Nervous System Regulation – Is it Truly the Holy Grail of Healing?
Regulation is all the rage. It makes sense, right? Expand the body’s ability to hold pressure and stress so you can create, perform or present under pressure! Sounds ideal. How do I start? Well, ironically, this is where it gets a little overwhelming.
Nervous System Basics
The intent behind the concept of regulation is to soothe your nervous system so that it’s no longer in an extreme state of fight or flight – there are broader discussions that also include the states of freeze and fawn. Ultimately, your nervous system is primal and responds to everyday stressors and internalized unprocessed trauma as a threat. Whether it’s an obvious alarm-inducing moment, like a car coming full speed as you cross the street, or a subtle one, like sitting in high suspense during a white lotus episode, your body interprets it all as concerning. We are in danger, the brain says. This is actually normal and healthy. The issues arise when your body is not able to fully physically express its need to “run” or if your nervous system is too burdened to initiate a healthy stress-response and stress-recovery cycle. Regulating your nervous system simply means completing the stress-response and stress-recovery cycle by communicating to your body that it is in fact safe and can relax.
Most modern bodies, yours included, are in a state of continual stress, continual danger, according to the body. Meaning that since you and I were small, our bodies have been navigating the stress-response and recovery cycle. By the time most millennials reached their mid-20s their bodies were starting to show signs of overwhelm and burden. Don’t even get me started on the intensity of modern life for Gen Zs and younger. The information load, the technological stimuli, the financial hits, and most of all the toxin exposures are at an all-time high. Our bodies are evolving and attempting to catch up, but it's not fast enough. To put it bleakly, we are drowning.
High Sensitivity Nervous System Impact
Now, add in your unique sensory processing sensitivity, otherwise known as being an HSP, and this gets a bit more involved. Your body’s alarm-mode is highly-tuned to the world and operates at a heightened level. A potent Anthropology candle your aunt had burning all day in your guest room, the slight furrow of your partner’s forehead, the emotionally tender neighbor that looks to you hopefully for a listening ear, the bright LED office lights just installed, the energetic load of walking through a busy mall, the tag on your new jeans you can’t change out of… it all adds up to create additional layers of stress that the average human is not navigating. I strongly feel that your sensitivity is a calling, a gift and a large portion of why you are here – your purpose, if I may. Your ability to take in far more information than the humans around you makes you a strategic player. If we agree with the concept of survival of the fittest, you are here because your gifting is an advantage to the human race. You are like a well-trained scout, able to see the tracks and the warnings before danger arrives.
You are the classic example of the canary in the coal mine. What you notice and take in is often a reflection of what needs to shift for the betterment of all humanity. That toxic candle? It bothers you for a reason. It’s impacting your liver and brain, and your body is supercharged to recognize that instantly. Those less sensitive than you will not register this. If you courageously requested it be snuffed out and the windows opened and fresh air to once again rebalance the environment, you just lifted a huge weight off of your body, and your aunt’s. She may never realize, understand, or appreciate your impact, but her body will. You are a leader, a change maker, a catalyst, whether you realize it or not. Your needs are the needs of everyone, you’re just a few steps ahead. The resulting effect of your heightened abilities is that your stress-response is quickly and easily activated, and your stress-recovery is challenging to diffuse. The long-term ramifications of this lead us back to the discussion of nervous system regulation.
Nervous System Regulation – Trend or Transformative?
Nervous system regulation is being touted as the solution to everything these days, from money blocks to childhood tantrums to relationship conflict. The safer your body feels the freer it thinks, acts, and emotes. So simple. So bite-size. So sellable…
What if there’s more to it? There is. The body is very layered, intricate, and complex. Our current scientific community is nowhere close to fully mapping out all that it holds, yet we love to believe it is containable, labelable. It makes life feel more stable. We want to be in control, especially of our bodies. No one wants to be trapped in a car without access to the brakes or steering. The trouble is that in our rush to simplify, we often miss the fullness of the body. The obsession with shortcutting the nervous system is no exception.
Your nervous system is guided by your brain. Your brain is an organ that is deeply impacted by the state of your entire body – your immune system, your hormone production, your metabolism – and in turn all these functions are guided by the managers that live in your brain, the hypothalamus and pituitary. It’s a beautiful feedback circle. A regulating cycle.
The actual meaning of regulation is to adjust, to bring to order, to balance the highs and lows in the body, responding appropriately to the situation. This is exactly what we need, but do the current and commonly proposed solutions provide this?
The common go-tos at the moment include tapping, sensation tracking, breathwork, affirmation statements, movement, and if you get deeper it can also start to include frequency work and bio-hacking technology. What’s interesting is that most of these tools assume the body has the ability to complete the first part of the cycle – the stress-response. In other words, the cortisol release, the activation, the flight or fight is assumed, and all that’s needed is the ability to calm it down and prevent the continuation of this heightened state.
Regulation Pre-Requisitions
Interestingly, what I’ve found in my clinical practice is that many HSPs are no longer able to activate their danger reaction. They are burnt out. The organs that initiate the stress-response cycle – adrenals and brain – are kaput. They have lost capacity.
