Chill Out: Calm your mind to heal your body

by Robin Foroutan and Stephanie Mandel

November 29, 2017

In a recent blog post, we discussed the mind-body connection, and how it influences health and wellness. In the video below, Dr. Morrison shares his favorite natural products to help your body become more resilient to unavoidable life stressors, stabilize an overstimulated nervous system, and help you feel calmer.

Since a healthy diet is a foundation for a healthy body and mind, we encourage you to choose foods that nourish the body and ground the nervous system. Blood sugar fluctuations place added stress on the body, mind, and mood, which is why we emphasize following a meal plan that supports balanced blood sugar. Our top tips include:

• Avoid refined sugar and processed foods.
• Emphasize the right balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats for your metabolism — we recommend speaking with a nutritionist to help you find the ideal ratio.
• Limit caffeine and alcohol, which can both throw off blood sugar levels.

In addition to a healthy diet, we often recommend a few nutritional supplements to help the nervous system shift from “fight-or-flight” mode to “rest and digest” mode. These are some of our favorites, listed from most gentle to strongest:

1. Relax-Tone by Energetix is a gentle yet effective homeopathic supplement to aid in relaxation. We recommend 1-2 drops once or twice daily to help get a person out of fight-or-flight mode and into a calm state. The effects are subtle but tend to work well and without side effects.
2. 200 mg of Zen is a blend of two amino acids (L-theanine and GABA), which help your body make more calming neurotransmitters. It can be used long-term to improve the body’s overall stress response, as well as acutely in stressful situations. We recommend one or two capsules one or two times a day or as needed for stress.
3. Cortisol Manager is a supplement that helps regulate adrenal function and cortisol/adrenaline levels using a combination of ashwagandha, phosphatidylserine, and other calming nutrients. It can be helpful for people who wake during the night with a surge of adrenaline. We recommend taking one or two at dinner time.
4. Phosphatidylserine is a type of lipid that supports mood and brain health by calming the nervous system and recalibrating neurotransmitters. It can also help balance cortisol levels and bursts of adrenaline.

These options that can be used during times of increased stress or to help you get more restful sleep at night. After all, managing stress and getting restorative sleep are fundamental for optimal health.