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Archives for May 2022

Adrenal Fatigue Recovery

Liz James · May 31, 2022 ·

Adrenal Recovery: If the adrenals ain’t happy, nobody’s happy!
 
If there were ever a time for a🦄 magical “That was easy!” button for health fixes, the adrenal glands would be a top candidate. As you have hopefully realized, adrenal fatigue does not happen overnight, and repair is an equally slow process. God designed our body to be a miraculous healing machine, but only if we actually “do the things” to allow the healing to happen. Remember that story in the Bible about the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years because they were “stiff necked” (stubborn) about not wanting to give up the very ways that kept getting them into trouble? We really haven’t changed much all these years later! 😬🤭There is no magic pill or elixir to simply “undo” adrenal fatigue, though there is PLENTY that can be done to support the repair process. The body has raised a white flag in the form of the myriad of clues you’ve collected.
Adrenal fatigue is an inside job in this type of crime scene, and the “crime” can persist indefinitely (or until a secondary dysfunction steps in and wreaks bigger havoc) unless self care becomes a priority. Do you ignore the clues🫣 and prepare for a long wander in the desert, or will you choose to be still and become an active participant in the repair and replenishment process? The desert is a dry, dusty, barren place and yet many people choose to embark on the desert journey because they have chosen to hang on to that which is holding them captive (and making them sick). #choices
 
