Unstoppable Body and Mind

Today I have a great interview with Elle Mace, who coaches people on making peace with food and their bodies.

I was drawn to her work because of my own journey with dieting, hating my body, developing and eating disorder, and then finding my way to intuitive eating.

The diet culture is based on unworthiness, scarcity and restriction.  All of which tend to perpetuate overeating and nervous system dysregulation.

As you start to accept your body and heal your relationship with food, you can reach a place of peace and calm- learning to trust your body.

I am an intuitive eater now and love my body- and it actually seems to be getting better with age!  Listen in, especially if you want to heal yourself from obsessing about weight and food.

Check out Elle Mace on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/iamellemace/

or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/memyselfher

If you are liking this podcast, please take a minute to give it a rating & review on iTunes.   It would be much appreciated!

You can do that here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unstoppable-body-and-minds-podcast/id1493360543

For more information, check out my website https://bodyandmindlifecoach.com

Or to schedule a free 60 min coaching session, 

click here,  https://calendly.com/thebetsyjensen/free-consult 

Today I talk about the Parasympathetic/calm state- the nervous system state where our body can rest and repair.

When we are in survival states (Fight/Flight, Freeze/Fawn), we use more energy and compromise the organ systems of the body.  

But in the calm/ rest and repair state, we have increased circulation, digestion, and immunity. 

We have more activation of the prefrontal cortex- so we are more collected, present and creative.

It is a learning state, and we are more receptive AND intuitive.

This parasympathetic/calm state takes less energy for the body.  It is a place of more ease and flow.

Your cells are either in defense mode or  repair mode, they can't be both. 

So by giving yourself a chance to rest or play, you are "Doing something" very important!  You are letting your body heal!

Get on the list to learn more about my upcoming ALIGNMENT ACADEMY!

A 6 mo small group (limit 15), starting 2/22/22 https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60feeed6cabce0455c07ccef

In this episode, I interview Dan Buglio from “Pain Free You”.  He has been doing daily YouTube videos about becoming pain free for almost 3 years, and has over a million views! He explains chronic pain as “Perceived Danger" pain.  The danger isn't real, but the brain PERCEIVES it is, and amplifies or produces pain.  Chronic pain is not a sign or true danger, but an issue of misinformation/ bad data.

"If danger is what is feeding this, safety is the solution."  We talk all about what this means and how to do it!

Here are some highlights from our discussion:

8:49- Your Brain’s primary job is safety and survival  

11:33- What if you don’t yet 100% believe?

13:05- How to teach your brain you are really OK

16:08- Symptom imperatives like anxiety, insomnia

20:26- Principles to reduce pain- Knowledge, Acceptance, Teach Brain it’s Safe

27:22- Don’t believe your thoughts

32:19- Do you push through the pain?

41:38- Insomnia

43:49 Coughing up the phlegm analogy

45:50 Survival states and calming 

You can check Dan out on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/c/PainFreeYou

Pain Free You Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PainFreeYouNow/

Thank you Dan!

Get on the list to learn more about my upcoming ALIGNMENT ACADEMY!

A 6 mo small group (limit 15), starting 2/22/22 https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60feeed6cabce0455c07ccef

I am so excited to bring you more information about something that has changed my understanding of somatic work completely- and that is understanding the nervous system.

The nervous system is our body's threat detector, and will put us into survival states which physically effect all systems of the body.  

These survival states are helpful if we are being chased by a tiger. But living in fight/flight/freeze or fawn will take it's toll on our body.

We can learn to identify these states by noticing our body's reactions.

Increased heart rate, breathing, tension in the jaw and arms?  You are probably in "fight".  

Scattered thinking, anxiety, can't sit still, trying to fix, always doing?  You are probably in "flight".

Lethargic, confused, dissocaited, space, overwhelmed?  You are probably in "freeze".

People pleasing, no boundaries, over apologizing, worried about what others think?  You are probably in "fawn".

Getting into a survival state is normal, it is part of growth.  But we just want to be able to return to the PARASYMPATHETIC/CALM state as much as possible to give our bodies a chance to rest and repair.

This "VENTRAL" state is also called our window of tolerance.  It's where we are calm, collected, connected and creative.  

Each time we are triggered into a survival state and return to the window of tolerance, we resolve a little piece of trauma from our past. 

Getting into this window of tolerance is our place of alignment- where we can tune into our inner voice and be our best selves.  

And getting into alignment will be the focus of my coaching group starting 2/22/22!

Get on my interest list now to get all of the details! https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60feeed6cabce0455c07ccef

Watch the video of the episode with graphics on YouTube:  https://youtube.com/channel/UCvXZSYYGL2cfJl-oEOzqspA

In this Episode, I interview a pain coach and fellow Physical Therapist, Dr Andrea Moore.  

