Hello friends,
This past week I took a big step in recovering from chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS) and various co-infections (Lyme, multiple chemical sensitivity disorder (MCS), biotoxin illness, to name a 'few') that have been plaguing me for over a year.
After seeing myriad specialists and spending one quarter of my income (most of this ‘out of pocket’) on various practitioners, protocols, nutritional systems (my specialty!), tinctures, tonics, herbs, supplements, infrared detox, acupuncture, cupping, massage, mercury removal … oh my. The list is endless but you get the picture.
I even gave up my beloved chocolate. For a YEAR.
From western medicine to eastern medicine to earth medicine, I have tried EVERYthing. For those of you who know me well, you know how tenacious I can be when I am on a mission and this was, indeed, a mission. For the first time in my holistic health career, I became a warrior goddess for
Self.
I had just about given up on finding a method to this madness when a dear friend and colleague shared with me the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) program. I flew to Bournemouth, England on March 24th as that’s where the next training was taking place and truthfully? I simply couldn’t wait another minute. I registered for the very next available program, which is how I landed in the UK.
The techniques I learned there are based on neuroplacticity therapy, which re-wires the brain to build more functional neural pathways. Neuroplacticity-based interventions have been used with remarkable success in treating physical ailments (strokes, brain injuries, hearing impairment) and psychological impairments (post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression). Current evidence suggests that CIRS (a genetic-based immunologic reaction to mold) has both physical and psychological aspects.
The DNRS course is based on the idea that trauma (chemical, viral, bacterial, emotional, psychological, etc.) may result in neural disorganization and cause over activation of the “fight or flight” centers in the brain. This can cause the brain to generalize non-harmful stimuli (i.e. the brain is picking up on minute amounts of stimuli and perceiving them to be life threatening). This would explain why I am still having 'symptoms' of mold exposure even though the mold has been removed from our crawl space and we have tested our home environment in multiple ways to be sure it's gone. I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I am to finally understand that this is a limbic impairment and I am not going crazy. (Or destined to die of cancer as that's where my brain was going with all this.)
My practice for the next six months will involve working to change the way my brain’s limbic system interprets and responds to stimuli. I’m actively diverting my brain’s energy AWAY from the symptoms I’ve been experiencing so I won’t be talking about my journey while I’m in the midst of recovery. I suspect I’ll have LOTS to say when I’m on the other side of this journey. For now, I’ll invite you to join me in all the feel-good endeavors I create to flood my body with neurotransmitters that will assist me in rewiring my limbic system.
Those endeavors will include a Facebook page called
365 Days of Noticing Beauty where we will post slices and snippets of our lives and the beauty that surrounds us. This can be a photo or simply a “noticing” (the feel of the wind on my face, raindrops glistening in my garden, the aroma of roasted peppers). The idea is that we join together to amplify wonder in our everyday lives.
If you are on Instagram you can simply type the hashtag: #365daysofnoticing #beauty. I’ve been doing this for quite some time but I suspect I’ll be far more intentional in the months ahead!
My SoulCollage® practice has been a lovely support through all this. Every time I sit with my images or assemble a card, I am creating the neurology associated with good health. If you are interested in joining this endeavor, I hold SoulCollage® Sundays periodically, both online and off, as well as Deeper Dives that last a full eight weeks, each with a different theme. The next Deep Dive begins on May 20th.
Registration is open. I look forward to seeing some of you on the roster!
A Deeper Dive into SoulCollage®
eight weeks
beginning May 20th
via delicious emails, occasional play dates, and private Facebook group
$197
register
here
picture walk
here
And finally, If you are curious about DNRS, you can learn more at their website:
www.retrainingthebrain.com.
Additionally, there are some very good books available on this subject matter. I’ll post a few right here.
The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge
Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Joe Dispenza
You are the Placebo by Joe Dispenza
The Biology of Belief by Doctor Bruce Lipton
Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson My Stroke of Insight by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor
What's she eating? CHOCOLATE!
10-Minute Truffles
½ cup pitted prunes
¼ cup pitted dates
3 tablespoons almond butter
1 tablespoon high quality maple syrup
3 tablespoons raw cocoa powder
½ cup finely grated unsweetened coconut
1.In a food processor, drop the prunes and dates through the feed hole one by one. Scrape the processor bowl and run until the prunes and date mixture is smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Run until smooth and scrape the bowl as needed.
3. Roll the mixture into little balls. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Enjoy!
With warmth, abundance, and ease,
