Tag: stress

The Default Mode Network (DMN) is a set of interacting brain structures first described in 2001 by the Washington University neuroscientist Marcus Raichle. It’s called that because it is most active when the brain is in a resting state. This network links parts of the cerebral cortex (thinking, decision making, higher brain functions) with deeper and evolutionarily older structures of the brain involved in emotion and memory. 

 

The Default Mode Network influences and inhibits, other parts of the brain, especially those involving emotion and memory. It prevents signals from being interrupted or interfering with each other. Neuroimaging studies suggest that the DMN is involved in higher-order “metacognitive” activities. Activities such as self-reflection, mental projection, cognitive time travel, and the ability to interpret others’ mental states. (Sheline, Barch, Price, et al., 2009).

 

The Default Mode Network and Ego Connection

What is especially interesting is the connection between the DMN and the Ego. We believe the DMN is the part of our brain that is responsible for judgment, tolerance, reality testing, and a sense of self. Freud called this the “ego.” Author, Journalist, and experiential researcher Michael Pollan, in his book How to Change Your Mind (2018), referred to this area of the brain as the “me” network. This area lights up when given a list of adjectives relative to one’s self-identity. It also reacts similarly during daydreams, magical thinking, self-reflection, and when we receive Facebook likes (Pollan, 2018). Subsequently, the Default Mode Network activates “by default” when there is no task at hand.

 

Freud said that the ego keeps anarchic forces of the id in check, and Pollan compares this to the DMN maintaining strict connections on brain function developed over the course of our adult lives. “It appears that when activity in the DMN falls off precipitously, the ego temporarily vanishes, and the usual boundaries we experience between self and world, subject and object, all melt away,” Pollan said.

 

Coming From A Place of Ego

Noticing when we are coming from a place of ego instead of a place of mindful awareness can drastically change our interactions with the world. Other schools of thought sometimes refer to it as ‘getting out of your own way’ to allow your destiny or Dharmic path to unfold. This was so eloquently put by British philosopher who popularized Eastern philosophy in the west, Alan Watts (1944), “Ego, the self which he has believed himself to be, is nothing but a pattern of habits” (1966). Mindfulness and Art Therapy are ways for us to create new habits and awareness that involves the world around us instead of only ourselves.

 

Why Mindfulness Is So Important

What is mindfulness?
Paying attention to the present moment, on purpose, non-judgmentally.
Jon Kabat-Zinn

 

Current research is finding is when we try to silence the interminable flow of opinions and thoughts in our head when meditating (what some Buddhists refer to as the ‘monkey mind’) is actually the Default Mode Network! It’s the DMN flaring up when the brain has nothing better to do. Through mindfulness and meditation, we are able to silence this ‘monkey mind’ chatter and thus switch the DMN offline to bring a greater sense of calm and peace. Being in a mindful state of mind also keeps the frontal lobes on line and helps integrate experiences and feelings rather than dissociate from them (Ogden, 2019).

 

Using Art Therapy coupled with mindfulness, we are working to reroute our neural networks to change patterns, habits, and behaviours in the brain. If our DMN kicks in during this process, it inhibits this change from taking place. As expressed by neuroscientist and best selling author Dan Siegel, “Your mind can change your molecules”. This is why staying present and recognizing when we go “offline” is so important. Be gentle with yourself as learning anything new is a process. Then, come back into the present moment with ease. Know that the more often you do this, the more engrained these new neural networks will become, and the easier it will be to come to clarity.  

 

Stress

When we’re stressed, our judgments become impaired and our prefrontal cortex goes offline. “Mindfulness keeps the frontal lobes online and helps integrate (information) rather than dissociate”. (Ogden, 2019). Staying mindful means tapping into the body, noticing your physical sensations, and how they come and go. Our physical sensations are not permanent; we notice this when we become mindful.  We become aware that our current state of being is impermanent. This can bring us hope when the stresses of life feel awful and overwhelming.