We talk about her story with chronic pain and perfectionism, and why it doesn’t work to try and fight the pain.

We often can’t wait to get out of pain.  But the frustration and urgency to change are actually what can keep us stuck.

We retrain the brain through acceptance, and allowing what is.  As we develop our ability to sit with discomfort, our brain becomes less reactive to the sensations in our body.

If you have not yet given my podcast a rating or review, PLEASE do that here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unstoppable-body-and-minds-podcast/id1493360543

For more information, check out my website https://bodyandmindlifecoach.com

Or to schedule a free 60 min coaching session, 

click here,  https://calendly.com/thebetsyjensen/free-consult 

Andrea’s parents were refugees, so we talk about the impact ancestral trauma can have on the nervous system.

And we have a fun conversation about mom guilt (Andrea has never had it!) 

If you have chronic pain and are “fighting your pain” without success, you will definitely want to listen to this episode!

You can find Andrea on her podcast, “Unweaving Chronic Pain”, and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drandreamoore/

Today I interview Katrina Ubell- a well known Life Coach, and host of the podcast “Weight Loss For Busy Physicians”.  

We recap her healing journey and how understanding the connection with her body and mind helped her cure her chronic pain and get off her medications.  

Katrina had a lifelong history of aches and pains, starting with patellafemoral pain in 6th grade.  She had sciatica and was wearing an SI joint brace.  She had many different pains throughout her body, and was even diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.  

Not only did she get out of chronic pain, she was able to get off her medicine for acid reflux, allergies, ocular rosacea and dry eyes.

One thing I really admired about Katrina’s approach, was her curious and playful attitude about her current body beliefs, and what might be possible to change.

Through her work in weight loss coaching, she had developed a relationship with her body based in beliefs, rather than limits.

Through this work in Body and Mind Lifecoaching, she learned even more about how to be in collaboration with her body.  

As she learned to trust her body, feel repressed emotions, calm her nervous system, and rewire her brain, she no longer had chronic pain or the need to take her medications.

If you would like to hear more about Katrina Ubell and my work with her, check out my interview on her podcast- Weight Loss for Busy Physicians:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-196-how-i-cured-my-chronic-pain-and-acid-reflux/id1199570390?i=1000494569383

For more information on Body and Mind Lifecoaching, check out my website https://bodyandmindlifecoach.com

Or to schedule a free 60 min coaching session, 

click here,  https://calendly.com/thebetsyjensen/free-consult 

Training wheels is a concept I came up with, to explain how you may need a little extra support during times of high stress or pain.

And that's ok!

When you are in extreme conditions, there are things you may do to calm your nervous system, that are different than what you might do when you are in a neutral state. 

AND if you do some of these comforting things, it ends up way worse if you then beat yourself up, or feel bad you aren't doing all of the "right" things for healing.

Maybe you worked extra and had a stressful week.  You might not have meditated or journaled.  Or you may have a go-to strategy for feeling better like having a drink or binging on Netflix.  

Maybe you have a medication you take when the pain is really bad.

Even if you're doing this work and know strategies to decrease pain, there are times that you aren't in a mental state to do thought work or process emotions.  

If you then beat yourself up for "not doing things right", you add so much more pain to an already difficult situation!

I view these comforting activities you choose in a time of high stress or pain, as a child who needs extra support with training wheels while learning to ride a bike.  

It's neutral, and it doesn't predict the future of that kid being able to ride without training wheels some day.

Even if the comforting behavior is one you eventually want to change, the best way to change the habit is to accept yourself where you are.  (Radical Self Acceptance)

Listen more for this counter-intuitive, but compassionate approach.

Reach out to me on InstaGram or my Facebook Group with questions!

Do You have NC Pain? CLICK HERE FOR QUIZ

Want more info on my next Group Coaching?  Get on the list!

If you have not yet given my podcast a rating or review, PLEASE do that here

Thank You! XOXOX Betsy

This episode was inspired by a question on my Instagram live, and is a very common question with persistent symptoms or when new conditions arise.

When do you seek medical attention? 

This podcast is not intended to replace medical advice, and I do believe that there is an important place for the medical system alongside this work.

I get regular check ups and blood work just as I would get an oil change in my car or an update for my phone. 

The clients who I work with have also been through the medical system and have tried the suggested treatments for years or sometimes decades.  Many of them are Physicians themselves.

But just as there are signs to rule in or out medical conditions, there are clues in the pain's behavior to RULE IN Neural Circuit (NC, or mindbody) issues.

