A significant study, “Mediation of the acute stress response by the skeleton,” was published Sept. 12 in Cell Metabolism. “It completely changes how we think about how acute stress responses occur,” reported senior investigator Gérard Karsenty, MD, Ph.D
When faced with a predator or sudden danger, the heart rate goes up, breathing becomes more rapid, and fuel in the form of glucose is pumped throughout the body to prepare an animal to fight or flee. These physiological changes, which constitute the “fight or flight” response, are thought to be triggered in part by the hormone adrenaline.
The researchers found that almost immediately after the brain recognizes danger, it instructs the skeleton to flood the bloodstream with the bone-derived hormone osteocalcin, which is needed to turn on the fight or flight response. Osteocalcin is linked to metabolism, fertility, muscle function, and even brain cognition.
Implications
It is important to establish a balance in the nervous system between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches. If this balance is lost, a cascade of negative health effects is unleashed. A simple test called heart rate variability can measure this balance is just a few minutes. At Tail of the Sun, we have the equipment to measure this. Most importantly, Network Care is a proven modality for restoring balance to the nervous system. It really works. Call me today for a comprehensive exam and initial session.
Last month I wrote about our family turtle, Lady BoBo. She is a box turtle that has been in the family for over 40 years. We’re now in the second generation of humans caring for this gracious, gentle creature. At one point, we gave serious consideration to finding her a nice place to reintroduce her to the wild. Upon deeper research, however, we discovered that Lady BoBo is a species of turtle with a particularly keen sense of home. Her homing beacon is so strong, that if turned loose, she would immediately start the trek back home, not eating or drinking or stopping until reaching the place where she was born. Our family ancestor rescued her from attacking dogs while on a camping trip somewhere in the Midwest. As we estimate her point of origin is likely several thousand miles from the Rogue Valley, it is not feasible or responsible for us to turn her loose. She is permanently part of our family and will be for the entirety of her life. Given the chance, she always heads east, longing to return home.
As humans, we also have a longing for home, for our roots, for connection, and for wholeness. Illness, trauma, separation, and stress will eventually take a cumulative toll upon our nervous systems, our bodies, and our overall state of wellness. In the work I do as a network chiropractor, I see my overarching goal as helping each person to achieve a greater level of ease in mind, body, and soul. I desire to assist each person in the quest for wellness and for the “returning to home.” Why not take your first step toward home and call me today?
The vagus nerve is the tenth cranial nerve and interfaces with parasympathetic control of the heart, lungs, and digestive tract. It is the longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system in the human body, comprising between 80% and 90% of afferent nerves, mostly conveying sensory information about the state of the body’s organs to the central nervous system. The vagus nerve affects all the organs, from the neck down to the colon. The right vagus branch innervates the sinoatrial node of the heart. In healthy people, parasympathetic tone from these sources are well-matched to sympathetic tone.
Why Is This Important?
Among other things, vagal nerves mediate the raising and lowering of the heart rate. Our heart rhythms can be affected by unhealthy stress. We can overload our nervous system with excessive screen time, making poor food choices, losing sleep, endlessly sitting, or accumulated trauma energy. When we lose balance in our nervous system, inflammation is engaged, our immune system is compromised, and elevated, prolonged levels of anxiety are produced. This can lead to excessive worry, feelings of impending doom, and a state of inner tension. Once balance in the nervous system is lost, it is difficult to regain.
What can be done? I utilize a screening tool which allows me to scan a patient’s Heart Rate Variability, giving insight into the vagal tone. The results are then graphically displayed to show any imbalances in the nervous system. This tool also is utilized to objectively measure changes resulting from a treatment plan.
Network Spinal, or simply Network Care, is a highly researched chiropractic technique for restoring the nervous system to a more balanced state. Tension, anxiety, and blocks can be removed with the gentle touches made from Network Care. Call me today at 541-816-1911 to make an appointment.
Most people do not think about their health until something goes amiss. Then, suddenly their body has gained full attention of their mind. Then the person will take action, based upon the beliefs about disease and healing. There is also a chance the person has been told one of the following healing myths: 1. Disease is something separate from the body to be killed and expelled. 2. We are victims of our condition, blaming “it” for our problems in life. 3. All illness can be traced to a physical cause.
