stress

Listen to Your Body

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If you have ever experienced mysterious body aches and pains, your body may be trying to tell you something. Are you listening?

Original Post: Fall 2017

I’ve encountered a few instances where my body was trying to talk to me. But I didn't listen. I kept going. I kept going because I wanted to and because I needed to in order to make life happen. Upbringing. Circumstances. Conditioning. Bills. We all have ‘em, yes?

The left side of my body, controlled by the right brain, first surprisingly screeched at me in 2011. An initially severe scenario, it has ebbed and flowed over time. With immense care, I am still working through the final stages of transmuting it today. Awareness, understanding, and practicing the rituals that allow shift to occur are a part of everyday life. 

My Rolfing Structural Integration practitioner was first to alert me that my experience was rooted in the psoas. From this place near the center of the body, the pain moved throughout my entire left. Beginning where the psoas is attached near the lower ribs, down into the lower belly, hip flexor, low back, and extending down into my left foot. It also flared up into my left back, shoulder, and neck. Extensive to the point of waking up every morning curled up in fetal position with no desire to move.

I would pry myself open, hot tub/hot shower to better unfurl, and drag myself to yoga. Even though the yoga practice was uncomfortable, it opened my body up further to better get through the workday.

To this mysterious issue, I lost some prime time. No doctor nor practitioner could pinpoint what was going on.

With a hint from a friend at my yoga studio, I narrowed a lot down to adrenal fatigue. Later my M.D. / Functional Medicine Doctor determined I was correct.

To reconcile, I scaled my entire life back. I left the wine business I had begrudgingly gone back to after the Recession of 2008 in favor of more supportive and positive environments. Not the best time for a career change, but part of the root of this issue was being forced back into work that no longer inspired me. I also had to step far outside of the realm of Western medicine to skyrocket the healing process. Another story.

In this particular instance, my face broke out in an incessant rash. I had been soaking up sunshine trail running in Marin County, California during a big year for poison oak growth. I had never before contracted poison ivy or poison oak despite growing up around it. But it was in abundance that year according to the locals. So when I felt the tingle on my chest and two nurse friends labeled it poison oak, I grabbed all of the recommended remedies. 

When I realized it had subsided but wasn't fully leaving me, a doctor friend said it could be any number of ailments that often go undiagnosed.

It began on my chest spreading up my neck, face, and forehead, up to my hairline. Blistery. Itchy. Hot.

It went on for weeks, then months. According to doctors, it was no longer poison oak after a few weeks in the system, even if that was what had originally inspired it.

I traveled north to Oregon where the temperature shot up to over 100 degrees adding to the irritation. I took to icing it constantly seeking relief.

By month five, I had seen three different doctors who all put me on different medications without a true diagnosis. None of their guesses at remedies healed the issue. One of the medications was an intense steroid that, just like the doc warned, made me feel crazy.

The dermatologist I consulted once back home said, 

“Well, we think this is related to rosacea, and in this mountain town we see this a lot, most often in women your age.”

But he didn’t seem too concerned about why it is so common. Nor why he saw it primarily in women my age.

Turns out, this common skin agitation is directly related to stress. Thankfully, by the time I saw him, I had already been on the self-healing path for weeks.

My conclusion finally came when I became honest with myself about the fact that my nervous system was triggered like crazy from past events. Trauma. Old trauma reactivated by a situation that I knew, logically, could not be reoccurring, but my body was trying to tell me otherwise. The good old “fight or flight” response reactivated because our bodies naturally want to protect us from harm.

On the surface, I was having the best time of my life. But underneath it all, I was severely stressed, worried, and unsure. Once back home, I took to my yoga mat. I took to meditation. I cleaned up my diet to be sure nothing there was the cause. I took to copious amounts of self-care. 

I put a microscope on what was going on. I rested. 

I spent time laying horizontal and breathing deeply into the base of my belly every day resetting the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing my system to realign.

This was very similar to the processes I employed to rectify my fatigued adrenal glands.

Simple. No pranayama. No fancy breathing practice (derived from pranayama) touted by who’s who. Don’t get me wrong, I back many of these breathing techniques 100%. And initially used the 4-7-8 breath offered by Dr. Andrew Weil to begin this healing process. But eventually, I employed deep breathing all the way to the base of the belly expanding in all directions, slow and sure, for as long as I could make time for, every morning and every night.

Simple. Simple. Simple.

This placing attention on the issue, placing more attention on the breath, clean nutrition, hydration, and self-care, is what it took to resolve the rash.

This, unlike the expensive medications, did not cost a dime.

During stressful times since, I’ve felt a definitive twitch under the skin. And listened.

