Ill be honest, Ive never felt much difference from the foundational strategies but they also come relatively easy to me. I've had a highly stressed hypersensitive-neurodivergent-adrenal/chronic fatigue-like profile since birth.
But Ive also lived outdoors camping a lot, always barefoot, very tan, ate paleo a lot. Naturally don't like pharmaceuticals, recreational substances, artificial light and big screens, fragrances and artificial flavors due to my sensitivity. Favorite exercises are outdoor low key paddleboarding, snorkeling, boogie boarding, mountain biking, hiking. Journal and do somatic type psychology daily. Pray.
For me it's frustrating to see people turning around their hormones with changes in light and diet. One lifestyle thing that I think makes a bigger impact is salt water swimming. I reckon I absorb some minerals that way.
humoral- melancholic (but anxious, rarely sad), followed by phlegmatic (tired), low sanguine (rarely happy, often anhedonia), low choleric (not competitive or aggressive)
incidentally my favorite to least favorite climates....and ive lived in all....are hot wet, then hot dry, then cold dry, then HATE cold wet.
psychologically-high anxiety, introverted, sensory sensitive to all stimuli, high intelligence, independent, open minded, high risk taking and adventurousness and novelty driv
In astrology im fire dominant, followed closely by water, medium air, with little earth.
In ayurveda id be vata dominant. tall, thin (before perimenopause anyway) long fingers, long face, big forehead. but greasy skin, never dry.
hmmm im not sure exactly what you are asking. i currently live in Florida which is my favourite climate and gives me my favored sunshine, bare skin, warmth, salt water and seafood, and tropical fruit access. my soul is definitely a beach bum.
my exercise is whatever brings me pleasure. i balance an inherently high desire to move and explore and recreate with fatigue and pots-like symptoms. so i don't run because the breathing is too hard on my panic impulses even though i love running.
i do everything pretty instinctively. ive found through experience that intellectual interventions that don't take into account individuality have backfired. for example fasting is too stressful for my already stressed system. my adrenaline is often already sky high feeling.
ketogenic and high meat/fat diets are the same and also too dense for my lighter aspects. My liver and gallbladder and intestines struggle under those conditions. and besides some raw fruits and vegetables and oysters/sushi feels more right to me. I would say i eat a medium-light diet. Not so light as to aggravate the vata tendencies and not so heavy to contradict them. it lighter in summer obviously.
My main dietary conflict is heavy cravings for ice cream and cheese when im allergic to dairy and get very phlegmy from it.
My second conflict is wanting more healthy, nutrient dense, fresh foods and succumbing to junkier, lower quality, normal core foods from sheer exhaustion and not enough money from my exhaustion.
You could say that dynamic is true of all of my sensitivities (preferring quiet beautiful surroundings, well built homes with low water damage etc., chill people etc.). I have a hard time meeting my needs and preferences for high vibrational things because i am so beat down and exhausted and constantly triggered by stressors that I can't get ahead. I end up in less than optimal situations out of survival mode, but constantly strive for what I really desire.
im not just making judgements about what is "high vibration" . it's really what i want although the paradox is the more stable you are the less you need it and yet the easier you can get it.
I would consider my sensitivities to have become increasingly pathological and PTSDish. its like living in a stormy ocean. there's no resilience. if i eat some MSG or get exposed to a gasoline spill or get in an argument or overdo some trauma therapy it can throw me off a long time, days, weeks, months. it makes it hard to receive help as must healers arent used to it let alone most friends/family. even when i was overtly less sensitive (this has gotten much worse with age) and willing to try any supplements or techniques, i didn't respond poorly or positively to therapies. i just stayed the same until healers grew weary and fired me as a client.
One might speculate there's something there around a very sensitive inner child injured by something and then hypervigilant against any attempt at change or manipulation that touches upon the wound structure...
It certainly sounds like stress/anxiety and its accompanying hormones are playing a significant role. But, as you've eluded there is a strong psychosocial element. Together, this may also point to perturbations in neurochemistry downstream to neurophysiologic stressors (including hormonal changes as women age) which are many and varied in our modern age.
What I meant by seasonal diet and activity changes is akin to what I described in the article published today. As the seasons change, we must adjust how we nourish, relax, and physically stress ourselves. But, it sounds like you are familiar with these schools of thought.