Regulation needs more than just calming and soothing supports. It requires full recovery followed by rejuvenation that ultimately leads to the dream state for us HSPs - resilience. This is what is missing from the nervous system discussion. This also explains why the standard nervous system tools may not have been successful for you. There’s an answer, hope, and robust solutions available for recovery.
Okay, so great, Jess, how do I recover and build resilience?
A deep body reset, at the organ and cellular level. Let me explain.
Your body is working for you. It’s doing its utmost to keep you alive, but this means it has had to put many stressors on the back burner. To be very direct, you are likely a complex collection of digestive distress, organ dysfunction, cellular malfunction, internalized emotional and physical pain, high toxin presence, and multiple unresolved, potentially chronic infections.
This is a lot to hear and consider, but it’s the present result of our modern era and the consistent truth I see over and over again in my health consulting with HSPs. I believe power comes from awareness, then honest and efficient support.
Understanding Your Health Story
How did you get here? Well, your body is brilliant. Over the years as you took on more work, supported your community above and beyond, chose to care for others over your own rest and recovery, took another pill to quick-fix an infection to avoid being sick and disappointing anyone, prioritized weight loss over your need for nourishment, hoped the air, water and construction around you was safe, accepted what the trendsetters and cultural experts said was best for you without honoring what your sensitive heart and body requested, tried your best to believe that you were “fine” and that it was all in your head, just as they said… your body had to adjust and adjust it did, continually compensating left and right, throwing off your natural digestive, detoxifying, and regenerative cycles till they couldn’t hold up the fort any longer.
If you are at the point of zero capacity, dealing with chronic symptoms and still being told you are normal or just need to learn how to manage your emotions and regulate your nervous system, then it’s quite possible that even though externally you appear “fine”, internally your body is vulnerable and tender, inflamed and swollen, slow and sluggish, malnourished and starving, scared and frozen, weary and struggling...if only your body could talk…
It does. Symptoms are messages from your body. It’s not in your head. What you feel is real and it needs to be honored and addressed. We have normalized sickness to the extent that most of your messages go unnoticed or labeled as acceptable by experts. The truth is – anything less than robust vitality is a state of imbalance, a lack of full health, and you deserve to be heard, respected, and supported accordingly.
Wow. I’m the bearer of good news today! I am a very optimistic soul, but what I often see lacking when it comes to health is truth-telling. We sensitives are seen as delicate and as a result healthcare experts tend to walk delicately around us or sugarcoat. I believe we can handle direct honesty when given with care, and actually I feel we need it. I know you are strong enough to consider that this may be your story today. Perhaps not, everyone has their own healthy journey and range, but I am here to support those who have been through the ringer and want to know, really know, what’s going on inside their bodies. If this is you, I see you and I understand what you’ve been through. This was and is my story too.
Resetting a Highly Sensitive Body
Resetting your body is an involved process, but it does not need to happen all at once. In fact, it can’t be. Your sensitive body moves and heals like an onion – layer by layer. This is actually a gift. It means that you simply address what the body presents, and then when that resolves, you wait for the next layer to appear, which could be instant, if you pursue it, or a few years down the road, if you let it build up and get loud. I recommend you get started by working with a highly trained practitioner who understands your innate sensitivity and its implications on body function and, in my humble opinion, even more importantly, knows how to listen to your unique body’s requests. If you’re a self-healing extraordinaire, then educating yourself on the foundational functions of your body, learning how to interpret your body’s messages, observing and honoring the nuanced ebb and flow of detoxing a sensitive body, and creating a daily rhythm to support the rebuilding of your body’s reserves, alongside the standard nervous system regulation tools, are key.
To turn our present human collective around, we, the scouts, the sensitive canaries in the coalmine, need to acknowledge that our bodies come first and live according to what enlivens, not depletes us. This starts with ownership. Ownership first of the beauty and power of sensitivity and, secondly, ownership over the health of our bodies. Though we are in a very challenging time and our traditional health structures and culture are in many ways unsupportive, we must take responsibility for our bodies and gently and consciously start to peel back our onion layers. Nervous system regulation is the answer to many of our blocks, but it can only serve us if the body has the juice to produce the energy required to regulate.
Reset your body’s function, at the organ and cellular levels, and watch yourself open up and transform in every area of your life. A sensitive phoenix, you will be reborn.
Rituals to Stay Resilient And Fresh... Through Everything
Life has been… let’s just say challenging since 2020 for all of us and staying healthy has fallen by the wayside for many, but not YOU. I know you’re like me and value how you feel and think and move through your days. I’m sure you’ve played and tried and tweaked your routine and tools often. Me too! Yesterday I got the hit to share what I do on a weekly basis to stay clear, light, grounded, fresh, glowing, and resilient through ALL of the things. I’ve really been loving my most recent flow and I feel you might too.
BUT, first, I just have to clear this one piece up, because it’s a profusely expressed requirement in the health world, and if you’re anything like me it can trip you up. True story – I do not focus on consistency. I am ritualistic. Meaning, I honor the spirit of something over the rigidity of it. Oddly enough (don’t tell my mind this) but it creates a level of consistency that if I had tried for would not have happened. Call it the rebel in me, but if there is no pressure or strict requirement to do the big thing, then I suddenly find it much easier and even delightful to accomplish that big thing. So you have full permission from me to drop the consistency clause and just give my rituals, weekly or daily, a try. Whatever you keep finding yourself drawn to will survive and become your ritual.
