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Swings are fun for teens, college students and adults! And they reduce stress/anxiety, and improve mood, memory and PMS symptoms

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swings for anxiety

Earlier this month I met up with a dear childhood friend for a walk and catch-up and we both rediscovered the joy of swings. I always suggest a walk or hike or swim when meeting with friends and colleagues, and this time was no different except that I really wanted to go somewhere with a swing!

The reason that I wanted to find a swing set was because I had just read an article about swings and teen girls needing a better place to hang out. I love the outdoors and love to play, laugh and have fun, and I couldn’t resist it once I started looking at the research. I discovered all the wonderful benefits of improved mood, reduced anxiety and stress, improved cognition and memory, reduced PMS symptoms, improved social relationships and reduced pain.

These pictures are us swinging and catching up – we laughed and laughed and had such fun!  It’s hard to believe we’ve been friends for close to 50 years and it always feels like we were never apart when we do get together.

swings

Our swing experience made it extra special this time! You can see the pure joy on our faces!

Teen girls needing a better public space to hang out

The recent Bloomberg article I had read, Teen Girls Need Better Public Spaces to Hang Out shares this:

Making space for girls means rethinking which age groups need to swing and climb, how to encourage physical activity (and not just playing a sport), and how to make a safe, sheltered place for outdoor conversation.

And this about movement:

While lack of activity among teens is a major public health issue, many girls are looking for more creative, less competitive ways of moving their bodies.

It features really cool images of swings called “Swing Time.” They are designed by Höweler + Yoon Architecture and deliver “the kind of fun, physical outdoor experience with room for face-to-face conversation that many teen girls are looking for.”

As I mentioned above, I was immediately intrigued because I love the idea of outdoor play and social interaction in a safe place for young girls.

Beth Jones, a Mindset and Wellness Coach who works with teen girls and their moms incorporating movement, play and nutrition, posted the Bloomberg article on Facebook saying:

I love this idea so much. I used to love going to the playground in my teens to swing, hang out, just have a space for me. There’s a reason why my business logo has a girl on a swing. That swinging and twisting are also so great for the vestibular system and can help calm anxiety (the back and forth swinging). Maybe they should bring back some swings to middle and high schools.

I’m familiar with the use of swings in occupational therapy to address sensory processing disorders in children. But I was also very interested to know if there was any research on the health benefits of swings for teens and adults. I went searching and was very pleased with what I found, hence this blog post.

Before we get into the research I’d like to extend a big thanks to Beth Jones for the inspiration for all this! Now the research …..

PMS symptoms improved: mood, stress, anxiety, social relationships, pain and memory

This small study, Vestibular stimulation for management of premenstrual syndrome found the following benefits after 2 months of using the swing in females 18-30 years of age:

  • Depression and stress scores decreased
  • Anxiety scores decreased (although it was not statistically significant)
  • Serum cortisol levels decreased.
  • Social relationships improved
  • Systolic blood pressure decreased (there was no change in diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate)
  • Pain levels decreased
  • Spatial and verbal memory improved

These are amazing benefits using something as simple as a swing. I feel we could safely extrapolate to younger teen girls and even women above 30 years of age too.

Swings for stress management in college students

Vestibular stimulation using swings is the specialty of Dr. Mukkadan, Founder and Research Director of Little Flower Medical Research Centre in India. Together with his team, he published the above PMS paper and this paper on Vestibular Stimulation for Stress Management in Students.

They recommend “placement of swings in college campuses … which may be a simple approach to alleviate stress among college students.”

This is such a simple and yet powerful (and also fun!) intervention especially given the huge rise in anxiety and mental health issues in students. It would be a perfect approach to use in conjunction with amino acid supplements and nutritional psychiatry for these students.

According to another study published by his team, college students will also see improved spatial and verbal memory.

What about swings for teen boys and all adults too?

Once I saw the images in the Bloomberg article, and after reading the research, and after playing on swings again after all these years, my thinking started expanding. I believe everyone could benefit from using a swing.

I certainly wanted to swing right away (hence the walk and swing meet up with my friend a few weeks ago) and now seek out swings when I go for walks. I would love to see an area set aside in parks for teen girls (and boys too) and as Beth says, in middle and high schools too. And how about a designated area in parks for adults who want to swing too?

There are now parks with Liberty swings for children and adults in wheelchairs. The vestibular benefits of rocking chairs are helping veterans dealing with substance abuse and mood issues. I also see an application for stress reduction in the workplace. The opportunities are endless.

