The Impacts of Chronic Stress on the WHOLE you!

Do you struggle with fatigue, losing weight and depression?

Do you ever wonder WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME??

That was my story starting back in March 2013… why me?  Why do I feel so lethargic and depressed?

WHY did I gain 30 lbs. in 3 months??

I wanted help…and answers immediately.  I wanted results and the quick fix.  I was on a mission to get back to feeling as the old me as soon as possible.

Instead of getting any immediate results after seeking help from almost ten different doctors and practitioners, I found my own journey into Nutritional Therapy as a practitioner (NTP) and now to become a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN).  Everyone was just treating symptoms… or just putting me on more supplements.  Nothing was really working.

What was the answer?  I shared my personal story and journey in my book LIFE IS NOT A RACE on Amazon.  Lifestyle habits… I was the one who needed to help myself the most.  I needed to put the oxygen mask on first and stop living life as a race to really heal myself from the inside out.  Instead of chasing symptoms, I needed to work with someone to be a “detective” and help me identify the root causes- to restore “normal” function in my whole body was needed.  I needed to put the pieces of the puzzle together… by myself with some guidance.

Instead of chasing symptoms… try a step by step program as we do in the FDN program

1. Functional lab testing to identify malfunctions and healing opportunities within the following…. as H.I.D.D.E.N. internal stressorsanddysfunctionsareconnectedtothemajorityofourcommonhealthcomplaints
   • hormone 
   • immune
   • digestion 
   • detoxification 
   • energy production
   • nervous system
2. Next we work on supporting the body’s innate intelligence to allow proper healing with drugless protocols, lifestyle and behavior improvements – or areas of opportunities! D.R.E.S.S. for Health Success is the term Reed Davis created and trademarked in the FDN Practitioner program to enhance and optimize our “vital reserve” while we decrease or lower our “Metabolic Chaos”!  D.R.E.S.S. stands for diet, rest, exercise, stress reduction and supplement- similar to my The WHOLESTIC Method program.  The eight elements of The WHOLESTIC Method in my coaching program focus on nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, movement/mobility, digestion/gut health, hydration and happiness (play and gratitude!).
3. To reach a total transformation from the inside out… we work with clients to help them put the “oxygen mask on first” with a self-care model for creating behavior changes and making adjustments to transform the WHOLE individual.

As a coach, NTP and soon to be FDN Practitioner, I work with clients as individuals for 90-day commitment or longer.  We work on making adjustment along the way as we discover HIDDEN stressors, areas of opportunities and restest as needed.  I will be combining Nutritional Therapy functional evaluation and supplement testing with the lab testing we will offer as a FDN practitioner.  We don’t just run one lab test and treat the symptoms based on the lab tests…that didn’t work for me and it most likely won’t work for you either!

Lifestyle and behavior changes are a major part of the transformation program that I offer in my The WHOLESTIC Method coaching program so we can end the cycle while we “unravel and resolve the METABOLIC CHAOS” as Reed Davis explains in our FDN Practitioner program.

CHRONIC STRESS is related to symptoms as:

• adrenal related (HPA Axis)
• circadian rhythm
• digestion issues- breakdown and absorption
• gut dysbiosis and low diversity in microbiome
• hormone imbalances
• inflammation
• sluggish liver and detox issues
• bacteria and yeast overgrowth (SIBO)
• and more!

CHRONIC STRESS contributes to 50% of all illnesses according to “Healthy & Natural Journal” in February 2001… I am trying to get updated stats on how chronic stress impacts the WHOLE you from the inside out.

There is good stress and negative stress… just the right amount of stress is optimal – called HORMESIS and we just need a little “shock” or “dose” of acute stress.  Anything that continues to long or becomes excessive then become CHRONIC is not healthy for us at a cellular level – our mitochondria take the toll.  Learn more in my upcoming podcasts on Thursdays as well as a new free Ebook on www.debbiepotts.net

For now work, get started on the following lifestyle improvements:

1. NUTRITION:  eat real food with the right mix of carbs/protein/fat that balances your bloods sugar!

2. EXERCISE:  exercise more frequently but alternate HIIT and MAF training (more in my book and manual)

3. SLEEP:  Stop eating 3 hours before bed and get to sleep by 10pm… 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep!

4. STRESS:  identify stressors, triggers or red flags for external sources then do lab tests for internal HIDDEN stressors.

5. MOVEMENT & MOBILITY:  get up, twist, reach, bend, lunge, squat and repeat.  

6. DIGESTION & GUT HEALTH:  learn from Kiran of Microbiome labs… Total gut restoration program, bone broth and reduce stressors!  Stress is the most common driver of leaky gut and endotoxemia.  

7. HYDRATION: drink more clean filtered water throughout the day and consume less caffeinated drinks (and sugar)!

8. HAPPINESS:  get out and play more, laugh more and let your guard down!

Life is Not a Race… Enjoy the Journey!

The WHOLESTIC Method Coach,

Debbie Potts

Read more….

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