I'm trying to work through each one of your suggestions (one at a time, as you mentioned). I switched out many of my lamp bulbs for red ones this past weekend so that during the evenings, I can wind down with some red light — I love it! We're frequenting our local farmers market now. My next step is to catch the sunrise every morning. It took some brainstorming, because I have to wake my daughter up right as it is rising to start getting her ready for school, but I finally landed on something: we're going to eat breakfast outside in the backyard each morning. She likes to eat first thing, anyway.
What I didn't expect about making each one of these steps (though of course it makes sense) is the increase in well-being I experience with making these changes. My evening living room setup is magical thanks to the new lighting. I'm meeting people and making connections to others (not to mention spending a good amount of time outside on the weekend) at my local farmer's market. And now, I'll have a new tradition of eating with my daughter outside (accompanied by a nice glass of green tea) to enjoy the sunrise each day. For daily/weekly changes, it sure makes life more enjoyable and magical!
I am a retired doctor. I was specialized in gynecology but escaped to the wild and practiced as a GP in a rural area and essentially worked in women’s health. Part time of course. I have applied a health strategy to my life but found it nearly impossible to convey my exemple to the patients. I must say I felt soon defeated by the system and retired early to a frugal simple life. I am delighted to read someone like you and found the article on Elijah’s job that inspired you vey profound. A few doctors on Substack are speaking to the Remnants it seems.
That's pretty much it. I would add not being afraid of things going wrong somewhere: people conditioned into the system live in the expectation of some magic bullet and the anxiety that it won't get there fast enough for them.
A concise and useful list! I too recommend behavioral modifications and healthy lifestyle with any treatment plan. Food, rest and movement are usually at the core for most in the healing process.
Supplments? I wonder if they’re necessary. I still use them but wonder if they’re necessary. Do you take any supplements? Is there a more natural way to get the vitamins/nutrients/minerals? I want to put more money into my HSA account, and reinvest what I spend on supplements. I think of supplements as a processed good and think I’m could be wasting money on them.
Taking up your anti-hypertensives eg, they’re often prescribed unnecessarily seemingly out of habit and this erroneous notion that it’s OK despite their harms drugs presupposing they have a protective effect (in an older person against future stroke) without considering it’s normal to have a higher BP as you age and stroke doesn’t occur so easily from slightly raised BP. The problem is once you take even a low dose, your body becomes inured to it. You cannot drop it cold turkey else your BP will shoot up. You not only have to be weaned off it, this must occur with some other health support. But the sudden rise in BP is enough to scare people into believing they need it for the rest of their lives, even though they didn’t need it in the first place!
Given the supposed brain capacity and efforts invested and sacrifices made to become a doctor, this profession has been regarded as specialised medical experts for many decades. Even in cultures that have their own indigenous medicines, it’s often perceived that those are “slow-working” and not relevant for serious conditions or anything that needs to be treated pronto. Brainwashed may not be the right word here, but it’s along that spectrum. It’s hard for many folks to believe that doctors lack critical thinking abilities or are egotistical or put their own interests ahead of the patient’s.
No profit in your eminently sensible solution to population health for big pharma to thrive!!!!
Agree with all of your recommendations! My life has changed drastically for the better since taking control and responsibility of my own health in 2020
Now the difficult task…how do we get our young adult children to understand and change their ways? Do they have to endure the pain of listening to the experts who want to sell them drugs?
Mine is an HSA tied with a plan that has good emergent coverage.
In all honesty, I am probably very lucky to have access to a plan like this.
Some people use CrowdHealth, and very interesting non-insurance entity that combines crowdfunding for high-cost emergencies and maintenance of a percentage of your assets in bitcoin, so that the money set aside grows. Entirely in your control.
This is amazing! Thank you for this!
Ill be honest, Ive never felt much difference from the foundational strategies but they also come relatively easy to me. I've had a highly stressed hypersensitive-neurodivergent-adrenal/chronic fatigue-like profile since birth.
But Ive also lived outdoors camping a lot, always barefoot, very tan, ate paleo a lot. Naturally don't like pharmaceuticals, recreational substances, artificial light and big screens, fragrances and artificial flavors due to my sensitivity. Favorite exercises are outdoor low key paddleboarding, snorkeling, boogie boarding, mountain biking, hiking. Journal and do somatic type psychology daily. Pray.
For me it's frustrating to see people turning around their hormones with changes in light and diet. One lifestyle thing that I think makes a bigger impact is salt water swimming. I reckon I absorb some minerals that way.
I wonder what is the missing key.
What is your temperament?
