By Kirby Edwards

Why would a baby need to see an osteopath?

Osteopathy for babies is a gentle non-invasive hands-on approach to treatment. Babies (and Mums) may retain tension in their tissues (muscles, fascia, vessels, bones) from the birth and other experiences. This may be quite uncomfortable. Osteopathy looks at structure, function and movement of the tissues. By looking at those complex relationships through the body, including the bones of the head, pelvis, limbs and torso, Osteopaths can aim to optimise the body’s own self-healing and self-regulating mechanisms. 

Before we begin hands-on therapy, we will talk to the parents about the pregnancy, birth, medical history of the baby and family, feeding and digestion, sleep patterns and movements of the baby to gain as much information as we can as well as answer any questions you have. Osteopaths will assess how the body is generally moving, respiration, cranial bones of the skull and possibly check inside the baby’s mouth to check out the tongue.

By Kirby Edwards
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What would a child need to see an osteopath?
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Children are very resilient and often bounce back from injuries quite well. However, sometimes problems earlier in life can lead to discomfort later on. This may include postural issues, movement, breathing, overall development and re-occurring infections. We aim to release any tension or strains in the tissues to prevent any compensatory changes throughout their prime growing time.

By Angus Nicol

Slouchy slouch - How are you sitting?
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Ever heard of the saying “sitting is the new smoking?” As the health conscious reader I know you are (since you’re reading this blog), I’m almost sure you have. And it’s true, prolonged periods of “sedentary” behaviour (physical inactivity) over long periods can have detrimental effects on both your physical and mental health. This is worrying, since an estimated 81% of Australians work in occupations that require some sitting, with over half of Australians reporting that they sit for work “all the time” or “often”.

​Today I’m not here to lecture you about all the health consequences of sitting (that may have to wait for another time), but rather to give you some hints and tips about proper desk posture and ergonomics - so that when you are sitting, at least you’re doing it in the healthiest possible way! I feel this is becoming increasingly important given that there are more people than ever working from home in less than ideal workspaces (whether that be in bed/on the couch, at the kitchen table etc).

I’m sure you would all recognise the classic “desk posture”. Generally what you will see is four basic characteristics in the upper body:

1. The shoulders slouch forwards
2. The upper back becomes more rounded/hunched
3. The base of the neck thrusts forwards
4. Your head tilts back so you can continue looking forwards

How does Endometriosis affect Fertility?

The link between fertility and endometriosis is unfortunately unclear, however the stage of the condition and location do play a major role on possible fertility issues. Examples of this are if extensive scarring within the pelvis could result in pain during intercourse, lowering a women’s enjoyment and or dreading the act of intercourse as a whole. Another example would be the Fallopian tubes could become tangled in the scar tissue limiting it’s ability to safely transfer the egg from the ovary to the womb. These are two of many possible outcomes that endometriosis can effect a women’s fertility. Thankfully, many women with this condition can still become pregnant as an estimated 70% of women with mild to moderate endometriosis get pregnant without the use of external treatment.

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By Jamuna Edwards
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“Sleep is your superpower; it is your life-support system and mother nature’s best effort at immortality. Wonderfully good things can happen when you get sleep, and alarmingly bad things when you don’t, for both your brain and body” (Professor Matthew Walker). 
 

The average person will spend approximately one-third of their life asleep, yet it is
something not many of us fully understand or appreciate. In this blog, I will cover some of
the basics of sleep and give some advice on how you can make it your superpower!

Why is sleep so important? 
​
An immense cascade of health benefits occur when we sleep. It is often thought that the
brain “shuts off”, this could not be more wrong. In fact, your brain is up to 30% more active
in certain stages of your sleep cycle. During the day our bodies go through many processes
that cause a build-up of waste products and it is during the night, when we are in our deep
sleep stages, that these wastes get cleaned away. Sleep is also when we strengthen our
immune system by producing antibodies to fight illness, when we undergo tissue repair and
growth, and when our minds process our experience of waking life and consolidate all of
this into memories.

What are the stages of your sleep cycle?