Every time, using the same simple technique, the tingle has disappeared instead of rearing its ugly head.

When we have not fully resolved past trauma and past stressors, the body holds on to them.

I promise, whatever is going on, no matter how much kale you eat and no matter how much you exercise, any issue we have rooted in the emotional realm might just eventually manifest in the body. It may also manifest in our relationships, our current habits that we cannot kick, our work, and our financial realms. Everything is connected. 

The amount of unidentified "dis-ease" out there is rising exponentially. But it is exactly that. Dis-Ease. And so much of it is derived from stress.

My prescription is to clean up the basics, breathe, relax, reset, find gratitude in the smallest of life's pleasures.

Ultimately, this is a call to move from leading with the head to leading with the heart.

Listen to your body, friends.

The body does not lie.

If this hits home, message me today.

Interested in similar stories?

The documentary, HEAL is a great place to start.

We all have beautiful lives awaiting us. Truly our birthright.

Feeling the Pressure?

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To work longer and harder?
To be all things to all people?
To meet all expectations?
To be perfectly flexible? Adaptable? Accommodating?

Stop.

The world is racing at an alarming rate. It is not possible to be all things, to all people, all the time. We place far too much pressure on ourselves, which can leave us feeling more like failures than the loving, compassionate, and supportive people we are.

5 Daily Steps to Keep Your Cool Under Pressure

Slow down.
Hydrate
Breathe deep.
Move your body.
Work smart

  • Slow Down. Slowing allows us to focus. In turn, we often speed up by moving much more efficiently through the task at hand.

  • Hydrate. Most Americans are dehydrated most of the time. Consuming enough quality water (no plastic containers please) wards off hunger and a host of other issues. 

  • Breathe Deep. Breathing deeply into the base of the belly allows for our nervous systems to rest, repair, and reset. Take five minutes today to just breathe.

  • Move Your Body. Exercise. Walk to work. Stand up and move away from your desk every 90 minutes and stretch. Dance. The benefits are beyond measure.

  • Work Smart. It only takes a few tools and techniques to focus, power down, and complete more work in less time. Ask me.

From this more neutralized state, we create more space for the pleasures of life. And suddenly the pressure is off.

We find fortune and gratitude in the opportunities to:

Create Every Day
Commune with Nature
Gather with Family, Friends and Furry Companions
Celebrate

Go-To Feel-Good Superfoods

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Feel good with food?

YES!

Turns out this list of feel-good superfoods from 2015 still rings true today. Once again, we can always count on plants as feel-good superfoods.

Since stress is the ultimate cause of dis-ease attributing to anxiety and depression, plus manifesting as countless physical ailments, here is a super list of superfoods to de-stress.

Plants, plus other gifts of the earth, not only appear in the Top 3, but also show up down the line in the form of teas, mushrooms, and other adaptogenic herbs.

1. Leafy Greens. Plant foods like Swiss chard and spinach are rich in magnesium, the natural “chill pill” which helps regulate the brain-adrenal gland axis.

2. Avocado. Super fruit. Great for brain health and anxiety. Contain potassium which lowers blood pressure. B Vitamins and monounsaturated fats needed for neurotransmitter and brain health.

3. Asparagus. Sulfur-rich. Contains the special B vitamin, folic acid. Low levels of folic acid, linked to neurotransmitter impairment, can lead to anxiety. Plus potassium which lowers blood pressure.

4. Foods with Tryptophan. Turkey and other poultry. Veggie options include pumpkin, potato, walnuts, cauliflower, cucumber, mushrooms, leafy greens and tomatoes. Tryptophan, one of the nine essential amino acids, is what makes us sleepy after Thanksgiving Dinner. Precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin, which helps you to feel calm. Tryptophan in the form of meat shows support of reduced anxiety disorders. Go eco as much as possible: organic; free range, grass and vegetarian fed, no GMOs, only the good stuff for your body and brain and loved ones.

5. Fatty Meat. Inflammation is one consideration when it comes to brain health and anxiety. Omega-3 fats have been shown to decrease anxiety. Omega-rich foods like wild salmon, sardines, grass-fed beef, and venison can help decrease inflammation and help cortisol and adrenaline from spiking. Go eco as much as possible: organic; free range, grass and vegetarian fed, no GMOs, only the good stuff for your body and brain and loved ones.

6. Raw Cacao. The healing benefits of cacao are miraculous. It can improve your memory, reduce heart disease, shed fat, boost immunity and create loads of energy.

Contains four times the antioxidant content of regular processed dark chocolate, 20 times more than blueberries and 119 times more than bananas. This makes it effective in fighting free radicals which cause cancer, helping to boost immunity and preventing disease at large.

