September 26, 2025 • 27 mins
Our nervous system is the hidden driver of health. If it’s stuck in fight-or-flight or shutdown, no supplement, diet, or workout plan will feel like it’s working. In this episode of Mindful Objective, we will explore the science of polyvagal theory, vagus nerve tone, and why so many people today are unknowingly living in survival mode.
We break down how the body shifts between three states—ventral vagal safety, sympathetic fight-or-flight, and dorsal vagal shutdown—and what happens when stress becomes the new normal. From digestion and hormones to immunity and mental clarity, we uncover the ripple effects of a dysregulated nervous system and why so many “mystery symptoms” are rooted in chronic stress.
You’ll learn practical strategies for building resilience, breathing, movement, grounding, and vagus nerve stimulation, plus the integrative tools that go deeper, like functional lab testing and targeted nutritional support. We discuss the value of looking at cortisol rhythms, nutrient markers, gut balance, and hidden toxic exposures, and how these insights shape personalized protocols.
Our goal is not to diagnose or treat, but to educate and empower you with steps you can take today to start calming your system. Healing happens when the body feels safe again. Explore how nervous system resets, functional labs, and practitioner-grade supplements (available at 20% off retail through our online store) can support your journey toward balance.
📍If this episode gave you a new way to think about your health—or sparked a question you’ve been holding onto—pass it along to a friend or family member who might benefit.
For ongoing insights, resources, and ways to connect, follow along on social media @mindfulobjective.
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Remember: healing is a journey. Progress often comes from small daily wins, steady steps, and asking better questions. Consider this episode a reminder that you already hold more influence over your health than you may realize.
Stay mindful. Stay well.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome back to Mindful Objective, the show.
Where we explore health. Through an integrative and
practical lens, I'm your host, Doctor Daniel Sproule,
integrative health practitioner professor.
Today we're talking about the nervous system, which is
something that. Is at the root.
Of almost every chronic health concern I see.
Specifically, we're going to explore the Polyvagal.
Nerve theory. A vagus.
(00:20):
Nerve tone and how being stuck in chronic fight or flight.
State keeps people sick. Tired, inflamed, and no matter
how. Perfect their diet or?
Supplement routine might be As for.
Always this shows for. Educational purposes only we do
not diagnose, treat, or cure anyillness or.
Dizzy. So let's.
Go ahead and get into it. Polyvagal nerve theory.
It's developed by Doctor Steven Porges and has given a deeper
(00:42):
understanding of how the nervoussystem actually works.
For years, health professionals explained stress and in terms of
sympathetic fight or flight modeor parasympathetic rest and
digest mode. While that framework was.
Useful. It left out the complexity.
How body? Really.
Responds to safety and danger. The vagus nerve is at the heart
of this conversation. It's the longest cranial nerve,
(01:04):
starting in the brain stem and extending down through the
heart, lungs, digestive organs into the abdomen.
It acts like a super highway information between your brain
and body, controlling vital functions like heart rate,
digestion, breathing and even how you socially engage.
With others polyvagal theory. Explains that the atomic nervous
system actually operates in three states, not just two, The
(01:26):
ventral vagal state, which is safety and social engagement.
This is the healthy. Parasympathetic state when you
and. Where you feel safe.
Grounded, connected and even calm digestion works.
Your heart rate is steady and you can interact with people
without tension. This is a state of where.
Healing and recovery take place.The number 2 would be
sympathetic. State this is that fight or
(01:47):
flight this is a. Survival mode.
Your heart rate speeds up. Muscles tighten.
Breathing becomes shallow and the body.
Prioritizes survival over. Everything else short term.
This is protective long term. It's damaging.
We see a lot of people in this long term state stuck in this
state then #3 would. It be your dorsal vagal state.
(02:07):
This is your. Shutdown and.
Freeze. This is a protective.
Collapse state. When your system's overwhelmed,
it often feels like exhaustion, numbness, disconnection, and
even burnout people. Describe this as.
Checking out or feeling detachedfrom themselves.
The key idea? Is that your nervous system
isn't static. It's constantly scanning for
cues for safety and danger, shifting between these states
(02:30):
without you consciously realizing it.
This process is called neuroception.
So why does this matter for health?
Because if your vagus nerve toneis weak, your body.
Struggles to shift. Back into healing, which is your
ventro vagal state. Instead.
You're stuck in that. Fight or flight or.
Even that shutdown? Over time, this contributes to
chronic symptoms, digestive issues, anxiety, hormone
(02:52):
imbalances, immune dysfunction, and even more.
One of the most reliable ways tomeasure vagal tone is through
your heart rate. And that's that heart.
Rate variability HR. VHRV is a natural variation in
time between each heartbeat. High HRV means your body is
adaptable and resilient. Low HRV indicates stress,
rigidity and even higher risk ofchronic illness for many people
(03:15):
understanding this framework. Is that?
Light bulb moment. They realize that.
Their symptoms are not random and they're not just anxious,
their bodies responding exactly as it's designed to do, but it's
locked in that survival mode formuch too long.
This is where integrative healthcomes in instead of only
addressing symptoms. We look always to.
Strengthen that vagal tone and support.
(03:36):
Body's ability to. Return to safety.
That can mean lifestyle practices, nervous system
exercises, but also functional testing to uncover hidden
stressors like nutrient deficiencies, gut imbalances,
and even your. Toxic exposures.
If the nervous system is stuck, no supplement or diet alone
completely solves the problem you need to.
Help your body feel safe again. That's the power of.
(03:57):
Polyvagal theory. It explains why healing
sometimes doesn't happen until the nervous system is addressed.
As we know, stress is a normal part of life.
In fact, without some stress, wewouldn't survive.
Our ancestors relied on the fight or flight response to
escape predators, endure harsh realities and deal with
unexpected threats. The problem itself isn't.
(04:19):
Stress. Just stress itself.
In fact, that in the modern world.
Stress really shuts off. Instead of quick bursts, we live
in long stretches of constant activation.
We are constantly stressed, so think about what?
Daily life. Looks like for most people,
rushing to work, dealing with traffic, juggling finances,
answering emails late into the night, scrolling on social media
(04:42):
with endless notifications, worrying about global events,
and trying to care for our family members all at the same
time. On top of this, hidden stressors
like processed foods, chemical exposures, poor sleep, and
unresolved trauma amplify. That load.
The body can't distinguish between a life threatening
situation and an overflowing inbox to your nervous system.
It's all danger. So we're always in a constant
(05:05):
state of danger, but when this. State of high alert.
Continues the nervous system adapts.
It essentially rewires. Itself so that the.
Fight or flight becomes the baseline, so now it's your new
normal. At first, people notice small
signs, tension in the shoulders,difficulty falling asleep, or
even a racing mind when they laydown at night.
That's probably most of us. Over months or years, these
(05:26):
symptoms expand into what it feels to be completely This is
your new normal. The scary part is.