What conditions are necessary for the adrenal glands to recover and thrive?
  • Locating and eliminating (or mediating) “energy vampires” in your life. Do the people you share your life with suck the life out of you or do they add to your life? Do the activities and employment you engage in suck the life out of you, or do they add to your life? Find the areas of chronic stress in your life, and commit to making positive changes. That may mean counseling, setting boundaries, or perhaps finding a new job, or new friends. No amount of StressAway essential oil blend will make a chronically stressful situation tolerable for the adrenal glands.
  • Incorporate prayer, meditation, gentle exercise, yoga, massage, quiet time, leisure reading, sitting quietly in nature etc (that which encourages stillness of mind, body, and spirit) as a daily and necessary activity. Allowing the body time to recharge should be as habitual as brushing teeth at least twice a day. We are a country that doesn’t embrace “slow”, and as a result, 80% of adults in the USA have experienced adrenal fatigue at least once in their lives. PS: scrolling on the computer is NOT part of this activity.
  • Laugh! 😂😅😆🤣 Laughter has many adrenal de-fatiguing benefits. It has been scientifically proven to reduce blood pressure and relax the body by helping regulate cortisol levels in the body. Laughter also increases the body’s infection fighting capabilities and raises the body’s endorphin production which improves mood and decreases stress levels within the body.
  • Do something that brings you pleasure every day.🥰 Find your favorite things and engage in them
  • Breathe deeply regularly. Incorporate deep breathing habits into your life. Be purposeful in setting aside 3-4 minutes several times a day for focused deep diaphragmatic breathing.
  • Create a gratitude journal and utilize it ! Send someone a thank you note. Expressing gratitude is directly linked to greater happiness and joy, two higher frequency emotions. Recall that higher frequency emotions are directly linked to a healthier healing environment overall and that a body with a higher (positive) frequency gently guides the body towards an alkaline state. Negative emotions do the opposite, pulling the body towards an acidic pH,where chronic illness tends to thrive. (This isn’t hoo hoo friends….. It’s basic physics and biology!). Grab your bottle of Gratitude essential oil blend and use it regularly as a reminder to self! (check out the oils within this beautiful blend….. Grounding tree oils, cardiovascular supportive oils, and mood calming to boot!) Just as with all Young Living products, the Gratitude blend is highly purpose oriented!
  • Take a short (15-30 minute) cat nap (horizontally, not seated in a chair) during the day.😴
  • Get in bed before 10:00pm.😴 The adrenal glands like restorative sleep and “pre-midnight” sleep is generally more restorative . Having a “Second Wind” is a real thing and the characteristics of a night owl defies the natural circadian rhythm the adrenal glands crave. Our bodies were designed to follow the natural flow of daylight and dark. If healing is a priority, bedtime by 10:00 pm will become dear to you.
  • Learn to say no.😉
  • The adrenal glands need lots of Vitamin C and cannot function properly without adequate levels. Super C chewables are a key physical ingredient to adrenal gland support. The best vitamin C comes from natural sources and is paired with bioflavonoids (found in citrus rinds) to enhance bioavailability. Historically, before measuring steroid hormones was an available test, blood levels of Vitamin C were used as the best indicator of adrenal function in studies! Be wary of your Vitamin C sourcing. Most of what you find on the market as ascorbic acid is derived from corn syrup. Not only is this a less bioavailable form, corn🌽 is one of the most chemically treated genetically modified grains in commercial agriculture. Knowing your farmer (as we blessedly know Young Living), is utterly important for supplements too!
  • Other common deficiencies contributing to adrenal dysfunction lie within the Vitamin B family. Super B is an easy choice for B supplementation, and also contains nutmeg essential oil….. An essential oil that is highly supportive of the adrenal glands!
  • Vitamin E, found in Master Formula and KidScents MightyVites, is another nourishing necessity for healthy adrenal glands.
  • Vitamin D deficiencies are often overlooked in routine lab work. Adequate Vitamin D levels play an important supportive role in the prevention of many endocrine disorders, including diabetes (types I and II), various adrenal diseases, and PCOS. Vitamin D also has immune supportive and anti-inflammatory properties. When the immune system AND inflammation pathways are working properly, the body responds in a more favorable way to stress. Vitamin D is found in Super Vitamin D, Master Formula, Super Cal Plus, KidScents MightyVites, OmegaGize, and Mindwise.
  • Eat a protein rich, carbohydrate poor breakfast. Avoid fruit first thing in the morning.
  • Ensure a regular source of trace minerals. YL’s Mineral Essence or a commitment to use a high quality trace mineral salt (such as Redmond or Sea of Cortez salt) daily and liberally. Do NOT use commercial table salt….. It’s not the same thing. Kelp powder or sea moss is another helpful natural source of micronutrients.
  • Reduce screen time. What we see and hear are stress triggers and recall that screen light interrupts melatonin production in the evenings. Turn off screens by 8pm if at all possible.
  • Engage in a caffeine free lifestyle as much as is possible. Caffeine raises cortisol levels.
  • Reduce sugar intake. Sugar is highly inflammatory, and we are trying to give the body a rest…. Not make it work harder. Work towards balanced blood sugar. NingXia Red is highly supportive of healthy blood sugar levels.
  • Be kind to yourself in thought, word, and deed. Are you a good friend to yourself?
  • Incorporate a diet that is rich in raw fruits and vegetables, and high quality meats, fish, and eggs. Eat healthy sources of cholesterol. Remember, healthy cholesterol is the primary building block for all adrenal produced hormones.
  • Look for ways to reduce inflammation naturally. Take a close look at food sensitivities and possibly, low grade infections. Common low grade infections (often not easily detected) include candida, h.pylori, and Epstein Barr.
  • Stay well hydrated!
  • Consider products with adaptogenic herbs. Studies have shown that ashwagandha helps balance cortisol levels. It is found in both EndoGize and PowerGize. Astragalus is found in CardioGize. Reishi mushrooms are found in Immupro. Ginseng is found in FemiGen and NingXia Nitro. Licorice root is found in FemiGen and Rehomogen. Ginger helps modulate cortisol levels and is found in EndoGize, ComforTone, ICP Daily, Golden Turmeric, JuvaPower, ParaFree, Essentialzymes-4, Digest & Cleanse, Allerzyme, and Master Formula. Note that adaptogenic herbs are helpful supportive tools, but so is the spare “donut” tire found in the trunk of many cars. The “donut tire” will help for a while, but it’s not a long term solution to the root cause.
  • Exercise. It reduces stress in the mind and body, facilitates improved blood flow and, oxygenation of tissue, and hastens elimination of toxins. Excessive exercise is not a good idea when in adrenal insufficiency recovery. Start with gentle exercise🧘‍♀️🏊🚴‍♀️, and work towards that which is suitable for you individually. Regular exercise is key in self care.
Adrenal insufficiency has many culprits working together over time to quietly bring chaos into the body, and those purveyors of mayhem must be dealt with.
All of them.
Individually.
This is not a small crime scene. It’s a crime syndicate. Untended to, adrenal fatigue can become chronic, making the body a playground for other system dysfunctions. My best advice is to work on repair and recovery in babystep fashion. Remember, adrenal insufficiency didn’t happen overnight, and repair won’t happen overnight either.
Adrenal fatigue can happen to anyone at any age if stress management is not an ingrained habit. One of the most important life skills a child should be taught is learning how to manage stress by incorporating the above into their daily life. Life is stress filled. We can’t change that, but we CAN change how we react to stress, and how prepped our body is when the inevitable stressors present themselves. Protect your adrenal glands friends. Each one of us can’t afford not to.
 
