Balanced Living Guide

Homeostasis, essential for health and survival.

Homeostasis is the body’s ability to regulate its internal environment within narrow limits. The body wants and needs to return to balance in order to heal and survive. This means maintaining optimal homeostasis is the key to good health. Anytime this delicate balance is altered, the body responds with a negative or positive feedback cycle. These cycles are expressed as acute symptoms like a fever when sick with an invasive organism or chronic symptoms like high blood pressure when the body is struggling to keep the pressure in an optimal range. By listening closely to your body as symptoms arise, it can help you avoid deeper issues later on down the road. Our bodies are exceptionally intelligent and have an array of tools to keep us balanced. For example, when cold and flu symptoms are allowed to run their natural course without suppressant medications, a fever will kill invading organisms, while mucus from a cough expels the organisms and dead cells. This process allows the body to purge, detoxify and heal on a cellular level. Learning how to respond to each symptom with appropriate measures, including hydration, bioavailable nutrients and the removal of toxins is essential to maintain balance and optimal homeostasis.

We live in a toxic world, but the human body is INCREDIBLY RESILIENT!

Our world has become exceedingly toxic. To the point, I’m not sure how any of us have survived this long, but here we are! I have yet to find a product or person that does not have some level of toxicity. This includes the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we consume – yes, even organic. This is the reason guidance may be necessary to detoxify properly and keep the detoxification systems open and functioning optimally. Nevertheless, do not underestimate natural human resilience, your body has an incredible ability to heal and regenerate.

Sleep, it is not negotiable.

Your body needs 7-9 hours of sleep every night to rest, reset and detoxify. REM sleep is essential for brain detoxification. A steady deep REM sleep allows the brain to shrink, yes shrink, while glymphatic fluid clears away dead cells and toxic debris. This process is essential to maintain optimal brain and cognitive function. A deep restful sleep relies on a tiny gland located deep in the center of the brain. The pineal gland excretes melatonin, the sleepy hormone. However, the pineal gland along with other glands like the pituitary are sensitive to light. Our brains rely on the full spectrum of sun moving through its daily cycle to signal hormone producing glands. At night the lack of sunlight signals the night hormones needed for regeneration, growth and sleep. This means our circadian rhythm depends on light exposure throughout the day. Spending time outside during morning, midday, evening and night hours signals our brains to release the appropriate hormones. The problem is, we have become cave dwellers. Most Americans spend 90% of their day indoors with the shades drawn, bathed in artificial lighting. Lighting like LED’s, fluorescents, computers screens and cell phones are often based in the blue light spectrum. Blue light is midday light. Using blue spectrum LED lights and screens at night confuses the hormonal process. To balance the circadian rhythm, get ample sun exposure during the day, while avoiding artificial lighting and screens at least 1 hour before bed. Incandescent lights in the 2700K or lower range and candle light are good options for night lighting. It is also important to keep your bedroom dark while sleeping to ensure a steady flow of nighttime hormones.

The sun is our friend.

Moderate sun exposure has many health benefits, most importantly vitamin D synthesis. The sun also supports our mitochondria which are the powerhouses of our cells, essential for energy and vitality. Think about this, if the sun is so dangerous, how did our ancestors; who spent most of their day outdoors, hunting, gathering, and farming, survive long enough to create 8 billion people? The difference now, we shower off our natural body oils, then apply a vast array of personal products with a hefty list of chemicals. What happens to distearyldimonium chloride and dimethicone, along with the 100 other chemicals slathered on that morning then baked in by the sun? I don’t have the answer, but it’s probably not good. We also spend a lot of time indoors and go for a weekend of outdoor fun in the sun in the dead of summer. Our skin burns because it can not acclimate to the sun’s increasing rays without consistent exposure. Fashion also takes preference when it comes to the sun and our eyes. Our eyes are tiny solar panels that determine the sun’s strength, in turn signaling the brain and body how to respond. Covering the eyes with a dark lens tells the brain the sun’s rays are darker and less powerful than what they really are. If you choose to wear sunglasses, refrain from wearing them in the first 30 minutes of your outdoor adventure. This will allow your body a little time to acclimate. 

Electromagnetic frequency radiation is all around us.

Native electromagnetic frequencies are natural to the earth and have been of our evolutionary process. These include non-ionizing infrared and visible light, along with ionizing X-rays and gamma rays. Non-native frequencies like wi-fi and wireless communication, are not natural to human or earth biology. These frequencies are both disruptive and damaging to a body that communicates through electrical impulses. An overabundance of non-native EMR and a separation from native EMR is causing a silent epidemic. Electrosensitivity can cause an array of symptoms from headaches and blurred vision to tinnitus and cellular damage. Removing non-native disturbances like wi-fi and smart devices as much as possible, while reconnecting with the earth helps to reestablish balance. A practice called earthing or grounding connects the body to the earth’s beneficial electrons. By stepping on the ground with bare feet, the body can soak up negative ions from the earth, neutralizing free radicals, while helping the body repair oxidative damage caused by non-native sources. Connecting with the earth for as little as 20 minutes each day can make a significant difference in energy and vitality. 

Personal resilience, if you don’t push your body, your body will push you.

Increasing your body’s resilience with ‘good stress’ like exercise, hot/cold training or fasting fortifies the body against illness and adversity. Exercise strengthens muscles, increases bone mass and improves cardiovascular function. Hot/cold training expands and constricts the lymphatic system moving stagnant lymph fluid out of the body. Fasting allows the digestive system time to repair, while damaged cells are broken down through autophagy. Each process helps the body repair and detoxify, minimizing your chance of getting sick with a chronic disease. However, it is not a good idea to push past what feels exhilarating. If the process leaves you feeling bad you are likely going too fast. Resistance must be built up over time. If you have a chronic condition, wait until your health improves. In the meantime, find a low intensity practice like yoga or tai chi to stay active while you heal.

Minimize the outside world.

We are all different. Each person has unique needs and tolerances. What works for one person does not work for everyone. Best of all, every bit of knowledge you need to be your best and healthiest version is already inside of you. Sure, outside sources are helpful, but you know yourself best. Don’t allow outside influences to dictate what is right for you. Listen to your body, develop and trust the instinct that comes from your gut. A deep primal instinct will tell you everything you need to know to take the reins and be the expert of YOU!

Spiritual connection.

Trust that there is more to life than what we can see, feel and hear. A higher connection is an aspect deeply rooted in every human soul. While this connection manifests in different ways for each person. Quiet moments of meditation, prayer and reflection build the bond between you and your Creator. Trusting in your divine guidance is an important aspect to healing and thriving.