It is widely known that maintaining a strong social support network is important for mental health. But did you know that social isolation can also have negative impacts on our brain health?

According to a study published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, prolonged social isolation was found to increase inflammation in the brain, leading to negative effects on learning and memory. Other studies have shown that social isolation can lead to changes in brain structure, including decreased gray matter volume in areas important for emotional processing and cognitive function.

This portrays just how much social isolation can drastically impact both brain and mental health. A study, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, found that individuals who reported feeling lonely had decreased brain volume in areas associated with memory and cognitive function with an increased risk for dementia.

In a separate study, published in the journal...

When we think of quality sleep (the deep sleep that is so needed to prevent all chronic illnesses), we don’t just think about the number of hours that one is sleeping. We think about how many sleep cycles one is able to achieve, and if their brain actually remaining asleep throughout the night. We think of how one is breathing, especially if there is gasping, mouth breathing, congestion, blocked airways, etc.

Every night, we should be entering into several cycles of light, deep, and REM sleep. However, if we are going through a stressful period, if we are having difficulty falling and staying asleep, or if we have an undiagnosed sleep disorder, we may not be achieving the quality sleep that is so needed for our bodies. While we are sleeping, our cells are undergoing cleanup processes; one of which is called autophagy.This process is easier to achieve when our bodies get uninterrupted quality sleep, as our cells will then have the ability to spend energy on cleaning...

As a society, we typically wish for a one size fits all approach to healing, because we tend to think this will simplify and speed up our healing porcess. However, we are so uniquely wired that there is a much better approach to discovering what tools will work best for us individually, in the specific season we are experiencing. Therefore, we encourage a bio-individualized approach to health.

I believe if more of us embraced this concept, we would have a greater likelihood of supporting our body's health needs. Bio-individuality is the concept that each person's biology is unique, so we differ from others when it comes to our nutritional needs, ideal exercise regimen, routine, food tolerances, stress tolerance, and more . This means that what works for one person might not work for another and that we need to take our ancestry, genetics, and even our microbiome profile into account when following physical and mental wellness protocols.

Not only do each of us come from...

Did you know that the way you live your life can actually affect the expression of your genes and, in turn, prevent or heal chronic illnesses? Applying this knowledge to our lives shifts the focus from the things that are out of control, and empowers us to improve the factors we can control for our well-being. The field of study that summarizes this phenomenon, known as epigenetics, has revolutionized the way we approach health and medicine.

Impactful studies conducted by Dr. Dean Ornish, found that men with prostate cancer who participated in a program including a plant-based diet, stress management techniques, and exercise actually had decreased activity of genes associated with prostate cancer growth and increased activity of genes associated with suppressing tumor growth.

These findings expose the importance of addressing not just physical factors, but also emotional and social aspects in treating chronic diseases. For example, chronic stress and isolation has been...

What if I told you the reason you're bloated, constipated, and uncomfortable may have more to do with the WAY you eat, rather than what you eat? I know this may sound like a bit of a stretch, but bear with me. Imagine this scenario- you've had a frantic, stressful day, don't have time for lunch but feel the hanger pains coming on. While running errands, you scarf down the sandwich you threw together before flying out the door. By the time you arrive at your destination, you notice a bit of heartburn, and feel your pants pulling a bit tighter than usual. What happened in this scenario?

Our brain and nervous system are very intricately connected to our gut, so much so that we refer to the gut as the "second brain." When we receive bad news, or are extremely nervous, we may feel the heaviness, churning, butterflies, or cramps in our stomach. If we are feeling a significant amount of anxiety, maybe we even have to make an emergency stop in the nearest restroom! Why does this...