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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.
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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!  A smile on my face, tears in my eyes, warmth in my chest and heart full. This description was me last month as I attended my oldest son's graduation from college. I remember it vividly as I was focused and present; however, that was not the case in the weeks leading up to it. Prior to the actual day, I felt a range of emotions from joy to sadness AND I let myself experience them all. You see, emotions are like waves - they ebb and flow and if we try to suppress them, they can get larger and overtake us; however, if we give ourselves permission to feel them, they can offer us information and guidance. I am inspired to work at a time where emotions are being researched, which enables us to increase our ability to understand and use them to unlock our potential. Read on to find resources on how and why developing emotional intelligence can benefit you. What is Emotional Intelligence and how is it useful? “Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to manage both your own emotions and understand the emotions of people around you. There are five key elements to EI: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. People with high EI can identify how they are feeling, what those feelings mean, and how those emotions impact their behavior and in turn, other people. It’s a little harder to “manage” the emotions of other people; but, if you can identify the emotions behind their behavior, you’ll have a better understanding of where they are coming from and how to best interact with them.” - source Mental Health America Dr. Marc Brackett, professor in Yale University’s Child Study Center and founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, is one of several leaders researching and sharing tools to increase awareness about our emotions. "His book serves as a guide for understanding our own and others’ emotions, as well as provides innovative strategies for developing emotional intelligence in adults and children so that emotions help, rather than hinder, our success and well-being." “My message for everyone is the same: that if we can learn to identify, express, and harness our feelings, even the most challenging ones, we can use those emotions to help us create positive, satisfying lives.” ― Marc Brackett, Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive Below are two useful tools to expand emotional intelligence. Treat yourself and increase your emotional awareness. Not only for you, but for those around you. *“Permission to Feel” Book by Marc Brackett *Mood Meter App Learn how to track your feelings and moods over time and gain greater insight about your emotional life.  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.
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. Oh how I savor August! There is still time to squeeze in more summer fun, yet the hint of a schedule is on the horizon. Believe me, I love the sunny days of summer filled with the perfect combination of downtime and outdoor activities. Nevertheless, with an active family to manage, I look forward to the somewhat predictable routine of fall. One of the things I look forward to most is more family dinners. We try to eat as a family in the summer; however, it tends to be a bit more challenging to get all six of us around a table. While doing research on fostering healthy relationships with children, imagine my excitement when I came across the book "The Family Dinner" which concentrates on "great ways to connect with your kids, one meal at a time". This book is packed with useful information from conversation starters that will make any table full of laughter and intrigue to delicious and uncomplicated recipes. Author Laurie David summarizes that numerous studies found "family meals have more to do with adolescents' self-esteem, confidence, and other positive outcomes than do income levels, after-school activities, family structure (one parent or two), or regular attendance at church". Keep in mind that family dinners do not have to be full sit down meals involving every family member. Some may be quick meals at the kitchen island connecting before everyone goes off in his/her direction. Discover what works for you and your family and cherish the memories in the making!  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!
Above is what an Embody Love Movement adult workshop looks like. Fifteen adult women present, vulnerable, compassionate and kind ---kind to themselves and kind to each other. Many of the body shaming messages that these women have internalized were difficult to share and these strong women supported one another. We all can change the way we speak to ourselves and each other from negative to positive. Identifying our internal messages is critical as we have the influence to affect the next generation with the way we speak to ourselves and others (see image of a young girls workshop). Please join us at our next workshop on Tuesday, November 14th for adult women. Workshops are available for ages 7-11, 12-18 and adults. For more information contact [email protected]. 
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Be Healthy Within BlogHi, I'm Carolyn a clinical counselor, art therapist, health coach and mother of four. I am dedicated to promoting mental health awareness, fostering growth mindset and developing connections to self and others. I believe healthy living starts with the individual, which creates a ripple effect for others. Archives
October 2023
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