by Dr Jaspreet Saini | Aug 23, 2023 | Rosedale Medical Practice, Running, Wellness
Cortisol is a hormone that helps the body respond to stress, such as exercise, by breaking down fats and carbohydrates for energy. Cortisol levels naturally rise during cardio exercise, but they usually return to normal after the workout is over. This is not a bad thing, as cortisol helps the body adapt to the physical demands of exercise and improve fitness.
However, if cortisol levels are chronically elevated due to other factors, such as lack of sleep, emotional stress, overtraining, or poor nutrition, then this can have negative effects on the body. Some of these effects include increased appetite and fat storage, especially around the abdomen, reduced muscle mass and strength, impaired immune system and increased risk of infections, disrupted sleep-wake cycle and mood swings, and lowered bone density and increased risk of osteoporosis.
Therefore, it is important to balance cardio exercise with other types of training, such as strength training, flexibility training, and recovery activities. It is also essential to manage stress levels, get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet, and stay hydrated. These strategies can help keep cortisol levels in a healthy range and optimise the benefits of exercise.
Here are five ways to combat chronically elevated cortisol levels:
- Balance cardio exercise with other types of training. Cardiovascular exercise is good for your heart health, endurance, and calorie burning, but it can also increase cortisol levels if done excessively or at high intensity. To prevent this, you should mix up your cardio routine with other forms of exercise that can lower cortisol levels, such as strength training, flexibility training, and recovery activities. Strength training can help build muscle mass and strength, which can counteract the effects of cortisol on muscle breakdown. Flexibility training can help improve blood flow and reduce muscle tension, which can lower cortisol levels. Recovery activities can help restore the body’s energy balance and reduce inflammation, which can also lower cortisol levels. Some examples of recovery activities are stretching, foam rolling, massage, meditation, or yoga.
- Manage stress levels. Stress is one of the main causes of chronically elevated cortisol levels. Stress can come from various sources, such as work, family, relationships, finances, or health issues. To cope with stress effectively, you should practice relaxation techniques that can calm your mind and body. Some examples of relaxation techniques are meditation, breathing exercises, yoga, or massage. These techniques can help lower your heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels. They can also improve your mood and mental clarity. You should also try to avoid or minimize sources of stress that are unnecessary or harmful. For example, you can delegate tasks that are overwhelming or outsource tasks that are not your expertise. You can also limit your exposure to negative news or social media that can trigger anxiety or anger.
- Get enough sleep. Sleep is vital for your health and well-being. It is during sleep that your body repairs itself and restores its energy balance. Sleep also regulates your hormones, including cortisol. When you sleep well, your cortisol levels follow a natural rhythm that peaks in the morning and declines throughout the day. When you don’t sleep well or enough, your cortisol levels become disrupted and stay elevated throughout the day. This can impair your metabolism, immunity, mood, and cognitive function. To get enough sleep, you should follow a regular sleep schedule that allows you to get at least seven to nine hours of quality sleep every night. You should also avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed, as they can interfere with your sleep quality and increase your cortisol levels. You should also create a comfortable and dark sleeping environment that is free from noise and distractions.
- Eat a balanced diet. What you eat can affect your cortisol levels as well as your overall health. Eating a balanced diet that includes complex carbohydrates, lean protein, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables can help keep your cortisol levels in check. Complex carbohydrates can provide a steady source of energy for your body and brain without spiking your blood sugar or insulin levels. Lean protein can help build and repair your muscles and tissues without adding excess fat or calories. Healthy fats can help regulate your hormones and inflammation without clogging your arteries or increasing your cholesterol levels. Fruits and vegetables can provide antioxidants and phytochemicals that can protect your cells from oxidative stress and damage caused by cortisol. You should also avoid processed foods, added sugars, and excess salt that can increase your blood pressure, inflammation, and cortisol levels.
- Stay hydrated. Water is essential for every function in your body, including hormone regulation. Dehydration can cause stress on your body and increase your cortisol levels. Drinking water throughout the day and before,
during, and after exercise can help prevent dehydration and keep your cortisol levels in balance. Water can also help flush out toxins and waste products
that can accumulate in your body due to high cortisol levels. You should aim to drink at least eight glasses of water per day, or more if you sweat a lot or live in a hot climate. You should avoid sugary drinks, such as soda, juice, or sports drinks, that can spike your blood sugar
and cortisol levels. You should also limit your intake of alcohol, as it can dehydrate you and increase your cortisol levels.