 

The Defense Mechanism of Disassociation

We disassociate as a defense mechanism. The DMN is engaged. Although this behavior served humans in the past, this is an ineffective way to cope. We develop and grow through conscious awareness in the here and now. which makes disassociation no longer required. Personal growth has a lot to do with creating new habits and neural pathways in the brain instead of relying on old ways of being that do not serve our highest consciousness.

 

Depression and Anxiety

What is especially interesting in the study of the Default Mode Network is its correlation with depression and anxiety. Studies have shown that people who experience depression and anxiety have a more active DMN than those who don’t (Wise, Marwood, Perkins, et al., 2017).  “The baseline imaging findings are consistent with those found in patients with major depressive disorder and suggest that increased connectivity within the DMN may be important in the pathophysiology of both acute and chronic manifestations of depressive illness” (Posner, Hellerstein, Gat, et al., 2013). One can imagine how ruminating over a specific issue that does not hold our body and mind’s highest good could lead to a downward depressive spiral. Mindfulness and coming into the present moment can actually help stop the rumination of upsetting circumstances and life events. Mindfulness literally makes us happier! What a wonderful tool to keep close.

 

References

Fisher, J., Ogden, P. (2015). Sensorimotor psychotherapy: Interventions for trauma and attachment. W.W. Norton & Company.

 

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. Hachette books

 

Ogden, P. (2019). Treating trauma faster series. Retrieved on April 24, 2019 from https://www.nicabm.com/program/treating-trauma-master-4/?del=homepagepopular

 

Pollan, M. (2018). How to change your mind. Penguin Press.

 

Posner, J., Hellerstein, D.J., Gat, I., et al. (2013). Antidepressants normalize the default mode network in patients with dysthymia. JAMA Psychiatry 70(4), 373-382. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.455

 

Sheline, Y.I., Barch, D.M., Price, J.L., et al. (2009). The default mode network and self-referential processes in depression. Retrieved on May 3, 2019 from https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/106/6/1942.full.pdf

 

Watts, A. (1966). The book: On the taboo against knowing who you are. Random House Inc.

 

Wise, T., Marwood, L., Perkins, A. et al. (2017). Instability of default mode network connectivity in major depression: a two-sample confirmation study. Translational Psychiatry 7, e1105. https://doi.org/10.1038/tp.2017.40

 

Author

Charmaine Husum, DKATI, RTC, CT

The breath is a powerful source of transformation for brain health and breathwork is a practice that improves it. The rate and rhythm of the breath are intimately connected to our mental & emotional states (Brown & Gerbarg, 2012). Just as the emotions and the mind cause the breath to vary, by consciously controlling the breath, we gain control over our mind and our emotions (Trinity College Dublin, 2018).

 

Anxiety and Stress Eased by Breathwork

Combining this modality of breathwork with the eye gaze by noticing ten things in the room and mentally or aloud saying their colour and what they are, as well as pressing the feet into the floor, will activate your parasympathetic nervous system and bring you into a feeling of calmness (McKay, Wood, & Brantley, 2007).

 

Depression

On the other hand, when a person is feeling the depths of depression and despair, they may sigh a lot with almost a sense of defeat. The breath here is usually more in the belly. To bring more life force or prana into the body, it is recommended to sit up straight, lengthen the spine, and with an open mouth – breathing deep and forcefully into the upper chest. This activates the sympathetic nervous system and creates a sense of alertness and aliveness (Levine & Frederick, 2005). Taking breathwork one step further, raise both arms above the head as you inhale, allowing the eye gaze to follow the hands while keeping the chin level (Rosenberg, Rand, & Assay, 1987). Five to ten of these breaths and one will feel a tingling in the whole body, with the eye focus becoming clearer and a sense of elation.

 

How and why does this happen?