That many people don't even realize they're stressed
anymore. They're adjusted to.
Living in survival mode, this happens a.
Lot. So you may recognize yourself in
this description. Always feel on, even when you
want to relax or you think you're relaxed.
Trouble concentrating because the mind is always jumping
(05:48):
ahead. A sense of being wired but
tired. Exhausted yet unable to rest.
Digestive issues like bloating, reflux or irregular bowel.
Movements that seem random. A shortness of breath or shallow
breathing even without exertion.A baseline of irritability or
anxiety that doesn't match the situation.
From integrative health perspective, this chronic
(06:08):
activation is not just. Psychological it creates.
Measurable changes in the body stress hormones like cortisol
and adrenal. Stay elevated.
Blood sugars fluctuate widely. And an immune system is either
suppressed. Or it's overactive.
If you test someone in this state, you often see irregular
cortisol rhythms, nutrient deficiencies, and of course
signs inflammation. One important concept in
(06:30):
allostatic load is allostasis means stability.
Through change, it describes howyour body adapts to stress.
When you're in this load and theload's too high, your demand
outweighs the body's capacity tobreakdown and you get forms of
illness. This.
Could be high blood. Pressure, autoimmune flares,
hormone imbalances or mental health struggles.
(06:50):
What's fascinating is that people often blame themselves.
For this. They think they're weak or not
handling stress. Better or they're.
Doubling down on willpower, trying to push through.
But it isn't always about mentaltoughness.
It's about your biology. The nervous system has simply
lost its ability to shift back. In a parasympathetic healing
state, even relaxation can feel foreign.
(07:11):
I've worked with clients who saythey're uncomfortable when
things get calm. Their body doesn't recognize
safety anymore and interprets peace as boredom or even danger.
That's how deeply. These patterns can run.
I mean, that's a lot. Of us out.
There, I'm guilty. For that too.
It's very. Easy to stay.
Calm when you're very busy and stressed out.
So you got to think, why is thatnormal?
(07:31):
But that's where functional lab testing can reveal what's
underneath that. State of survival.
For example, cortisol rhythm test can show somebody stress
hormones curve. If it flipped.
High at night when it should be low and flat line in the morning
when it should be high. An organic acid test might
reveal nutrient deficiencies affecting neurotransmitters,
making it harder for you to calmdown.
(07:52):
A stool test might uncover gun imbalances, sending stress
signals to your brain. This is why I always emphasize
the meditation apps or even yogaclasses.
While helpful. And I know these are not always
enough if the. Body is flooded.
With hidden stressors, nervous systems retraining becomes
nearly impossible. You're not failing at self-care.
Good news is your nervous systemis like plastic.
(08:16):
It can change, just as you learnto.
Adapt to stress. It can relearn safety, but it
doesn't happen overnight. It requires daily practices.
Supportive nutrition and often personalized protocols to help
remove those underlying stressors.
When people begin this work, they often describe a sense of
remembering, like their body finally recalls what calm
actually feels like. That's when the true healing
(08:37):
begins. So if you are feeling like
you're running a marathon that you never signed up for, you're
not alone. Your body isn't broken, It's
simply. Adapted to the survival.
In this world we live in, this world never slows down.
The next step is you need to learn how to reset that system
again when that nervous system is stuck in that fight or flight
or shutdown mode. The impact?
(08:57):
Spreads across every. Organ in your system.
This isn't just about feeling. Stressed.
It's about how. Chronic nervous system
dysregulation creates ripple. Effects that affect digestion.
Your hormones immunity. Cardiovascular Health.
And like I said before, even your mental.
Clarity. So let's.
Start with the first one, digestion, when sympathetic
nervous system dominates. Blood flow gets redirected.
(09:17):
Away from the stomach and intestines.
The. Body is preparing for survival,
not for breaking down food. That means stomach acid
production drops, enzymes becomeless efficient and gut motility
slows. People experiencing this
usually. Get.
Bloated, Constipation, diarrhea,acid reflux or even food
sensitivities. Overtime, nutrient absorption
(09:39):
declines, leading to deficiencies in magnesium, B
vitamin, zinc and other nutrient.
Critical for healing. This is one reason why someone
can eat a nutrient dense diet but still.
Feel depleted? Their nervous system isn't
allowing digestion to function properly.
Again, this is so common. So now consider hormones, right?
Cortisol, this is your. Primary stress hormone It's
(10:00):
designed to spike in the morningas you wake up and gradually
decline at night. So we rest in a.
Healthy rhythm it supports. Alertness, metabolism, and
inflammation control. But under chronic stress,
cortisol might be high all day, and even worse, it may flatten
out altogether. Both scenarios create problems.
High cortisol suppresses thyroid.
Function and. Throws off blood sugar.
(10:22):
Flat cortisol makes people feel exhausted, fog, and usually
unmotivated. On top of this, stress hormones
steal raw materials from sex hormones.
For women, this can mean irregular cycles, PMS, or
menopause symptoms. For men, it often shows up as
low testosterone, poor recovery and reduced motivation.
The immune system is another major player short.
(10:43):
Bursts of stress, actually. Strengthen immunity in the
movement Think of it as the bodypreparing to deal with injury or
infection. But long term stress surpasses
immunity, making it more vulnerable to colds, viruses and
even reaction of latent infections like Epstein Barr
virus. In some cases, the immune system
flips to the other way becomes. Overactive.
That can. Contribute to autoimmune
(11:04):
conditions where the body mistakenly attacks its own
tissues chronic inflammation, another common byproduct of the
nervous system dysregulation because the background noise
that fuels everything from jointpain to that brain fog and you
have. Your cardiovascular.
System which also. Pays the price here.
Elevated sympathetic activity keeps the heart beating faster
(11:24):
it. Will.
Raise your blood pressure and promotes clot formation.
Over time, this increases the risk for hypertension, heart
disease, and even strokes. Many people assume they're
purely genetic or lifestyle driven, but the state in the
nervous system plays an enormousrole in cardiovascular outcomes.
Then, like we talked before, mental health.
Mental health is another dimension that we cannot ignore.
(11:46):
Anxiety, depression, burnout. These are often.
Viewed as separate, psychological.
Conditions, but in many cases their nervous system states
chronic fight or flight keeps the brain in hyper vigilance
mode. This makes anxiety feel
constant. Chronic shutdown can be like
depression, low energy, disconnection, hopelessness.
For many clients I work with though, realizing these mental
(12:08):
health. Struggles have a biological.
Opponent is both relieving and it's also empowering to people.
It shifts that narrative from something's wrong with me to my
nervous system may be stuck. And you know what?
It can change. A key point here is that
dysregulated nervous system tone.
Creates A vicious cycle. For example, stress disrupts
(12:28):
digestion, which leads to nutrient deficiencies.
Those deficiencies then impair neurotransmitter production,
making stress harder to manage. Or stress suppresses.