In what sense of temperament?
humoral- melancholic (but anxious, rarely sad), followed by phlegmatic (tired), low sanguine (rarely happy, often anhedonia), low choleric (not competitive or aggressive)
incidentally my favorite to least favorite climates....and ive lived in all....are hot wet, then hot dry, then cold dry, then HATE cold wet.
psychologically-high anxiety, introverted, sensory sensitive to all stimuli, high intelligence, independent, open minded, high risk taking and adventurousness and novelty driv
In astrology im fire dominant, followed closely by water, medium air, with little earth.
In ayurveda id be vata dominant. tall, thin (before perimenopause anyway) long fingers, long face, big forehead. but greasy skin, never dry.
It's great that you are aware of all these aspects of your being.
Curious how you've tailored your life to your temperament. For instance, have you tested shifting eating and activity by season?
How much of what you consider a problem in your health is accounted for by your specific temperament? Do you think it is to a pathologic extent?
hmmm im not sure exactly what you are asking. i currently live in Florida which is my favourite climate and gives me my favored sunshine, bare skin, warmth, salt water and seafood, and tropical fruit access. my soul is definitely a beach bum.
my exercise is whatever brings me pleasure. i balance an inherently high desire to move and explore and recreate with fatigue and pots-like symptoms. so i don't run because the breathing is too hard on my panic impulses even though i love running.
i do everything pretty instinctively. ive found through experience that intellectual interventions that don't take into account individuality have backfired. for example fasting is too stressful for my already stressed system. my adrenaline is often already sky high feeling.
ketogenic and high meat/fat diets are the same and also too dense for my lighter aspects. My liver and gallbladder and intestines struggle under those conditions. and besides some raw fruits and vegetables and oysters/sushi feels more right to me. I would say i eat a medium-light diet. Not so light as to aggravate the vata tendencies and not so heavy to contradict them. it lighter in summer obviously.
My main dietary conflict is heavy cravings for ice cream and cheese when im allergic to dairy and get very phlegmy from it.
My second conflict is wanting more healthy, nutrient dense, fresh foods and succumbing to junkier, lower quality, normal core foods from sheer exhaustion and not enough money from my exhaustion.
You could say that dynamic is true of all of my sensitivities (preferring quiet beautiful surroundings, well built homes with low water damage etc., chill people etc.). I have a hard time meeting my needs and preferences for high vibrational things because i am so beat down and exhausted and constantly triggered by stressors that I can't get ahead. I end up in less than optimal situations out of survival mode, but constantly strive for what I really desire.
im not just making judgements about what is "high vibration" . it's really what i want although the paradox is the more stable you are the less you need it and yet the easier you can get it.
I would consider my sensitivities to have become increasingly pathological and PTSDish. its like living in a stormy ocean. there's no resilience. if i eat some MSG or get exposed to a gasoline spill or get in an argument or overdo some trauma therapy it can throw me off a long time, days, weeks, months. it makes it hard to receive help as must healers arent used to it let alone most friends/family. even when i was overtly less sensitive (this has gotten much worse with age) and willing to try any supplements or techniques, i didn't respond poorly or positively to therapies. i just stayed the same until healers grew weary and fired me as a client.
One might speculate there's something there around a very sensitive inner child injured by something and then hypervigilant against any attempt at change or manipulation that touches upon the wound structure...
Thanks for sharing, Emily.
It certainly sounds like stress/anxiety and its accompanying hormones are playing a significant role. But, as you've eluded there is a strong psychosocial element. Together, this may also point to perturbations in neurochemistry downstream to neurophysiologic stressors (including hormonal changes as women age) which are many and varied in our modern age.
What I meant by seasonal diet and activity changes is akin to what I described in the article published today. As the seasons change, we must adjust how we nourish, relax, and physically stress ourselves. But, it sounds like you are familiar with these schools of thought.
Wish you the best.
Where do I find a mineral salt with the Na/K/Mg ratio that you describe in the UK?
I'm trying to work through each one of your suggestions (one at a time, as you mentioned). I switched out many of my lamp bulbs for red ones this past weekend so that during the evenings, I can wind down with some red light — I love it! We're frequenting our local farmers market now. My next step is to catch the sunrise every morning. It took some brainstorming, because I have to wake my daughter up right as it is rising to start getting her ready for school, but I finally landed on something: we're going to eat breakfast outside in the backyard each morning. She likes to eat first thing, anyway.