We have four stages of sleep, the first three are NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) and the
last stage is REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. These stages of sleep alternate throughout
the night in a cyclical fashion and different stages affect your brain and body differently! 

Stage 1: This is the transition from being awake to falling asleep, usually lasting 5-10
minutes. 

Stage 2: This is light sleep, lasting from between 10-25 minutes. During this stage your heart
rate and breathing slows, your muscles relax, eye movements stop, your body temperature
drops and brain waves become much slower. Your body is getting ready for deep sleep!

Stage 3: Deep sleep, lasting from between 20-40 minutes. This stage is incredibly important
for your overall body health, during this stage your body performs maintenance and repair
all the way down to a cellular level. Tissues are repaired and regrown, bone and muscle are
built, and the immune system is strengthened. 
This deep sleep is needed for you to feel refreshed and well-rested the next day. 

Stage 4: Your first REM cycle will occur approximately 90 minutes after you first fall asleep.
As the night progresses each REM period will typically get longer, ranging from anywhere
between 10 minutes to an hour. During REM sleep, your heart and breath rate increase,
your muscles become paralysed (thought to prevent us from acting out our dreams in real
life) and brain activity resembles similar levels as when you’re awake. Sometimes the
brainwave activity may be even higher, and this is when we have intense and vivid dreams. 
REM sleep is important because it stimulates areas in your brain that are essential for
learning, processing and consolidating your day’s experiences and thoughts to create short-
and long-term memories. 

So, we can see that Stage 3 NREM deep sleep is essential to have a healthy functioning
body, just as Stage 4 REM sleep is to have a healthy functioning brain! 
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So that covers the stages of sleep, but what makes us sleepy and what wakes us up?

What happens when we don’t get enough sleep? 

Sleep is when we restore and repair, how we recover from illness, deal with stressors, consolidate memories and solve problems. 

While the short-term effects of not having enough sleep is something we have all likely experienced and are very aware of; it is the long-term consequences of sleep deprivation that can wreak havoc on our bodies and brains. A persistent lack of sleep leads to poorer physical and mental health and increases your risk of many health issues including:

 Cardiovascular disease during deep NREM sleep your heart rate slows, blood pressure drops and breathing rate stabilizes. This reduces the stress on the heart and allows it to recover from the stress placed upon it during waking hours. If you are not getting this restorative sleep your risk of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke increases. 

Diabetes sleep deprivation leads to increased levels of cortisol (stress hormone) which results in higher blood sugar levels. In an attempt to balance this out your pancreas will produce more insulin; however, it is not as effective in the presence of cortisol and over time the pancreas cannot keep up with the work of keeping your blood sugar levels normal leading to an increased risk of diabetes.

Weight gain and obesity Sleep helps regulate the hunger hormones and not getting enough sleep puts you at a higher risk of overeating and craving higher-calorie dense foods.

Hormonal issues Sleep and the circadian rhythms play an important role in regulating many hormones including: 

• Cortisol (stress hormone) is a very important hormone in Influencing your sleep-wake cycle and helps you get out of bed in the morning. 
• Melatonin helps to promote sleep.
• Growth hormone supports muscle and bone development and metabolism.
• Leptin and ghrelin (hunger hormones) which help to control appetite and cravings. 

 
Impaired immune response sleep provides essential support to our immune system. Sleep deprivation has been shown to lead to poorer immune function, including an increased risk of infection in people who sleep less than 6-7 hours. You will also be more likely to catch the common cold or flu. 

Pain there is a strong relationship between sleep and pain. New evidence shows that the effect of sleep on pain might be even stronger than the effect of pain on sleep. 
Sleep and pain have a bidirectional relationship, if you are sleep deprived you are at a higher risk of developing pain or that your pain is worsening, while your pain can cause disrupted sleep creating a worsening cycle of sleep and pain. 

Mental health disorders research has found that brain activity during sleep has a profound effect on our mental and emotional wellbeing.
It used to be thought that poor sleep was a symptom of mental health disorders but now the evidence is saying it is mental health disorders that can be a symptom of poor sleep. 
Both sleep and mental health are very complex issues affected by a multitude of factors, 
But, considering how closely intertwined the two are, there is reason to believe that getting adequate amounts of sleep can have a very positive effect on your mental health.