Immunity leading to infections that create even more stress
signals. Without intervention, people get
trapped in a downward spiral. I mean, that's many of us,
right? This is why we integrate
functional lab testing into our.Practice labs like cortisol.
(12:51):
Rhythm test reveal how that stress hormones are functioning
throughout the day. Again, that organic acid test.
We need to understand those neurotransmitters and those
deficiencies. Then we look.
At that stool test. To uncover pathogens that fuel
inflammation. So again, we want to identify
these contributors and we could design protocols that give the
nervous system the resources they need to reset.
(13:12):
Ken, that nervous system can be reset.
From a supplement standpoint, foundational support often
includes magnesium to relax muscles and calm the nervous
system. Omega 3.
Fatty acids to reduce. Inflammation adaptogens like
astrogonitin improve resilience.Again, these are not quick
fixes. But they provide the.
Building blocks your body needs to restore balance.
(13:33):
And remember, we do offer that 20% off retail, so feel free to
sign up and. Utilize our discount.
The bottom line is that dysregulated nervous system
tone. It's not just about stress.
It's a whole body. Issue that manifests in real,
measurable health consequences. Addressing it can feel like I'm
locking a door that you've been stuck in for years.
(13:53):
So one of the most encouraging things about the nervous system
health. Is its adaptability.
Just as the body becomes stuck in fight or flight, it can also
relearn safety. The concept is called
neuroplasticity. The nervous system's.
Ability to rewire. Itself and respond to new inputs
right these strategies. We'll talk about here.
Aren't again about. Quick fixes.
(14:13):
It's about. Consistency.
Just like everything we do in integrative health, it's
consistency. They build resilience and
retrain your body to spend more time in healing states.
So. Let's start with the.
Common when we always. Talk about breath work deep.
Diaphragmic breathing is simple,right?
It's fast and it helps that vagal tone.
When you take slow breath, especially longer exhale than
(14:36):
inhale, you stimulate that vagusnerve.
Practices you may hear about online are box breathing.
This is very common. You inhale.
For four, hold. For four, exhale.
For four, hold for four. This can calm your body in
minutes. Again, inhale for four.
Hold for four, exhale for four. Then again, hold for four and it
(14:59):
will help calm that body. Another method is resonance
breathing. Where you breathe about. 6
breaths per minute. Sink in your heart and lungs for
optimal relaxation. This is a little harder for
some, but it's still beneficial.Another common one we're seeing
all over the place is cold exposure.
This is a. Suprising powerful tool, The
vagus nerve response to cold. That's why slashing cold water
(15:20):
in your face and ending your shower in 30 seconds of cold
water can reset that nervous system.
It signals safety by strengthening the
parasympathetic response. Some people use ice packs on
their chest or on their neck at the same time, and this is kind
of gives you that same effect. But you see a lot of these
people doing cold plunges, right?
That's the new thing, and there's a reason for that.
So again, the next thing is movement.
(15:42):
This plays a critical role as well.
While intense exercise can sometimes mimic stress, gentle
forms like walking, yoga, Tai chi or stretching can't send
signals of calmness. They help you discharge.
The built up stress hormones andrestore balance.
Even something as simple as swaying side by side, rocking or
dancing stimulates. Vestibular.
Systems and promote safety so asI always.
(16:03):
Say as we get older. What's one thing we can?
Hopefully do is walk. So get out there and walk, enjoy
nature, calm down. Take a break.
Right. We're too overwhelmed.
We have too much going on. Life is just way too fast.
And you look back years and you see how fast our life went by
and you don't even remember whathappened.
Again, take that break, take that walk.
(16:24):
Get out in nature. See how your body adjusts.
And then there's one. Power of our voice.
Singing, humming, chanting, or even reading aloud and gauges
the vagus nerve. Through vocal cords this.
Is why people often feel uplifted after singing in choir
or humming to themselves. It's not just emotional, it's
psychological. Another one would be grounding.
(16:45):
Practices which also deserve. Attention Spending time in
nature, walking barefoot on grass, or simply noticing your
surroundings pulls your body outof the anxious thought loop and
anchors you into the present. Mindfulness, gratitude
journaling, guided meditation are variations of that same
principle showing your. Body that.
(17:05):
Its environment is safe again. Get out there, touch.
A tree. Take your socks off.
Take your. Shoes off, stand in the grass or
just walk through nature. It's life changing.
So a lot of these. Practices are free and
accessible, but for some individuals, they don't create
lasting change on their own if hidden stressors like nutrient
deficiencies, gut dysbiosis or toxic.
Exposures are. Overwhelming your body, nervous
(17:28):
system practices can feel like swimming upstream.
You relax for a moment, but the system snaps back into survival
mode. This is why we.
Recommend pairing daily practices with functional lab
testing, for example, cortisol rhythm test, right organic acid
test, stool analysis. The other one we didn't talk
about much is heavy metal environmental toxins.
(17:49):
This reveals hidden burdens thatcan keep your central nervous
system inflamed. Once we have this data, we can
design targeted protocols. Supplements become more than
generic stress support they. Address the exact.
Gaps holding someone back. For instance magnesium
glycinate. This helps calm the nervous
system and support sleep. Omega.
Three fatty acids lower. Inflammation improve HRV
(18:09):
adaptogens like ash, raganda andholy.
Basil these help. Balance cortisol rhythms B
complex These vitamins fuel neurotransmitter productions for
better mood. Stability that we harp.
On that B complex, because it comes a lot of people have
natural anxiety and stuff. Like that out there?
Another thing too. We do offer.
Practitioner grade supplements at 20% off discount.
(18:30):
You do not have to be a client of ours to sign up and utilize
that discount, but you do have to sign up to access the
supplement store. And again, it's not just
supplements on that store. There's a lot of.
Healthcare products, hand cream,face cream, so forth.
Even red light therapy masks. So feel free to.
Utilize our 20% off and order asyou please.
(18:51):
Another one would be. Lifestyle.
This also plays a big role. Sleep hygiene, as we always say,
is foundational. So going to bed and waking up
consistent times, dimming lightsin the evening and limiting
screen exposure. Before bed.
I mean, how many times could we get?
Yelled at about. Stay off your phone.
You know, an hour. Before bed, but.
Who listens? I understand that because again,
I'm guilty of that. Too.
(19:11):
It's hard. It's a habit.
Blood sugar swings can mimic stress, so eating balanced meals
with protein, healthy fats, and.Fiber stabilizes.
Energy in your mood. Hydration is another overlooked
factor. Even mild dehydration increases.
Cortisol levels. But the most important factor on
anything to do with in. The grade of health.
Is consistency. Resetting the nervous system is
(19:35):
not about one breathing. Exercise or a stressful day.
It's about. Building a routine that your
body repeatedly experiences. Safety over.
Time those moments stack up, thenervous system starts to trust
again against consistency for clients often encourage starting
with just one or two daily. Practices like. 5 minutes of
breathing in the morning. Or a short.
Walk after dinner, then the body.