What I didn't expect about making each one of these steps (though of course it makes sense) is the increase in well-being I experience with making these changes. My evening living room setup is magical thanks to the new lighting. I'm meeting people and making connections to others (not to mention spending a good amount of time outside on the weekend) at my local farmer's market. And now, I'll have a new tradition of eating with my daughter outside (accompanied by a nice glass of green tea) to enjoy the sunrise each day. For daily/weekly changes, it sure makes life more enjoyable and magical!
Wonderful to hear, Ren!
Eating outside is the perfect solution.
The NIR/IR from the red sun blunts the blood sugar spikes that typically accompany a carb-loaded meal. Perfect time to eat fruit, honey, etc.
Very happy to hear this. Keep it up.
Very interesting point on the effects of red sun blunting blood sugar spikes. I didn't know that!
I am a retired doctor. I was specialized in gynecology but escaped to the wild and practiced as a GP in a rural area and essentially worked in women’s health. Part time of course. I have applied a health strategy to my life but found it nearly impossible to convey my exemple to the patients. I must say I felt soon defeated by the system and retired early to a frugal simple life. I am delighted to read someone like you and found the article on Elijah’s job that inspired you vey profound. A few doctors on Substack are speaking to the Remnants it seems.
thank you for your kind words.
makes tolerating the trolls much easier.
That's pretty much it. I would add not being afraid of things going wrong somewhere: people conditioned into the system live in the expectation of some magic bullet and the anxiety that it won't get there fast enough for them.
Thanks. Agree fully, but one question: Do you have no health insurance? What if you have an accident and require acute care? That can be expensive.
Built into the way my HSA works.
A concise and useful list! I too recommend behavioral modifications and healthy lifestyle with any treatment plan. Food, rest and movement are usually at the core for most in the healing process.
Great and reasonable suggestions!
Supplments? I wonder if they’re necessary. I still use them but wonder if they’re necessary. Do you take any supplements? Is there a more natural way to get the vitamins/nutrients/minerals? I want to put more money into my HSA account, and reinvest what I spend on supplements. I think of supplements as a processed good and think I’m could be wasting money on them.
few necessary supplements out there, which can probably still be avoided if food properly sourced
And if you’re getting enough sunlight to get the vitamin D naturally
Amazing advice all of which I concur - visiting the doctor is for emergencies only.
On the Blood pressure point - my husband had blood pressure of 147/92 - 4 weeks low carb whole foods 118/81..
Magic - lost 7lbs of body fat and now has Abs..
Win win
Great list.
Does everyone need > 7 hours of sleep? I feel best with 5-7
there are outliers, I suppose
well a subset of people has apparently been identified as a genetic variant needing less sleep
Taking up your anti-hypertensives eg, they’re often prescribed unnecessarily seemingly out of habit and this erroneous notion that it’s OK despite their harms drugs presupposing they have a protective effect (in an older person against future stroke) without considering it’s normal to have a higher BP as you age and stroke doesn’t occur so easily from slightly raised BP. The problem is once you take even a low dose, your body becomes inured to it. You cannot drop it cold turkey else your BP will shoot up. You not only have to be weaned off it, this must occur with some other health support. But the sudden rise in BP is enough to scare people into believing they need it for the rest of their lives, even though they didn’t need it in the first place!
Given the supposed brain capacity and efforts invested and sacrifices made to become a doctor, this profession has been regarded as specialised medical experts for many decades. Even in cultures that have their own indigenous medicines, it’s often perceived that those are “slow-working” and not relevant for serious conditions or anything that needs to be treated pronto. Brainwashed may not be the right word here, but it’s along that spectrum. It’s hard for many folks to believe that doctors lack critical thinking abilities or are egotistical or put their own interests ahead of the patient’s.
Very good point.
In many ways, the prescription model is simultaneously a band-aid and a trap.
Like a drug-addict suffering from withdrawal.
No profit in your eminently sensible solution to population health for big pharma to thrive!!!!
Agree with all of your recommendations! My life has changed drastically for the better since taking control and responsibility of my own health in 2020
Now the difficult task…how do we get our young adult children to understand and change their ways? Do they have to endure the pain of listening to the experts who want to sell them drugs?
share this substack with them ;)
Remnant.
What would be a good-fit insurance election that would be effective for emergencies and use the HSA allocations? 🤔
Mine is an HSA tied with a plan that has good emergent coverage.
In all honesty, I am probably very lucky to have access to a plan like this.
Some people use CrowdHealth, and very interesting non-insurance entity that combines crowdfunding for high-cost emergencies and maintenance of a percentage of your assets in bitcoin, so that the money set aside grows. Entirely in your control.