How to Stimulate the Parasympathetic Nervous System with Exercise

How to Stimulate the Parasympathetic Nervous System with Exercise

We have received an incredible response to our series on Balancing the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems (if you haven’t read it, but sure and check it out – it’s a great primer for what we will discuss here!). Out of that series, we received several questions about how to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) with exercise. This is an interesting question, because exercise, especially when someone is just starting out or they are exercising intensely increases the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) rather than the PNS. However, the body is designed to spend most of its time in the PNS, and doing certain exercises can improve the PNS response and reduce the impact that stress has on your health. (more…)

Magnesium and Asthma

Magnesium and Asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways the causes reversible airflow obstruction and bronchospasm resulting in numerous symptoms, including wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. Many natural compounds have been studied in regards to acute and chronic asthma management, including magnesium. (more…)

Amino Acid Therapy – Learning the Ropes

Amino Acid Therapy – Learning the Ropes

Amino acid therapy is used to optimize neurotransmitter function so a person can eliminate signs and symptoms of neurotransmitter imbalance, including depression,  anxiety, obsessive thoughts, difficulty sleeping, compulsive and/or addictive behaviors, cravings for sweets, increased or insatiable hunger, increased pain (like in fibromyalgia), chronic fatigue, the urge to pull and pick (as in trichotillomania), migraines, poor memory, inability to focus or concentrate (including ADD/ADHD), weight gain/inability to lose weight, restless legs, Parkinson’s disease and many gastrointestinal imbalances (including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). (more…)

Neurotransmitter Imbalances – aka, How Brain Chemistry Impacts Everything

Neurotransmitter Imbalances – aka, How Brain Chemistry Impacts Everything

Neurotransmitters help the body communicate with itself and direct most of the bodies functions. They are like little chemical messengers that relay information to and from the brain millions of times daily. Unfortunately, imbalances in neurotransmitters can create a whole host of problems, including depression, anxiety, obsessive thoughts, difficulty sleeping, compulsive and/or addictive behaviors, cravings for sweets, increased or insatiable hunger, increased pain (like in fibromyalgia), chronic fatigue, the urge to pull out hair (as in trichotillomania), migraines, poor memory, inability to focus or concentrate, weight gain/inability to lose weight, restless legs, Parkinson’s disease and many gastrointestinal imbalances (including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). (more…)

Cleansing with the Seasons: Summer

Cleansing with the Seasons: Summer

Cleansing is an ongoing process – we all need to periodically ‘clean-house’ as our bodies and diets change throughout the year. Just as we wash the outsides of our bodies, internal cleansing is an integral part of achieving and maintaining health. This idea of cleansing appears in traditional healing systems throughout the world and in a variety of forms, including Naturopathy, Ayurveda, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. (more…)

Carbidopa may CAUSE the Neurodegeneration Associated with Parkinson’s disease and Increase the Risk of Death

Carbidopa may CAUSE the Neurodegeneration Associated with Parkinson’s disease and Increase the Risk of Death

Carbidopa is a class of drug called decarboxylase inhibitor that inhibits the conversion of L-dopa to dopamine outside of the brain. It also irreversibly binds to and permanently deactivates the active form of vitamin B6 in the body. Vitamin B6 is required for the function of over 300 enzymes and proteins in the body in almost every major system. (more…)

Botanicals and Supplements that can Help Address the Root Causes of Parkinson’s Disease

Botanicals and Supplements that can Help Address the Root Causes of Parkinson’s Disease

Over the years, many supplements and botanical products have been used to try and reduce or eliminate the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, but very few have shown to be effective. However, there are a handful of products that have shown to be very important in addressing the root causes for the neurodegeneration associated with Parkinson’s disease, including amino acid therapy, specific B-vitamins, Coenzyme Q10, vitamin D, creatine, omega-3 fatty acids and green tea. (more…)