Stress

Do Thoughts Affect Our Health?

Liz James · March 24, 2023 ·

We’re on day 9 of the 14 Day Reset today, and the changes our group is seeing are so beautiful. Although the focus is on inflammation, much much more is happening (including the bonus of weight loss in some people).

Here’s a video that ties in some of the teachings that have been released on emotions in the 14Day Reset group. The topic is too important not to share.

(The next round of 14Day Reset starts on April 10th!)

https://www.facebook.com/thewellnessprepper/videos/533004018918076

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Kristi Zittle, I just love you! (She has been educating on emotions) I have listened to your video twice now, and I wanted to drop a science nugget in support of all you have been so generously sharing about emotions. I love when scripture and science bump into one another and truth comes out no matter which way you turn it. Proverbs 23:7 says “As a man thinks, so is he.” We’ve got to meditate(focus) on that which is good in God’s eyes….. especially the voices (those not from God) we hear whose intention is to tear us down. Are our thoughts about ourselves (and others too) Biblically based? What effect do these thoughts have on the hypothalamus

(and then ultimately the rest of the body)?…. listen and find out!

In my mind, I tend to be more motivated when I know the “why”….. I was one of those kids who was always asking “why” growing up…it probably drove my parents crazy

. I pray this blesses someone today!

xoxo~ liz

#AsAManThinkethSoIsHe

#14dayreset

#becomingyourownhealthdetective

#mindbodyspirithealth

Seretonin Support Naturally

Liz James · February 3, 2023 ·

One of the (MANY) reasons I’m so passionate about finding alternative / natural healing methods is because of the fallout that always occurs to some degree within every single person who steps into chronic pharmaceutical use. Sometimes the fallout is slow

. Sometimes it happens quickly

. When it happens slowly, it’s rare that the particular medication gets appropriately blamed. Such is the case with antidepressants (and hundreds of other medications) contributing to the surge in antibiotic resistant bacteria in our culture. The consequences: antibiotics may not work as well as they should when they are used, which leads to hard to treat/ difficult to overcome infections. An estimated 35,000 deaths a year in the USA are attributed to antimicrobial resistant infections. I wonder how many of those who have died were taking medication(s) which promoted antibiotic resistance

Interesting article:

How Antidepressants Help Bacteria Resist Antibiotics https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00186-y.

I’m not suggesting anyone get off their medication. Have that conversation with a health provider who is not completely influenced by Big Pharma. And in the meantime, utilize natural ways to heal and support your body in a manner that doesn’t require pharmaceuticals.

xoxo~ liz

#byohd #becomingyourownhealthdetective #wearewhatweconsume #ThanksYL #holisticpharmacist #organicfarmgirl #paythefarmerorpaythepharmacist #awakeandaware

Chronic Irritability and Anger

Liz James · January 26, 2023 ·

The body doesn’t lie.

If you struggle with either occasional or chronic bouts of anger/irritability, check yourself…… your mind or body may be telling your something.

Common causes of irritability include: sleep deprivation, low blood sugar, underlying toothaches, certain respiratory disorders, medication, depression, anxiety, hormonal imbalance, and thyroid disorders are just a few.

Left unchecked, chronic irritability and anger can also lead to disease or aggravate a known condition. The constant rush of stress chemicals in the body are linked to migraines, insomnia, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, auto immune disorder flares, eczema, heart disease, strokes and digestive disorders (among other things).

Come to yoga. You won’t regret leaving your “heavy” at the door.

Local peeps….. 7:30pm. Message me for deets.

xoxo~ liz

#MckinneyFBBCYoga

#Yogaisgoodmedicine

#thebodydoesntlie

#Webecomewhatourminddwellsupon

NingXia Red Research Findings & Fun Facts

Liz James · October 10, 2022 ·

Do you NingXia Red? NR is a daily staple on our farm.

My husband and I drink at least two ounces daily, though often it’s more than that if we are grabbing a packet on the go.

Fun Farm Fact: We’ve raised a tiny baby squirrel

(who is now 7years old and lives freely outdoors but “with us” on our porch) and an equally tiny baby ‘possum

using raw milk and NingXia Red.

NingXia Red does a body good! Don’t take my word for it… science says so too ( !

ningxia red study results

The Ovarian Adrenal Thyroid Symphony

Liz James · June 23, 2022 ·

Putting the Pieces Together: The Ovarian – Adrenal – Thyroid (OAT) Symphony

Before we reach the nether regions of the endocrine system, I wanted to talk to you a little bit about a very important concept called the Ovarian-Adrenal-Thyroid (OAT) axis. The goal is to live in hormonal harmony within our own body, and that can get tricky pretty quickly when you have a bad conductor directing a personal symphony

orchestra.

A typical symphony orchestra

has more than forty musicians and is an ensemble composed of wind, string, brass and percussion instruments. There are very few great conductors in the world simply because such a job requires charisma, deep knowledge of both music and musical instruments, and major people skills. A stellar conductor must also know the style and history of music and excel in anticipating and then cueing each musician at exactly the right moment. Some of the more extraordinary conductors I’ve seen also appear to have a playfulness within them to balance the exacting attention to detail that must be required to execute a flawless concert.

The endocrine system is much like a symphony

, often with “the conductor” being the level of stress we unwittingly allow ourselves to live with. Remember, stress on the body isn’t only caused by meeting deadlines or trying to achieve a long “to do” list. Stress on the body will look different for each person, and may be emotional or physiological… It doesn’t matter the type or combination thereof!