Here are the mains that I weave into my life in a ritualistic manner…
Weekly Rituals
Sauna
I am a huge fan of sauna since seeing the massive shift it had on my body, partnered with hyperbaric therapy, when I was clearing multiple heavy mold exposures. I now keep it up as a simple 40-minute session every week to keep my body clear and my detox pathways open! I have many ways I make the most of this weekly sweat to enhance its effect, like pairing specifically-timed binders and temperature breaks to ramp up my sweating capability without stressing my nervous system. I love it!
Gentle Ozone Therapy
I do a very low dose rectally and vaginally 1x a week. I am a huge proponent for at-home ozone, as in having your own generator and applying yourself. This is an empowering tool I want everyone to have in their home. It’s unbelievably easy and safe. It can be titrated up and down depending on your reason of use, so it’s great for chronic or acute symptoms. You can incorporate as a preventative 1-3 times a year or increase it up to daily for intense seasons of reset. You can transform your body if dealing with mold, chronic infection, dysbiosis, and so much. Order your own and/or book a single session with me if you want to be walked through it. This is an example of the level of work we do in my Concierge Reset.
Somatic Experiencing Therapy
I LOVE this. It’s challenging, but grounding work for me. I very very easily lose connection to my body under pressure, stress or change. I was not raised in a home that knew how to be in the body and hold presence, even under easy circumstances. I’m retraining myself. As I’ve been moving through it, it’s actually been beautiful to realize that I’ve been doing a lot of this work, just in my own way, since 2017. Right now, I’m working through an incredible training/collection that is teaching me how to go much deeper for my specific scenario, which I’ve since learned is more complicated than I realized or was willing to believe. Once a week, I go in; always learning and always growing. I highly recommend Jenna Pacelli or Janelle Nelson if you feel drawn to SE.
Sacred Day
This is a new one I’ve been honoring since the beginning of April. I’m 90+ days in and it’s been huge. I take one day a week to be quiet. To have it be just me and God. To, ideally, fully turn off my phone, disconnect from the energies of the world, and return to my own body and spirit. I actually stack the above rituals on this day and simply add in a nap, home cooking, and an inspiring film to close out the day. I cocoon and treat myself the way I want all of my clients to treat themselves. It’s the day I practice embodiment and give my all to the integration of the handful of lessons and wake-up calls that came into my heart during the week. I’m in a deep season of rebirth, so this has been absolutely essential for me.
Daily Rituals
Aloe Vera & Probiotic
I’m a HUGE proponent of whole leaf aloe vera juice (2-4 oz) upon waking, paired with a probiotic that suits my current microbiome needs. This is what has kept my digestive function and gut microbiome in a healthy, maintained state for many years. It’s also what keeps my skin hydrated, since I tend towards dry dehydrated skin. My skin took a beating from a lifetime of heavy mold exposure, so I’m continually supporting it daily. Also, hello Capricorn ascendant and stellium… skin is where everything comes is revealed for me.
Morning Water
I like to give myself a head start on my daily water consumption, because once the day gets rolling, I can get easily distracted and find myself thirsty and dehydrated by the evening. I don’t recommend pairing lots of water with food, so I do this to avoid the heavy water intake near dinner. It’s interesting because there’s something about hydrating well in the morning that keeps me aware and on top of my hydration all day long too. It’s like I turn on the reminder switch with this ritual. Anyways… I drink at least 16 oz of quality spring water first thing, and then give a little space, think 30 minutes or more, before I eat breakfast. When I want a gentle detox, some internal cooling or I need to soothe my digestive tract, I’ll add in 5 drops of chlorophyll. My skin loooooves this ritual.
Flower Essences
If you’ve been in my world for a minute, you know I’m a huge proponent of vibrational remedies, flower remedies being my daily go-to. I formulate custom remedies for all my Concierge Reset clients as a part of their support. For myself, and actually when formulating for my clients as well, I’m continually tuning into the body and asking what emotional support it needs by holding the essence bottles and doing my subconscious swing, as described in my Method. I notice SUCH a difference in my emotional stability and resilience when I take my remedy daily. I’m a big feeler and emotions are continually flowing through me, so I’m always going to be experiencing highs and lows, but bringing in the frequencies of the emotion or intention of how I want to respond to what I’m feeling really softens the edge and allows me to feel good and grounded through the rollercoaster. Again, I share more about this in my Method. I add 1-3 drops of my remedy to my daily water and sip throughout the day. Right now, my remedy holds the Bach flower essences of Gentian, Star of Bethlehem, Larch, and Centaury. I’ve been taking and documenting my personal remedy formulations since 2018.