So now we know how vital sleep is for our overall health, how can we improve it? 

Prioritize your sleep and have a consistent sleep schedule! We spend so much time planning our waking life, take the time to plan your sleep. 
 
Find a night-time routine that works for you 
 

• Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Going to bed late one night and early the next throws your circadian rhythm off balance.
• Dim your lights 1-2 hours before bed, bright lighting can interfere with the production of melatonin. 
• Limit screen time in the evening. The content on our devices is often very stimulating which can lead to cortisol (stress hormone) being released and the blue light from your screens may also decrease melatonin production, the combination of these two could lead to a very poor nights sleep. Set clear boundaries around your devices, such as no screens for 2-3 hours before bed. 
• ·Have a hot shower or bath, this is both relaxing and helps to drop your core body temperature and fall asleep faster.
• Allow time for winding down, allocate 30 minutes before bed to do something that relaxes you, such as listening to calming music, reading a book, doing some gentle stretching or yoga or mindfulness and relaxation techniques. Part of my bedtime routine includes having a chamomile tea and using a few drops of lavender essential oil that is very soothing and calming. 
• Try different methods of relaxation or mindfulness. Instead of making falling asleep your goal, focus on relaxation. Meditation, mindfulness, breathing techniques, and other techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation can put you in the right mindset for sleep. 
• There are also many supplements that can aid in getting to sleep and sleep quality. However, there are so many things you can try before supplementation so I won’t go into them in this blog. 
• Keep bed for sleeping and intimacy only. You want to associate your bed with sleep, not wakefulness. So, no eating, watching screens or any other activities in bed. 
• Don’t try to force it, stop trying to sleep when you are not sleepy. After 20 minutes if you haven’t gotten to sleep, get up and stretch, read, or do something else calming in low light before trying to fall asleep again.
• And lastly, make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary, keep it cool, dark, quiet and comfortable! 

 
Your daytime activities also affect your sleep quality so here are some more tips on what to do, or what not do for a better night’s sleep 
 

•  Get enough natural light exposure, especially morning sunlight as it is one of the key drivers of circadian rhythms that will encourage good quality sleep.
• Avoid long naps during the day, they can be a handy way to regain energy during the day, but they can throw off sleep at night. To avoid this, try to keep naps to a maximum of 30 minutes and limited to the early afternoon only. 
• Exercise daily, but not before bed. Physical activity has been shown to improve sleep quality and can reduce the symptoms of insomnia. However, high-intensity exercise later in the evening may be stimulating and make falling asleep harder. 
• Alcohol before bed may seem to help you relax or make it easier to fall asleep, but it actually leads to much poorer sleep quality. It reduces your amount of REM sleep (the sleep that is needed for optimal restoration). Heavy alcohol consumption can also impair your breathing at night which leads to frequent waking, even if you don’t remember doing so in the morning. 
• Avoid caffeine after midday, it is a stimulant and blocks the signal from adenosine (a crucial sleep chemical produced in your brain). 
• Quit smoking. Nicotine has been shown to stimulate the body in ways that also disrupt your sleep. 
• Eat dinner early. However, it is important not to go to bed hungry either. Try to eat a reasonable portion at a reasonable time with ingredients that won’t cause indigestion and negatively affect your sleep. 

 
What works for one person won’t necessarily work for another, so it’s worth trying out some different adjustments to find what helps you sleep best. You don’t have to change everything at once, even small changes can make a difference in improving your sleep. 
 
It is important to note that changing your sleep habits won’t always resolve sleeping problems and if you suspect you have a sleep disorder then you should consult with your GP to identify the underlying cause and how best to address it. 
 
If you want more help figuring out what would work for you any of the team here at HMC can help with lifestyle advice tailored to you and osteopathy can also help by calming the nervous system, decreasing tension in your body and helping to alleviate aches or pains that may be contributing to disrupting your sleep. 

