In my 20+ years of clinical practice, I have guided clients through many things including panic attacks. However, on April 16, 2020, my clinical capacity took a different turn as I experienced my very own panic attack. It was six weeks after we shut down for the pandemic, all four of my children, two dogs and husband were at home and the group practice I worked at had not missed a beat in providing services to our clients through telehealth. Although outwardly I was highly functional, my nervous system was on overload. To reference one of my favorite books, The Body Keeps the Score, my body wanted to let me know to take a beat, slow down and ground. My panic attack was my body's way of trying to “safe” itself by making me pause and work its way back to a regulated state. 
 
As human beings, we are wired for survival and connection (more on connection next month). We have a natural stress response within our body, our autonomic nervous system (ANS), that plays a valuable role in keeping us safe. When we feel safe, we can be present, mindful and clear. This clarity not only tells us we are OK, it allows us to move from survival mode to explore opportunities to thrive with meaning and purpose. When we feel “unsafe” due to circumstances that are threatening or feel out of control, our ANS conserves energy by shutting down some of the day to day functioning so we can direct that energy to basic survival needs of breathing and heart pumping. Quite fascinating, don't you think?
 
This is where understanding the vagus nerve, our largest nerve, comes in. The vagus nerve is a bi-directional “wandering nerve” that sends messages to and from the brain to help calm the nervous system after a stressful situation. The more “toned” our vagus nerve is, the more we can manage and/or recover from stressful situations. The more activated and stressed the vagus nerve is, the more heightened we are physically and psychologically. 

In keeping with this month's theme of the mind-body connection with focus on the Polyvagal Theory and the vagus nerve, here are a few ways to stimulate the vagus nerve and improve vagal tone.
Exercise  - Move your body to stimulate the vagus nerve and improve vagal tone through any form of exercise - cardio, yoga, dance, shake. 
Cold Exposure  - Expose yourself to cold on a regular basis to lower your sympathetic “fight or flight” response and increase vagal tone. Try adding 30 seconds of cold water to your shower then work your way up or invest in a relatively inexpensive cold plunge. Click here for the one I use.
Deep Conscious Breathing  - Try to breathe in deeply from your diaphragm. When you do this, your stomach should expand outward. Your exhale should be long and slow and a double count to your inhale (i.e. inhale 1, exhale 2).
Singing, Humming, and Gargling  - The vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords and the muscles at the back of your throat. Singing, humming, and gargling can activate these muscles and stimulate your vagus nerve.
Laughing - Similar to the above, laughter has been shown to stimulate the vagus nerve and improve your mood.
Connecting with others - Researchers have discovered that reflecting on positive social connections improves vagal tone.

​I love running. However, if I told you I ran a marathon a day, would you be concerned? The wear and tear that type of physical output would have on my body and mind would be overwhelming. I witness many people running a daily mental and emotional marathon with an immense amount of stress and minimal stress management skills. They then wonder why they feel exhausted, depleted, anxious, irritable or depressed. Let me be clear - stress is not bad! It is what helps us feel motivated to make a change and take action. It is when it feels out of control, is chronic and we don't regulate it that it can become problematic.
 
Here are a few of my favorite ways to practice grounding to mitigate stress:
*Breathe slowly and steadily. Breathe in for 3 counts and out for 4-5 counts. Let your exhale be longer than your inhale and remember to breathe from your belly, not your chest.
*Do the 5 senses meditation. 5 things you can see around you, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.
*Do yoga- child’s pose, legs up the wall, or other restorative yoga poses can help anchor you.
*Hold onto something comforting - a blanket, a pet, a photo.

This month has been full - full of adventure, joy, worry and grief. As I often say to my clients, we are human beings not robots; therefore, we may feel energized and joyful in one moment, then depleted or in the throes of grief the next. I am not immune to the ebb and flow of being human and, when regulated, find my life experiences coupled with my clinical background exactly what motivates me to be present and share with the Be Healthy Within community. There have been additional stressors this month that have pulled me out of my presence a little more and so my regulation practice has taken on a new twist. As I was searching for additional tools to feel grounded, I was reminded of the term “glimmers” originated by Deb Dana, clinician, author and expert on Polyvagal Theory. Glimmers refer to small moments when our biology is in a place of connection or regulation, which cues our nervous system to feel safe or calm. They are the counter to "triggers" which can increase disconnection and disregulation. Once I recalled this amazing concept, I began to direct my focus to my micro glimmers - the friend that texted to check in on me, the call from my mom, the excitement of my dogs when I walked in the room, the sun coming in through the blinds, the sturdiness of my feet on my morning run in the forest preserve and celebrating 25 years of marriage with my husband. I want to be clear, these glimmers did not eliminate all of my stressors; however, they helped me regulate my nervous system so I could be more clear to address them. 
 
How can a practice like finding glimmers be so beneficial? Glimmers can help steady us and regulate our dopamine levels, known as the “feel-good” hormone. Dopamine is part of our reward system, which gives us a sense of pleasure and also aids in motivation and focus. Having the right amount of dopamine for your system is important as our brains are wired to restore balance. When dopamine is overly high it can increase stress and anxiety and cause difficulties in sleeping. Having low levels of dopamine can make you less motivated and excited about things. How can you balance your dopamine levels? Go inwards. Ask yourself what brings you joy? What helps you connect to your authentic self and thus supports a balanced body and mind? Can you look for glimmers in your life and see how they can support you?

​In keeping with this month's theme of educating about dopamine, the pleasure hormone, read on for some tips and resources.