Morning Tonic
This concoction has been another stable support for many years. I have added and subtracted its ingredients and played with it so many times. It’s quite the curation for me. I shared my recipe if you want to give the current tonic a whirl. You can also shop my stabilizing ingredients. I drink this every morning right before or with breakfast as my first nutrient touch. It provides energy, blood sugar stabilization, antioxidants, liver cleansing, moisturizing, stress reduction, and brain clarity. I very very rarely go a morning without it.
Reconnection Practice
I feel like I keep saying this, but it’s true… this one has been with me for a very long time. I think in total 8-ish years in one form or another? Ultimately, it’s a perfect combo of one very specific yoga flow I choreographed, that was inspired by a yoga practitioner that was very dear to me back around 2014, and a very personal hands-on-healing body-regenerative prayer-meets-reiki-style meditation. I know. It’s actually quite simple in practice, despite how it sounds, but I’ve also found it to be incredibly profound in its impact. I gave it the name Reconnection in 2022, I believe. It’s usually the first thing I do after brushing my teeth and taking my shot of aloe vera juice and probiotic in the morning. I also sip my morning water through it. I like to stack a lot of my daily rituals around the Reconnection. It can look a little different morning to morning, depending on what my body needs or how in tune I feel with God. Sometimes it’s more horizontal body reconnection, tuning in to my organs and their needs, and other times it’s more prayer and vertical reconnection, inviting in Divine healing and wisdom, recognizing my angels’ protective presence, and thanking God for another day of life. This is in my Method if you want to try it for yourself.
Supplements
I will never stop taking therapeutic high-potency and curated supplements. This is a foundational part of why I feel incredible. I found my perfect support system and I know how to enhance and soften it as my body needs day to day. If you want to be able to tackle whatever comes at you, it’s not just about the basics. It’s about firing on all cylinders and giving your body the tools to ramp healing, recovery, and regeneration all the way to full max. I shared a glimpse into my protocol last week, but perhaps I should give the full rundown so you all can see what I’m doing! In general, I’m always supporting digestive strength, thyroid and adrenal recovery, detox efficiency, and immune clarity as these are my areas of varying natural vulnerability. I have an incredibly sensitive body. This may not be the case for you. I set out my supplements every few days and store them in these lovely squishy silicone containers to make it easy. I don’t like to do it weekly, as I adjust my dosing often to exactly what I need in the moment. I truly believe this is like 50% of why I feel amazing physically on a daily basis. I know I could feel good and normal without them, but I want to live at my full measure each day, so I prefer to take them ;).
Subconscious Statements
These are my own take on rewiring the brain and manifestation - a very popular approach to resetting your life nowadays. I have been using them aggressively since 2023 and, well, let’s just say my life completely shifted. TBD how this all turns out, but I’ve never had a practice so dramatically clarify my perspective, deepen my connection to God, and build self respect. I didn’t start out this life with much identity or self-worth, and it’s only been in the last 7-8 years that I’ve begun to move into a more healthy and balanced view of myself. A lot of critique, confusion, shame, guilt, and fear built me. I (or really We) have been layer by layer tearing it all down and as a result my life has been in a state of slow shedding since 2017. It started with my parents, then community and culture, then close friends, then to my nearest and dearest, and finally last year in a rapid and, to be honest, shocking shift, to the love of my life. Shedding of unhealthy behaviors and perspectives, as I’ve learned, happens in cycles and with each pass of the spiral, I take my understanding deeper and deeper. A full rebirth is still very much in process. I cannot claim arrival by any means, so I won’t. What I’m going through as a result of taking this work seriously is not something I recommend lightly, but if you’re serious about living as you were created to live, not out of the mold you were pressed into and are trying to maintain, then this practice is for you. It will get you on course with God’s divine and original intention. Hopefully, you’re only a little bit off, so it’ll be gentle. I apparently needed a full phoenix situation! All this being said, coming back into my original true nature and respecting my full measure has taught me what it looks like to actually be healthy in all areas. It’s from this growth – facing increasingly challenging and painful loss over the last year – that I’ve been able to witness and literally stress-test my resilience, and it has shocked me! My newly-earned capacity has proven itself and is now at a robust depth I didn’t know I could ever possess. I have a list of these statements that are crafted and intentionally word-smithed to emotionally ignite me. I engage with them 2x daily during times that my subconscious is very soft and open. If you’re interested, I teach you how to do this in the Method and in my sessions.
Water, Brain & Nightly Walks
I’m a walker. Back in the day, I was an athlete and dancer, then I became a runner and a barre instructor, but that led to high cortisol and more stress on my body than was healthy for me at the time. I embraced yoga and walking and it dramatically improved my stress capacity and my body shape. I may soon be able to return to running again, but for now if I need to release extra energy, I power walk or dance the night away. Walking is incredibly gentle on the body, activates creativity, and invigorates the brain. I often take a midday walk to separate my morning from my afternoon, especially if I’ve been on the computer a lot. I will take my water bottle with me and sip to hydrate or I’ll go bare and give myself the single-focused activity of taking in my surroundings. These walks have always been short – a neighborhood path or just around the block for 5-10 minutes. My longer walk happens almost every night. I’ve had the blessing of living by the sea for much of my life, so I can end my day with a negative ion reset from the sea breeze. I also loooove people watching. It’s the perfect way to get out of my brain and any self-focus that’s gone on too long. I highly recommend ending your day walking at dusk or even better under the stars and moonlight. If you can, add in the subconscious statements. Saying them at this time is incredibly impactful for the unconscious brain because of the bilateral movement and energetic connection occurring with the atmosphere, stars, and moon. I feel closer to God when I am near the sea at night, so there’s the power of belief that naturally opens up my brain, making it easier to accept the statements at a deeper level. Walks along the ocean have been in my life since I could drive a car. They’re profoundly integrated into my life.