Here are some of my recommendations:

  • Seek out swings in parks. Give it a try to see how you feel and how much you enjoy it!
  • Advocate for swings in your communities, middle schools, high schools, colleges and place of business.
  • Get a rocking chair for yourself and/or older family members
  • Get a swing for your backyard (suitable for teens and adults). I’m looking into options for my backyard and will share more once I find some suitable options.

When did you last go for a swing as an adult? How much fun was it!?

If it’s been some time, does this – my pictures and the research – inspire you to want to look for a swing and have a go again?

Does your teen or college student seek out outdoor play like swings and see benefits?

If you are an OT/occupational therapist or exercise physiologist or other health professional using vestibular therapy with swings please do share so we can all learn.

Feel free to post any questions here too.

Imposter syndrome and neurotransmitter support: I feel like the person I’m supposed to become

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imposter syndrome and neurotransmitter support

A newly qualified nutritionist posted wonderful feedback on a blog post on imposter syndrome and low serotonin with tryptophan as one possible solution. She shared how neurotransmitter support with tryptophan, tyrosine and GABA was her solution, eliminating her imposter syndrome and social awkwardness in 2 weeks. Here is the feedback Yo shared on the blog:

Thanks for your work on neurotransmitters, Trudy.  I am a fan. I had suffered BADLY from imposter syndrome at the end of my nutrition degree and I felt socially awkward in so many outings and situations. My anxiety and stress were through the roof! VERY bad sleep, stressed and my digestion was very poor.

Fast forward to a year later after addressing my sleep (no. 1 priority); stress levels; diet; loads of minerals; vitamin supplementation – my health started to shift for the better, but I still had the imposter syndrome hanging over my head.

What really tipped the balance was the supplementation of tyrosine, tryptophan & GABA. The imposter syndrome seemed to have vanished within two weeks. And it was in your blogs that had pointed out clues to the amino acids I was needing to supplement.

I feel like the person I’m supposed to become and I can’t thank you enough for the amazing work you’ve been doing. I will definitely be following your journey, learning more about these neurotransmitters, and sharing this information so that others can benefit from it. Thank you, thank you!

I thanked Yo for her kind words and for sharing this wonderful outcome.  I always say we all deserve to feel our absolute best so I love that she says “I feel like the person I’m supposed to become”!

Addressing neurotransmitter imbalances with targeted amino acids

I also congratulated her on doing the foundational work first. As she discovered, even with all that in place, we often still have to address neurotransmitter imbalances with targeted amino acids too.  With regards to imposter syndrome and the amino acids she used:

  • Using tryptophan to address low serotonin eases worry, rumination, anxiety, negative self-talk, self-doubt and and not feeling capable – all of which we’d typically associate with imposter syndrome
  • Using tyrosine to address low dopamine results in more motivation and better focus so you are more likely to finish tasks (and therefore feel more confident and capable). Many folks report a feeling of calm focus with tyrosine too
  • Using GABA to address low GABA eases physical tension and overwhelm and helps stop unwanted thoughts.

A 2-week turnaround is fabulous and means she found the right combination of amino acids and ideal doses for her unique needs right away. I’ve seen results like this in 2 weeks but doing a new amino acid trial each week would usually take at least 3 weeks. I suspect her results were so fast because of the foundational work that was in place.

I typically start with amino acids trials on day one of working with someone, while we are working on diet, sleep, stress – this would have led to her feeling like the person she was meant to become much sooner and would have helped with sleep, stress and dietary changes too.  Her approach worked but it took longer to get results.

Questions I still have about the amino acid trials

I have these questions I posed to Yo and hope to hear back as I feel these answers may be helpful as you navigate your own challenges with imposter syndrome:

  • Did she do a trial of one amino acid at a time (my preferred approach so you know exactly what effects each one has)?
  • Or did she start taking all 3 amino acids at once and why?
  • What doses were ideal for her unique needs and how quickly did she find the ideal doses
  • Is she continuing with a maintenance dose?
  • Also, since she mentioned social awkwardness I have to wonder if the pyroluria protocol would be of added value (if any of the social awkwardness still remains)? This protocol helps to make neurotransmitters.

I’ll report back once I get Yo’s feedback.

If you’re new to imposter syndrome

If you’re new to imposter syndrome, here is a definition from Intellectual Self-doubt and How to Get Out of It:

People with imposter syndrome often feel like they are not as capable or adequate as others perceive or evaluate them to be. The signs and symptoms are feelings of phoniness, self-doubt, and inability to take credit for one’s accomplishments. It is a form of intellectual self-doubt. Those with imposter syndrome are often intelligent and high achievers – like many academics, pharmacists, and professional students. On one hand, imposter syndrome provides motivation to persevere. On the other hand, you over prepare and overwork.