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By Ramona Packham
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Pregnancy demonstrates the body’s incredible ability to adapt to change, nurture growth and produce life. As a baby grows, the mother’s body changes to create more space. Organs get squashed, the diaphragm moves up, the rib cage widens, the muscles of the back work overtime to compensate for the muscles at the front being stretched, the curves in the spine increase, and the pelvic floor takes on an increasing amount of downwards pressure. Given all these wonderful changes, it is not surprising that some pregnant and post-partum women experience conditions that can cause discomfort, pain, stress, and anxiety. Incontinence, separation of the abdominal muscles, and scarring are three of these conditions, and there are strategies available to assist in recovery. ​

Exercise during pregnancy
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Physical and mental health are key to a positive pregnancy and post-partum experience. Participating in regular, moderate intensity exercise is recommended during all stages of pregnancy for reasons which include: 

• Maintaining overall health and fitness during pregnancy
• Strengthening key muscle groups in preparation for birth 
• Preparing your body for an optimal recovery following delivery 
• Mental health

The goal of exercise during pregnancy is to feel comfortable throughout the activity, and not to push your body’s boundaries. Remember, your heart is already working harder than usual.

By Kirby Edwards
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Hi HMC team!

Recently I have been having a few discussions about anxiety and stress.
So, I thought I would share some of my tools that I have in my tool kit. Please note, I am not a psychologist, doctor, counsellor, or psychiatrist. This is my ever-growing tool kit (and am open to more suggestions, the more tools the better!)
​
If you feel like you need a little extra help, there are resources available including counsellors, psychologist, psychiatrists, lifeline, beyond blue and your GP. Your GP is the best avenue to pursue counsellors, psychologists and psychiatrists. And Lifeline and Beyond Blue are fully staffed with 24-hour hotlines

So what is Anxiety..?
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Anxiety is our body’s way to alert us to danger. Short term it is a good thing because the body releases hormones that stimulate our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and helps us to react to fearful or stressful situations quickly. Short term this is amazing! Long term, it is not ideal. Anxiety is a unique experience and can feel different for everyone. Some people may not have ever experienced it and some people may experience it but not know what it is. Be kind, you never know what someone is going through on the inside.  

While there are different types of anxiety and it is very individual, beyond blue talks about some common signs and symptoms including:

• “Physical: panic attacks, hot and cold flushes, racing heart, tightening of the chest, quick breathing, restlessness, or feeling tense, wound up and edgy
• Psychological: excessive fear, worry, catastrophizing, or obsessive thinking
• Behavioural: avoidance of situations that make you feel anxious which can impact on study, work or social life”

Counting
Sometimes counting can be helpful. Counting to 10 while taking some deep breathes can sometimes be a quick change from reactive to responsive. ​

How can osteopathy help?

The mind-body connection is undeniable. Even for people who don’t experience anxiety, even just listen to your body when you are nervous about something or excited? Butterflies? Sweaty palms? Increase in heart rate? That’s your body responding to your mind.  
​
Some of the principles of osteopathy include:

1. The body is a unit; the person is a unit of body, mind, and spirit.
2. The body is capable of self-regulation, self-healing, and health maintenance.
3. Structure and function are reciprocally interrelated.
4. Rational treatment is based upon an understanding of the basic principles of body unity, self-regulation, and the interrelationship of structure and function.

As you can see, we want to look at the whole body and will often send you away with homework as the work doesn’t stop when we are done on the table. 

With regards to anxiety, Osteopathy can help with working on:

• Tension headaches or jaw - Stretching connective tissue including tight muscles and fascia (especially those shoulders you wear as earrings ;),
• Optimising your breathing mechanics (around your diaphragm and ribs),
• Digestive problems – if that ‘rest and digest’/parasympathetic nervous system is not at play, then the digestion can sometimes be different presenting as constipation or diaherra, a loss of appetite, nausea or cramps and bloating. 
• Posture – sometimes anxiety can lead to lack of self-confidence and it may manifest in your posture. Hunched forward etc. In this predominately forward flexion world (work, driving, couch, phones etc) we do not need any other additions to make are hunch over. This posture may result in sore neck, back, shoulders, headaches just to name a few.
• Ultimately, we will work to optimise your structure and function so that your body can do what it knows how to do best. Keep you going! We can work with you and your nervous system with a variety of techniques for the vagus nerve which is a key player in our parasympathetic nervous system.

