10 STEPS TO SUPPORT YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM
We’ve all heard of the nervous system, but what exactly is it, and what does it actually do? Our nervous system guides pretty much everything that we do in our bodies. It guides what you think, say, and do, it controls processes like thought, memory, and movement. It plays a critical role in our body’s mechanisms like breathing, blinking, blushing, and sensory response. The nervous system affects our entire health including things like learning, feeling, balance, coordination, healing, aging, rest, sensory, brain interpretation to external stimuli, heartbeat, breathing patterns, response to stress and joy, digestion, satiety, and all of the body processes that occur as we age. The nervous system is super complex and is essentially the primary command center for your body. It regulates all of our programs and how we experience the world around us and our direct response to the external world. Consider it one massive electrical information highway running through our bodies.
According to the National Institute of Health, our bodies have two components to our nervous system -- “the central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system is made up of nerves that branch off from the spinal cord and extend to all parts of the body. The nervous system transmits signals between the brain and the rest of the body, including internal organs. In this way, the nervous system’s activity controls the ability to move, breathe, see, think, and more.”
The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body's rest and digestion response when the body is relaxed, resting, or feeding. It basically takes checks and balances after a stressful situation. The parasympathetic nervous system decreases respiration and heart rate and increases digestion. Overexposure to stress or being in a chronic state of heightened awareness has the potential to dysregulate your nervous system. When your nervous system becomes dysregulated, you oftentimes can feel prolonged states of anxiety, stress, worry, trouble sleeping, and digestive issues. Basically, anything your nervous system is meant to regulate can become neglected.
In order to support our nervous systems, we can do so through some very simple methods and implementation into our daily routines!
Monitor your eating patterns and eat meals on a consistent schedule.
Eat a balanced diet that includes good levels of B-12 and D vitamins, as well as healthy fats and leafy greens.
Avoid smoking and drinking excessive alcohol.
Get good rest! Sleep helps strengthen circuits within the nervous system which can help with memory and body restoration.
Stimulate your brain with activities like writing by hand or playing games.
Work out. Take part in an exercise that is appropriate for your body; aim to exercise at least three times a week.
Avoid exposure to toxic chemicals like conventional cleaning supplies or artificial light. Invest in all-natural cleaning products or make your own.
Get your spine adjusted on a regular basis. Chiropractic care helps keep the nervous system in top-performing order. When your spine is not inappropriate alignment, the messages that are carried through the spine are interrupted and delivered slower. But regular adjustments help your body receive the right signals.
Take herbs! Like Valerian root, passion vine, and chamomile which soothe the body’s stress response and help you relax.
Medicinal Mushrooms like Chaga, Reishi, and Lion’s Mane assist your body in modulating its immune and stress response that helps your body adapt better to your environment.
