We live in a world where we are bombarded with information, in multiple ways, every second of each day.  Many aren’t aware just how stressful to our brain and nerve systems this bombardment can be.  Frankly, we have yet to adapt to this unique kind of stress.   It can leave us feeling depleted and overstimulated.  

Email.  Social media.  Text messages.  And the occasional relic – voicemail. Screens of all sorts are pervasive.  While we revel in being connected, we must recognize that it means our brain needs to process this information.  So, when you hear how you must reduce stress in order to be healthy, know that screen use is a big part of that modern-day stress.  This is on top of job, family, mental health, money, relationship, etc stressors.  

The fight-flight-freeze part of our nerve system – the sympathetic division, is the part that senses stress.   We can feel wired and exhausted and struggle to get a good night’s sleep.  We might never feel well rested.  We lose productivity during the day.  Feel disconnected from ourselves and others.  It isn’t all bad news – there are some quick fixes for this hyper vigilance and unwell feeling that stress can cause.  

1. Limit your screen time.  Your phone likely has a timer which can tell you just how many hours a week you are spending looking at it.  That can be a real eye opener!  What would you be able to accomplish if you limited that time to an hour a day?  All in – messaging, calls, emails, social media.  

2. Get restful sleep.  No blue-light (anything with a screen) for at least an hour before bedtime.  Pick a regular bedtime and stick to it, even on the weekend.  A helpful guideline: the more hours of sleep you get before midnight, the more rested you will be.  Take Magnesium Glycinate at bedtime to help you relax.  

3. Exercise.  The studies show the brain does best with 20 minutes per day of activity.  Do high intensity bursts of activity for 2-4 minutes, then lower rates of movement to recover.  Repeat.  This increases the release of the chemicals which encourage and strengthen connection between neurons as well as the endorphin release – the chemicals which make you feel relaxed and happy.

4. Meditation.  This doesn’t need to be fancy – listening to relaxing music or taking 5 deep breaths is considered meditative.  Pause, in quiet, allows a network in our brains which needs space to work through things and store memories, to go to work.  This is called the Default Network Mode and it’s critical to our brain health and overall wellbeing and calm.  

5. Acknowledge trauma and get help.  There is much ado at the moment about the role of past trauma and how it continues to affect the stress response systems of the brain.  Trauma can be defined as any experience which made you feel unsafe and to which to developed adaptations to make you feel safe.  Under this definition, we can see that all of us have experienced trauma.  This lingers in your system and amps the nervous system into a perpetual state of fight-flight or freeze.  Talk to a mental health professional.  A skilled practitioner – chiropractor, registered massage therapist, or physiotherapist can help you move through the physical effects of the trauma in a safe environment too.

Calm is not just a state of mind but a physical place too.   Work to change a few things in your current lifestyle to invite in peace.   Your brain will thank you for it!

The post Natural things you can do to calm your nervous system first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

There are a multitude of factors that play a role in autoimmunity.  Hormone imbalance, exposure to toxins, to mold and chemicals as well as hidden infections have all been implicated.  The good news about this is that you can put your autoimmunity into remission using the levers of your lifestyle!  Food, sleep, stress management, home and work environmental testing and abatement.  

Please listen in on episode 64 to learn more about autoimmunity.

The post Autoimmune Disease – Our Suffering is Optional first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

Not sure about the ‘clean’ status of your products?  Use the EWG skin-deep database to check:  https://www.ewg.org/skindeep.  Get informed – you could be absorbing thousands of substances a day.  Don’t expect your government to be regulating these chemicals – there is virtually no regulation of these industries.  Listen to episode 63 – Toxins, Inc. to learn more.

The post Toxins, Inc. first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

The follow up podcast to the interview where I review some critical thyroid info we all need to know.  Please watch the video interview with Antoinette and me, then have a listen to Episode 062 for the latest info on thyroid.

The post Thyroid Update first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

There is much that can be done to help with density and none of them have to do with taking a medication!  Please listen, learn and share episode 61 with the ladies in your life.  

The post Bone Health: we all are made of stars! first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

Want to hear more about Hygge? Listen here: http://notyourmothersmenopause.libsyn.com/ep059-holiday-comfort

The post Getting into holiday comfort via nourishing traditions and ritual first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

Doesn’t the topic of menopause just seem so confusing? Are you like many other women who aren’t getting the kind of help and support needed from your physician? There are 5 areas that need to be addressed for you to feel peace in menopause. When these areas are functioning well, it is absolutely possible for you to have ZERO symptoms while in menopause. Can you believe it? It is absolutely possible! Here is the start:

Step 1. The female hormone dance – estrogen and progesterone.

Step 2. The adrenal and thyroid gland relationship.

Step 3. Brain health and function.

Step 4. Gut health and function.

Step 5. Do great self-care.

Want to learn more? Please listen to Episode 057 of The Not Your Mother’s Menopause Podcast here. (https://drlovely.com/begin-here/)

The 5 Steps to Feeling Peace in Menopause.

The post The 5 Steps to Feeling Peace in Menopause first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

Find out more by listening to episode 55 of Not Your Mother’s Menopause podcast found here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/not-your-mothers-menopause/id1097326296?mt=2

The post Controlling food cravings first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.