xoxo ~ liz
 
(link to volume I: Becoming Your Own Health Detective: https://goodmedicine.info/my-book/ )
 
#sharingiscaring
#adrenalfatigueisreal
#theapplicationofknowledgeispower
#goodmedicine
#BYOHD
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#ThanksYL

The Power of Mushrooms

Liz James · May 26, 2022 ·

Do not underestimate the immune enhancing properties of many mushroom species. 🤓🍄
Fantastic article! My stash of Immupro is dwindling, and I know many of you are waiting eagerly for it to come back in stock. Corporate has said it will be soon. The reason for its absence has been sourcing of mushrooms. If you are like me, and have come to question everything….. it’s quite the coinkydink that something that has potent antiviral properties is in short supply within the supply chain. 🧐
Of particular interest in this article is the Maitake species (found in Immupro)… to quote the article…. ” Grifola frondosa (maitake) also exhibits this modulating activity. G. frondosa fruiting body extract produced both immune stimulatory IL-2, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, and suppressive IL-10 in breast cancer survivors taking 5-7 g/kg per day of mushroom extract for three weeks.[14]”
IL-2 : makes infection fighting cells in the body multiply and mature
TNF-α: Induces blood vessels to become more permeable, and
signals when a “rogue” cell needs to be destroyed by the body.
IFN-γ: has antiviral, immunoregulatory, and anti-tumor properties.
IL-10: a potent anti-inflammatory
 
I’ll be doing my Snoopy happy dance when Immupro is back in stock!
 
xoxo~ liz
 
https://price-pottenger.org/…/medicinal-mushrooms…/

DIY Tests for Adrenal Fatigue

Liz James · May 24, 2022 ·

Adrenal Fatigue DIY tests you can do at home

 

“One small clue can change the way you think about your surroundings quite dramatically.” ~The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs
When last we met, I unloaded a truckload full of clues pertaining to health history, stress history, and the physical health clues to be found within the story and advancing progress of adrenal fatigue. Being aware of your very personal surroundings (your body and history), and caring for your body based upon that history has everything to do with health outcomes. Using the clues you piece together, along with formulating a plan to “correct course” will have a dramatic impact over time. There are four DIY tests for monitoring your adrenal health. Independently, each test is a puzzle piece.
 
4 simple and free tests (combined with the clues mentioned previously) will paint a decent picture of your adrenal health.
 