Massage with home tools morning & night
I’m a huge fan of small, regular fascia and muscle release to stay loose, relaxed, and open. To activate healthy lymph flow, especially to keep the skin clear and radiant, I use a Theracane morning and night along my spine and neck. I also love to use a gua sha tool to softly awaken the areas under my jaw and at the base of my neck. Most facial breakouts and congestion occur from backed-up lymph. I roll out my feet whenever I think about it on a lacrosse ball to break up tension. There are so many acupressure points on the feet that correspond with the rest of the body, this simple action has a systemic effect. I also like to jump, Chi swing, and rebound as well to jostle and activate movement. I’ll be honest, I haven’t done this one in a while, but I also love a good roll on a foam roller. These are all simple actions that can be done whenever they come to your mind. I just keep the tools out in the open, so they catch my attention throughout the day. An open body is a radiant body.
Clear my energy with prayer & selenite nightly
I end my day with a 3 step ritual that clears my energy body, supports overnight restoration focus, and allows me to sleep purely.
I wave a stick of selenite over my body 3x to clear my aura.
I gently massage my abdomen, focusing on my small intestine, and then my large intestine, paying special attention to my ileocecal valve and sigmoid. This helps promote movement of any stuck food, energy or toxins and a solid BM in the morning. My body can then focus on regenerative action instead of peristalsis and finalization of the day’s digestion.
I sweep my body’s energy field. I press my hands together over my head with an inhale and with an exhale sweep the hands down the body and away from each other like wings. I do this 3x and often make a proclamation like:“I clear ____ from my body”, “I release the emotions of _______”, “I cut off all energies that are not the true me and the true God”. I clear people by name or speak to the general energy I’ve taken in from the day or really just anything I want to disconnect my body from holding on to overnight. This has been hugely helpful. I used to drown in others’ energies, fears, worries, expectations, dreams, etc and couldn’t differentiate myself from them. Now I can notice the difference when it’s just me and God versus me plus others’ imprints. I get to sleep peacefully and start the next morning having soaked in the purity of my own aura and the beautiful protection of Divine energy. I often picture my angels surrounding my bed throughout the night. My bedroom and bed are deeply sacred to me.
This may seem like a lot to do in a day or week, but remember I am a lot… ;). Haha but really, I have found that most of these practices have become second nature over the many years I’ve been incorporating them. I did not start out with all of them. I built over time and slowly added more as my need or capacity grew naturally. So if you’re just beginning, please pick one or two that sound intriguing and delicious. If any sounds hard or like you “should” do them, then don’t. Do the ones that sound NICE. That’s what will keep you in it. I’m not a fan of the pain = gain mentality. It has rarely, if ever, worked for me. I have to make it enjoyable and beautiful and nurturing to build it into a sustainable ritual. You may be the same. Either way, enjoy whichever you try. I know they will reset and rebirth you as they have me. Sending love to you.
My Hot Take on Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
There has been a dramatic increase in the delving out of the label of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. A label that often comes with a strong antihistamine prescription, like Benadryl times ten, and a “we don’t have a cure for this” statement. Per usual, I hold a different perspective. Let’s dive into this together.
Basic Function of Mast Cells
We need to start at the beginning by understanding what mast cells are here to do for us, before we start hating on them. Mast cells are a type of white blood cell that act as part of our first line of defense. They are here to protect us from organisms that wish to conquer or injure our body. As a part of that defense, mast cells carry the ability to release granules rich in mediators that activate the immune system and incite the inflammation process. Mediator is an overarching term that includes: histamines, tryptase, heparin, leukotrienes, prostaglandins, cytokines, and chemokines. When the body is balanced and functioning healthfully, it will gratefully embrace this appropriate initiation to defend itself. Once the organism has been dismantled or destroyed, the body will follow up with the second half of this process. It will downregulate the inflammation response, deactivate the immune system and clear dead pieces of the organism as well as any toxins it released as it died. We need and want healthy mast cells! They are our protectors.
Mast cells can be found in connective tissue and mucosal regions of the body, think anywhere the body comes into contact with external or environmental elements and needs to take action to protect you. This includes your skin, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and brain. These organs are hot spots for mast cell habitation and as a result the main areas we observe and feel their activity.
Okay, so how did we go from protector to aggravator and receive the label or the symptoms of mast cell activation syndrome?
Mast Cell Dysfunction & Overactivation
Just like any part of the body, normal healthy function can go array when there is a natural vulnerability in your physical make up or you have navigated years of emotional weight, environmental toxins, and lifestyle stressors or you are meant to experience this for the benefit of yourself and others or the most likely case if you’re reading this… all the above.