The FIT Criteria (Dr Schubiner) can be used to determine if your pain is behaving like NC (Neural Circuit) pain.  

Things like the pain changing locations, hurting after but not during exercise, and increase in pain when talking about the area are signs that your brain is misinterpreting safe signals as dangerous- and activating the same neural circuits of real pain that you feel in your body. 

To take a quiz based on the FIT criteria, and determine if you have NC pain- click the link below!

The other thing to consider is looking at the whole person and history of pain and illness.  The more of these conditions you've had, the more likely that the pain you are feeling now is also NC pain.

Dr Schubiner says these medical conditions are "Likely NC:"

IBS, Functional dyspepsia, Fibromyalgia, MPS, scoliosis, weak core, tight hamstrings, SI joint dysfunction, piriformis syndrome, leg length discrepancy, TMJ, Chronic fatigue syndrome, tension and migraine headaches, facial pain, small fiber neuropathy, PHN, interstitial cystitis, pelvic floor dysfunction, pudendial neuralgia, vulvodynia, anxiety, depression, PTSD

The next list from Dr Schubiner is "Diseases that are diagnosed as not NC, but are often NC":

Chronic Fatigue, SEID, post-COVID syndrome, Lyme disease, CMV, EBV, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, costo-chondritis, chronic constipation, GERD, SIBO, POTS, Atypical chest pain

Lastly, Dr Schubiner considers these "Not NC":

cancer, HIV, infections like Lyme, Parkinson's, dementia, ALS, Hearing loss, Meniere's disease, Severely ruptured disc or severe arthritis limiting movement

I suggest working along with a Medical team, but do notice with yourself if you are creating a lot of anxiety worrying about symptoms and catastrophizing.

Research shows high catastrophizers are more likely for acute pain to turn chronic, to get new acute pain, and to have a more difficult recovery after surgery. 

So check out my episode on the Pain-Fear-Pain cycle if you are feeling some medical anxiety and want to understand more about how your thoughts can amplify pain.

Reach out to me on InstaGram or my Facebook Group with questions!

Do You have NC Pain? CLICK HERE FOR QUIZ

If you have not yet given my podcast a rating or review, PLEASE do that here

Thank You! XOXOX Betsy

Today I have a special episode that you will want to listen to if you struggle with sleep!  

If you have chronic pain, you may also struggle with insomnia, anxiety, or insomnia anxiety- and this is what Raina helps with.  Sleep hygiene is only part of the solution, and may not really help if you are having anxious thoughts all day.  Her approach combines thought work with intuitive work- helping you find the techniques that work best for you.

This episode is for you if you are struggling to get to or stay asleep, or feeling anxious around not getting enough sleep.

As I talk with Raina, listen to the ways that processing insomnia anxiety and similar to what I teach with processing chronic pain!

About Raina: Raina struggled with insomnia anxiety for 5 years, sleeping on average between 2-3 hours per night. In addition to treating the medical aspects (guided by my doctor), she decided to tackle the insomnia anxiety that had been spinning out of control head-on. Since 2020, she's been sleeping 6-7 hours a night and can calm the insomnia anxiety when she feels it coming back on.  For free lessons and worksheets, join her Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/insomniaanxiety

If you have not yet given my podcast a rating or review, PLEASE do that here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unstoppable-body-and-minds-podcast/id1493360543

For more information, check out my website https://bodyandmindlifecoach.com

Or to schedule a free 60 min coaching session, 

click here,  https://calendly.com/thebetsyjensen/free-consult 

How are parenting and rewiring your brain for less pain similar?  You may be surprised.

Crystal Haitsma teaches Radical Connection Parenting, in which connection and relationship are valued over behavior modification.  Instead of using rewards and punishment to get kids to do what you want, you work on the relationship instead, so they naturally do what you want them to.

She talks a lot about emotional regulation in parenting- for both parent and child. As we learn to process our own thoughts and emotions, we can model this and hold space for our children to do the same.  As we develop that secure attachment with them, they are more likely to obey us and listen to us and model our behavior.  

This episode is not just for parents.  Crystal teaches that as you heal yourself from the inside out, then you heal your parent-child relationship.  Which is also the way to heal all relationships in life.  

The more compassion you have for yourself, the more compassion you will naturally have for others in your life.  So parenting starts with our own inner work.

You can find Crystal on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the.parenting.coach/ or on “The Freedom Moms Podcast” 

www.coachcrystal.ca/links

For more information, check out my website https://bodyandmindlifecoach.com

Or to schedule a free 60 min coaching session, 

click here,  https://calendly.com/thebetsyjensen/free-consult