This author shares a link to the Clance Imposter Scale. This is a self-assessment of imposter syndrome, developed by Dr. Pauline Rose Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes (who worked together and coined the term “Impostor Phenomenon”.).

This paper reports that

Imposter syndrome is common among early career nurse researchers and often has a considerable impact on those affected. It can cause various problems, including anxiety, self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy, and therefore has significant potential to adversely affect personal and professional development.

You can also read more about imposter syndrome on my previous blog post on this topic – Imposter syndrome and low serotonin: is tryptophan the solution? and the Harvard Business review definition:

Imposter syndrome can be defined as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success. ‘Imposters’ suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence.

The numbers of papers on imposter syndrome are increasing but there is still no mention of biochemistry or neurotransmitters so these amino acid success stories are adding to the body of knowledge. (I would love to get them published as case studies so if you can help please do let me know.)

I love hearing life-changing stories like this and I am sharing it here to inspire and offer hope! I also love that Yo is such a fan now and wants to pay it forward by sharing this information with clients so I also shared my amino acid practitioner training.

Is imposter syndrome new to you? And is this concept of addressing imposter syndrome with amino acids new to you? If you have a question we would appreciate hearing:

#1 How you describe your imposter syndrome and how it impacts your life

#2 How you score on the Clance Imposter Scale (and which aspects bother you the most)

#3 What symptoms you have on the Amino Acid Questionnaire in the low serotonin, low catecholamine and low GABA sections.

If you already know about imposter syndrome and have found a solution with the amino acids please do share your success story so we can all learn from each other, as well as inspire and offer hope. We would appreciate hearing:

#A How you described your imposter syndrome and how it impacted your life

#B How you scored on the Clance Imposter Scale before and after using amino acids (and which aspects bothered you the most)

#C What symptoms you had on the Amino Acid Questionnaire  in the low serotonin, low catecholamine and low GABA sections (before and after using the amino acids)

#D Which amino acids were most helpful and how much of each amino acid helped you

#E If you’ve also had CBT (cognitive behavior therapy) and how it helped too

(if you feel more comfortable sharing some of this anonymously feel free to use a nickname or your initials only when commenting – I’m aware that there is a stigma to admitting this in the corporate world, as a health professional and as an entrepreneur)

Feel free to post your questions and feedback in the comments below.

Outsmart Endometriosis by Dr. Jessica Drummond

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outsmart endometriosis

Dr. Jessica Drummond, DCN, CNS, PT, is a good friend and colleague whose work in women’s health I highly respect. Her book, Outsmart Endometriosis (now available in paperback), is integrative, evidence-based, practical and empowering!

She is a leader in the field and her vast experience and compassion makes this a must-read. As a nutritionist working with women with anxiety, I am thrilled to have this comprehensive evidence-based book as a resource for those in my community who are on their endometriosis healing journey, and for practitioners who work with women with endometriosis.

Here is the official book blurb:

Endometriosis does not have to ruin your career.

Wouldn’t it be nice to stop worrying about how your endometriosis symptoms are going to hold you back from hitting your career goals? Or to have tools that you can use to reduce your pain and manage your energy so you don’t have to miss out on important opportunities? Sometimes, it can feel like endometriosis is controlling your life.

Sought-after endometriosis, pelvic pain, and nutrition expert Dr. Jessica Drummond, DCN, CNS, PT, has helped thousands of women relieve their pelvic pain in over twenty years of practice. In Outsmart Endometriosis, she offers not another “one-size-fits-none endo diet,” but a comprehensive approach to managing your symptoms using simple, repeatable strategies, and without having to wait for an appointment with your doctor.

In Outsmart Endometriosis, Dr. Drummond can help you to:

  • Stop missing important work meetings or deadlines because of your endometriosis pain, fatigue, anxiety, and/or digestive symptoms
  • Let go of your worries about your fertility
  • Clear your brain fog so you can do your best work
  • Get control over your symptoms so you can feel more comfortable, and no longer just power through or be forced to quit
  • Build a team of the right professionals to support you along the way

Read Outsmart Endometriosis and become the boss of your symptoms and your career.

Get your copy on Amazon here (my Amazon link) or from Target, Barnes and Noble or independent bookstores.  You can also download book bonuses here.

GABA for bladder pain/interstitial cystitis and urgency, IBS pain and anxiety?

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gaba for pain

Is there a place for using the amino acid GABA as a supplement to help with bladder pain/interstitial cystitis and urgency and also help with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) pain – at the same time as easing physical anxiety caused by low GABA levels?

I’d like to share some quotes from this commentary, GABAB receptors in the bladder and bowel: therapeutic potential for positive allosteric modulators?