The respiratory system is one of the only major systems in the body which is usually involuntary but can be voluntarily controlled via attention (Levine & Frederick, 1997). The rhythm of our heart is thought to be another involuntary system, but if we want to, we can change the speed of our heart by modifying our breath. Should we slow down our breath, for example, this brings the body and mind into a state of calmness and relaxation, thereby slowing the heart rate.

 

The Breath: A Life Force

Breath is the life force that keeps us going; if we didn’t breathe, we would die. When we are able to control the breath with breathwork, we are able to moderate the way we feel in the moment and develop a sense of control over stress levels.

Your rate of breathing and state of mind are inseparable. Using a full yogic breath or other pranayama techniques reprograms your whole cellular memory (Khalsa & Lumpkin, 2015).

 

History of The Breath

For thousands of years, ancient wisdom techniques from the east have exalted the virtues of breath-focused practices, such as pranayama and meditation for their numerous cognitive benefits, including an increased ability to focus, decreased mind wandering, improved arousal levels, more positive emotions, decreased emotional reactivity, and many other benefits (Yates & Immergut, 2017).

 

What did they know that we are just now validating scientifically? Well, a new study by researchers at Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity, Dublin explains for the first time the neurophysiological link between breathing, cognition, and emotion. The research shows that the way we breathe directly affects the chemistry of our brains in a way that can enhance our attention and improve brain health. This study focuses on changes in the levels of noradrenaline in response to the breath. Noradrenaline is a chemical messenger released in the brain when we are challenged, curious, focused, or otherwise emotionally aroused, and when we exercise. If produced at the right levels, it is essential to help the brain grow new connections (Trinity College Dublin, 2018).

 

Breathwork: A Scientific Study

Outlined here by a Ph.D. candidate at the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and lead author of the study, Michael Melnychuk: “Practitioners of yoga have claimed for some 2,500 years, that respiration influences the mind. In our study, we looked for a neurophysiological link that could help explain these claims by measuring breathing, reaction time, and brain activity in a small area in the brainstem called the locus coeruleus, where noradrenaline is made. Noradrenaline is an all-purpose action system in the brain. When we are stressed we produce too much noradrenaline and we can’t focus. When we feel sluggish, we produce too little and again, we can’t focus. There is a sweet spot of noradrenaline in which our emotions, thinking, and memory are much clearer. This study has shown that as you breathe in, locus coeruleus activity is increased slightly, and as you breathe out it decreases. Put simply this means that our attention is influenced by our breath and that it rises and falls with the cycle of respiration. It is possible that by focusing on and regulating your breathing you can optimize your attention level and likewise, by focusing on your attention level, your breathing becomes more synchronized.”

 

Breathwork and Brain Aging

Even more exciting in this area of research was the understanding and uncovering of how breathwork and meditation may have an effect on the aging of the brain. Ian Robertson, Co-Director of the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity College, Dublin, writes: 

 

“Our findings could have particular implications for research into brain ageing. Brains typically lose mass as they age, but less so in the brains of long-term meditators. More ‘youthful’ brains have a reduced risk of dementia and mindfulness meditation techniques actually strengthen brain networks. Our research offers one possible reason for this — using our breath to control one of the brain’s natural chemical messengers, noradrenaline, which in the right ‘dose’ helps the brain grow new connections between cells. This study provides one more reason for everyone to boost the health of their brain using a whole range of activities ranging from aerobic exercise to mindfulness meditation.”

In sum, breathe deep! It’s good for your brain health.

 

References

Brown, R., & Gerbarg, P. (2012). The healing power of the breath: Simple techniques to reduce stress and anxiety, enhance concentration, and balance your emotions. Shambala Publishing.

 

Khalsa Kaur, J., & Lumpkin, N. (2015). Enlightened bodies: Exploring physical and subtle human anatomy. Kundalini Research Institute

 

Levine, P., & Frederick, A. (1997). Waking the tiger: Healing trauma. North Atlantic Books.

 

Levine, P., & Frederick, A. (2005). Healing trauma: A pioneering program for restoring the wisdom of your body. Sounds True Inc.

