We are all affected by trauma at various points in our life. Whether that trauma be physical or emotional, it can affect every part of us: how we relate to others, how we carry our bodies, how we view ourselves, how we process pain, etc. Whatever the trauma is, however, and whatever the symptoms are,
Trauma, or even prolonged stress, wreaks havoc on our bodies in so many ways. However, there are some easy, feel-good tips that can help support our bodies during these hard times. During chronic stress our bodies have trouble regulating the stress hormone, cortisol. Because cortisol has a large influence on blood sugar, we lose the ability to appropriately regulate blood
“Grounding” or “Earthing” is a term which simply means connecting to the surface of the earth. We do this when we walk barefoot in our backyards, or when we lay in the grass or on the beach. It is an activity that humans have done throughout history, but which we have become largely disconnected from. How
When trauma occurs in our younger years, it often affects specific areas of brain development. The stress and fear of a traumatic experience, for example, activates the Reticular Activating System (RAS), part of our brain stem. This is the area responsible for filtering unneeded sensory input: we don’t need to be consciously aware of the
BBC News recently did an amazing radio piece on how childhood trauma affects our health as adults. In one of the studies that they reviewed, adults were studied who had experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). There were twelve such Adverse Child Experiences that they surveyed, from emotional neglect, to divorce, to physical or sexual abuse
Magnesium is my favorite mineral. It is abundant in your bones and muscles, but it is also involved in at least 300 reactions that keep your body functioning, including turning blood sugar into usable cellular energy and protein synthesis. Because magnesium is involved in so many cellular functions, low levels of the mineral may play
A structure, such as the one shown below, is said to have “tensegrity”. This tower is made of bars that do not touch each other, but that are held together in tension via a network of cables. The term “tensegrity” comes from combining the ideas of tension and integrity. In other words, the integrity of the structure is a
There is a lot of confusion about what a healthy diet is, and it’s no wonder. You probably grew up like I did learning the four food groups and the Food Pyramid. In 2011, the USDA’s Food Pyramid was replaced by MyPlate, which is no more descriptive and probably not much healthier. Since the introduction
Our culture values intellect, rationality and thought (read: being in your head) over feeling and being in our body. Grounding means just that, being aware of yourself and your body from the bottom up rather than the top down. I work on this daily with my clients because I find that those who are ‘top
This month I will be talking about various aspects of nutrition. To start out I’d like to explain why the emphasis on nutrition is so important. It goes far beyond the calorie in/calorie out idea of weight management. Instead, it impacts every aspect of your health! You have heard many times that you are what