By Angus Nichol
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​Over the past couple of years, it has been impossible to escape the all-encompassing
pandemic we’re currently living through. There has been a lot of emphasis placed in the
media about the importance of vaccination to protect us against coronavirus, but there has
been limited information given about how we can support our body’s immune system to give
us the best chance of fighting it off… well, any type of infection. This may be particularly
important as restrictions start easing and the promise of national and international travel (for
people and the viruses they carry) becomes more realistic.

​​The lymphatic system can be thought of as the body’s “sewerage system”, and it plays an important role in enhancing and facilitating the function of the immune system, as well as other important roles in maintaining fluid balance and aiding the absorption of dietary fats for metabolism and storage. However, this blog will focus on the lymphatics system role in immunity, how osteopaths and other health professionals can support your lymphatic and immune health, and other ways that you can keep your lymphatic (and immune) system strong enough to fight off whatever potential invaders life throws at us!

​ The lymphatic system is a division of the body’s circulatory system that is separate, but also closely related to the vascular system. It consists of a network of lymphatic vessels and nodes, as well as various organs that have specialised functions. The lymphatic system helps protect the body against infection by producing white blood cells called lymphocytes, which help the body fight off disease-causing microorganisms. The organs and tissues of the lymphatic system serve as major sites of production, differentiation, and proliferation of two types of lymphocytes—the T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes (aka T and B cells). Although lymphocytes are distributed throughout the body, it is within the lymphatic system that they are most likely to encounter foreign microorganisms. Here are some of the major components:

​Bone marrow - The bone
marrow it’s the soft, squishy
substance inside the hard outer
casing of the bone. All
lymphocytes derive from stem
cells in the bone marrow. Stem
cells destined to become B lymphocytes
remain in the bone marrow as they mature,
while prospective T cells
migrate to the thymus to undergo
further growth.

Thymus - Your thymus sits in the upper part of your chest ,just behind your sternum and in front of the heart. This is where T lymphocytes (T cells) proliferate, differentiate and mature.

Spleen - The spleen sits behind your lower ribs on the left side. One of it’s main functions is that it acts as an interface between the vascular and lymphatic system, bringing blood into contact with lymphocytes. Both blood and lymph (lymphatic fluid) contain specialised cells that aim to identify, destroy and remove disease-causing microorganisms.

   Tonsils - Humans have three sets of tonsils. The tonsils at the back of our
   throat that we think of are known as palatine tonsils, however we also have adenoids and
lingual tonsils. These act as security guards to ward off any nasty foreign intruders trying to
enter the body through the mouth and nose. They also contain B and T cells used to fight
infection.

​Lymph nodes - The lymph nodes, or lymph glands, are small, encapsulated bean-shaped structures composed of lymphatic tissue. Thousands of lymph nodes are found throughout the body along the lymphatic routes, and they are especially prevalent in areas around the armpits (axillary nodes), groin (inguinal nodes), neck (cervical nodes), and knees (popliteal nodes).

Lymphatic vessels - The lymphatic vessels connect all the lymphatic organs to form the
plumbing or sewerage network in your body. They transport fluid away from tissues and are similar to blood vessels, but they don't carry blood. The fluid transported by lymphatic vessels is called lymph. Lymph is a clear fluid that comes from blood plasma that exits blood vessels at capillary beds.This fluid becomes the interstitial fluid that surrounds cells. Lymph vessels collect and filter this fluid before directing it toward blood vessels near the heart. It is here that lymph re-enters blood circulation. Lymphatic vessels from various regions of the body merge to form larger vessels called lymphatic trunks. The major lymphatic trunks are the jugular, subclavian, bronchomediastinal, lumbar, and intestinal trunks. Each trunk is named for the region in which they drain lymph. Lymphatic trunks merge to form two larger lymphatic ducts.

How can your Osteopath help?