Chronic busyness to the point of exhaustion
Chronic physical pain
Chronic infection or illness
Toxin load
Heavy metal load
Emotional stress
Chronic sleep deprivation
Too much exercise
Nutrient deficiencies due to poor eating habits, medications causing depletions, a physiological inability to absorb certain nutrients properly, or even relying on poorly made supplements for nutrition

Stress always affects the adrenal glands first, and then thyroid and ovaries will begin to suffer.

Conductor: “A little less cowbell please!”

By the time a woman reaches her mid 30’s/ early 40’s (unless she has incorporated solid stress mediation tools into daily life ), there is a high probability that the excessive “cowbell” coming from the adrenal glands has begun to successfully drown out the harmonizing ovaries and thyroid. Because we’ve already fairly thoroughly discussed the adrenal glands and thyroid (reread those sections for a refresher!) I want to focus on how ovarian function is impacted by chronic stress.

In a state of chronic stress, the adrenals cannot keep up with the demand for cortisol production, and in doing so, they begin “stealing” from progesterone production to have the building blocks to make more cortisol.

Conductor: “Add in a little more saxophone.”

As progesterone production drops, estrogen dominance makes its debut.

Conductor: “Decrescendo piccolos!”

Estrogen dominance (which can occur even when ovaries have been removed, thanks to estrogen production elsewhere in the body and xenoestrogen exposure) then begins impeding the conversion of (inactive) T4 into (active) T3 which translates to less active thyroid hormone for the body to have access to. This leads to feelings of sluggishness, fatigue, and all the symptoms related to hypothyroidism. Too much estrogen also interferes with the communication between the brain and the adrenal glands. As time goes on in a state of estrogen dominance, fat begins accumulating around the abdomen. Have you heard the term “muffin top”? It’s a clue, my sleuthing friend! Muffin tops, excessive PMS, infertility or miscarriages, low libido, bloating or water retention, fibrocystic breasts, premenstrual headaches, thyroid dysfunction, irritability or depression, hair loss, thyroid dysfunction, foggy thinking, memory loss, and insomnia are all major clues with the conductor’s baton pointing towards estrogen dominance.

Conductor: “Crescendo violins!”

Estrogen dominance has also been linked to worsening allergies, autoimmune disorders, ovarian cysts, breast and uterine cancers, and is associated with an accelerated aging process. I’ll talk more about estrogen dominance later…. The goal here is to show the snowballing impact of stress on the endocrine system and ultimately the entire body.

Unfortunately, Westernized medicine is usually quick to add to the toxic soup already existing within a body by applying chemical bandaids. Ironically, antidepressants, thyroid replacement medications, and hormone replacement therapies often worsen the OAT imbalance IF addressing adrenal gland health is not part of the health and wellness recovery plan. Understanding the importance of and utilizing stress management tools daily will be a game changer, if you have been identifying with these clues!

Let’s not leave the men out of this discussion. There is a male version of the OAT axis. Abnormal cortisol levels in men cause testosterone levels to drop. Treating low testosterone with a synthetic testosterone replacement while ignoring the adrenal connection does come with risks. Side effects of synthetic testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) may include polycythemia, peripheral edema, aggression, diminished testicular size and fertility, exacerbation of sleep apnea, and cardiovascular and liver dysfunction. TRT is another chemical bandaid which fails to address the root cause (another “to be covered later” topic).

Without question, life has the potential to be stress filled, and we must use the tools easily available to us to mediate its harmful effects.

Belonging to a supportive like minded community
Prayer and meditation
Exercise, especially yoga
Spending time outdoors or with a pet daily
Practicing self care daily
Laughter
Minimize phone use and screen time
Healthy diet
Practicing deep purposeful breathing
B Vitamins (have you tried YL’s Super B?)
Elimination of toxins especially xenoestrogens commonly found in mainstream skincare lines. Utilize Young Living’s safe ART, Bloom, or Balance skin care lines for safe xenoestrogen free products!). Xenoestrogens are also found in plastics (ie water bottles), red dye #3, BHA (a food preservative, many insecticides, and birth control pills that contain ethinylestradiol.
Young Living’s Cortistop
Utilize scents that you find relaxing. Many studies suggest that aromatherapy is beneficial for relaxing and decreasing stressful moments. Scents known to promote stress reduction include lavender, rose, vetiver, bergamot, Roman chamomile, neroli, frankincense, sandalwood, ylang-ylang, orange, and geranium. Young Living oil blends designed for just such a purpose include StressAway, Peace & Calming, Valor, RutaVala, or Tranquil.
Setting healthy boundaries in all areas of life
Using adaptogens to help mediate stress response. An adaptogen is any substance that increases the body’s resistance to a negative stress response. These have been around (and studied) since World War II… so it’s not a new concept! Known adaptogens include:

American and Asian ginseng (found in FemiGen)
Ashwagandha (found in EndoGize and PowerGize)
Reishi mushroom (found in NingXia Greens and Immupro)
Turmeric (found in Golden Turmeric)

Reduce caffeine intake. Consider daily NingXia Red, NingXia Nitro, NingXia Zyng, and/or our new NingXia Greens or an adaptogenic “coffee” substitute instead. You may also consider diffusing essential oil blends En-R-Gee or Longevity or Peppermint, Rosemary, or Lemon for an aromatic pick-me-up!

Every body’s symphony

will sound and feel slightly different. We each have the responsibility of constantly “tuning the instruments”, harmonizing within ourselves and among ourselves, and ensuring that “the conductor” (ie: your individual stress load) is neither a taskmaster or curmudgeon!

After all, the goal is an endocrine system which feels like a well played Beethoven’s 5th!

xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring

#OATaxis

#chronicstressisthecornerstoneofillness

#theapplicationofknowledgeispower

#goodmedicine

#BYOHD

#becomingyourownhealthdetective

#ThanksYL