Disease is not typically something foreign in the body. Rather it is a manifestation of trauma, long-time poor eating habits, lack of exercise, or can even result from suppressed events. What if we name our disease? What if we tell our friends, “Oh, that is just my ___ giving me trouble”? Then we may be actually inviting it to stick around.
We do not have to choose to be a victim of our ill-health. Routinely patients are told that a certain event caused the issue. What if our body’s reaction is a result of what we think about what has happened to us? How would we begin to break up a faulty thought pattern? Network Care uses gentle touches along the spine to open gateways and release tension from the nervous layer. This allows for release of years and decades old stress traumas that we have been holding on tightly to. Once these old traumas are released at the cellular level, the person feels relaxed, free, and more motivated and energized.
New studies have shown that our emotions play a significant role in our health. The old saying, “It’s not what you eat, but what’s eating you,” may be affecting us down to the cellular level. Diet and exercise are very important, but so are the thought patterns we believe about ourselves.
So now what? How do we un-invite our disease to stay? How do we let go of an event that has embedded itself deep in our unconscious thought patterns? How can we heal from an accident that happened years ago? Most of all, how can we let go of “what is eating us?”
Network Care can work gently on all these issues. It works to aid healing from the inside out. “Healing is the outward manifestation of our inner journey of discovery…even when we may not understand the experience itself.” – Donny Epstein.
Call for a $40.00 initial session today and see what it can do for you!
Feeling something in one’s bones is a common idiom. We use this phrase to speak of a truth that we know deep inside of ourselves. I really like this idea.
As I studied the human body in medical school, many of my preconceived notions were challenged. Regarding the bones, for example, I thought of them as being hard, dense, fixed, unchanging, and almost lifeless. I thought of bone deterioration or addition as irreversible. But the wisdom of the body is greater than my limited conceptions.
In a new study, researchers in Germany report finding a previously undetected network of fine blood vessels that act like a secret tunneling system inside bone, helping blood and immune cells spread efficiently and rapidly throughout the body. These tiny canals, called ‘trans-cortical vessels’ (TCVs), may be new to science, but they help explain how emergency drug infusions first pioneered on the battlefield were able to rapidly revive injured soldiers. According to the researchers, a mouse tibia can contain more than 1,000 of these small capillaries, and amazingly enough, the team says over 80 percent of arterial and 59 percent of venous blood passes through the channels. There is so much more going on within our bones than previously imagined. (The findings were reported in Nature Metabolism.)
I now think of the human body from a quantum perspective. Our bones, for example, while incredibly hard and rigid, are also very dynamic and constantly changing and adapting. Our bones are fundamental to the deepest parts of ourselves. In the work I do, I promote changes in the body systems, from the inside-out. I know this to be true and “I feel it in my bones.”
I’m offering an introductory offer of a two-hour comprehensive examination and treatment session for only $40. Call today to make an appointment. 2
There is nearly always a mind-body connection to illness and chronic pain. Our beliefs and temperament have a lot to do with how we experience illness and pain. Our paren
ts modeled behaviors to us, and we participated in a family dynamic with them. Birth order is part of this equation, too.
The subconscious mind directs so many of our decisions. Often, if life is not going well, it’s not the universe that is holding us back, but rather the developmental programming that we continue to express. And lest we forget, our DNA is also encoded with information that affects our behavior patterns. The Bio/Psycho/Social dynamic of our life, and how we navigate the world, is the leading cause of our pain. Our frequency can be become locked into a defensive pattern that limits us from reaching our full potential.
We need to lift our vibration, which is our energy state. Close your eyes. Bring in the feeling of how amazing Life is. Breathe deeply. Can you feel the change? If not, why not? We are more amazing than we often realize. We can alter our energy state.
The work I do is based upon changing neurological patterns, releasing held trauma energy, and raising the frequency and vibration of the nervous system. Life changes dramatically once energy flows freely.
The smaller stresses in life can sneak up on you. Take the opportunity to review your life for these seven common stressors and take steps to help manage them. Your mind and body will appreciate the assist!
Being late often. Instead of going faster, it can be good to build in buffer time. Rushing to catch up leads to tension and stress.
Excessive Focus upon the To-to-List. Evaluate, prioritize, and be flexible. This beats fretting and driving yourself crazy.
