Ep 25 - Alleviate Stress: A Meditation

To say that stress ‘just isn’t good for us’ is a vast understatement.Chronic stress can lead to brain changes which can contribute to anxiety, depression and addiction.It can contribute to high blood pressure and raise the risks of heart attacks and strokes.It can contribute to weight gain and can even contribute to causing brittle bones!So before you drive yourself nuts and add more stress to your life by trying to have the best diet or lifting heavy weights, we must also address our stress levels. Because if we don’t it’s all a pretty counterproductive plan that doesn’t really serve us well.When I first said I’m going to add meditations to my The Menopause And Cancer Podcast, my team kind of don’t quite know what I was banging in about.But it’s this:No menopause medication or complementary therapy or physical activity will be as beneficial as it can be when our stress levels are through the roof.And we know meditation is proven to help. There’s no doubt!And the really really cool thing is this:Everyone can do it.It’s free.No, you don’t need to have a blank mind.Nope, you don’t need to sit cross-legged and burn incense!All you need to do is press play.Enjoy   Here’s the LINK to Dr Annice Mukherjee’s book The Complete Guide to the Menopause: Your Toolkit to Take Control and Achieve Life-Long Health Here’s the LINK to the Study by the Cleveland Clicic I mention on the show.DISCLAIMER: The meditation practices on this podcast are not a replacement for or a form of therapy, nor are they intended to cure, treat, or diagnose medical conditions. Always make sure to listen to meditations in an environment that is safe. Do not listen to recordings while driving a car or operating any kind of machinery. Also, do not listen to hypnosis recordings when drinking alcohol or taking drugs.Here are the highlights:(00:37) Introduction(07:31) Meditation About Dani:The Menopause and Cancer Podcast is hosted by Dani Binnington, menopause guide, patients advocate for people in menopause after a cancer diagnosis, and founder of the online platform Healthy Whole Me. There is lots of information out there about the menopause but hardly any if you have had a cancer diagnosis as well. Many people say to me they have no idea what their options are, who to ask for help, and that they feel really isolated in their experiences. I started this podcast because there was nothing out there when I was thrown into surgical menopause at the age of 39, which followed on from my cancer diagnosis aged 33.Through the episodes, I want to create more awareness, share information from our fabulous guest experts, doctors and other specialists in the cancer and menopause field. And of course, I will share stories from the people in our community.So that together we can work towards a better menopause experience. For all of us.More educated, better informed and less alone.Connect with Dani:Instagram @healthywholeme  Facebook: @healthywholeme  Join Dani’s private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathubFor oodles of inspiration, healthy recipes, yoga classes and all round positivity go to her website: https://www.healthywholeme.com/Mentioned in this episode:Substack: https://danibinnington.substack.com/