Blog 3: Next Steps after learning about Adrenals, Cortisol, and Stress

Hello All! 

My apologies for the MONTH long delay in my next blog! Where did July go?!! Hope you are all doing well and becoming more and more aware of your bodies and how they respond to different things, most importantly, stress. 

One of the most important things we can do as humans, is keep learning and growing forward by listening to our bodies and asking ourselves, what is the best way for ME to respond. For example, if I eat this really mouth watering chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream, it is going to taste amazing, however I know, that my tummy is going to grow big like I am 3mo pregnant, its going to hurt, and I know I will not sleep well. SOOO, is it worth it? Another example, let's say is at work, and you have just received feedback that your project you finished didn't complete the requested criteria and you need to re do it. Before reacting and wanting to defend yourself, ask yourself, what is the best response for me right now? It may be taking a pause, taking a deep breath, and walking away. By doing this, it will immediately bring down your stress level, and you will be able to respond accordingly, (instead of reacting), that is best for you and to get that project done. 

Alright, so let's talk next steps with getting real personal with your-self. I wanted to share a few ways that you can see how your body is truly functioning, which can shape how your digestion system works and how it relates to mood/stress. 

Becoming self aware, is about creating "pause". I truly believe we are in this world to learn about ourselves and how we can be our own best friend, which then in turn, helps us be better with others and feel more connected. For example, I know that if I have a social event, and I do not eat, then my anxiety increases. I feel shaky, and cannot get the right words out! So I have become aware, that if I eat, I am able to connect with others with ease. I learned this through becoming aware, taking a pause, and through tracking. 

Pause: it sounds so simple but have to say, challenging. It is a choice; it is a practice, and it is doable! For example, when you wake up in the morning, do you go go go OR do you sit at the edge of your bed, take a sip of water, and ease into your morning? Which style sounds better for you? If you get up and go go go, your adrenals and cortisol shoot up and your nervous system is already on fire. If you wake up, pause, and ease into your morning, you set the tone for your nervous system to be in a healthier balance.

Tracking: I often recommend to my clients to track what they eat, how the food responds to their digestive system (we get real personal!), and how it effects their mood, and their sleep. 3-5 days is recommended to track including at least 1 weekend day, as we all know our "habits" change over the weekend! Tracking provides crucial eye opening information into what you are ingesting and how it effects all parts of you. When you review the information and especially with a trained individual, you will notice patterns, themes, and direct correlations of how food is your impacting your daily life. 

Here is the tracker that I share with my clients, as well as a stool chart:

• Tracker: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12INg77uzt2ijtazWOYBvygemhlJcUa81B5oKC0Iybyg/edit?usp=sharing

• Bristol Stool Chart: https://thegeriatricdietitian.com/bristol-stool-chart-pdf/

Next steps: so you have practiced the pause, and have now tracked at least 3-5 days. It is not time to review with a health coach, or someone who is certified in Nutrition for Mental Health (like me!), or one of the Holistic Coaches/Doctors recommendations below. They will review your results, and assess for further testing (if needed) including hormone panel, blood work, and/or GI Map (Gastrointestinal Map-stool test) to learn more about how you are internally functioning. From there, education on nutrition, lifestyle, and supplements will be given. 

Resources in Northern CA:

• Center for Living Health in Sacramento: Integrative Holistic healthcare combining Western medicine with Holistic approach - Here is their website: https://www.centerforlivinghealth.com/ 

• Dr. Kathrine Bisharat in Carmichael accepts insurance, in person, and telehealth - 

            -Contact info: 6815 Fair Oaks Blvd, Carmichael 916.481.4389

• Ollie Health in El Dorado Hills has memberships and they work with functional medicine, as well as with people who have chronic pain. Here is the website: https://olliehealthinc.com/

• Whole Child Health in Cameron Park at Marshall Medical: Recommended Doctors include: Dr. Nichole Shorrock, Dr. Katie Long

Resources online:

Grit-Well: On-line Functional Medicine with coaching and testing; I have personally used them and they helped me feel sooo much better and I now understand what my body needs to thrive. I recommend Barbara, a health coach there. Here is the website: https://www.grit-well.com/ and if you use them, please let them know I referred you! 

**Overall, I hope that you found this blog helpful in regards to becoming more self aware of how pausing and finding themes/patterns in tracking your foods can support you in feeling better overall. Remember these are life time practices that we can easily implement during our daily life. We always have the opportunity to pause, and to ask ourselves, is this the best response for me right now? It is not selfish. It is constantly learning about you, so that you can be good for yourself AND for others. 

If you would like more information, tools, or have comments, feel free to share in the comments or email me: mpettengilllcsw@gmail.com

Thanks so much and see you next time!~

Michelle 

https://michelle-pettengill.clientsecure.me/