In this Free and Inspired radio episode, we look at some key herbs for anxiety and depression. Click here to read the full article, or scroll down to listen to the podcast on your favourite platform! One study of two hundred and sixty patients with depression showed that up to fifty per cent had tried some form of natural medicine. Seventy-four per cent of mental … [Read more...]
Sleepless, Restless and Sad?
Sleep deprivation in Hong Kong is so prevalent it’s almost considered part of the lifestyle. An HKU study showed that 92% of the people studied showed signs of sleep deprivation without even knowing it. The same trial suggested that over 60 per cent of people woke up more than once in the preceding seven days before the survey.
If you feel as if you are one of those people, just because it seems normal does not mean it can’t improve. Maybe you’ve always been a good sleeper, but things have changed recently without a good reason why.
Most of us can handle the odd night where we don’t hit the magic eight hours, but when you find yourself waking at 3 am every night, struggling to sleep from then until the alarm goes off every morning, it’s then that you start to feel anxious, restless and even sad. From there, it becomes difficult to know where one starts and the other begins. Sleepless, restless and sad offers articles and podcast episodes to explore the origins and solutions around fixing your sleep, feeling less anxious and improving your mood using natural medicine.
Episode 28: Is the gut and microbiome the missing link for your hormones?
Women with hormone issues such as premenstrual symptoms like cramping, bloating or unexpected emotional changes typically have gut symptoms at the start or different times during their cycle. Click here to read the full article, or scroll down to listen to the podcast on your favourite platform! "I didn't know there was a connection between my gut and my … [Read more...]
Insomnia in a post COVID world: do the same solutions still help?
It seems so. However, as with insomnia in the pre-COVID era, unravelling what might have caused it in the first place is an important, complex and personalised priority. In this article, we’ll be looking at what the most recent studies say about how the prevalence of insomnia has changed during and post-pandemic, chronic insomnia in general and some solutions that you may or … [Read more...]
Episode 25: Can the same solutions still help insomnia post-pandemic?
In this Free and Inspired radio episode, find out what the most recent studies say about how the prevalence of insomnia has changed during and post-pandemic. Learn about the causes of insomnia in general and some solutions that you may or may not have considered. Click here to read the full article, or scroll down to listen to the podcast on your favourite … [Read more...]
Episode 24: Can the gut and the brain be the solution to your skin issues?
Would you believe two dermatologists first spoke about the brain, gut, and skin connection in 1930? Click here to read the full article, or scroll down to listen to the podcast on your favourite platform! It’s only recently that the brain-digestion-skin link is helping people break free of their long-standing acne and skin issues. In this Free and Inspired … [Read more...]
Can the brain and digestion be the answer to your acne and skin issues?
In this article, I’m here to tell you that the brain and digestion can be the answer to your acne and skin issues. Would you believe two dermatologists first spoke about the brain, gut, and skin connection in 1930?[1] I’ve been excited to write this article. I feel that this relationship has been in the literature for a while; it’s only recently that the brain-digestion-skin … [Read more...]
Is there a connection between the gut, your brain and chronic pain?
The answer is yes, there is a connection between the gut, your brain and chronic pain. Around 2 billion people are living with chronic pain worldwide.[1] For most people living with chronic pain, it is often considered a symptom of another condition. Usually, unfortunately, this leaves it inadequately treated. In my early years of practice, I saw many fibromyalgia patients, … [Read more...]
Introducing Cortisol, the stress hormone.
“I think stress is affecting my hormones.” And it’s so true. But not in the way many people may think. It’s not just your sex hormones like oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone that are causing reactions in your body but others such as insulin and the hormone we are looking at today, cortisol. Introducing cortisol, the hormone that allows your body to deal with stress … [Read more...]
Episode 15: Ask these questions to begin actively managing your stress.
"Everyone tells me to manage my stress as it's affecting my health. Honestly, I don't know where to start or what managing my stress even means?!" Click here to read the full article, or scroll down to listen to the podcast on your favourite platform! In this Free and Inspired radio episode, Philip deconstructs stress and offers better questions to ask to start … [Read more...]
Everyone tells me to reduce my stress. I don’t even know where to start?
I’ve been making a sincere effort to reduce referring to “stress” when talking with patients. Why? You might think it’s obvious two minutes into a new doom scrolling session on Twitter, but as soon I enter into the discussion with patients, I’ve just started to feel as if it’s a moot point. Here’s often how the conversation goes. “So, talk to me about your … [Read more...]