No doubt you’ve heard of the nervous system. It’s the network of nerves and cells that gathers information and generates responses from our body.
But did you know the nervous system is comprised of two parts that collaborate to determine how we respond?
On one side, the sympathetic, which prepares our body for fight or flight in response to potential danger.
On the other is the parasympathetic, which returns our body to a calm and relaxed state.
In a healthy system, the two are in balance. In a nervous system that has experienced ACEs and toxic stress, the sympathetic is often overactive. And so our body’s reactions are sometimes out of balance.
We may sweat, our heart may be faster. We may feel the need to run, even when it’s not called for. Or we may be quick to anger, or become afraid or anxious.
But the body has a switch you can flip to help put your nervous system back in balance.
It’s called breathing. And there are many techniques that can work for you.
Deep breathing into the belly can act like a reset button, engaging the parasympathetic and returning your systems to harmony.
Breathing. Next time your nervous system’s response is overactive, give it a try.
It’s that time of year again, and I am sure you have noticed how fast the Holiday season is taking over stores. For some, this can trigger the body and create stress or dread….
[Content warning: Suicide.]
In recent years, during the month of Pride, I’ve always been extremely excited about the celebration—the glittery and colorful extravagance all throughout the month of June.
However, this year, I’ve taken a pause to really understand my journey, the one I’ve taken individually and the one the queer community is on at the moment. I feel blessed to live in West Hollywood in Los Angeles, one of America’s queer-friendly meccas, though the sparkle in my heart has dimmed as I feel increasingly more concerned for my community across the country where our safety, protections and rights are all at risk. Unfortunately, none of us are safe.
I’ve lived with bipolar disorder for the last 13 years. Though the initial years were brutal, once I understood my triggers and what it takes to stay well, I’ve been privileged to have stayed healthy for much of the last decade. This included — to my relief — my first pregnancy and post-partum period and serving in high-intensity public health roles through the pandemic, as California’s Acting Surgeon General and previously the office’s first Chief Health Officer.
I love music. Recently, I was listening to a random playlist Spotify generated for me when a song titled “Before I Have A Daughter” by Bre Kennedy started playing. Bre Kennedy sings about building a garden that grows on the same ground where tears have fallen and hearts have also been broken. Her goal is to learn to tend to this garden so that it flourishes on both the good and bad days.
