fatigue and cramps. (Note: If you have a more intense form of PMS called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), then “dollop” is a major understatement).

Don’t let PMS take away from this glowing, warm, delicious season. As weird as it sounds, I actually enjoy my premenstrual phase. I’ve monitored it closely over the years and have learned to master it. It’s possible to make use of the unique things that are happening to your brain and body during this time and turn your premenstrual phase into a time of incredible peace and restoration. Below are some of my favourite tips on how to do this. 

Reflect, Reflect, Reflect

Because of rising progesterone levels and other hormonal changes that impact your brain and mood, you may feel like being more of a home-body during your premenstrual phase. You may also be feeling more anxious, sad and irritable for seemingly no reason at all. I really like to use this time to journal because I find that I can channel all that overthinking and worrying into figuring out things that have been bothering me over the month and what I can do to improve them. Many women find they’re more sensitive and contemplative during this time so you can use that to you advantage and really dig into solutions for issues that have been coming up for you lately.

Move Mindfully

Those same hormonal changes I mentioned can also leave your body feeling heavy and sluggish. You may find that you retain more water and you may experience breast tenderness and some pretty strong fatigue. Exercise can help you push through this fog. Many women (including myself) find it hard to do vigorous exercise during this time but it’s still important to stay active. I use this time to do more relaxing workouts like slower paced yoga classes or less intense cardio. Staying active while being mindful of your stamina can help relieve that physical heaviness and discomfort that comes with PMS.

Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet (Or at Least Try to)

It’s super tempting to give into all your junk food cravings this time of the month but all that junk food can contribute to inflammation which can worsen cramps and brain fog during your premenstrual phase. Try to keep junk food out of the house so you’re less tempted. If you absolutely can’t resist (we’re in the same boat), at least try to increase your fruit, vegetable and healthy fat intake so that you can have more anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory foods in your diet.

Supplements

There are some really effective herbs and nutritional supplements for PMS. Vitex, calcium, magnesium, adaptogens, black cohosh and many other natural remedies are worth considering. But it’s not one size fits all. Certain herbs and nutritional supplements may be completely wrong for you based on your symptoms, blood work, physical exam results and health history. Make sure you get solid guidance before choosing a supplement for your PMS. Your naturopathic doctor can help you with this along with sorting out the root causes of your PMS such as hormonal imbalances and inflammation.

PMS is especially annoying around this time of year when all you want to do is enjoy the holidays and connect with loved ones. We talk about PMS as if it’s the norm and there is nothing we can do about it but that’s just not true. Do what you can to own your premenstrual phase and reclaim that week of your life and your holidays!