"If you don't set boundaries then your body will set them for you" ~Dr. Gabor Maté

If you struggle to set your boundaries with your words and actions, it will fall to your body to do this for you. Much of our physical dis-ease is as a result of denying and suppressing our instincts to express our needs; both physical snd emotional. Eventually these needs and the resentment we feel for the suppression of them can become trapped in the body resulting in disease.

It doesn't take long for repeated suppression to equal traumatization. Feelings of resentment or a sense of powerlessness and frustration are clues that things are progressing toward trauma and in need of an intervention. 

“The Body Keeps the Score” is written by trauma expert Dr. Bessel van der Kolk. The book cites scientific research and case studies that illustrate every aspect of trauma. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk offers traditional and alternative treatments to trauma in order to heal the mind and the body.

As Bessel Van Der Kolk writes in The Body Keeps The Score:

"As long as you keep secrets and suppress information, you are fundamentally at war with yourself...the critical issue is allowing yourself to know what you know. That takes an enormous amount of courage."

(This is why working with a coach or therapist to safely and gently unsupress this information is vital. I do this in one-on-one work with my clients).

"People who are terrified need to get a sense of where their bodies are in space and of their boundaries. Firm and reassuring touch lets them know where those boundaries are: what’s outside them, where their bodies end. They discover that they don’t constantly have to wonder who and where they are. They discover that their body is solid and that they don’t have to be constantly on guard. Touch lets them know that they are safe."

(Self massage and professional body work with registered massage or other modalities is extremely beneficial to feel safely embodied and learn our physical boundaries and what constitutes healthy touch.)

"Our bodies are the texts that carry the memories and therefore remembering is no less than reincarnation."

(We can rewrite our stories to be more empowering and supportive of the life we desire, but not before we discover the stories we are unconsciously and consciously repeating to ourselves and allowing to rule our life. Looking at memory and freeing ourselves from the past by rewriting our own narrative is work I do with one-on-one clients). 

The research in this book recommends asking often these two very therapeutic phrases to get back in touch with your body by acknowledging its sensations. They are:

"notice that" and "what happens next?"

Once you begin to approach your body with curiosity rather than fear and/or ignorance/judgement the body will begin to reconnect with you and healing can begin. There are many modalities of healing that work wonders for releasing trauma from the body and allowing our nervous system to be better regulated and healthy. 

Biome:

The healthier your gut-microbiome, the stronger your immunity, mood and cellular structure= the stronger your will. Your cell wall and gut health are linked to your intestinal permeability and your immunity and mood. Your cell's "phase angle" is a marker of your cellular integrity. You are a community of more than 7 trillion cells all in constant communication. Each cell is a tiny version of YOU. Your whole body can be renewed through cell turnover within a year. Only the bones take a while longer. Our stories of the ancestors are said to be written on our bones.  

Your micro-biome can be improved by choosing:

• healthy fats such as avocado, coconut and olive oil 
• living mineral rich foods such as fresh or flash frozen fruits and vegetables
• fermented foods rich in probiotics such as kombucha, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut which feed the gut good bacteria
• Redmond's salt (a pinch) in a glass of warm water in the morning (yes, even for those of you with high blood pressure, this corrects mineral/electrolyte imbalances) found here: https://redmond.life/collections/real-salt

Avoiding:

inflammatory seed oils which clog and plasticize the cells and arterial lining (this causes high blood pressure)

alcohol which is a solvent and dissolves the cells 

poor hydration without proper minerals which prevent the water and electrolytic transfer that detoxifies and energizes the cells

Gut health: is linked to our feel good neuro-transmitters which are largely produced in the gut, such as serotonin, which affects your mood, appetite and sense of personal agency. In order to have a healthier physical barrier/boundary you must also avoid the foods that cause an inflammatory cascade. The top trigger foods for most people are: dairy, wheat, gluten, egg whites, corn, soy, night shades (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers), corn and seed oils. By avoiding these inflammatory foods you can become physically stronger and clearer which will give you the fortitude to stand firmly in your boundaries.

Use the elimination diet provided below to begin to uncover your dietary inflammatory triggers. If you have health concerns or if this Elimination reveals greater issues that you'd like help in correcting, feel free to reach out to discuss a comprehensive symptomatology assessment and custom made protocol for your health needs. As a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RHN)  and Physical Education (Bed PE and Personal Training CanFitPro certification) I can develop a personalized plan based on your unique needs that will guide you through to your best health. *As a participant of this course you will receive a discount of 50% on this service.