Raw cacao also has the mood booster, anandamide or the "bliss molecule," helping create feelings of utopia. Additionally, phenethylamine, which triggers the release of endorphins and other pleasure chemicals making it an aphrodisiac. Its chemicals also help balance mood swings, making it supportive of hormone imbalance from PMS. What’s not to love?

7. Chamomile Tea. Sip on this natural anti-anxiety medicine for its natural calming effect. This soothing, mild tea was shown to significantly decrease anxiety symptoms in just a few weeks! Recommended: organic and sustainable offerings.

8. Rooibos Tea. Rooibos, or African red bush tea, is a delicious way to bring a natural calm to your day. Researchers are looking into its effect on cortisol as it seems to have a balancing effect on this main stress hormone. Recommended: organic and sustainable offerings.

9. Full-Fat Kefir. In functional medicine, the gut is considered the "second brain" because it's home to 95% of your "feel good" hormone, serotonin. With more than 100 million neurons, your gut's health is essential to manage anxiety.

Bacterial imbalances in your gut can alter brain chemistry, and kefir, an ancient fermented dairy drink, might just be the most powerful probiotic ever. It also has fat soluble vitamins A, D and K2, all important for brain health. There are plenty of other options in the way of probiotics. Session It

10. Adaptogenic Herbs. The term adaptogen refers to plant-based compounds that promote ‘balance” within a biochemical pathway. Adrenal adaptogens, as a de-stress example, are commonly used to support both underactive as well as overactive adrenal gland activity. Think of adaptogens as balancing your system in the same way the thermostat balances the temperature in your home. They are both gentle and powerfully effective. Best way to employ them is to consult our functional medicine doctor to be sure you are consuming exactly what your body and brain need. No two human biocomputers are alike and what works for a pro athlete may not work for you. Contact us today.

11. Mushrooms. Healing mushrooms are one of the most natural and accessible types of medicine on the planet. The reason they are so effective when taken for medicinal purposes is because humans share 30-50% of the DNA found in mushrooms. They are an excellent source of Vitamin D which in deficiency is linked to much dis-ease from heart disease to depression. Test drive the following:
     Lion’s Mane – a prized neuro-regenerative supplement. Aids brain fog while boosting cognitive function. Calming.
     Cordyceps – increase stamina, endurance, and act as a gentle stimulant, increasing energy, reducing fatigue.
     Reishi – numerous benefits, but reishi fight mood disorders. Natural anxiety remedy. Help heal adrenal fatigue leading to increased energy. Mood booster.

Eating is a basic pleasure of life. so if we learn to love to eat plus de-stress, sleep well, let go of anxiety and feel good in the process - even better. These superfoods will make you go “Ahhhhhhh”. Questions? Ask away.

Adrenal Fatigue. Who Knew?

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Stressed about work, family, relationships, forest fires or whatever will come next?

Living in a constant state of stress is detrimental to our holistic, whole, health. We can eat all the kale in the world, but it will not save us from stress and its best friend, fatigue. Stress is said to be America’s #1 health problem. Tough to detect, adrenal fatigue may be one of many results of chronic stress.


Types of Stress:

1. Physical Stress – accidents, injuries, falls, traumas, poor posture
2. Chemical Stress – poor nutrition, smoking, drinking alcohol, toxic chemicals and hormones in food/water/personal products, cleaning products, bacterial, viruses, heavy metals; all affect blood sugar levels, hormone levels and much more
3. Emotional Stress – family tragedy, major illness of a loved one, loss of a loved one, job loss, finances, divorce, strained relations, small and large trauma, negativity loops

When I couldn’t figure out what was going on in my body despite being a life-long athlete with exceptional nutritional intake and a daily yoga/meditation practice, I had a big huge puzzle to solve. Eventually, after years of seeing medical and related professionals, I came to my own conclusion that I was living with adrenal fatigue. 

I had been doing all the “right” things for so long, but the severe stress from multiple events spanning over several years got the best of me. My adrenal glands were compromised and no longer doing their job. Given the way adrenals work, they were actually working overtime, akin to pressing the gas pedal and the brake at the same time.

“Over 80% of us will experience adrenal fatigue multiple times over in our lives.”

 It’s an epidemic that many people have no idea exists. It most often stems from chronic stress which can affect every physiological system in our bodies including the thyroid and adrenal glands.

The symptoms of adrenal fatigue include, but are not limited to:

weakness
lack of energy
trouble concentrating
depression
anxiety
insomnia
waking up feeling unrested
crashing mid-morning or mid-afternoon
becoming “wired” in the evening
decreased ability to handle stress
easily confused
forgetful
trouble completing tasks once found easy
hoarse voice
poor digestion
constipation
body aches
lack of interest in sex
increased struggle with PMS and menstrual cycle
weight gain around mid-section
food and environmental allergies
postpartum is often the result of adrenal fatigue as well

Because so many of these symptoms overlap with other issues, adrenal fatigue can be super tough to identify.