(19:55):
Will start to adjust. Then what do we do?
We layer in supplements. We look at labs and lifestyle
upgrades. It's a step by step process.
It's not a crash. Course.
That's why a lot of this takes months.
And it's not that, you know, it's it's about money, the
focus. Is your body takes.
The time to rebalance. It took your body.
Time to get to this unbalanced state.
(20:16):
Now it's going to take time to rebalance that body.
That's where multiple visits areusually necessary.
Or, you know, if you're. Able to dial your.
Body in on your own. You may notice a difference on
your own within three to six months, but you have to make
these changes. But the beauty in this?
Approach is that progress? Is measurable.
Clients often track heart rate variability, sleep quality and
(20:37):
stress perception scores. They notice they can handle
challenges without spiraling downhill.
They digest food better. And they finally are able to
sleep through tonight. These small ones add up,
reinforcing the body's ability. To regulate.
Itself. If you feel like stress runs
your life, know this. Your nervous system is not
broken. You just need to write tools to
write balance and consistency, and we could help get you there.
(20:59):
But one of the most important parts of this conversation is
how to personalize these strategies.
That's where our services. Come into play when someone
comes to. Us they usually already tried
all the basics. They worked on stress reduction,
maybe they've added a supplementor two, or they downloaded an
app for meditation they still feel.
Stuck. That's because surface.
Level tools aren't always enough.
(21:20):
We need to uncover the hidden. Stressors that are.
Keeping your nervous system locked in that fight or flight.
That's where functional lab testing, again is so powerful.
These tests don't diagnose or. Treat, but they provide.
A window on how your body's functioning.
They help us see beneath the surface and what's burning the
nervous system. How are you going to identify
this without functional labs? Guess right?
That's all you're doing is guessing.
(21:41):
So you're throwing supplements or food at it and not sure.
What to do? So that's why we give the basic.
Recommendations right food tracking go from there, you
know, maybe if you know your foundational supplements start
with. Those.
Right. Is that Omega?
Three that well, I'll give you. Start with the foundational
supplements omega-3, vitamin C, multivitamin, zinc.
(22:03):
D3K2I. Think I named them all there.
So with those you. Start with those and see how
your body does. Give it a couple months you
need. Hey, you know what, it's still
not happening or I'm still having bad anxiety or I'm still
stuck in that fight or flight. I can't sleep at night and you
know I'm wired all night. Then you reach out.
So, for example, our adrenal stress profile measures cortisol
(22:25):
rhythms throughout the day, right?
This is something that you're not going to get by guessing.
A healthy pattern again, is highin the morning, gradually
declining towards the evening. But when someone's dysregulated,
we might see that cortisol spikeat night.
I was one of those people. To where my cortisol was very
low. In the morning and very high at
night, my body. Was reversed to where?
(22:45):
My body thought night was morning and morning was night.
What does that do? Throws off your sleep.
Throws off your. Digestion causes many issues,
causes weight gain, causes a lotof problems When somebody's
dysregulated, we might see. That cortisol.
Spiking when it shouldn't, rightwe.
Need to fix that. Another one we said always is
organic acid test. This looks at metabolites in the
(23:06):
urine and reflects nutrient status, neurotransmitter
balance, and gut function. Low B vitamins, for instance,
can impair neurotransmitter production, making it harder to
feel calm. Imbalances in your gut bacteria
can create toxic byproducts thatfuel anxiety.
Or fatigue. Seeing these patterns help us
create targeted. Protocols that support your.
Nervous system from the ground up.
(23:27):
Then we also have that comprehensive stool analysis,
right? Most people go organic acid
tests, food sensitivity tests, and we're able to identify a lot
of things there, but others may need to do that comprehensive
stool analysis. This test identifies imbalances
in gut bacteria, yeast, and evenparasites.
Remember, the gut and brain communicate constantly through
that vagus nerve. If the gut is inflamed, the
(23:49):
nervous system receives danger signals 24/7.
This makes it nearly impossible to relax.
So you want to correct these imbalances.
They're often profound to see a change in your mood, digestion,
and your stress resilience. And then we have clients that
are exposed to a lot of toxins. That's where that heavy metal
and environmental toxin testing comes into play.
Metals like mercury or lead or exposures to mold toxins can
(24:11):
drive inflammation in your nervous system.
By identifying these hidden burdens, we can design detox
protocols that relieve stress and your stress load overall.
Once we have that data, we move into coaching and protocol.
That's where. Our approach really differs from
just buying a supplement off a shelf.
We don't just hand people a generic plan.
Instead, we coach them through alifestyle shifts, building
consistent sleep routines, creating meal strategies.
(24:33):
That stabilize blood sugar. And practicing nervous system
retraining techniques like breath work and grounding.
We also, we also recommend foundational supplements to
support your resilience. Again, those often include the
ones I talked about, right? Omega-3, vitamin C,
multivitamin. They include those foundational
(24:53):
ones. I.
Always talk about. These are very important.
You know, again, every recommendation is educational.
We always emphasize. These tools to support.
Body and know they are not cures.
The third layer of our service. Is support and accountability.
Healing doesn't happen in isolation.
The nervous system thrives on connection and safety.
(25:14):
Which is why. Coaching conversations, check
insurance and building a rapportare essential.
Many clients say that simply having someone to talk to with
them. Reduces their stress load.
Significantly, when people feel seen or unsupported, their
nervous system. Starts to relax because.
They know there's somebody here that understands, there's
somebody that could help guide me in the right direction.
(25:36):
And again, we're not experts on everything, but what we do, we
work hand in hand with you specifically to understand what
you are going through and understand how we can help,
right? And that's where sometimes
coaching is needed versus just taking a supplement or changing
your nutrition plan. Sometimes you need that
accountability. The integrative approach we use
is, not. About a quick fix.
(25:57):
It's about creating a foundation. 1st we help uncover
what's driving the stress response.
Then we layer in nutrition, supplements and lifestyle
changes. Give that body to building
blocks it needs. Overtime, the nervous system
begins to trust again, shifting more easily into that healing
state. And perhaps more importantly, we
meet people where they are right.
Some clients are ready to dive in a comprehensive testing in a
(26:19):
full protocol. Others start with the basics.
Foundational supplements, stressmanagement practices and gradual
changes, which is completely OK.Because both approaches work.
Because the nervous system doesn't heal under pressure.
The Journey. Itself has to feel.
Safe and sustainable for all O. If you're listening to this and
wondering whether your nervous system might be stuck, consider
(26:40):
the symptoms You're dealing withdigestive issues, hormone
imbalances, sleep roblems, anxiety, or just feeling like
you're always running on emty. These are signs that your body
may be asking for support, and that's exactly why we're
offering these services. To provide the tools.
Education and partnership you need to reset and move forward.
Ealing begins with understanding, it continues with
action. And when it comes to the nervous
(27:01):
system, the action step doesn't have to be overwhelming.
