Sound Bites 1.3 (published March 2021)
Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor, Saunas, Menopause, Biofeedback
Many people are getting into Sauna during the pandemic. Mainly I am seeing Peloton purchases and Sauna Purchase fly through the roof .
Dry sauna is simply a great way to improve mental health and mind function as it increases Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). This neurotrophin is involved in brain plasticity which is important for memory and brain flexibility . Also Sauna increases Heat Shock Protein 70 which basically is a protein that helps organisms adapt to stress. It also helps with weight loss and detoxification of environmental chemicals. Read more about the benefits from sauna with this great article by Dr. Rhonda Patrick.
I think there are all ends of the spectrum when choosing a sauna from Clearlite saunas on one end to a more practical option for the home like Durherm Infrared Sauna's which may be more in the budget. Some people have mentioned checking City Sweats in Bellevue or Seattle which has Covid-friendly operations.
Generally people enjoy the dry infrared sauna for about 20 minutes at about 140 degree fahrenheit. But this should be discussed with your individual provider.
Menopause
I recently had Dr. Ginger Nash on my podcast to speak about Menopause! What a great interview from a true all-star doctor. It is so refreshing to hear a systematic and individualized approach to supporting women through menopause.
She talked about the 3 phases of menopause and how to prepare to meet your body at each phase. Beginning with a decline of progesterone, and followed by a decline in estrogen. Preparing one's body before and during these phases can help make the transition much smoother.
Please listen here.
GERD or Hiatal Hernia
If you have been coming to me for GERD or Hiatal Hernia issues you probably have heard me demonstrate heel drops and hernia massage to help the hiatal hernia straighten out. Most people who try them say they help. One patient agreed to do them as long as he could do them while he was sipping on Vodka (insert face-palm emoji here). They are pretty easy to do but I thought once again I would share a great video that demonstrates how to do hiatal hernia heel drops. Best done in the morning after a glass of water.
For more articles on GERD and related factors check out my article here.
Heart Rate Variability Shown To Predict a Flare in IBD
What a blessing for the IBD patient . Why? There is this moment when you have IBD where you are unsure if you are flaring . At that moment there are a ton of concerns of what to do. Should I go get a fecal calprotectin test? A blood test for CRP? Should I start steroids presumptively? Once a flare is beyond the early stages it often leads to steroid use which is something that nobody is happy with although they can be life saving. Since knowing whether a flare is imminent is a crucial bit of data; it is very comforting to know that Heart Rate Variability change was shown to be a sign of an early sign of a flare in this research study. This is tremendous as this puts the patient more in the driver seat of the disease . If you monitor your heart rate variability with an apple watch, Oura ring, or heart math app then you can track shifts in your autonomic nervous system that may indicate that a flare is coming on. What can you do about it at that stage? Many things in my opinion including mind/body therapies, possibly and elemental diet, possibly neuro modifying nutrients, herbs, or medications. Can you hear me shouting in excitement? This is a brilliant and potentially game changing study. I have posted probably on HRV more than things I post on . If you want to learn more look at my post Biofeedback: A primer"
Closing thoughts. Everyone has their limits. Limits in stress, limits in consumption, limits in exercise, and limits for work. Also we have limits in rest, limits deprivation, and limits in restrictions. The art of a lifestyle is pushing yourself to grow while respecting one's limits. Without pushing our edges there is no growth. But if we are always stretched we eventually snap and break down. Biofeedback doesn't need to be a device or a tool but rather an honest question you ask yourself each day. "How am I doing today? And what can I do or not do today that will best serve myself and other"?
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