Mast cells can overreact, overprotect, overrespond. This can create a heavy soup of mediators in your system that soak your body in all the symptoms of immune alarm and inflammation. If your body is not able to move through the second half of this cycle and counterbalance by downregulating and closing out the activation, you will be stuck in the first half of this response.
Symptoms of being stuck in hyper or continuous mast cell release (known as degranulation):
Vasodilation (lowered blood pressure)
Dramatic internal temperature changes
Itching
Hives
Rashes
Nerve tingling
Flushing
Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)
GI symptoms, like cramping
Tissue remodeling
Coughing, wheezing & shortness of breath
Anxiety
Over time due to chronic inflammation: hair loss, brain fog, neurotransmitter malfunction leading to major mood changes, aching swollen joint, skin conditions like acne, numbness, autoimmune activity, rapid aging, cancer, etc.
Causes of Mast Cell Dysfunction
When you’re in this state it can feel maddening, exhausting, and frightening because you have no control and every time you think you’ve identified and mapped out what’s causing your reactions something surprises you. The reason for this is that there are many many many factors that activate mast cells and when your capacity bucket as I call it is filled to the brim, the tiniest drop can send the bucket into overflow. Foods that are “healthy”, homes that you swear are mold-free, clothes that are toxin-free, supplements that are anti-inflammatory… you know what I’m talking about. I lived this for years too and to be honest when I’m not reducing my bucket regularly, I still occasionally can see glimpses of it.
When your capacity bucket is filled to the brim, your mast cells become extremely and unnecessarily reactive. Meaning that elements that should not trigger mediator release can and often will, because the mast cells are in such a heightened alert state that they’re easily startled, even by helpful new guests (think supplements) and safe regular visitors (think food) or upset and irritated by normal and natural functions (think hormone fluctuations throughout your menstrual cycle).
This is a very pulled back view of the dysfunction, but I find it helpful to not get caught up in the weeds, because the reality is we (the scientific community) don’t fully grasp the biological functions of the human body, despite the fact that we love to act like we do. The one thing we do know for sure, is that the causations of immune dysregulation vary from person to person based on their past and current state. We call this epigenetics. In other words, exactly what I said above. This is why we release labels in my practice and focus on the make-up and contents of your capacity bucket. This is how I find success, maintain hope, and enjoy a freedom from western constraints on what is and is not possible for the body. The body is brilliant and I’ve watched, experienced, and guided it towards recovery from “uncurable” mysterious states many times.
So how did we get here and how can we reverse and reduce this overactive response of our protector cells?
Uncovering Your Layers & Triggers
Whenever we are looking at the body for clues as to why it’s sending us messages, we have to start at the beginning. How are you wired? What is your physical map? I personally use your astrological and human design charts paired with your family and personal health history to uncover this. Your astrological and human design charts show us where you are strong and where you have vulnerabilities. We look at what signs, elements, digestive tendencies, and planets dominate your body to determine for example whether you are naturally more firey or cool, able to detox effectively or struggle to clear, prone to digestive efficiency or sluggishness, quick to recover from infection or linger and lean towards chronic conditions.
Once we know your starting point, then we add your parents relationship with their bodies (what you came into the world carrying), the environment you grew up in, the toxin exposures your body has had to navigate, whether or not you possess the trait of natural and/or developed sensitivity, and the burdens you are currently carrying to indicate the fullness of your body’s capacity bucket. I also see great value in ordering insightful labs to provide data that further backs all of this up. It’s always good to see yourself from multiple angles, especially when you’ve been drowning in confusion and have lost trust in yourself and medical providers. I like to pull panels that evaluate your blood levels, mediator release, gastrointestinal state, neurotransmitter expression, mycotoxin presence and more.
By assessing all the above I can get a strong understanding of you and why you’ve arrived here, then together we can confirm a roadmap to reduce reactions and enable recovery.
A General Roadmap & Recommendations for Reaction Reduction
I always prefer to work 1:1 so that I can be very targeted and involved, in order to make this process seamless and efficient, which is why I created my Concierge Reset offering that keeps me in continual conversation with you. To me, it’s vital that you navigate this tender and hypersensitive experience with sensitivity and quick support.
FUNCTION & DETOX
This is where I do the deepest work. We get your body back up and running by opening up your detox pathways so that your body can start clearing its bucket on its own, without pushing. This is very important. Never push your body until you know you can clear effectively. Then we’ll step in with sweepers to start gently moving all the built-up toxins, inflammation, and overall debris out. As your digestive engines start rolling again, we’ll work on increasing your capacity from whatever angle is best for you based on what we’ve learned. As your bucket empties further and we have space to safely and gently move, we can begin to address some of the burdens your body has taken on and make larger steps. This often looks like a gut microbiome reset, followed by toxin clearance, and if still needed, thyroid, adrenal, and brain recovery. Everyone’s journey is different, but the downstream effect of this work is that your reactions will subside (usually within 1-2 months) and all the other imbalances that you want to see resolve, like your hormones, will happen naturally as a downstream effect of a lowered bucket, increased capacity, clear internal communication and healthy function.