They just need to be consistent,personalized, and supported by
the right data and guidance. So that wraps up.
Today's episode of Mindful Objective.
As always, remember the information shared here is for
educational purposes only and should never be taken as medical
advice. Always consult.
With your qualified healthcare. Provider before making changes
(27:22):
to your health plan. But if you're ready.
To take that next step, visit mindfulobjective.com to learn
about our services, functional lab testing, and supplement
support. And don't forget.
All of our. Practitioner grade products are
available 20% off retail throughour online store.
Be sure to follow us on social media at Mindful Objective.
All one word. Again, that's Mindful Objective,
(27:44):
same as a show all one word. If this episode help.
Reframe how you see stress in your health.
Share it with a friend who needs.
To hear it also. And as always, thank you for
joining me on this journey towards integrative healing.
Stay well and I'll see you in the next episode.
Welcome back to Mindful Objective, the show.
Where we explore health. Through an integrative and
practical lens, I'm your host, Doctor Daniel Sproule,
integrative health practitioner professor.
Today we're talking about the nervous system, which is
something that. Is at the root.
Of almost every chronic health concern I see.
Specifically, we're going to explore the Polyvagal.
Nerve theory. A vagus.
(00:20):
Nerve tone and how being stuck in chronic fight or flight.
State keeps people sick. Tired, inflamed, and no matter
how. Perfect their diet or?
Supplement routine might be As for.
Always this shows for. Educational purposes only we do
not diagnose, treat, or cure anyillness or.
Dizzy. So let's.
Go ahead and get into it. Polyvagal nerve theory.
It's developed by Doctor Steven Porges and has given a deeper
(00:42):
understanding of how the nervoussystem actually works.
For years, health professionals explained stress and in terms of
sympathetic fight or flight modeor parasympathetic rest and
digest mode. While that framework was.
Useful. It left out the complexity.
How body? Really.
Responds to safety and danger. The vagus nerve is at the heart
of this conversation. It's the longest cranial nerve,
(01:04):
starting in the brain stem and extending down through the
heart, lungs, digestive organs into the abdomen.
It acts like a super highway information between your brain
and body, controlling vital functions like heart rate,
digestion, breathing and even how you socially engage.
With others polyvagal theory. Explains that the atomic nervous
system actually operates in three states, not just two, The
(01:26):
ventral vagal state, which is safety and social engagement.
This is the healthy. Parasympathetic state when you
and. Where you feel safe.
Grounded, connected and even calm digestion works.
Your heart rate is steady and you can interact with people
without tension. This is a state of where.
Healing and recovery take place.The number 2 would be
sympathetic. State this is that fight or
(01:47):
flight this is a. Survival mode.
Your heart rate speeds up. Muscles tighten.
Breathing becomes shallow and the body.
Prioritizes survival over. Everything else short term.
This is protective long term. It's damaging.
We see a lot of people in this long term state stuck in this
state then #3 would. It be your dorsal vagal state.
(02:07):
This is your. Shutdown and.
Freeze. This is a protective.
Collapse state. When your system's overwhelmed,
it often feels like exhaustion, numbness, disconnection, and
even burnout people. Describe this as.
Checking out or feeling detachedfrom themselves.
The key idea? Is that your nervous system
isn't static. It's constantly scanning for
cues for safety and danger, shifting between these states
(02:30):
without you consciously realizing it.
This process is called neuroception.
So why does this matter for health?
Because if your vagus nerve toneis weak, your body.
Struggles to shift. Back into healing, which is your
ventro vagal state. Instead.
You're stuck in that. Fight or flight or.
Even that shutdown? Over time, this contributes to
chronic symptoms, digestive issues, anxiety, hormone
(02:52):
imbalances, immune dysfunction, and even more.
One of the most reliable ways tomeasure vagal tone is through
your heart rate. And that's that heart.
Rate variability HR. VHRV is a natural variation in
time between each heartbeat. High HRV means your body is
adaptable and resilient. Low HRV indicates stress,
rigidity and even higher risk ofchronic illness for many people
(03:15):
understanding this framework. Is that?
Light bulb moment. They realize that.
Their symptoms are not random and they're not just anxious,
their bodies responding exactly as it's designed to do, but it's
locked in that survival mode formuch too long.
This is where integrative healthcomes in instead of only
addressing symptoms. We look always to.
Strengthen that vagal tone and support.
(03:36):
Body's ability to. Return to safety.
That can mean lifestyle practices, nervous system
exercises, but also functional testing to uncover hidden
stressors like nutrient deficiencies, gut imbalances,
and even your. Toxic exposures.
If the nervous system is stuck, no supplement or diet alone
completely solves the problem you need to.
Help your body feel safe again. That's the power of.
(03:57):
Polyvagal theory. It explains why healing
sometimes doesn't happen until the nervous system is addressed.
As we know, stress is a normal part of life.
In fact, without some stress, wewouldn't survive.
Our ancestors relied on the fight or flight response to
escape predators, endure harsh realities and deal with
unexpected threats. The problem itself isn't.
(04:19):
Stress. Just stress itself.
In fact, that in the modern world.
Stress really shuts off. Instead of quick bursts, we live
in long stretches of constant activation.
We are constantly stressed, so think about what?
Daily life. Looks like for most people,
rushing to work, dealing with traffic, juggling finances,
answering emails late into the night, scrolling on social media
(04:42):
with endless notifications, worrying about global events,
and trying to care for our family members all at the same
time. On top of this, hidden stressors
like processed foods, chemical exposures, poor sleep, and
unresolved trauma amplify. That load.
The body can't distinguish between a life threatening
situation and an overflowing inbox to your nervous system.
It's all danger. So we're always in a constant
(05:05):
state of danger, but when this. State of high alert.
Continues the nervous system adapts.
It essentially rewires. Itself so that the.
Fight or flight becomes the baseline, so now it's your new
normal. At first, people notice small
signs, tension in the shoulders,difficulty falling asleep, or
even a racing mind when they laydown at night.
That's probably most of us. Over months or years, these
(05:26):
symptoms expand into what it feels to be completely This is
your new normal. The scary part is.
That many people don't even realize they're stressed
anymore. They're adjusted to.
Living in survival mode, this happens a.
Lot. So you may recognize yourself in
this description. Always feel on, even when you
want to relax or you think you're relaxed.
Trouble concentrating because the mind is always jumping
(05:48):
ahead. A sense of being wired but
tired. Exhausted yet unable to rest.
Digestive issues like bloating, reflux or irregular bowel.
Movements that seem random. A shortness of breath or shallow
breathing even without exertion.A baseline of irritability or
anxiety that doesn't match the situation.
From integrative health perspective, this chronic
(06:08):
activation is not just. Psychological it creates.
Measurable changes in the body stress hormones like cortisol
and adrenal. Stay elevated.
Blood sugars fluctuate widely. And an immune system is either
suppressed. Or it's overactive.