So, now we know what the lymphatic system is and how it works… but how can your local
osteopath treat the lymphatic system, and aid your immune system? I’m glad you asked.
Two of the main principles of osteopathy is that structure governs function, and that the body
works as a unit. Lymphatic vessels may be squished by overlying musculoskeletal structures
such as tight muscles and fascia (connective tissue), much like standing on or running over
a garden hose. Furthermore, stiff joints may may cause kinks in these internal hoses and
reduce our mobility, thus restricting the flow of lymph through our sewerage system.

Osteopaths can assess where there might be be lymphatic blockages present. We can then
use a variety of soft tissue/massage, joint articulation and other movement based techniques
to relieve the pressure on lymphatic vessels and clear the blockages in our plumbing system. This will encourage the free flow of lymphatic fluid, thus increasing the circulation of all those
disease-fighting cells around the body. Furthermore, osteopaths may also manipulate the
connective tissues surrounding organs (for example, the spleen or tonsils) to encourage
optimal function of these organs.

Pretty cool, huh?

But guess what… there’s plenty of other health professionals who can help
in treating the lymphatic and immune systems. GPs are the gatekeepers of serious disease,
and they may prescribe you with medications or send you off to a specialist specific to your
immune condition. Naturopaths, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Acupuncture and
Kinesiologists can be invaluable alternative therapies that may help you to assess
vitamin/nutrient deficiencies and prescribe natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals and/or
supplements to help boost your immune system for prevention and treatment of immune
conditions.

Even though there are plenty of professionals out there who can help, in the end it’s YOUR
body and YOUR immune system… and guess what, there are some simple and effective
ways to optimise your own immune and lymphatic health. Vaccination isn’t the only way to
fight disease.

​Let's start with the simple things that you may already be practicing in your everyday routine...  

• Eating a healthy and well-balanced diet
• Trying to drink 2-3L of water per day,
• Ensuring you get at least 7-8h good quality sleep
• Trying to do 30-60 minutes of exercise per day
• Exposing your arms and legs to 15-20 mins of sunshine per day
• Being creative 
• Staying connected with nature and other people are all ways to help support your natural

        immunity.

This seems like a lot, but each thing you do has an additive effect in enhancing
your immune system health and overall wellbeing. So, start with something small and try to
make it a habit, and then add more good habits over time!

​Do you want to know a few more specific ways to promote your lymphatic function…? I got you!
Swimming, yoga, dancing and trampoline all use gentle (and sometimes less gentle) full body movements that can help release tension in your muscles and fascia,
improve joint mobility and encourage lymphatic flow through your body. Furthermore, regular
breathwork (see my previous breathwork blog for beginners) can help the body’s primary
pump (well… maybe after the heart) to get you up and moving.

Furthermore, there are a wide variety of supplements that are available to help support the
immune system. You should always speak to your doctor or health professional before
starting on supplements as they may interact with certain medications, can be toxic to the
body in large quantities and/or may not be suitable for you for various reasons. Here, I will
focus on three supplements which may help support the body’s immune response to
coronavirus.

Vitamin C - An antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has anti-inflammatory properties,
helps strengthen blood vessels and influences cellular immunity that may help to protect
against infection. Good dietary sources of Vit C include broccoli, capsicum, potatoes,
tomatoes, citrus fruits and many more!

Vitamin D - Vitamin D has been theorised to be a protective against coronavirus. One study
found that regular Vit D supplementation was associated with 34% less chance of COVID-19
infection. Sun exposure helps your body to naturally create Vitamin D, so spend a bit of time
(but not too much) soaking up some rays.

Zinc - Zinc may help prevent COVID-19 from entering the body through three complex
mechanisms; it may also directly prevent the ability of the virus to replicate; and also helps to
balance out the immune system’s reaction to coronavirus.

So, whether you’re trying to avoid COVID-19 infection, trying to prevent side-effects after
vaccination or boosters, or just want to support you general well-being… visit your local
osteopath or other healthcare practitioner and ask how they can help you to support your
own immune and lymphatic systems! Stay healthy and stay happy!