DIET
You can soften your reactions by incorporating a histamine-free and reducing diet. There are foods that contain histamines and foods that do not, but do activate mediator release in the body once consumed, so avoiding both is key here. The caveat I have here is that I don’t consistently see this making a huge difference. For some, it is dramatic and for others, it doesn’t seem to do much other than stress them out further. So please consider your personal state and situation before jumping on a restrictive diet. If the burden of navigating foods is high for you, then the stress of it all can be just as activating for you as eating histamine-rich food… If you want my personal guidance around this, book a single session and put in the request your desire for histamine diet guidance and I can walk you through it.
SUPPLEMENTATION
Supplementation is so nuanced, especially with MCAS. You need to choose the most impactful forms and appropriate dosing titrations. Not all supplements are the same. In fact, most do not work when you have an overflowing capacity bucket, due the height of internal dysfunction this represents. You really need to know what you’re doing if you venture alone.
Also, these supplements will not resolve MCAS, they will only give relief when you take them. True recovery requires addressing your capacity bucket and resetting your body so that you are resilient and able to eat anything, live anywhere, and be amongst any type of person without a reaction.
Okay, now that I’ve said my piece here is my general list of natural supplements that can stand alone or be paired with medication for acute relief. May it offer you relief. If you need support with dosing, book here or join my concierge reset for my full involvement and care.
DAO (Diamine Oxidase)
Mechanism:
Enzyme that breaks down histamine in the small intestine before it enters the bloodstream. Only really works if you have mast cell reactions in the gut.
Helps prevent histamine overload from high-histamine foods.
Does not affect mast cell release of histamine or systemic histamine already circulating.
Especially useful for histamine intolerance, MCAS with GI symptoms, and reducing flares from food triggers.
Comparable to:
Digestive enzyme therapy, but specifically for histamine degradation in the gut.
Acts like a localized antihistamine in the gut, reducing histamine uptake rather than blocking receptors.
Complements H1 blockers (like loratadine) and mast cell stabilizers (like quercetin), but works through a different mechanism—histamine breakdown instead of receptor modulation or inhibition.
Ideal Form: very high-dose porcine-based capsule
QUERCETIN
Mechanism:
Mast cell stabilizer.
Inhibits histamine release and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α).
Modulates intracellular Ca²⁺ by blocking VGCCs.
Comparable to: Cromolyn sodium, H1 antihistamines.
Ideal Form: liposomal (the option below has low citrus oils, which normally I don’t recommend, but this blend work well for even my most sensitive clients)
Synergy: Works well with Vitamin C and CoQ10
VITAMIN C
Mechanism:
Stabilizes mast cells.
Antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress from EMFs.
Decreases histamine levels (both synthesis and blood concentration).
Comparable to: Antihistamines and anti-inflammatories.
Ideal Form: Camu Camu AND ascorbic acid, not just ascorbic, liposomal, avoid citrus oils
MAGNESIUM (especially Magnesium Threonate or Glycinate)
Mechanism:
Natural calcium antagonist – competes with Ca²⁺ entry via VGCCs.
Relaxes smooth muscle, supports nerve function, reduces hyperexcitability.
Comparable to: Calcium channel blockers (e.g., verapamil).
Ideal Form: Capsule, plus liquid. Bonus: body and foot baths with magnesium flakes
OMEGA FATTY ACIDS (EPA/DHA)
Mechanism:
Suppress inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes (balance against arachidonic acid).
Reduce IL-6, TNF-α.
Stabilize cellular membranes, including mast cells.
Comparable to: Leukotriene inhibitors (e.g., montelukast).
Ideal Form: fresh cod liver oil
RESERVATOL
Mechanism:
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory polyphenol.
Inhibits NF-κB activation and cytokine release.
Protective against EMF-induced oxidative damage.
Comparable to: NF-κB inhibitors, anti-inflammatory drugs.
Ideal Form: liposomal or liquid
CURCUMIN
Mechanism:
Potent inhibitor of histamine, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes.
Downregulates NF-κB and COX-2.
Comparable to: NSAIDs, anti-inflammatory biologics.
Ideal Form: Liquid, high bio-availability, avoid citrus oils and black pepper
GLUTATHIONE
Mechanism:
Master antioxidant.
Detox support and scavenging of reactive oxygen species.
Downregulate mast cell hyperactivity.
Comparable to: multiple IVs (these only last 15 minutes in the body…)
Ideal Form: topical spray (I LOVE AuroWellness) or high-dose liposomal
VITAMIN D3, K2 & A
Mechanism:
Immunomodulatory: helps balance Th1/Th2 response.
Can reduce mast cell-related inflammation and barrier dysfunction.
Comparable to: Immune modulators.
Ideal Form: High-bioavailability liposomal
MELATONIN
Mechanism:
Powerful antioxidant.
Modulates immune responses and protects against oxidative stress, especially in CNS.
May calm mast cell activation in brain tissue.