 

McKay, M., Wood, J.C., & Brantley, J. (2007). The dialectical behavior therapy skills workbook: Practical DBT exercises for learning mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. New Harbinger Publications Inc.

 

Melnychuk, M.C., Dockree, P.M., O’Connell, R.G., Murphy, P.R., Balsters, J.H., & Robertson, I.H. (2018). Coupling of respiration and attention via the locus coeruleus: Effects of meditation and pranayama. Psychophysiology, 55(9). DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13091

 

Rosenberg, J.L., Rand, M, & Assay, D. (1987). Body, self, and soul: Sustaining integration. Humanics Publishing Group.

 

Trinity College Dublin. (2018). The Yogi masters were right — meditation and breathing exercises can sharpen your mind: New research explains link between breath-focused meditation and attention and brain health. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180510101254.htm

 

Yates, J., & Immergut, M.. (2017). The mind illuminated: A complete meditation guide integrating Buddhist wisdom and brain science for greater mindfulness. Hay House Publishing.

 

Author

Charmaine Husum, DKATI, RTC, CT

 

The disconnect between eating well and being nourished is Nutrient Depletion

Nutrient depletion refers to the loss of nutrients and micronutrients in the most basic of places, the soil in which we grow our food. Over the last 50-60 years, the number of nutrients, including protein, B vitamins, calcium, iron, and magnesium have decreased dramatically in our crops. In some of these, the amounts have decreased as much as 300-400%! Crops are larger, which decreases the richness of soil micronutrients and organic matter. Fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides deplete nutrients and block our ability to absorb them well. Farmers pick fruits and vegetables when they are not fully ripe, therefore, they are lower in phytonutrients.

 

Why the Discrepancy?

Nutrient depletion is why there is a huge discrepancy between what people eat and their nutritional status. In my clinical practice, I often see nutritional testing reveal severe malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies in people eating very clean, whole food diets. Food malabsorption is one obvious reason for this is. Putting food in your mouth and getting it into the cell are two different things. Nourishment requires work from the body. Furthermore, there are many things that affect the food we eat, even before we consume it.

 

Stress and Malabsorption

Malabsorption is a common issue for many reasons. Firstly, we live in a stressed society, with the sympathetic nervous system dominance being the norm. Our gut does not function well under stress. Stomach acid and enzymes underproduce and food goes through partially digested and cannot be absorbed well. Imbalances in the gut microbiome may result, further impairing absorption. Excesses of sugar, caffeine, and alcohol all add to the poor absorption. Anti-nutrients, on foods like grains and nuts, can further block absorption of vital nutrients,

 

Pharmaceutical Drug Use & Nutrient Depletions

The drastic increase in pharmaceutical drug use causes countless depletion in nutrients. They may decrease nutrient absorption, block their use, or increase their excretion. Common nutrient drainers are NSAIDs (aspirin and Tylenol), acid-blocking drugs (Pantoprazole, Rabeprazole, Tums), and statins (Lipitor, Crestor). Antibiotics have also had a huge impact on nutrients through direct effects and effects on the gut microbiome.

 

Toxicity & Nutrient Depletion

Toxicity opposes nutrients. Our bodies suffer exposure to environmental toxins on a daily basis from non-organic fruits and vegetables. Proven harmful toxins cover them. Organic foods are higher in many nutrients, such as antioxidants, lycopene, vitamin C, trace minerals, iron, and magnesium. Studies done on children eating organic diets showed 600% fewer organophosphates (a form of pesticide) than those eating conventional diets. An analysis by the Environmental working group showed that > 20 million children consume more than 8 pesticides daily. Eating non-organic food can pose a great risk to the neurological, endocrine, hepatic, and metabolic health of both children and adults.