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The adrenal glands are located directly above each kidney. Their duty is to promote hormones essential to your health including adrenaline and cortisol. It is believed that adrenals stop producing these hormones when they are fatigued. However, this varies greatly based on any existing health issues such as hormonal imbalances, emotional stress, nutritional deficiencies, and environmental factors. They actually swing back and forth between producing too much or too little hormones. This fluctuation is what creates fatigue. It is as though the gas pedal and the brake pedal are being pressed at the same time.

The adrenal glands are amazing. They give us the ability to get through challenges such as short-lived stress and highly charged emotional experiences. However, if the stress is chronic, lasting for a long time or constantly recurring, the adrenals will behave erratically and become fatigued. 

Unfortunately, this type of stress is all too common in modern life. Under these conditions, not only do the adrenals become fatigued, but the adrenaline emitted specifically becomes acidic and corrosive. Our bodies can handle brief emissions to protect ourselves, but when this quality of adrenaline is constantly flooding our system it can also become damaging to the brain, liver, pancreas, and more.

Questions to ask yourself beyond simply creating awareness of the symptoms listed above:

•  Are you addicted to the adrenaline rush of action sports?
•  Do you get a rush from meeting every single demand of the day as a working single mother or entrepreneur?
•  Are you overcommitted in meeting the expectations of your work, family or fans that you skip lunch relying on the high of the “wins” to get you through the day?
•  Is what is being asked of you by your boss, your relationship, or even your lifestyle straight up ridiculous?


RECOVERY

The recovery period was long. And I’ve had to go back a few times to recover again more fully. While everyone is unique, I made many shifts over a long period of time although outwardly I appeared to be performing optimally. But in my personal life, I moved inward, taking everything in, one day at a time. 

I became a self-care junkie.  

Several years later, I’m now functioning at the exceptional level within body, mind and the big doozie, emotions/spirit/whateveryouchoosetocallit. 

Last year, I also opted into neurofeedback which showed that I still retained high levels of activity in the area of the brain that houses emotional trauma. That information alerted me to go even easier on myself. I began working with my emotions and taking notice when anything at all triggered me. 

It takes time to hone the skills necessary to integrate emotions and allow feelings to pass like waves. Even with years of yoga and meditation, this intel offered me the opportunity to pay even closer attention. When we become more aware, we learn that there is always something lurking around the next corner that is gonna try to take our flame away. This is why we must move beyond optimization and tweak and turn the levers at every level so that when we get caught off guard - because we will - we are better prepared to stay present with what is happening rather than run.

Due to a prior health scare, I had already put extra attention on my nutrition, yet tweaked it further to focus on fatigue. I left my career. I took a good chunk of time off even though it may have been a financial risk. I trusted my instinct that if I did not attend to this now, my future may be less bright. Everything in my gut told me this semi-break was absolutely necessary. 

I kept one small client in place, dropped into more education, and went surfing – a lot.  

I shifted some of my yoga practices to more receptive and restorative, I skipped running and walked a lot more. I took my social life down to almost nothing. I stayed in and rested. Socializing mostly included seeing friends at daily yoga and maybe grabbing lunch or tea afterward. I rarely went out at night. I drank almost zero alcohol. I ate as well as I could, but without being neurotic about it. I ate when I was hungry which resulted in lots of grazing. I listened to my body and tried to give it what it needed. I went to bed early, rested a lot, and spent a lot of time outside. I made art. I studied. I read. I let go of friendships that lacked depth. I let go of all relationships that were out of balance. I lived at the ocean and took full advantage of its healing waters as much as possible. Cold plunging almost daily no matter what time of year. I put my bare feet on the ground every single day. I finally fully taught myself to surf – something I had wanted to do for years, but with work, never had the time nor energy to battle the waves, the traffic, nor the people in the waters of Los Angeles.

I felt guilty about all of this which was not to my benefit. But I did it anyway and slowly but surely trusted the process. After all, it had become almost impossible to get out of bed for months. Trusting my intuition was key.

After about 3 years, I began to gain some pep in my step. I was finally on the uptick. 

My advice – LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.

It takes copious amounts of self-care to reset one’s system. Yet it is 100% necessary.

Stress is no joke. Adrenal fatigue is no joke. They can take you out.

Never feel guilty about taking care of yourself. Always trust your gut. 

Good luck and please let me know if you have questions.