Binge watching TV. The news can be addictive, and too much of it creates anxiety. Watching TV shows or movies for hours on end can disrupt sleep and take time away from other activities that safeguard you from stress and promote health, such as exercise, meditation, and connecting with others.
Running on Auto-pilot. While routine can be good, we may get lulled into missing what is around us. Slow down, be intentional, notice, and engage.
Lack of Routine. This is the opposite of the previous point. Some dislike too much structure, but adding a little more routine can really reduce anxiety.
Surrounding Yourself with the Right People. Some relationships give us enrichment; others are draining and taxing. Spend more time with the right people.
Overstimulation. We can get out of balance with social media, technology, caffeine, sugar, and other substances. Less is more. Evaluate this.
The build-up of seemingly insignificant normal actions and behaviors may be contributing to everyday tension, fatigue, and rising levels of cortisol, a hormone released by the body when it’s under stress. Make intentional changes with small things to reduce your stress level in 2019.
To receive an assessment of the stress patterns in your body, contact me for an introductory session. P.S. I have great events happening each month, so check out my website for more details.
Approximately 7-10% of the population suffers from Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), aka Willis-Ekbom Disease. RLS typically occurs while sitting or lying down. It generally worsens with age and can disrupt sleep. The main symptom is a nearly irresistible urge to move the legs. Getting up and moving around helps the unpleasant feeling temporarily go away. It is generally considered to be uncurable and chronic.
RLS is caused by a buildup of sympathetic tone in the nervous system. It is a side effect of drugs such as anti-nausea, anti-psychotic, anti-depressants, cold and allergy medications, and more. It may appear during pregnancy, and for those suffering from various forms of renal disease.
For nonpharmacologic treatment, I recommend the following:
Liberate the sympathetic tone held in the nervous system by utilizing Network Care. Mindfulness activities and meditation are also great when paired with Network Care.
Get moving. Moderate exercise has been shown to be beneficial. Massage and warm baths may help, too.
Be sure to have a balance in the body with probiotics, iron levels, and vitamin D, to name a few. Even yellow mustard may help.
Avoid triggers that aggravate. Common triggers include alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine.
Restless Leg Syndrome is a perplexing condition. However, a variety of treatment options can greatly reduce the unwanted effects and calm down the legs for more restful sleep. For more information about Network Care, give me a call.
As far as healthy living skills go, managing your ultradian rhythms effectively is an important piece to living a high-energy life. As mainstream health care begins to embrace health and wellness from an energetic perspective, the study and application of ultradian rhythms is beginning to garner more attention. The bulk of research in this area has been conducted by the DOD.
Ultradian rhythms are natural, undulating cycles of energy, with oscillating patterns of energy production and recovery, that rise and fall many times during the day. A typical burst of sustained, focused energy output will last between 90-120 minutes. This is followed by a period of low energy output, intended as a short resting period for recovery, repair, and re-balancing. Each person has an individualized pattern, but the overall principles are common to each of us.
We encounter problems if we plow through and ignore these natural cycles. Stress, fatigue, brain fog and inflammation increase when we push through the rest portion of the cycle. Productivity drops significantly. Conversely, we can maximize our productivity if we learn to smartly follow our personal ultradian rhythms and plan our work and breaks accordingly. We can get the best from our body and mind by adhering to our personal cycles.
To learn more about ultradian rhythms, and about energy efficiency on a personal level, contact me for a consultation. I’d love to assist you with gaining more energy for life.
A popular book that many are talking about is The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van der Kolk. It is a very insightful study of the mechanisms of trauma and PTSD, and it gives practical descriptions of various treatments. I highly recommend this best-selling book.
The author notes that a new biological marker for measuring stress in the body is called Heart Rate Variability (HRV). It is a good measure of how well the autonomic nervous system is working and tracks the relative balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. When balance between these systems is lost, we lack coherence between breathing rate and heart rate, which makes us vulnerable to a variety of illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, mental problems, depression, PTSD, and a host of physical ailments.
Network Care is a highly effective modality to bring greater balance to the nervous system. I utilize tools to measure HRV, among other things, and employ its usage to monitor changes in the nervous system. Network Care aids in greater mind-body connection, enhancing self-regulation and healing. It works. While the body indeed keeps the score, patterns can shift towards wholeness.