- Book an appointment with your GP or dietitian. The advice above is general and may not suit everyone. The best way to build habits and a lifestyle that is tailored to your needs is to book in with your general practice team. Your GPs, dietitian and practice pharmacist at Rosedale Medical Practice are here to help. Book an appointment using HotDoc, or by calling our friendly reception team on 02 9680 9644.
by Dr Jaspreet Saini | Jan 1, 2020 | Rosedale Medical Practice, Wellness
2019 – the year Rosedale Medical Practice introduced:
✅ Two new practice owners
✅ The NBN
✅ Online appointment bookings
✅ SMS Recalls and Reminders
✅ CareMonitor – our Shared Care Monitoring App
✅ A highly successful Western Sydney University medical student placement, securing our commitment to training the next generation of health professionals
✅ Faxless at its purest, and a dedicated journey towards paperless
✅ Focused data-driven quality improvement strategy
✅ And more
All this wouldn’t have been possible without our patients, who have embraced and supported the change, and an amazing future-focused team that has exceptional, high quality, patient-centred care at its heart.
As we usher in 2020, we remain committed to transforming the health care experience for our patients, our team and our community.
We continue to welcome all new and existing patients. If you’d like to book an appointment, book online via HotDoc, or call us on 02 9680 9644.
We look forward to caring for you and helping you to achieve your health goals.
by Dr Jaspreet Saini | Nov 19, 2018 | Wellness
Originally published in the November Edition of Desi Australia Monthly Magazine, written by Dr Jaspreet Saini
Key points:
• Sleep apnoea can occur at any age and is the most common type of sleep apnoea
• If you have sleep apnoea, your breathing during sleep may reduce or stop
• You may not know that this is happening
• Sleep apnoea can have many health complications
• It can be successfully treated
• Treatment will improve the quality of your life
What is sleep apnoea?
Obstructive sleep apnoea is the most common type of sleep apnoea. The other type of sleep apnoea is central sleep apnoea, which is rare. For ease of reading, we will refer to obstructive sleep apnoea simply as sleep apnoea in this article.
With sleep apnoea, you may breathe less or stop breathing during sleep for a short period of time. This is called an apnoeic episode. When this happens, your oxygen levels drop until they reach a point where they trigger your reflexes to wake you up briefly and start breathing again. This can happen many times at night and you may not know that it is happening.
We call it obstructive sleep apnoea because it occurs due to obstruction of your airways. That is, the area between the nose or mouth or lungs becomes partly or fully blocked. This is more common in sleep because your airway muscles naturally relax when you sleep.
Sleep apnoea can be treated and there are a number of treatments available.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnoea?
You may have sleep apnoea if you:
• Snore
• Toss and turn at night
• Stop breathing through the night
• Wake up during the night coughing and choking
• Wake up not feeling refreshed
• Wake up with a headache in the morning
• Feel sleepy during the day
• Feel depressed, short-tempered or grumpy
• Have trouble with your concentration or memory during the day
You may not be aware of these symptoms so it is often worth asking your sleeping partner if she or he has noticed any of these changes.
What issues do people with sleep apnoea have?
Sleep apnoea can cause an early death. People with sleep apnoea are more likely to have cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) disease compared to people that don’t havesleep apnoea.
Sleep apnoea can cause your blood pressure to go up and down at night, and increase your blood pressure during the day (this is called hypertension). If you have sleep apnoea and are also also overweight, you may be at higher risk of diabetes and high cholesterol. Together, these factors can increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Luckily, if your sleep apnoea is effectively treated, you can improve your health and reduce your risk of these conditions.
Am I at risk?
Sleep apnoea can affect people of all ages, be it children or adults.
In children, sleep apnoea is more likely if a child has largetonsils or adenoids. Children can also have narrow airways due to other reasons which can increase their risk of having sleep apnoea.
In adults, sleep apnoea is more common in middle age. It ismore common if you are a man. If you are a woman, your risk increases after menopause.
You may be at higher risk if:
1) You are a middle-aged male
2) You take alcohol, sleeping tablets or some types of medications before you sleep
3) You have a blocked nose, small jaw, large tongue, big tonsils or big uvula
4) You were born with a narrow airway or have a facestructure that leads to narrow airways
How do I know if I have sleep apnoea?
You should speak to your doctor (GP) if you are worried.
Your doctor may ask you about snoring, obesity, apnoea episodes and sleepiness during the day. It can be helpful to take your sleeping partner with you on the day of your appointment. The next step is usually an overnight sleep study, which measures your sleep, breathing and oxygen levels. This can be done at home or in a sleep clinic, and is usually done with the assistance of a sleep specialist.
What is the treatment for sleep apnoea?
If you have sleep apnoea, there are many things that you can do to manage your condition and improve your health.
If you are overweight, weight loss can be very helpful and a small decrease in your weight can greatly improve your sleep apnoea.
A CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) mask is the most common form of treatment, and works by delivering air through your nose to keep your airways open. Many people find using a CPAP machine strange at first, however are often surprised by the improvement in their daily lives.
Other useful strategies include:
• Avoiding alcohol within 2 hours of going to sleep
• Avoiding sleeping tablets
• Speaking to your doctor about other medications that you are taking
• Treating nasal congestion
• Ceasing or maintaining abstinence from smoking
For some people with sleep apnoea, surgery may be an option. You should speak with your GP about the treatments that are most suitable for you.
Where can I go for more information?
Sleep Health Foundation
Lung Foundation Australia
Australian Sleep Association
by Dr Jaspreet Saini | Oct 25, 2018 | Child and family health, Parenthood, Wellness
No one can possibly tell you what it feels like to be pregnant, to give birth to a baby or to become a new parent. These are deeply personal experiences and are different for everyone. It is a time of great change and challenge, often bringing feelings of joy and celebration, and potentially also feelings of worry and anxiety.
Many new and expectant parents worry about how a new baby will fit into their lives, or how they will care for an infant. It’s important to remember that if you’re feeling worried and anxious during this period, you’re not alone and these are common reactions that many new parents have.
In fact, up to one in seven women who are pregnant or have recently given birth experience perinatal depression and anxiety (perinatal refers to the time from when pregnancy begins to the first year after the baby is born). Partners can experience mood problems too, so it is important that you are both well supported during this time.
When you are pregnant or have a baby, there are lots of changes going on, from physical and hormonal changes to big adjustments in your sleeping patterns and daily routine; it might feel like things are out of your control, that there is so much to learn and that sometimes it’s difficult to cope.
The good news is, there are lots of things that can be done to support yourself and/or your partner during this time in your lives.
Signs and symptoms to look out for
The signs and symptoms of perinatal depression and anxiety can vary from person to person and may include:
• Excessive worry or fear that is difficult to control. Often the worry and fears are focused on the health or wellbeing of the baby, or your abilities as a mum
• Losing interest in the things you usually enjoy
• Fear of being alone with your baby
• Feeling low most of the time, or crying for no good reason
• Physical symptoms – such as decreased energy, a change in appetite, difficulty sleeping even when you have the opportunity, increased heart/breathing rate, tight chest and feeling lightheaded
• The development of obsessive or compulsive behaviours; for example, needing to do the same task a number of times when it doesn’t need repeating
• Thoughts of death or suicide
If you feel that your worries, anxiety or low mood are interfering with your health, relationships, daily life or ability to care for yourself or your baby, then it is time to get some help and support.
Getting the right help and advice
Start early! Managing mood symptoms well during pregnancy can make a big difference to how things go when your baby is born.
Your general practitioner (GP) or maternal child health Nurse are both great sources of support. If you are unsure about talking with a doctor or health professional, reach out to a trusted friend, family member or your partner. Remember, if it is urgent, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
There are also many pregnancy and parenting websites, blogs and apps available. It’s important to make sure the information that you’re accessing is reliable – pick one or two sources you trust and stick with them.
One such resource is the What Were We Thinking! mobile app. It provides week-by-week information on essential topics to help mums and dads (and anyone supporting them) adjust well to the first six months of life with a baby.
Developed by Jean Hailes and Monash University, the app is adapted from the evidence-based parenting program of the same name. It is free and easy to download, and helps to build your confidence by giving you the knowledge, skills and reassurance to navigate this period.
The app helps you to develop the practical skills for settling babies, such as establishing a Feed-Play-Sleep routine as well as ideas to help you strengthen your partner relationship, such as how to best share the workload and communicate each other’s needs.
Download the What Were We Thinking! app or learn more about perinatal depression and anxiety.
Published with the permission of Jean Hailes for Women’s Health
jeanhailes.org.au
1800 JEAN HAILES (532 642)
by Dr Jaspreet Saini | Sep 17, 2018 | Wellness
by Kim Hayes, AARP, June 5, 2017 | full article
Getting the right start to the day is about much more than being extra productive at work; it could also benefit your health. Here are five mistakes you might be making every morning.
Before Getting Out of Bed
Mistake 1: Rushing to rise
While some of us want to jump up and attack the day full throttle, a more leisurely approach may be better for your body. By getting out of bed immediately you could strain your back muscle, which have been resting in one place all night, Robert Oexman, director of the Sleep to Live Institute, told the Huffington Post. Before rising, he suggests, bring your knees (one at a time) to your chest to warm up the muscles and get your blood flowing.
