Alternative therapies, magic mushrooms and pawternity leave

10 Jan 2023

In the world of health and wellness, the year 2023 promises some interesting developments in the sphere of alternative therapies, as well as in the nutrition industry.

Magic mushrooms: the rise and rise of psilocybin

Maverick Life contributor Iza Trengove noted that in 2022, “After more than 30 years, during which very little research [had] been done, there is a worldwide revival to find out more about this fungus that shows the potential to treat various mental conditions.

“These include opioid addiction, Lyme disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, nicotine and alcohol dependency and depression, among many other ailments.”

Read in Daily Maverick:

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-03-07-a-wild-coast-journey/

The use of psilocybin, more commonly referred to as magic mushrooms, has been proven by some studies to reduce depressive symptoms.

“Psilocybin has a rapid, sizeable, and long-term anti-depressive effect for primary (major depression patients) and secondary depressive disorder (depressed cancer patients),” according to the authors of a 2022 study.

A container of Psilocybe mushrooms, left, alongside the final product in pill form at the Numinus Bioscience lab in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada, on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. Image: James MacDonald/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Although the authors note that research is still at “the exploratory phase of this drug”, and as emerging studies propose the controlled use of psychedelics to treat mental illnesses, the call to decriminalise magic mushrooms grows. In fact, the therapeutic use of psilocybin is already geared towards legalisation in Oregon, US, on 1 January 2023, while Alberta in Canada will follow suit by also allowing the regulated, therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs, including psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, mescaline, DMT and ketamine.

Indeed, the drug MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, will be considered by the US Food and Drug Administration next year for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder if the second Phase 3 trial for treatment confirms the findings of the first trial from 2021.

Plant-based diets and food upcycling grow in popularity

A June 2021 study, Transition into Veganism: Drivers of Vegan Diet Consumption, stated that there was, at the time, a “growing demand for organic food” and that “healthier diets are an emerging societal trend”. Dr Lauren Hill, a critical care nutrition consultant at Critical Point, suggests that plant-based diets are expected to become more popular in South Africa as well.

“[Veganism] is generally considered beneficial for reducing cardiovascular and other long-term health risks,” she says, but supervision or diet planning by a dietitian is needed to avoid long-term deficiencies of maintaining a vegan diet.

“Vegans do have higher risks of particular deficiencies (such as vitamin B12 and iron), as well as low calcium and high-quality protein intake,” explains Hill. “In particular vegan diet patterns among infants and growing children, [they] may be depleted of essential nutrients for growth (vitamin A and D and certain key amino acids).”

In addition, and according to projections made by the multinational grocery chain Whole Foods Market, upcycling food will continue to be a consumption trend — “upcycled products prevent food waste by creating new, high-quality products out of surplus food,” explains the Upcycled Food Association’s website.

“Food waste destinations are when food ends up in places like incinerators, as animal feed, in landfills, or in anaerobic digesters. By avoiding these destinations, upcycled food makes better use of the energy expended in growing, transporting and preparing that food.”

While South Africa is still behind on global efforts to upcycle food (and other materials) there may be hope. GiNiT Spices is the first South African company to register with the Upcycled Food Association. The result: what would otherwise have been wasted from the creation of gin (gin botanical products) is used to create a spice blend.

“Upcycling is one way we can work together to prevent wasted food. Once you begin paying attention to what is regarded as waste, it is possible to see new uses and ways to keep food in the food chain, that is often discarded,” says the company.

Earlier dinner, earlier bedtimes, better sleep

Coined as the AARP special trend after the early-dinner specials geared towards retired persons in the US, dinners as early as 5pm and earlier bedtimes are said to be gaining popularity among wider age population groups.

Barry Bridges, a sleep recovery specialist and founder of Successful Sleeper, argues that people are becoming more conscious of their quality of sleep and the influence their diets exert thereover.

“The circadian rhythm is basically your 24-hour body clock process,” he explains.