The bladder pain syndrome (or interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome) is a spectrum of urological symptoms characterized by frequency, urgency and pain on bladder filling.

Bladder pain syndrome is often present in those who have IBS and abdominal pain and the authors mention the role of GABA in both:

Of further note is the co-morbidity between bladder pain syndrome and other functional pain syndromes, in particular, irritable bowel syndrome, a functional gastrointestinal disorder associated with visceral abdominal pain and altered bowel habit.

… it is tempting to speculate that GABAB receptor positive allosteric modulators may display efficacy in not only functional pain disorders of the bladder, but also of the bowel, through modulation of either central and peripheral GABAB receptors, or both

Positive allosteric modulators increase the activity of the receptor so in this case they are referring to increasing the activity of the GABAB receptor, reducing both bladder pain and gut pain.

This commentary and the original paper refer to ADX71441, which has been shown in animal studies to be “a novel positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of the GABAB receptor that has shown encouraging results in pre-clinical models of anxiety, pain, overactive bladder and alcohol addiction.”

We know GABA eases anxiety and pain and is extremely beneficial when it comes to alcohol and other addictions. In a recent blog post I shared how PharmaGABA eases physical anxiety in a young man who has recently given up Adderall, alcohol and nicotine.

And given that depression, anxiety and stress is higher in women with urinary incontinence it makes sense that an amino acid such as GABA may also help ease some of the symptoms of bladder pain syndrome when low GABA is a factor.

Depending on the root cause/s it’s likely addressing low serotonin, low endorphins and low vitamin D may play a role too. Of course, a full functional medicine and nutritional work up and review of diet is key too. Bladder dysfunction is seen in up to one third of celiac patients. This can cause leaky gut and nutritional deficiencies leading to low levels of neurotransmitters such a GABA and serotonin. Dietary oxalates can often be a factor with bladder issues and pain.

Considering all of this in conjunction with learning from/working with a pelvic floor physical therapist is key.  I highly recommend someone like Isa Herrera, MSPT, CSCS who hosts online masterclass training sessions for those with pelvic health issues. Her next series airs online mid-February and you can learn more and register here.

Here are some related blog posts that you may find helpful:

In case you’re new to GABA you can read more about it here: GABA for the physical-tension and stiff-and-tense-muscles type of anxiety.

The supplements blog lists GABA products I use with clients and recommend to those in my community.

I’m proposing that there is a place for doing a trial of the amino acid GABA (as a supplement) to help with bladder pain/interstitial cystitis and urgency, especially when there are symptoms of low GABA. If GABA helps to ease the visceral pain caused by IBS/SIBO, it may also help with bladder pain.

Have you observed less bladder pain when using GABA for easing physical symptoms of low GABA anxiety (stiff and tense muscles, overwhelm, lying awake tensely at night, anxious and using alcohol to self-medicate in order to calm down)?

Have you noticed any reduction in bladder urgency when using GABA for anxiety?

Do you also have IBS pain or SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) pain that is eased by GABA?

Have the following helped: going gluten-free, lowering oxalates and/or working with a pelvic floor physical therapist?

If you’re a practitioner have you made any of these observations?

Please do share in the comments below and let me know if you found this helpful, what else has helped you or if you have questions.

GABA eases anxiety and is protective against metabolic and reproductive disturbances in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)?

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gaba pcos

This question was recently asked in my online GABA Quickstart group program: What are your thoughts about using GABA with somebody who has polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)? Are there any contraindications? My approach is always the same regardless of your diagnosis – if you have the low GABA symptoms of physical anxiety then it’s worth doing a trial to determine if supplementing with the calming amino acid GABA will help.

What is very interesting is that this rat study, Protective effects of GABA against metabolic and reproductive disturbances in letrozole induced polycystic ovarian syndrome in rats, reports some very specific benefits of GABA being protective against metabolic and reproductive disturbances in PCOS.

Letrozole or Femara, a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor (i.e. it lowers estrogen production) is used to treat breast cancer in postmenopausal women and it induced PCOS in the rats.

The following benefits were found when GABA was used in the rats with PCOS:

  • reduced body weight
  • reduced body mass index
  • reduced testosterone
  • a favourable lipid profile
  • normal glucose tolerance
  • a decreased number of cystic follicles in the ovaries

These results are profound. But wait for it …”the effects observed with GABA were comparable to that with metformin” with none of the side-effects (which can actually include anxiety, a racing heart, shakiness and depression).

The authors conclude as follows:

The results suggest that GABA treatment has shown protective effects in PCOS and provides beneficial effects either by reducing insulin resistance or by inducing antioxidant defence mechanisms.