 

Nutrients Absorption

Once absorbed, nutrients need to get to the cell, which requires good circulation, healthy cell membranes, and receptor integrity. Factors that block this are toxicity (heavy metals and chemicals) and inflammation. Nutrients use energy more quickly based on the cell’s energy requirements. It is a supply and demand issue. An inflamed or stressed cell has unhealthy cell membranes, blocked receptors, and large energy demand. Nutrients can’t integrate or are used up as quickly as they come in.

So… what can we do about all of this?

 

Food and Supplements

  • Choose organic foods where possible –  eat only the ‘clean fifteen‘ of conventional foods, or at very least, avoid the ‘dirty dozen‘
  • Eat a diet high in phytonutrients (plant nutrients), including lots of nutrient dense herbs and spices.
  • Limit foods that affect absorption of nutrients, which include sugar, coffee and grains.
  • Avoid spikes in glucose and insulin by consuming a lower glycemic index diet to avoid magnesium and chromium depletion.
  • Support cell membranes with a good quality fish oil and/or phospholipid supplement. Dosing and type are guided by your health care professional. Fish oils need to be of high quality, due tot potential for mercury contamination.
  • Support stomach acid and digestive enzyme function, either by supplementation or increasing acidic and fermented foods, as tolerated.

 

Toxins and Medication

Clean up your environment to avoid toxins. This means clean water, clean air, clean cosmetics, and cleaning products. Filter water with a tabletop filter or reverse osmosis unit. A fridge filter or plastic water filter is not sufficient. A HEPA and VOC air filter will remove particulate matter from the air, which is responsible for much of the toxins we accumulate. 

Avoid acid suppressant medications, unless specifically indicated. There are few long term indications for these medications. If you are already using these medications, wean off them slowly with the guidance of a knowledgeable physician to avoid rebound symptoms.

 

Stress

Stress management and calming the sympathetic nervous system improves gut health and decrease nutrient demand. Achieve through meditation, relaxation, exercise, socializing, and acupuncture, among other things.

Find sources of inflammation and toxicity, which deplete nutrients and have functional medicine testing done. This will help individualize your care. When you are feeling like you are doing everything else right but need to get to the root of why you are undernourished, consider the following tests:

  1. Food sensitivity testing
  2. Gastrointestinal/stool testing
  3. Nutrient testing
  4. Heavy metal/chemical testing
  5. Immune system testing

Let’s help you regain your energy and vitality today. Contact us here.

 

Author:

Dr. Michelle van der Westhuizen, MD

 

Body systems lack vibrancy without methylation. Methylation is the process of adding three hydrogen atoms and one carbon atom to a molecule in order to convert it into something else. Together, these are called a “methyl group.” This happens in your body billions of times per second and allows your body to repair DNA, reuse molecules responsible for detoxification, maintain mood, and control inflammation. Poor methylation can lead to a host of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, depression, and dementia.

 

Chronic Illness and Homocysteine

Homocysteine has a large influence on your susceptibility to chronic illness. Even greater this influence than weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Every time you ingest protein-rich foods, the methylation cycle produces mild inflammation in the form of homocysteine. In a healthy and well-nourished body, this homocysteine is converted into a powerful antioxidant called glutathione and a compound called SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine). These help the body to produce and regulate hormones and maintain healthy cell membranes. If you are not optimally nourished, the methylation cycle becomes impaired and homocysteine starts to accumulate in the blood. Levels above 6mmol/L have been shown to lead to significantly increased risk for chronic illness. 

 

What Factors Impair Methylation?