Our diet affects the circadian rhythm and Bridges explains that eating after 7.30pm will “put pressure on the gut”, causing sleep disruptions. “The key to proper meal timing: eat consistently so your brain and body can build up that circadian rhythm, avoid eating late, and try consume a high-protein breakfast one or two hours after waking up,” says Bridges.

Sound and forest baths

The Japanese practice of forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, is predicted to become even more popular, with forest and nature therapy retreats also on the rise.

“Forest bathing takes the form of a structured, slow walk in the forest. The ideal healing forest has good quality air, minimal man-made noise, diverse microbial life and chemicals excreted by trees that boost our health,” according to Forest Therapy Africa, an organisation that regularly hosts retreats in the indigenous Kilgobbin Forest in KwaZulu-Natal.

A singing bowl. Image: stux / Pixabay

Orlando Vincent Truter, one of the co-founders at Forest Therapy Africa, told Maverick Life in 2021 that: “Shinrin-yoku gives insight into the healing power of nature and very practical ways of exposing oneself to the natural healing that is available for the taking.” In fact, research shows that forest bathing “lowers blood pressure and stress, boosts [the] immune system, counters depression and anxiety and helps restore balance in body and mind”.

Another meditative experience you may want to explore is sound bathing, defined as “a therapeutic sonic practice”. Sound therapy and sound bathing sessions are already available at multiple wellness or yoga studios in South Africa and the alleged benefits range from deep relaxation (especially as one might lie on the floor during the practice), to decreased anxiety.

Animal therapy

In July 2022, Japanese company Fujitsu decided to welcome dogs into one of its offices in Kawasaki, near Tokyo — as many of its employees were reluctant to go back to the office, leaving their pets behind (many newly owned) in a post-pandemic world.

“Animals remind us of a heart connection, and they have this way of helping us to absorb and process stress and anxiety [and] equalising stress in the workplace,” says Anthea Myburgh, an animal communicator and constellation therapy facilitator at Ubuntu Healing.

Rolo (Beagle) cheers Gayle Fritteli (77) in the Oncology unit of Life Wilgers Hospital on November 21, 2022 in Pretoria, South Africa. Four Top therapy dogs visited the Oncology unit to improve patients' state of mind. (Photo by Gallo Images/Beeld/Deaan Vivier) Rolo (Beagle) and Gayle Fritteli (77) in the Oncology unit of Life Wilgers Hospital on November 21, 2022 in Pretoria, South Africa. Four therapy dogs visited the Oncology unit to improve patients' state of mind. Image: Gallo Images / Beeld / Deaan Vivier

Myburgh’s work is focused on connecting and healing humans and animals through an array of mediums: from art and family or relationship workshops, to guided interactions with horses and other animals. Myburgh has noted a hunger to reconnect with nature in a society heavily focused on consumerism.

A 2020 study by Marieanna C le Roux and Simonne Wright from the department of psychology at Stellenbosch University found that the benefits of having a relationship with an animal included “physiological changes, reduced stress, increased physical activity, improvement in mental health and increased social support”.

Non-profit, voluntary organisations such as Pets as Therapy aim to make the most of the relationship between humans and animals by organising for animal owners and their pets to visit public places such as hospices, retirement homes, frail care facilities, special needs schools and residential centres.

Back to bringing your pet to the office: it is still uncertain whether animals will be allowed in the office for therapeutic purposes, but conversations about whether employees can take time off from work to be with their pets have been held.

“Many US and UK companies offer pawternity [or] furternity leave for their staff to look after new, sick, and mourn departed pets,” according to Dotsure, an online pet insurance company. “As the trend grows, we hope SA employers will start throwing SA pawrents a bone by offering extended employment perks for pet owners.” DM/ML

Jean-Marie Uys is an intern at Daily Maverick.

An earlier version of this article stated that fungi were plants; a correction was made on 12 January 2023.

This story first appeared in our weekly DM168 newspaper which is available for R25 at Pick n Pay, Woolworths, SPAR and Exclusive Books. For your nearest stockist, please click here.

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Plant-based diets and food upcycling grow in popularity

Earlier dinner, earlier bedtimes, better sleep

Sound and forest baths

Animal therapy