Mistake 2: Grabbing your cellphone
When you roll over and grab your cellphone first thing in the morning, you may be adding to your stress levels by reminding yourself of deadlines and unanswered emails before you have even stepped out of bed. “When we wake up in the morning and turn our phone over to see a list of notifications — it frames the experience of ‘waking up in the morning’ around a menu of ‘all the things I’ve missed since yesterday,'” Tristan Harris, a former design ethicist for Google, wrote for the online platform Medium. Additionally, a Future Work Centre survey of nearly 2,000 people in the U.K. found that email notifications are linked to higher feelings of anxiety.
During Your Morning Routine
Mistake 3: Staying in the dark
It can be tempting to leave the blinds drawn and keep your cozy nighttime cocoon for as long as possible. But researchers at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine found in a 2014 study that early morning natural light exposure is associated with lower body fat. This is possibly due to a reset of our body’s circadian rhythm which could boost metabolism. A quick walk outdoors is ideal, but if you’re pressed for time, at least open your shades to stream in the morning sun.
Mistake 4: Skipping a glass of water
You’ve been sleeping all night and your body may have become dehydrated, so it is important to refuel with a serving of water first thing. Staying hydrated also helps to aid digestion and metabolism, Angela Lemond, national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told USA Today recently. “It also helps with moving the lower bowels for regularity in the mornings,” she says.
Before Leaving the House
Mistake 5: Skipping breakfast
Consuming more calories earlier in the day may reduce the odds of a heart attack, stroke or other circulatory system problems, according to the American Heart Association. And don’t forget to include proteins with every meal, including breakfast, as they are linked to having less body fat and other health benefits. , cottage cheese and hard-boiled good sources of breakfast protein.
Bonus tip
Try to avoid hitting that snooze alarm. While we slumber, our brain runs through five stages of sleep that last 90 minutes each. When you fall asleep after hitting the snooze button, “you’re setting yourself up for another sleep cycle that you have no chance of finishing,” Robert S. Rosenberg, medical director of Arizona’s Sleep Disorders Center of Prescott Valley, told Business Insider. Instead, set your alarm for the actual time you need to get up so that you are not disrupting your sleep rhythms.
by Dr Jaspreet Saini | Aug 29, 2018 | Wellness
Bottle refusal can be very distressing. Sucking milk from a bottle is a new experience for babies that have been previously exclusively breast fed. It requires different mouth and tongue movements than breastfeeding, so it may take your baby a little time to get used to the change. Here are a few pointers that may help
1. Timing
There is no perfect time of the day to introduce the bottle. Some parents find a bottle feed at the end of an evening breast feed can be a good start. Others find that their baby is more likely to want to be comforted and settled at night, so may be more successful introducing a feed earlier in the day.
Try establishing a consistent routine over a period of a few days. Your baby needs time to get used to new things, so stick with the same time, nipple, bottle, and feeding technique for a while before trying something new.
2. Temperament
Parents are very good at sensing when their kids are unwell. Similarly, babies are very good at detecting parental anxiety, frustration or concern. Remember, feeding is supposed to be comforting and enjoyable for both of you. Smile, sing and take your time to ease everybody into it. If you find yourself stressing out, take a step back, breathe, and try again a bit later.
3. Teat
I. Try a slow-flow nipple. A regular nipple may discharge milk too quickly, causing your baby to gag. If this happens, replace her nipple with a slow-flow one to see if that helps.
II. Consider using a bottle nipple similar to your baby’s pacifier. If she is used to sucking on a latex pacifier, use a latex bottle nipple (rather than a silicone one). Warm the nipple with water to make it more enjoyable.
III. Put some breast milk on the nipple. When your baby tastes it, she may start sucking to get more.
IV. Let your baby play with the nipple so she can become familiar with it. If she chews, let her for now. She may start sucking on it with with time.
4. Try again
Your baby may reject the bottle initially. This is expected. Be consistent with your routine and keep trying. If your baby shakes her head or arches away from the bottle, settle your baby and move out of sight. After a few moments, return to cuddle and try again. Maintain a positive attitude. If you do need to go back to breastfeeding, try to wait about five minutes first. Going back to breastfeeding too quickly may encourage your baby to establish a pattern of crying in order to get what she wants.
5. Texture
Bottle milk tastes and feels different to breast milk. For babies that are old enough to have solids, introducing solids can make changing to bottle feeds easier as a baby becomes used to new textures.
6. Team (dad)
Babies are smart enough to know that you are the source of their breast milk. Babies will often refuse to drink from the bottle if Mum is holding them, as they know that they could be getting breast milk instead. Asking Dad or someone else to help may assist your baby to get past the refusal stage.
7. Talk (to your GP)
Sometimes, there may be other reasons your child is refusing the bottle. It may be worth seeing your GP for a check up if the above strategies do not work, or if you have any concerns.