  • Poor diet: too much animal protein, sugar, saturated fat, caffeine, alcohol, and processed food, and low intake of vegetables.
  • Digestive issues and nutrient malabsorption.
  • Genetic factors (identifiable through the 23andMe Genetic test).
  • Medications, including the birth control pill and proton pump inhibitors and antacids.
  • Smoking
  • Toxicity from pesticides, pollution, etc.
  • Stress

 

Enhancing Vibrancy by Improving Methylation and Lowering Homocysteine:

  • Improve your diet!
    • Eat lots of leafy greens and other vegetables (ideally ten servings per day).
    • Cut out caffeine, alcohol, and processed food.
    • Reduce saturated fat, animal protein, and canned foods.
  • Correct digestive issues.
  • Reduce stress.
  • Remove toxic exposure and detox your body.
  • Stop smoking.
  • Enjoy a nutritional IV, such as our Myer’s, Gut-Healing, or Vitamin/Mineral IVs.
  • B-vitamin injections.
  • Take supplements:
    • HCl
    • A good, methylated B-vitamin complex
    • Zinc
    • Trimethylglycine
    • Glutathione
    • Vitamin C
    • NAC and ALA
    • SAMe
    • A quality multivitamin

 

Vibrancy is a state of strength, full of energy and life. You can achieve it by starting on a new health journey at Linden & Arc Vitality Institute. Contact us today.

My grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in his early 60’s so the subject of dementia is near and dear to me. I was only a year old when he died from the disease, but what strikes me about his illness is the fear that it has left behind for some of my family members. This is something I see commonly in my practice. Dementia, the word, can trigger very strong emotions in patients who have been touched by the illness in some way. It is terrifying to lose your ability to think, as this, in basic terms, defines who you are. This article will examine the old and new perceptions of dementia and cover the functional medicine approach to reversing it.

 

Dementia is debilitating.


Defining Dementia

In Canada, over 500 000 people are living with dementia. This number does not take into account undiagnosed dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and subjective cognitive impairment (SCI). SCI is when you perceive yourself to have deterioration in memory (or other cognitive functions), but your cognitive screening tests are negative. MCI occurs when your screening tests are abnormal but not severe enough to be dementia. Typically you are able to function quite normally and adapt to the cognitive decline.

The success of improving cognitive decline through the Functional Medicine approach and the Bredesen Protocol is best in the SCI group, then the MCI and then dementia groups. The earlier you start your journey, the better. It is never too early to start looking after your brain.

 

Dementia: The Old

 

The thought of reversing dementia sounds like something from the future and most consider it a terminal diagnosis. Conventional medicine physicians tell patients there is nothing further that can be done and to get their affairs in order while the change in a loved one’s condition devastates families. Not only do they lose memory, but they also may have personality changes and lose independence in social, occupational, and financial domains.

In the 20th century, Alzheimer’s and other causes of dementia were often diagnosed very late in the course of the illness and treated with medications, which are not very effective. They in no way improve function or recover “lost” neural activity. There is a loss of control and no hope of getting better.

What I’d like to share with you is that there is hope. More than hope.

 

Dementia: The New

 

Amyloid-beta deposition & neurofibrillary tangles cause dysfunction of neural networks and the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. We have known for some time but until now, we have not known why this occurs. With many years of research, Dr. Dale Bredesen and his team have finally been able to find the “why” of dementia.

They have identified 36 underlying triggers for amyloid-beta deposition and divided dementia into 6 broad categories, based on the cause. These are Type 1 “Inflammatory,” Type 2 “Atrophic” (or lack of nutrients and hormones), Type 1.5 “Glycotoxic” (sugar/ glucose regulation), Type 3 “Toxic,” Type 4 “Vascular” (blood vessel-related) and Type 5 “Traumatic.” What they have found is that amyloid-beta deposition is a protective response to these triggers but the removal of the amyloid-beta, without fixing the underlying cause, can do more harm than good. In any given patient, there is likely to be a contribution from each of these groups, but one or two often predominate.

 

Dementia and Genetics

Does genetics play a role in getting dementia? If this were true, then it is a waiting game that you have no control over. This is absolutely not true. Less than 5% of Alzheimer’s genes are of high penetrance and destine you to have the illness. The more common underlying genes that influence but do not always cause Alzheimer’s, are the Apo E4 genes, and genes can be tested. The number of copies of the gene may influence your risk of developing Alzheimer’s, but the beauty of 21st-century medicine is that we now know that epigenetic mechanisms are far more important than the gene itself. What this means is that the signals that you send to your genes will influence the way that they express themselves.