If you test someone in this state, you often see irregular
cortisol rhythms, nutrient deficiencies, and of course
signs inflammation. One important concept in
(06:30):
allostatic load is allostasis means stability.
Through change, it describes howyour body adapts to stress.
When you're in this load and theload's too high, your demand
outweighs the body's capacity tobreakdown and you get forms of
illness. This.
Could be high blood. Pressure, autoimmune flares,
hormone imbalances or mental health struggles.
(06:50):
What's fascinating is that people often blame themselves.
For this. They think they're weak or not
handling stress. Better or they're.
Doubling down on willpower, trying to push through.
But it isn't always about mentaltoughness.
It's about your biology. The nervous system has simply
lost its ability to shift back. In a parasympathetic healing
state, even relaxation can feel foreign.
(07:11):
I've worked with clients who saythey're uncomfortable when
things get calm. Their body doesn't recognize
safety anymore and interprets peace as boredom or even danger.
That's how deeply. These patterns can run.
I mean, that's a lot. Of us out.
There, I'm guilty. For that too.
It's very. Easy to stay.
Calm when you're very busy and stressed out.
So you got to think, why is thatnormal?
(07:31):
But that's where functional lab testing can reveal what's
underneath that. State of survival.
For example, cortisol rhythm test can show somebody stress
hormones curve. If it flipped.
High at night when it should be low and flat line in the morning
when it should be high. An organic acid test might
reveal nutrient deficiencies affecting neurotransmitters,
making it harder for you to calmdown.
(07:52):
A stool test might uncover gun imbalances, sending stress
signals to your brain. This is why I always emphasize
the meditation apps or even yogaclasses.
While helpful. And I know these are not always
enough if the. Body is flooded.
With hidden stressors, nervous systems retraining becomes
nearly impossible. You're not failing at self-care.
Good news is your nervous systemis like plastic.
(08:16):
It can change, just as you learnto.
Adapt to stress. It can relearn safety, but it
doesn't happen overnight. It requires daily practices.
Supportive nutrition and often personalized protocols to help
remove those underlying stressors.
When people begin this work, they often describe a sense of
remembering, like their body finally recalls what calm
actually feels like. That's when the true healing
(08:37):
begins. So if you are feeling like
you're running a marathon that you never signed up for, you're
not alone. Your body isn't broken, It's
simply. Adapted to the survival.
In this world we live in, this world never slows down.
The next step is you need to learn how to reset that system
again when that nervous system is stuck in that fight or flight
or shutdown mode. The impact?
(08:57):
Spreads across every. Organ in your system.
This isn't just about feeling. Stressed.
It's about how. Chronic nervous system
dysregulation creates ripple. Effects that affect digestion.
Your hormones immunity. Cardiovascular Health.
And like I said before, even your mental.
Clarity. So let's.
Start with the first one, digestion, when sympathetic
nervous system dominates. Blood flow gets redirected.
(09:17):
Away from the stomach and intestines.
The. Body is preparing for survival,
not for breaking down food. That means stomach acid
production drops, enzymes becomeless efficient and gut motility
slows. People experiencing this
usually. Get.
Bloated, Constipation, diarrhea,acid reflux or even food
sensitivities. Overtime, nutrient absorption
(09:39):
declines, leading to deficiencies in magnesium, B
vitamin, zinc and other nutrient.
Critical for healing. This is one reason why someone
can eat a nutrient dense diet but still.
Feel depleted? Their nervous system isn't
allowing digestion to function properly.
Again, this is so common. So now consider hormones, right?
Cortisol, this is your. Primary stress hormone It's
(10:00):
designed to spike in the morningas you wake up and gradually
decline at night. So we rest in a.
Healthy rhythm it supports. Alertness, metabolism, and
inflammation control. But under chronic stress,
cortisol might be high all day, and even worse, it may flatten
out altogether. Both scenarios create problems.
High cortisol suppresses thyroid.
Function and. Throws off blood sugar.
(10:22):
Flat cortisol makes people feel exhausted, fog, and usually
unmotivated. On top of this, stress hormones
steal raw materials from sex hormones.
For women, this can mean irregular cycles, PMS, or
menopause symptoms. For men, it often shows up as
low testosterone, poor recovery and reduced motivation.
The immune system is another major player short.
(10:43):
Bursts of stress, actually. Strengthen immunity in the
movement Think of it as the bodypreparing to deal with injury or
infection. But long term stress surpasses
immunity, making it more vulnerable to colds, viruses and
even reaction of latent infections like Epstein Barr
virus. In some cases, the immune system
flips to the other way becomes. Overactive.
That can. Contribute to autoimmune
(11:04):
conditions where the body mistakenly attacks its own
tissues chronic inflammation, another common byproduct of the
nervous system dysregulation because the background noise
that fuels everything from jointpain to that brain fog and you
have. Your cardiovascular.
System which also. Pays the price here.
Elevated sympathetic activity keeps the heart beating faster
(11:24):
it. Will.
Raise your blood pressure and promotes clot formation.
Over time, this increases the risk for hypertension, heart
disease, and even strokes. Many people assume they're
purely genetic or lifestyle driven, but the state in the
nervous system plays an enormousrole in cardiovascular outcomes.
Then, like we talked before, mental health.
Mental health is another dimension that we cannot ignore.
(11:46):
Anxiety, depression, burnout. These are often.
Viewed as separate, psychological.
Conditions, but in many cases their nervous system states
chronic fight or flight keeps the brain in hyper vigilance
mode. This makes anxiety feel
constant. Chronic shutdown can be like
depression, low energy, disconnection, hopelessness.
For many clients I work with though, realizing these mental
(12:08):
health. Struggles have a biological.
Opponent is both relieving and it's also empowering to people.
It shifts that narrative from something's wrong with me to my
nervous system may be stuck. And you know what?
It can change. A key point here is that
dysregulated nervous system tone.
Creates A vicious cycle. For example, stress disrupts
(12:28):
digestion, which leads to nutrient deficiencies.
Those deficiencies then impair neurotransmitter production,
making stress harder to manage. Or stress suppresses.
Immunity leading to infections that create even more stress
signals. Without intervention, people get
trapped in a downward spiral. I mean, that's many of us,
right? This is why we integrate
functional lab testing into our.Practice labs like cortisol.
(12:51):
Rhythm test reveal how that stress hormones are functioning
throughout the day. Again, that organic acid test.
We need to understand those neurotransmitters and those
deficiencies. Then we look.
At that stool test. To uncover pathogens that fuel
inflammation. So again, we want to identify
these contributors and we could design protocols that give the
nervous system the resources they need to reset.
(13:12):
Ken, that nervous system can be reset.
From a supplement standpoint, foundational support often
includes magnesium to relax muscles and calm the nervous
system. Omega 3.
Fatty acids to reduce. Inflammation adaptogens like
astrogonitin improve resilience.Again, these are not quick
fixes. But they provide the.
Building blocks your body needs to restore balance.