Andrew D. Huberman, a Harvard Associate Professor of Neurobiology, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Sciences, where he discusses controlling your dopamine for motivation, focus and  satisfaction. He works to research the human brain and how it works, as well as how it can change through experience. His podcast on dopamine tells us just how important it really is. While expanding our knowledge of our dopamine levels, he focuses on explaining how dopamine plays a huge role in our drive, happiness, and overall well-being. Therefore, he points out that in order to live our most satisfactory lives, we must be able to understand and then control our dopamine levels. Evidently, we need to be the judge of what experiences and activities bring out healthy pleasure. As he mentions, “dopamine is the molecule that makes us look at things outside the boundaries of our skin, to be in pursuit of things.”
Check out his podcast to give it a listen!

​Dr. Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist who is Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, specializing in the opioid epidemic in the United States, is the author of Dopamine Nation. Her book discusses the crucial role dopamine plays in the brain’s reward systems, reiterating how important it is for our motivation. She also mentions how pleasure and pain are co-located, meaning they work like a balance. Therefore, it is important to keep this balance in check and be conscious of your control of dopamine. She continues to touch on the role dopamine has in addiction, so be sure to give it a read!

Have you ever observed a dog, after hearing a loud noise or fireworks, take cover and then shake when emerging? Possibly, you have encountered a deer in nature and witnessed it standing still (freezing) and then running off to safety. What are these animals doing? They are activating a stress response due to a perceived or actual threat; additionally, once they realize they are safe, they shake or run to release their stored energy and return their body to homeostasis.

We as humans, experience a great amount of stress and many times, unlike our animal friends, we do not take the extra step of releasing it once the stressor is over, thus keeping our nervous system activated. Often, we may not even realize we have absorbed this stress until we start to feel physically sick. Irritability, fatigue, lack of clarity or focus can all be indicators that we are still in survival mode. Learning how to recognize our stressors, the way in which we respond to them (i.e., fight-flight or freeze) and tools to release them is beneficial to regaining balance and stability.

With conscious awareness and practice, we can mitigate the way stress affects us internally, even when the external world may seem overwhelming.

• Grounding is a useful tool that can help us feel rooted, resourced and able to handle what comes our way. A simple grounding practice is to cross your arms in front of your body and gently squeeze the opposite arm with your hand. Slowly move your hands up your arms to your shoulders, squeezing gently along the way. Notice if anything shifts within you as you connect physically with your body. This can also be extended to be a compassionate exercise when you are feeling lonely or disconnected. 
• Orienting is another tool that can be practiced to anchor us in the present moment when we may be overly focused on future worries or past concerns. With orienting, we tap into our five senses to bring us into the here and now. One orienting technique is a 5-senses meditation: 5 things you can see around you, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. 

Please join us for an in-person workshop "Navigating Re-Emergence: Recognizing and Transforming the Stress Response in our Body, Heart and Mind" where we will learn more about our stress responses and practice tools to regulate our body, heart and mind.

With gratitude,
Carolyn

“When we learn to eat properly, we begin to rebuild our bodies and to fulfill our purpose on this planet: to grow in health, creativity, wisdom, and compassion.” Dr. Ann Wigmore in her “Living Foods Lifestyle” textbook.

Please enjoy some of our favorite Be Healthy Within smoothie recipes.
Grapefruit and Carrot Juice (Serves 1)
Grapefruits, 2
Carrots, 5
Fresh ginger, 1 inch
Add amount of water you desire for thinner or thicker consistency. Blend all ingredients in a Vitamix or high-speed blender.
Tip: Ginger can aid in digestion.
​
Help! I Love Sugar Smoothie (Serves 1)
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup fresh spinach
2 cups coconut water
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp hemp seeds
Combine all ingredients in a blender.
Tip: The combination of healthy fat, fiber, and protein keeps blood sugar steady by slowing down the digestion and absorption of sugar resulting in less of the highs and lows of blood sugar imbalance.

Green Machine Smoothie (Serves 1)
6 Romaine leaves
4 Kale leaves 
1/2 cup frozen Pineapple
1/2 cup frozen Mango or 1 full mango
1 tbsp chia seeds
Fresh ginger, 1 inch
Add amount of water you desire for thinner or thicker consistency.  Blend all ingredients in a Vitamix or high-speed blender. 
Tip: Ginger can aid in digestion.

Want more?
Our next Clean & Conscious: Healthy Living Online Program starts January 20th! 
Get excited to Ground * Energize * Awaken with our 21 day clean eating and conscious living program from the comfort of your own home!  Visit http://www.behealthywithin.com/clean-and-conscious.html​ to learn more.

Summer is in full force, and the living is easy! Do you notice in summertime how everything seems promising? The plants are in full bloom and the sun feels glorious on your skin. The longer days give you boundless energy, making you feel like it is possible to achieve all your desires and dreams. Why not harness this energy, ride the wave of summer and try something new?
 
Throughout the year we live at an intense pace (physical, emotional and mental), and we often get stuck in routine, either for the sake of efficiency or out of fear of unfamiliar territory. The lack of variety in doing the same things over and over stagnates not only our minds, but also our bodies and hearts. Are you hesitant to break your routine? Fear and excitement have the same physiological expression in our bodies; it is our mind that classifies the feeling as either positive or negative. So the next time you consider a change in routine and your mind says "scary!" see if you can re-frame it as "exciting!".
 
What is something you have never done before or that you have wanted to do for a long time? Whatever adventure calls to you, use the summer to make it happen and enjoy your life. Increasing new experiences and excitement in your life can decrease your dependence on artificial stimulants like caffeine and sugar, leading to more vibrant health. Watch out for improvements in physical well-being, mental acuity and motivation, plus a whole lot of fun!