Breath:

The breath is the interface between you and your environment. The breath is the pathway into the deeper body and trauma held there. I don't know of any healing modality that is not enhanced by breathwork as an adjunct and complimentary therapy. What's best is that it can be done on your own everyday as a practice or with instructors or even in groups depending on what you are wishing to experience. 

Our breath is the only mechanism within our control that we can deliberately employ to hack into the autonomic nervous system and either calm or excite it. It is useful then, to learn at least a few breathing techniques to aid you in regulating yourself. 

Breathing techniques aren’t a substitute for medical treatment. Always talk with your doctor before beginning any breathing practice, especially if you have any medical concerns or conditions.

Here are a couple that can be performed with ease:

1) While laying down, breathe deeply into the full lung capacity, even sipping in the last few spaces as much as you can hold. Hold for as long as you can and let it out slowly. 

2) Alternate nostril breathing- Connect the two hemispheres of the brain to improve function. Alternate nostril breathing may help you relax or clear your mind. Bringing more awareness to your breathing can help you to increase your awareness in other parts of your life as well.

4) Wim Hof Method:

Guided Wim Hof Method Breathing

5) For a deeper guided somatic breathwork experience I highly recommend group or one-on-one sessions from:

www.joysomatics.ca 

Body:

As well as the modalities already listed above, the following are personal favourites to reinforce personal power and agency through the body. 

Thymus Thump:

The thymus is the master regulator of our immune system. Our immune system protects our body from disease, so it’s important to build a strong one because it is an outer boundary that protects us from the world. It also helps to place one fully in the body especially in times where one might dissociate.

Behind your sternum, or breastbone, sits the thymus gland, your immune system’s surveillance gland. It is part of the lymphatic immune system and one of the functions of the thymus is to process and mature T cells ( also known as killer cells) , the immune system’s “soldiers”.  Thumping, or tapping, your thymus gland stimulates your immune system, giving it a boost. Gently tapping on the thymus gland  creates vibrations that stimulate an increase in the maturation and release of white blood cells.

If you think of where you point when you say "me" or why a gorilla thumps on his chest to express dominance, touching this part of the body is claiming our authority or "dominion" over this "domain" by establishing our "dominance" of this space (dominion- the in-dwelling place of God (Dom), AKA your inner throne room or kingDOM of The Highest Authority). "This is MY BODY and it belongs to ME" is what this gesture expresses and reinforces.  

Thymus thumping can:

• Stimulate energy
• Boost your immune system
• Increase your strength and vitality

Here’s how you do it:

Using your fingertips or side of your fist, tap up and down about 2-3 inches along your sternum, between and above your breasts.

The thymus is located behind the third rib, but any vibrations along the length of the upper sternum will stimulate it.

Do this for 15-20 seconds and continue to take regular slow breaths.

Do 1-3 times a day or up to 4 during times of acute illness. It can be all you need to ward off a cold or illness as the thymus is stimulated to release all those infection fighting white blood cells.

When paired with spoken mantra affirmations this is an extremely potent healing exercise. Use the list found in the previous module or create your won that resonates with you. 

Other useful tips:

In my studies with the Mystery School we were taught a simple and intentional technique to incorporate daily to fortify our connection to our will: it can be used when entering or leaving any threshold/symbolic portal such as a door. As you enter or leave you step with the right foot and state; “it is by will alone that I set my mind in motion”. This is a powerful practice to remind and reiforce to ourself to step forward in life with our mind guided by our will leading the way. That way we don't float aimlessly through life, we create from our love-based intention to create!

This is also why I love kundalini yoga, “Keep up and you will be kept up!” The mantra of Yogi Bhajan, who asks you to be disciplined in your practice which reinforces your will by pushing your limits and reinforcing the strength of your mind, body and spirit. Any kind of physical training and discipline of the body creates this same reinforcement of the WILL including: Hot and cold therapy, Qi Gong to weight training to marathon running etc. If it pushes you to your edge and makes the physical body uncomfortable then it is supporting the growth of your will. Find a form of training that demands your focus and it will be giving you back your power as you conquer what you once found impossible.