The above paper didn’t measure anxiety levels but it’s very common with PCOS. According to this paper, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Review of Treatment Options With a Focus on Pharmacological Approaches

after PCOS is diagnosed, studies show that more than 50% of patients develop prediabetes or diabetes, and there is an increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI), dyslipidemia, hypertension, anxiety, depression, endometrial cancer, and sleep apnea.

So it makes sense that using GABA will also help to ease any anxiety symptoms that are present. As always, look at the low GABA symptoms and if they exist rate them on a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being most severe), do a trial with GABA, and rate your symptoms afterwards, adjusting up or down as needed based on symptom relief.

A quick recap if you are new to GABA, these are the symptoms of low GABA:

  • Unable to relax or loosen up
  • Stiff or tense muscles
  • Feeling stressed and burned-out
  • Feeling worried or fearful
  • Panic attacks
  • Craving carbs for relaxation and calming
  • Craving alcohol for relaxation and calming
  • Craving drugs for relaxation and calming
  • Insomnia *
  • Have intrusive thoughts, perseverate or have an overactive brain
    Or have unwanted thoughts – thoughts about unpleasant memories, images or worries (Updated Nov 17, 2017: new GABA research on intrusive thoughts) *
  • Inability to prioritize planned actions *
  • Acrophobia (fear of heights) * – possibly other phobias too
  • Poor focus *
  • Rectal spasms *
  • Burning mouth *
  • Visceral pain/belly pain with IBS *

(* New additions that are not in my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution”)

Keep in mind that the above PCOS GABA paper was an animal study and GABA was not listed as a treatment option in the second paper above so my approach would be to use GABA for easing the physical anxiety symptoms. At the same time, share this blog and study with your prescribing physician and request if they will work with you to adjust your Metformin as they monitor your testosterone, lipids, glucose, insulin and cystic follicles in the ovaries, as well as weight and body mass index.

I look forward to human GABA PCOS studies in the near future. I also look forward to hearing back from you if you have PCOS and are using GABA for easing your anxiety symptoms AND are also seeing some of the above metabolic and reproductive improvements.

Given the prevalence of PCOS it’s important we use everything at our disposal to help:

Research suggests that 5% to 10% of females 18 to 44 years of age are affected by PCOS, making it the most common endocrine abnormality among women of reproductive age in the U.S. Women seeking help from health care professionals to resolve issues of obesity, acne, amenorrhea, excessive hair growth, and infertility often receive a diagnosis of PCOS.

We must always use a comprehensive approach and this book by my friend and colleague, Amy Medling is wonderful: Healing PCOS.

Do you have PCOS and anxiety and has GABA helped? Have you also observed some of the above metabolic and reproductive improvements?

If you’re a practitioner working with women with PCOS, have you made any of these observations?

I’d also be curious to hear if you see changes in acne severity, amenorrhea (missed periods), excessive hair growth or infertility?

Please do share in the comments below.

Women, alcohol and mental health; autism and propionic acid; toxic farmed salmon

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women alcohol mental health

Today I’m sharing some interesting and popular Facebook posts for you to either just read the article or come and join the Facebook discussion:

#1 Women who stop drinking alcohol improve mental health, study finds

Glad to see this research! I see way too much social drinking to de-stress, even by women who lead otherwise healthy lives

“Many women drink alcohol to relax, feel good and take the edge off life, but new evidence suggests skipping that daily glass of wine is a better way to boost their mental health.

Women who quit alcohol improved their mental well-being, researchers reported this week in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). The study comes as many Americans are trying out an alcohol-free life as part of the “sober-curious” movement.”

Where are you with this? Do you “self-medicate” with alcohol in order to get through your week?

And there is no judging here…just educating and creating awareness.

Here is the Facebook discussion

bread

#2 Spike In Autism May Be Linked To Preservative In Processed Foods, Study Suggests

Very interesting connection – if it’s a possible factor in autism then it’s very likely a possible factor in anxiety, depression and other mood and neurological disorders too. You can read more about propionic acid here and how it’s found in most baked goods! Here is the Facebook discussion

wild salmon

 

#3 Farmed Salmon = Most Toxic Food in the World

Farmed salmon is a big no-no!

Do you look for the “wild” label and ask about the source before buying salmon and other fish? This applies to canned fish too!

Unfortunately, there is often not any real awareness here in Australia. Labeling is deceptive here – “farmed” or “wild” never appears on any labels, instead you see “sustainable”

And you can’t tell if it’s farmed by just looking at it!

Here is the Facebook discussion

facebook post farmed salmon

Feel free to comment and/or post questions directly on any of the above Facebook discussions or here on the blog.