1. Check eyes for iris contraction: This particular DIY is a study of the 👁pupil’s muscular strength in response to light stimulation, and is an excellent indicator of adrenal gland struggles. Our eyes respond to stress too, by dilating pupils (Hence the term, “deer in the headlights.”).They do this as a means of increasing visual observations of the perceived threat. Remember, “the lion” that may be chasing you could be a looming deadline, a toxic relationship, a chronic health issue, etc. Compared to a real lion chasing you, these common examples may seem benign, but the body and mind cannot discern the difference between a ferocious mammal or a pile of unpaid bills. As stress increases and adrenaline is released, peripheral vision shrinks, which reduces the field of vision to a laser focus on the immediate threat at hand. When the body is in this state, the eyes👁 are focused on the immediate threat, not the other environmental details, and a sort of tunnel vision develops….. Under a single looming threat (aka, “the lion”🦁), the physical effects should wear off as soon as the threat has moved on. If that threat continues to stalk you, small doses of adrenaline continue to release. When the muscles within the iris are exercised in this manner beyond capacity, they grow weary, and want to rest. If you have low adrenal function, the pupil will not hold the contraction(get smaller) easily.
The iris contraction test was originally discovered by Dr. C.F. Arroyo in 1924 as a means to help identify adrenal insufficiency. 🤓Here’s what you’ll do:
Sit in a dark room with a mirror, a flashlight, and a clock that measures in seconds. Sometimes this test is more easily done with a companion. Shine the flashlight across an eye (from the side of the face), and watch what happens to the pupil. Under healthy circumstances, the pupil should contract (get smaller) immediately. In adrenal insufficiency, the pupil will not be able to hold the contraction and will dilate (get larger) again despite the light shining across (not into!) it. How long is your eye able to maintain the smaller contracted pupil size in this test?
  • 20+ seconds : healthy!
  • 11-19 seconds: early clue of adrenal struggles
  • 5-10 seconds: adrenal insufficiency
  • 0-4 seconds: adrenal exhaustion
Note that this test is also a good one to use monthly to measure success during adrenal recovery, and that certain neurological and ophthalmological dysfunctions, medications (ex: stimulants, opioids, some OTC medicated nasal sprays, nicotine, certain eye drops and some chemotherapy agents) , and age parameters (the very young and elderly) may affect the reliability of this test.
 
2. The DIY Postural Blood Pressure Test: For this test, you’ll need an “at home” blood pressure cuff.
  1. Lay down for about 10 minutes, and then take the blood pressure while in that position.
  2. Then, take blood pressure immediately after standing up (from the original laying down position).
  3. Blood pressure should rise 10-20 mm/Hg when coming from a laying to standing position. If it instead drops by 10 mm/Hg or more, and there is not other cause (ex: dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, an injury, or certain medications including blood pressure medications, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, opioids, anti-psychotics),adrenal insufficiency is a strong possibility
  • Increase by 6-10 mm/Hg : adrenal status healthy
  • No change: adrenal status is fair
  • Drops 1-10 mm/Hg: adrenal status is poor
  • Drops by more than 10 mm/Hg: adrenals are exhausted.                                                                                                                                                                                         Note that an overall low blood pressure does not indicate adrenal problems, and also that an overall high blood pressure does not mean an absence of adrenal issues.
3.  The DIY Sergent’s White Line Test: French physician Dr. Emile Sergent first described this test in 1917.🤓 French physician Dr. Emile Sergent first described this test in 1917.🤓 You’ll need your belly and a ballpoint pen.
  1. Stroke your abdomen with the capped end of a ballpoint pen (or something equivalent). Make the strokes one over the other on the same 6 inch line.
  2. Note the reaction of the skin. What color does the skin turn when you quit stroking that area?
  3. In a normal reaction, the mark should be white, but then redden within seconds. If you have diminished arterial tension (a factor in compromised adrenal glands), that color line will stay white for a minute or two and may actually widen.
4.  DIY Body Temperature Test : Dr Bruce Rind MD is another beacon of light within the Western Medicine world. The body temperature🌡 test I am describing is one of his contributions to identifying adrenal distress. Recall that endocrine disorders often have a masquerade party amongst themselves (and other disorders!), making it hard to differentiate who the real party pooper is in your personal health situation. Dr. Rind recommends the following test as a means of identifying hypothyroidism, adrenal dysfunction (or a combination of the two).
  1. Take your temperature by placing an old fashioned thermometer under your arm at a 45 degree angle.
  2. After 10 minutes, record the temperature.
  3. Do this three times a day at 3 hrs after waking, and then 3 hours later, and again 3 hours after that (if you’ve eaten or exercised right beforehand, wait 20 minutes to take your temperature).
  4. Average these three daily readings and record the result.
  5. Do this for 5 days (making sure that during that time you are healthy and not ovulating)
  • If the difference between your daily average temperature reading is no more than 0.2 degrees: no indication of adrenal or thyroid dysfunction.
  • If fluctuating, but the overall average is 98.6, adrenal support is recommended.
  • If fluctuating but overall low, it may indicate both an adrenal and thyroid issue.
  • If there is very little to no fluctuation, but temperature remains low, focus on the thyroid.
So interesting, right? I love how the body speaks📣 to us in very intentional ways. If your body is giving you clues🔎 that your adrenal glands and/or thyroid is in need of serious TLC, it may be a good time to call in a trusted health professional to help you navigate this part of your journey. There are also some advanced labs that can be run to further put the pieces of the puzzle together. Sadly, the majority of standardized health insurance companies do not cover these VIP tests. That said, nothing is more important than your health, and ignoring health clues and foregoing tests because they are a ”too expensive” out of pocket expense will become an exercise of frustration and detriment. I really recommend having a “rainy health day” 💰fund established simply to pay for supplements, oils, alternative health care options, and lab work that traditional insurance won’t cover. You’ll be glad you did!
 
