Throughout the world cultures have held beliefs and rituals to support the restoration of health and cure. Rituals provide a sense of calm and peace in our bodies by balancing the autonomic nervous system. Health-supporting rituals include deep breathing exercises, spending time outside in nature, dry skin brushing (to support healthy lymph and blood circulation) and drinking a glass of water upon waking; just to name a few.
Case: Maria, a 45 year old mother of 4 children, presented to my office with anxiety, insomnia, nervousness and fatigue. She expressed a sense of stress and feelings of overwhelm with the busy schedule of managing a household and all the children’s activities from dawn until dark. She often felt panic while rushing through the day in a state of “readiness.”
Maria’s symptoms were indicative of an over active sympathetic nervous system, which breaks down the body’s tissues and results in energy being used for defense instead of repair, rebuilding and relaxation. We discussed nourishing and healing rituals to bring balance into her personal experiences during the day that were achievable.
Maria started with going to bed by 10 pm (optimal for our adrenal glands and the production of Melatonin in the pineal gland) and committing to 8-10 hours of sleep nightly. Meal preparation and school lunches were to be planned the day prior.
We discussed waking each morning with gratitude and writing down 3 positive thoughts before getting out of bed (she kept a notebook on her bedside). Her diet plan was to include nutrient dense foods such as eggs, organic meats, nuts, salmon, sardines and avocados, which provide Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids to support her nervous system. Throughout the day she started to take deep, slow breathes during periods of anxiety and panic. She also utilized 2 dropperfuls of our Tummy Temple Nerve Tonic instead of reaching for another cup of coffee. Lastly, Maria received weekly Craniosacral Therapy for 6 weeks to reduce her circulation of stress hormones. After 6 weeks of the above rituals Maria reported increased energy, improved mood, reduced anxiety and less racing thoughts with improved sleep. Maria also started a meditation practice at home after experiencing the benefit of Craniosacral therapy on her body and mind.