Ideal Form: plant-based and very low-dose
Reclaiming Agency With the Big “C”
Spoken in hushed tones. It sparks an almost reverent terror within all who hear it or speak to it. As a result, it’s been placed on its own pedestal within the medical community and given an almost god-like position that perhaps it does not deserve…
Reality of Cancer Discussion
Many in the holistic health and wellness community avoid speaking to cancer and all the misinformation surrounding it for fear of being sued or cancelled. But dancing around it has only fed the fire of its mysteriousness.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that it doesn’t bring up fear in me as well, but what I wonder is if other conditions shouldn’t receive the same, if not more, priority? There are many health imbalances and conditions that are just as heavy and impactful and if addressed with the same seriousness as cancer could prevent cancer. They all should be discussed with the same intentionality and transparency.
You and I and every human around us are carrying cancer cells, right now, in our bodies. And along the same vein, we are also carrying viruses, bacteria, parasites and other pathogens. It’s not about creating or maintaining or even returning to a state of sanitization.
You are an organism here to co-exist with other organisms. Cancer cells are a part of this ecosystem. I even wonder if at some point science will uncover an element of necessity to their presence. Just as they have so many other natural residents and functions within the human body. Whenever we think we’ve mastered and captured the body, we are humbled and shown there are still eons and eons of layers undiscovered or grasped.
A Shift in Focus
Instead of focusing our efforts on the end result of cancer, perhaps we should be going upstream to the numerous exposures, infections and emotional triggers that instigate the expansion of cancer cells within the body. It’s now understood that cancer is not genetic-based, but instead developed in response to your inner-terrain and on-going environment, known as epigenetics. It’s the slow and steady reduction of immune strength and influence that allows cancer to gain more and more dominance. Despite the messaging our present medical community seems to promote, cancer does not just appear out of nowhere. It may feel like that because up until the moment of diagnosis the patient appears normal or is told their symptoms are normal, when in reality they are just common and not note-worthy enough for insurance to payout for deeper insight.
To be clear, the various forms, likelihood and speed of metastasizing are not my area of expertise at all. I am in no way pretending to be an authority on the subject, instead I consider myself a highly invested outside observer. My proficiency lies in the nuanced and holistic practice of curating resilience and long-term health. All of which involve the lead up to and prevention of a cancer diagnosis. From this point of view, I want to initiate discussion about the importance of prevention and even when diagnosed, continued caution before stepping into dramatic action like removal surgeries or chemotherapy.
Choosing an Approach to Cancer
I would label most cancer treatments as last-ditch efforts, ideally saved for emergency moments when death is actually imminent, not just projected. There are a wide range of therapies available that should be considered, even within the US, that can retrain the body to kill, neutralize or turn cancer cells back into healthy cells. The standard treatments discussed with patients are typically the most damaging available and yet they are presented as the only options.
Dare I call this an overreaction? I can hear you saying – better too much than too little! Is that true though? Look, I understand. Really, I do. When you have the fear of God put in you from childhood about the big “C” you are primed and even craving a full missile attack as soon as you hear that diagnosis.
Before you launch though, hear me out. Let’s look at a milder situation that has a similar mentality – antibiotics. Doctors got into the habit of seeing them as the cure-all for everything. I have received countless stories from clients describing flippant prescription of powerful multiple-round antibiotics without proper lab collection or even a basic body assessment to support the treatment. Antibiotics are not harmless and alter the microbiome in a way that can change biology drastically and quickly. The massive gut-based medical conditions rampant among humans these days are very much tied to this sadly common, flagrant antibiotic overuse. I feel we need to heed this example as a warning.
For example, the standard go-to of chemotherapy is not a one-stop shop for cancer. Just like antibiotics, it takes out both the beneficial as well as the harmful and puts the body in a place of great immune vulnerability that makes it incredibly difficult for the body to rise to full health again. Nothing is impossible and the body is brilliant, but why take the risk of potentially taking your body out before the cancer even does it?
This is purely my opinion, but I would put good money on the possibility that most cancer treatments are actually what ends the patient’s life, not the cancer itself.
I’m for education. I believe everyone deserves access to the full range of choices and a complete understanding of the consequences of each. These days, that requires self-empowered research. Doctors in our current medical system rarely have the time, support, or brain power to expand their wheelhouse of knowledge. They’re also bound by what’s been approved by our regulating agencies – agencies that are most likely bought out by the very companies that profit from the standard cancer treatments and are also far behind other countries in considering and accepting newer, advanced forms of treatment. I feel it’s all a game, so I am a fan of opting out through self-education and research. It’s up to you to bring the options to your doctor, and if they’re not open, find a new one. It’s that clear cut…
It’s About Prevention
Again, my area of expertise is prevention by resetting the body for resilience, not cancer treatment or recovery. I curate bodies that keep cancer at bay or if it does get a foothold, there is little fear, pure trust in their body’s ability to recover, and confidence to choose whatever option they deem healthiest for their body. My clients don’t fall for the scare tactics, pressure or disempowerment, and they select medical professionals who believe in the brilliance of their body.
Let’s talk more openly about cancer. Let’s soften the fear and acknowledge that most of us will encounter it in some form in our lifetime. Release the power it holds over you through discussion and real awareness. You are stronger than you know!
Reminder: Please run everything medical by your preferred licensed provider.