xoxo~ liz
 
Becoming Your Own Health Detective Volume I ( https://goodmedicine.info/my-book/ )
 
PS: Did you hear Dr. Jim Bob Haggerton‘s call last night on adrenal fatigue? It was fabulous and loaded with information! As soon as it’s available, I’ll drop a link to it in the comments section here.
 
#sharingiscaring
#adrenalfatigueisreal
#theapplicationofknowledgeispower
#goodmedicine
#BYOHD
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#ThanksYL

Epoch Times Mentions Young Living

Liz James · May 21, 2022 ·

Just stepped inside after a couple hours of early morning farm chores to eat breakfast (yogurt, blueberries, and YL Granola😋), and read last week’s Epoch Times newspaper. This is such a fantastic hardcopy news source! We’ve been subscribers for about 4 years now.  Its weekly arrival is always something I look forward to for a variety of reasons. 🙏🇺🇸🤓❤
 
This particular issue has a beautiful article on essential oils, and much to my ❤❤❤, Young Living was mentioned 🌱❤🙌.
 
Before there was Big Pharma, there were plants friends. Big Pharma may attempt to duplicate that which is created by God. I suppose imitation is the sincerest form of flattery…. but imitation is still imitation😉 and always falls short.
 
As I always say, there is a time and place for Big Pharma (ex: emergent care).However, the majority of the time, lifestyle changes /choices along with the gifts God has placed on earth for our use, health, and enjoyment work wonderfully well.
 
If you haven’t explored what Young Living has to offer for your particular situation, ask someone who has walked the walk before you. If you don’t have someone in your circle, book a call with me (complimentary), and I’ll help you discover your best place to start according to your personal health story.
 
xoxo~ liz
 
#sharingiscaring
#thanksYL
#Godgaveuswhatweneedinthegarden
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#simplelifehappylifehealthylife
#whatsinthegardenisgoodmedicine

Raindrop Training-Farm Style

Liz James · May 14, 2022 ·

Excellent Raindrop training day at the barn!
 
Though this session was for people, the dogs, horses and even the cows were asking when their turn was😍. (I will be giving them their turn in the near future).
Raindrop. It isn’t just for humans and It does a body (two legged or four lagged!) good❤.
 
If you haven’t yet both learned it and experienced it, you’re missing out on a VIP wellness tool in your toolbox.
 
Education is a big part of what we do. Personal empowerment is a key component of wellness.
 
xoxo~ liz
 
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