(13:33):
And remember, we do offer that 20% off retail, so feel free to
sign up and. Utilize our discount.
The bottom line is that dysregulated nervous system
tone. It's not just about stress.
It's a whole body. Issue that manifests in real,
measurable health consequences. Addressing it can feel like I'm
locking a door that you've been stuck in for years.
(13:53):
So one of the most encouraging things about the nervous system
health. Is its adaptability.
Just as the body becomes stuck in fight or flight, it can also
relearn safety. The concept is called
neuroplasticity. The nervous system's.
Ability to rewire. Itself and respond to new inputs
right these strategies. We'll talk about here.
Aren't again about. Quick fixes.
(14:13):
It's about. Consistency.
Just like everything we do in integrative health, it's
consistency. They build resilience and
retrain your body to spend more time in healing states.
So. Let's start with the.
Common when we always. Talk about breath work deep.
Diaphragmic breathing is simple,right?
It's fast and it helps that vagal tone.
When you take slow breath, especially longer exhale than
(14:36):
inhale, you stimulate that vagusnerve.
Practices you may hear about online are box breathing.
This is very common. You inhale.
For four, hold. For four, exhale.
For four, hold for four. This can calm your body in
minutes. Again, inhale for four.
Hold for four, exhale for four. Then again, hold for four and it
(14:59):
will help calm that body. Another method is resonance
breathing. Where you breathe about. 6
breaths per minute. Sink in your heart and lungs for
optimal relaxation. This is a little harder for
some, but it's still beneficial.Another common one we're seeing
all over the place is cold exposure.
This is a. Suprising powerful tool, The
vagus nerve response to cold. That's why slashing cold water
(15:20):
in your face and ending your shower in 30 seconds of cold
water can reset that nervous system.
It signals safety by strengthening the
parasympathetic response. Some people use ice packs on
their chest or on their neck at the same time, and this is kind
of gives you that same effect. But you see a lot of these
people doing cold plunges, right?
That's the new thing, and there's a reason for that.
So again, the next thing is movement.
(15:42):
This plays a critical role as well.
While intense exercise can sometimes mimic stress, gentle
forms like walking, yoga, Tai chi or stretching can't send
signals of calmness. They help you discharge.
The built up stress hormones andrestore balance.
Even something as simple as swaying side by side, rocking or
dancing stimulates. Vestibular.
Systems and promote safety so asI always.
(16:03):
Say as we get older. What's one thing we can?
Hopefully do is walk. So get out there and walk, enjoy
nature, calm down. Take a break.
Right. We're too overwhelmed.
We have too much going on. Life is just way too fast.
And you look back years and you see how fast our life went by
and you don't even remember whathappened.
Again, take that break, take that walk.
(16:24):
Get out in nature. See how your body adjusts.
And then there's one. Power of our voice.
Singing, humming, chanting, or even reading aloud and gauges
the vagus nerve. Through vocal cords this.
Is why people often feel uplifted after singing in choir
or humming to themselves. It's not just emotional, it's
psychological. Another one would be grounding.
(16:45):
Practices which also deserve. Attention Spending time in
nature, walking barefoot on grass, or simply noticing your
surroundings pulls your body outof the anxious thought loop and
anchors you into the present. Mindfulness, gratitude
journaling, guided meditation are variations of that same
principle showing your. Body that.
(17:05):
Its environment is safe again. Get out there, touch.
A tree. Take your socks off.
Take your. Shoes off, stand in the grass or
just walk through nature. It's life changing.
So a lot of these. Practices are free and
accessible, but for some individuals, they don't create
lasting change on their own if hidden stressors like nutrient
deficiencies, gut dysbiosis or toxic.
Exposures are. Overwhelming your body, nervous
(17:28):
system practices can feel like swimming upstream.
You relax for a moment, but the system snaps back into survival
mode. This is why we.
Recommend pairing daily practices with functional lab
testing, for example, cortisol rhythm test, right organic acid
test, stool analysis. The other one we didn't talk
about much is heavy metal environmental toxins.
(17:49):
This reveals hidden burdens thatcan keep your central nervous
system inflamed. Once we have this data, we can
design targeted protocols. Supplements become more than
generic stress support they. Address the exact.
Gaps holding someone back. For instance magnesium
glycinate. This helps calm the nervous
system and support sleep. Omega.
Three fatty acids lower. Inflammation improve HRV
(18:09):
adaptogens like ash, raganda andholy.
Basil these help. Balance cortisol rhythms B
complex These vitamins fuel neurotransmitter productions for
better mood. Stability that we harp.
On that B complex, because it comes a lot of people have
natural anxiety and stuff. Like that out there?
Another thing too. We do offer.
Practitioner grade supplements at 20% off discount.
(18:30):
You do not have to be a client of ours to sign up and utilize
that discount, but you do have to sign up to access the
supplement store. And again, it's not just
supplements on that store. There's a lot of.
Healthcare products, hand cream,face cream, so forth.
Even red light therapy masks. So feel free to.
Utilize our 20% off and order asyou please.
(18:51):
Another one would be. Lifestyle.
This also plays a big role. Sleep hygiene, as we always say,
is foundational. So going to bed and waking up
consistent times, dimming lightsin the evening and limiting
screen exposure. Before bed.
I mean, how many times could we get?
Yelled at about. Stay off your phone.
You know, an hour. Before bed, but.
Who listens? I understand that because again,
I'm guilty of that. Too.
(19:11):
It's hard. It's a habit.
Blood sugar swings can mimic stress, so eating balanced meals
with protein, healthy fats, and.Fiber stabilizes.
Energy in your mood. Hydration is another overlooked
factor. Even mild dehydration increases.
Cortisol levels. But the most important factor on
anything to do with in. The grade of health.
Is consistency. Resetting the nervous system is
(19:35):
not about one breathing. Exercise or a stressful day.
It's about. Building a routine that your
body repeatedly experiences. Safety over.
Time those moments stack up, thenervous system starts to trust
again against consistency for clients often encourage starting
with just one or two daily. Practices like. 5 minutes of
breathing in the morning. Or a short.
Walk after dinner, then the body.
(19:55):
Will start to adjust. Then what do we do?
We layer in supplements. We look at labs and lifestyle
upgrades. It's a step by step process.
It's not a crash. Course.
That's why a lot of this takes months.
And it's not that, you know, it's it's about money, the
focus. Is your body takes.
The time to rebalance. It took your body.
Time to get to this unbalanced state.
(20:16):
Now it's going to take time to rebalance that body.
That's where multiple visits areusually necessary.
Or, you know, if you're. Able to dial your.
Body in on your own. You may notice a difference on
your own within three to six months, but you have to make
these changes. But the beauty in this?
Approach is that progress? Is measurable.
Clients often track heart rate variability, sleep quality and
(20:37):
stress perception scores. They notice they can handle
challenges without spiraling downhill.