So through diet, exercise, stress management, curbing inflammation, managing toxicity and chronic infections, and healing the gut, we can improve the signals we send to our genes. When our brains are sent these good signals, they build synapses and brain function improves. The concept of neuroplasticity – the ability to change our brains- is very empowering.

 

Functional Medicine and Reversing Dementia

The purpose of functional medicine is to look at the root cause of illness. This makes it the perfect approach for reversing dementia. The Bredesen approach to brain health parallels the Core Nodes of Healing that we use in our practice. In conventional medicine, a doctor makes a diagnosis and gives a specific treatment or treatments focused on that specific diagnosis. Functional Medicine and Bredesen’s program maintains that many causes exist for any given symptom, and each underlying cause can lead to a number of different symptoms. In the management of these complex underlying causes, there are many focuses of treatment and each patient’s presentation is very individual, based on their underlying causes.

Bredesen refers to “36 holes in a roof”. If each underlying cause represents one hole in the roof, healing will not occur unless every hole is plugged. After plugging away at the holes, there is some synergism. This means plugging 10 holes can give the body enough momentum to start plugging the other holes. In other words, if you give the body enough help, it can start to heal itself. Genetics plays a role in dementia.

Since 2017, I have been a Bredesen Certified Practitioner. MPI Cognition was established to provide the research, support, and information to make this approach available to all. Dr Bredesen has created a RECODE report (REversing COgnitive DEcline), which is a software program that can be accessed online by interested patients. You would select me as a practitioner and pay a $75 USD monthly fee to be part of the program, with a 1 year commitment. This is to ensure continued compliance with the program because it can take at least many months to start making progress. This fee is separate to our usual clinic fees.

 

Your Next Steps

The next steps are crucial. First, I will gather your history during your initial consultation. Every piece of information I can gather about you helps complete this puzzle. Your family history, your mother’s health while pregnant with you, and every detail of your health through your life. This is so I can pinpoint where the triggers to your current health may have come from. We then gather further information through more tests which allows us to populate the RECODE report and prioritize your treatment. Next, we provide a list of recommended tests. You are able to choose as many as you are able to do. Even if all tests are not done, the RECODE report can still be completed but will be most accurate with the most information. Part of the initial intake includes baseline cognitive testing, which is tracked over time.  

Once your individual management plan is identified, a multidisciplinary approach is taken. Nutritionists, exercise therapists, neural retraining, intravenous treatments, supplements, and meditation training are all possible aspects of your treatment.

So, with my family history in mind, what have I done to prevent the development of this devastating disease? I have identified my genes and my triggers and am working towards optimizing each of the 6 categories, mentioned above. I look forward to working with patients and families to optimize brain and total body health rough clinical and personal experience with Functional Medicine, and the Bredesen Protocol.

 

Resources:

https://lynnemurfinmd.com/lynne-murfin-bio/dr-michelle-van-der-westhuizen-functional-medicine-physician/For further information please contact us.

Visit: https://www.mpicognition.com/programs/report/ and https://www.drbredesen.com/copy-of-the-bredesen-protocol-tm for more information on the Bredesen Protocol.

You can also read Dr. Dale Bredesen’s book entitled “The End of Alzheimer’s”. I recommend this for those who have a family history of dementia, notices cognitive issues in themselves, or knows someone with dementia. It is truly enlightening and empowering.

 

About the author:

One of Dr. Michelle’s greatest passions in life is to help people help themselves. She understands that your current health tells a story and that when you have symptoms of disease, your body is already out of balance. She believes that we should not have to settle for anything other than our most vital self and that her job is to figure out how to put you back on track. To book an appointment with Dr. Michelle, contact [email protected]

There is a key to healing that is 100% free and you are consuming it right now!