They digest food better. And they finally are able to
sleep through tonight. These small ones add up,
reinforcing the body's ability. To regulate.
Itself. If you feel like stress runs
your life, know this. Your nervous system is not
broken. You just need to write tools to
write balance and consistency, and we could help get you there.
(20:59):
But one of the most important parts of this conversation is
how to personalize these strategies.
That's where our services. Come into play when someone
comes to. Us they usually already tried
all the basics. They worked on stress reduction,
maybe they've added a supplementor two, or they downloaded an
app for meditation they still feel.
Stuck. That's because surface.
Level tools aren't always enough.
(21:20):
We need to uncover the hidden. Stressors that are.
Keeping your nervous system locked in that fight or flight.
That's where functional lab testing, again is so powerful.
These tests don't diagnose or. Treat, but they provide.
A window on how your body's functioning.
They help us see beneath the surface and what's burning the
nervous system. How are you going to identify
this without functional labs? Guess right?
That's all you're doing is guessing.
(21:41):
So you're throwing supplements or food at it and not sure.
What to do? So that's why we give the basic.
Recommendations right food tracking go from there, you
know, maybe if you know your foundational supplements start
with. Those.
Right. Is that Omega?
Three that well, I'll give you. Start with the foundational
supplements omega-3, vitamin C, multivitamin, zinc.
(22:03):
D3K2I. Think I named them all there.
So with those you. Start with those and see how
your body does. Give it a couple months you
need. Hey, you know what, it's still
not happening or I'm still having bad anxiety or I'm still
stuck in that fight or flight. I can't sleep at night and you
know I'm wired all night. Then you reach out.
So, for example, our adrenal stress profile measures cortisol
(22:25):
rhythms throughout the day, right?
This is something that you're not going to get by guessing.
A healthy pattern again, is highin the morning, gradually
declining towards the evening. But when someone's dysregulated,
we might see that cortisol spikeat night.
I was one of those people. To where my cortisol was very
low. In the morning and very high at
night, my body. Was reversed to where?
(22:45):
My body thought night was morning and morning was night.
What does that do? Throws off your sleep.
Throws off your. Digestion causes many issues,
causes weight gain, causes a lotof problems When somebody's
dysregulated, we might see. That cortisol.
Spiking when it shouldn't, rightwe.
Need to fix that. Another one we said always is
organic acid test. This looks at metabolites in the
(23:06):
urine and reflects nutrient status, neurotransmitter
balance, and gut function. Low B vitamins, for instance,
can impair neurotransmitter production, making it harder to
feel calm. Imbalances in your gut bacteria
can create toxic byproducts thatfuel anxiety.
Or fatigue. Seeing these patterns help us
create targeted. Protocols that support your.
Nervous system from the ground up.
(23:27):
Then we also have that comprehensive stool analysis,
right? Most people go organic acid
tests, food sensitivity tests, and we're able to identify a lot
of things there, but others may need to do that comprehensive
stool analysis. This test identifies imbalances
in gut bacteria, yeast, and evenparasites.
Remember, the gut and brain communicate constantly through
that vagus nerve. If the gut is inflamed, the
(23:49):
nervous system receives danger signals 24/7.
This makes it nearly impossible to relax.
So you want to correct these imbalances.
They're often profound to see a change in your mood, digestion,
and your stress resilience. And then we have clients that
are exposed to a lot of toxins. That's where that heavy metal
and environmental toxin testing comes into play.
Metals like mercury or lead or exposures to mold toxins can
(24:11):
drive inflammation in your nervous system.
By identifying these hidden burdens, we can design detox
protocols that relieve stress and your stress load overall.
Once we have that data, we move into coaching and protocol.
That's where. Our approach really differs from
just buying a supplement off a shelf.
We don't just hand people a generic plan.
Instead, we coach them through alifestyle shifts, building
consistent sleep routines, creating meal strategies.
(24:33):
That stabilize blood sugar. And practicing nervous system
retraining techniques like breath work and grounding.
We also, we also recommend foundational supplements to
support your resilience. Again, those often include the
ones I talked about, right? Omega-3, vitamin C,
multivitamin. They include those foundational
(24:53):
ones. I.
Always talk about. These are very important.
You know, again, every recommendation is educational.
We always emphasize. These tools to support.
Body and know they are not cures.
The third layer of our service. Is support and accountability.
Healing doesn't happen in isolation.
The nervous system thrives on connection and safety.
(25:14):
Which is why. Coaching conversations, check
insurance and building a rapportare essential.
Many clients say that simply having someone to talk to with
them. Reduces their stress load.
Significantly, when people feel seen or unsupported, their
nervous system. Starts to relax because.
They know there's somebody here that understands, there's
somebody that could help guide me in the right direction.
(25:36):
And again, we're not experts on everything, but what we do, we
work hand in hand with you specifically to understand what
you are going through and understand how we can help,
right? And that's where sometimes
coaching is needed versus just taking a supplement or changing
your nutrition plan. Sometimes you need that
accountability. The integrative approach we use
is, not. About a quick fix.
(25:57):
It's about creating a foundation. 1st we help uncover
what's driving the stress response.
Then we layer in nutrition, supplements and lifestyle
changes. Give that body to building
blocks it needs. Overtime, the nervous system
begins to trust again, shifting more easily into that healing
state. And perhaps more importantly, we
meet people where they are right.
Some clients are ready to dive in a comprehensive testing in a
(26:19):
full protocol. Others start with the basics.
Foundational supplements, stressmanagement practices and gradual
changes, which is completely OK.Because both approaches work.
Because the nervous system doesn't heal under pressure.
The Journey. Itself has to feel.
Safe and sustainable for all O. If you're listening to this and
wondering whether your nervous system might be stuck, consider
(26:40):
the symptoms You're dealing withdigestive issues, hormone
imbalances, sleep roblems, anxiety, or just feeling like
you're always running on emty. These are signs that your body
may be asking for support, and that's exactly why we're
offering these services. To provide the tools.
Education and partnership you need to reset and move forward.
Ealing begins with understanding, it continues with
action. And when it comes to the nervous
(27:01):
system, the action step doesn't have to be overwhelming.
They just need to be consistent,personalized, and supported by
the right data and guidance. So that wraps up.
Today's episode of Mindful Objective.
As always, remember the information shared here is for
educational purposes only and should never be taken as medical
advice. Always consult.
With your qualified healthcare. Provider before making changes
(27:22):
to your health plan. But if you're ready.
To take that next step, visit mindfulobjective.com to learn
about our services, functional lab testing, and supplement
support. And don't forget.
All of our. Practitioner grade products are
available 20% off retail throughour online store.
Be sure to follow us on social media at Mindful Objective.
All one word. Again, that's Mindful Objective,
(27:44):
same as a show all one word. If this episode help.
Reframe how you see stress in your health.
Share it with a friend who needs.
To hear it also. And as always, thank you for
joining me on this journey towards integrative healing.
Stay well and I'll see you in the next episode.
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