 

Autonomic Nervous System

 

The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) regulates many of our essential body processes automatically. This saves us from exhausting our mental capacity every day. We try to keep track of the food we’re digesting, remembering to breathe, and other essential bodily processes. As well, it allows us to use our conscious mental effort for higher thinking. We perform simultaneous activities without having to remind our hearts to beat, all thanks to our ANS.

 

The ANS contains within it the wisdom of life itself. It is a primitive system concerned primarily with survival, not thriving.

 

Sympathetic Nervous System & the Parasympathetic Nervous System

Two primary subdivisions of the ANS are the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). These act as opposing forces, telling the body either ‘it’s time to react’ (SNS) or ‘you’re safe to heal’ (PNS). You may have heard of this as the ‘fight/flight/freeze’ response (SNS) and the ‘rest and digest’ body state (PNS).


The PNS activity must be dominant for optimal body and brain health, healing, and longevity, repair, growth. In this state, our body’s own repair and renewal mechanisms work better. Plus, any healing therapy implemented such as dietary supplements, nutritional IVs and injections, and ozone therapy, can be more effective. This is because they don’t have to fight against the body’s stress response before doing your body good.

 

Overstimulation of the Nervous System

The majority of our population sits with SNS dominance as their baseline. This is caused by the overstimulation of the nervous system, toxic exposure, psychological stress, and other perceived and physiological stresses inherent in daily life. Our bodies are stressed out! At any given moment, the average person’s body is preparing for attack, not attending to its own repair and optimization. Survival is the focus. Over time, chronic SNS dominance can lead to imbalance and disease of almost every kind.


The good news is, there is a bridge between your conscious mind and your ANS. With this key to healing, you can willfully shift your operating system from “panic mode” to a healing state.

 

What is this Key to Healing?

Your breath. While breathing happens automatically every day thanks to your ANS, it can also be regulated consciously by the mind. How the breath moves in the body also happens to be an easy gauge of your subconscious state. The body is in a stressed state when it exhibits shallow breathing, mostly visible in the movement of the upper chest, shoulders, and collarbones. The body tends to breathe in a relaxed state when the lower “belly” breath is initiated by the diaphragm movement. The diaphragm is the barrier between respiratory and digestive organs- found approximately at the level of the low ribs)

 

Knowing this, the breath can be a diagnostic tool. As well, the mind’s capacity to overturn autonomic breathing patterns can be the key to wiring our system to heal. There are a few more mechanisms by which conscious breathing works to heal your body.

 

Try it yourself: Deep belly breathing

 

  1. Find a quiet, comfortable spot in your house. Sit on a chair, a cushion, or the floor. Set a timer and spend sixty seconds observing your breath.
  2. Inhale slowly and deeply; exhale slowly; repeat.


Take note: Without changing it, where does your breath go?

 

Place the palm of your right hand on the area of your torso that moves the most with each breath. If this is not the low belly, use the following steps to help your body relax. 

  1. Close your eyes and place your right hand gently on your low belly. Exhale fully through your nose and observe your hand moving in toward your spine as the belly contracts.
  2. Inhale through your nose, and feel the right hand slowly drift away from your spine as you direct your breath into the low belly.
  3. Set a timer for five minutes. Repeat steps 2 & 3, working on making the breath as smooth and full as possible.

 

Take note: Is there any resistance to deep belly breathing in the body or the mind?

 

If the breath is choppy or shallow, see if there is tension in your body and let go of it bit by bit on each exhale. You should feel your shoulders, your eyebrows, your jaw, and your glutes relax. Deep belly breathing will become more comfortable as tension is released.

 

Take note: How do you feel after five minutes of deep belly breathing?

 

Set a goal to practice deep belly breathing once a day for two weeks by following the above steps. Be sure to journal how you feel before and after each session. Write down any observations you have.

 

Set the intention to practice deep belly breathing for 40 days and train your body to use the breath to its advantage.

 

Resources:

Parasympathetic Repair pdf – click here.

Effects of Meditation and Pranayama – click here.

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