Hello Mast Cell 360 community,
Did you know that your mast cells and nerves are neighbors? And they talk constantly.
Kam here, MC360 Health Coach. As someone who was once down to zero foods, facing a feeding tube, and watching my kids follow in those footsteps with zero answer from our doctors, this information was at the root of what started turning things around for us. And we’ve got a couple of helpful starting tips below.
If you’ve read our prior Practitioner Tip emails this month, you know your mast cells sit right next to nerve endings and swap chemical signals with nerve cells. They release histamine and hundreds of other messengers that all affect how your nervous system operates. And your nerves send signals right back.
When your nervous system is stuck on high alert (fight, flight, freeze), it sends more signals to your mast cells, and they become more reactive.
Those reactive mast cells send more alarm signals back through your nerves to your brain.
Your brain stays on alert, your nervous system stays revved up, and your mast cells get even more signals.
**Around and around it goes. And this cycle is part of why working on both your nervous system and mast cells together can be the key to moving forward. **
We call it the reactivity loop.
The good news is that the loop runs in the other direction too.
When your nervous system starts to settle, mast cells calm, fewer mediators are released, fewer threat signals reach the brain, and the system settles a bit more.
This post is for informational purposes only. To read our full disclaimer, please scroll to the bottom of this post.
And there are many small things you can do to start shifting into more calm.
Let’s look at a couple of simple places to start.
When your system is on high alert, even helpful things can be treated like a threat.
Starting too fast is one of the most common reasons people don’t tolerate supplements.
Here’s how we approach it with clients:
**Try new things when you’re calm.**Not during a flare, a rough week, or travel.**Change one thing at a time.**One new supplement, food, or habit. If you add three and feel worse or better, you won’t know which one did it.**Start with a drop or a sprinkle.**For liquids, that’s literally one drop. For capsules or tablets, a few grains of powder. Smaller amounts mean a better chance of getting it in, and a smaller reaction and a faster recovery if you do react.Taking it with a meal or snack you tolerate well to start can also be helpful. It’s kind of like sneaking it in with a crowd instead of alone.
**If you are hypersensitive,**you may have to start even smaller and slower. A drop or sprinkle stirred into a glass of water, then take one drop of that mixture to put in another glass of water you can sip through the day.
**Wait 3 days.**Reactions can be delayed, so give your body time to respond before you try it again or add anything else.
If that goes well, build up gradually, as you tolerate. Go as slow as you need to.
Tips like these often allow people to start tolerating things they didn’t before!
Here’s something else you can add before you try a new thing… nervous system exercises.
If your system is in sympathetic (fight, flight, freeze), it’s more likely to see something new as a threat and treat it like one. Doing a brief exercise right before you try something new can help shift your nervous system.
Your vagus nerve is a major line of communication between your brain and your body, and it’s a key player in your “rest, digest, heal” (parasympathetic) side.
Here’s a gentle, free exercise to try, adapted from Stanley Rosenberg’s Basic Exercise:
Lie on your back or sit comfortablyand interlace your fingers, cradling the base of your skull in your hands. Let your hands help hold the weight of your head.Keep your head stilland move only your eyes toward the right, as far as feels comfortable. No straining.Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, or until you notice a sigh, yawn, or swallow. Those are often signs your system is releasing.Return your eyes to center, rest for a moment, then repeat to the left.
That’s it. Even one round or one minute a day counts. If you have a neck injury or condition, check with your practitioner first. If you feel dizzy, more anxious, or your symptoms increase, stop and try something like orienting instead (just slowly looking around where you are).
These are a few of the clinic insights and tips we use with clients that help them move forward, and that we discuss in our courses.
If you’ve been looking for a guided place to start, we’ve got our foundational clinic supplement and nervous system information + live support combined in one NEW mast cell stabilizing offer!
This is the same information we use to guide clients in the clinic all in a format you can take at your own pace. And Jamie and I will be leading the live group coaching sessions!
The ** Autumn MCAS Reset** includes:
Top 8 Mast Cell Supporting Supplements Master Class, with our gentle go-slow method for sensitive people, this will teach you about supplements (which help, which to fillers to avoid, and more) AND how to layer things in slowly. Along with tips for supplements that are mast cell triggers, troubleshooting challenges, flares, and more.Nervous System Reboot Master Class, with 6 practical, free techniques and a printable roadmap to guide you through the material and build a daily plan that works for you AND includes all three necessary parts of the nervous system. No cookie-cutter approaches here.2 live group coaching sessionswith Q&As so you can bring your questions and get answers. You’ll get replays as well, so if you can’t attend you still get the information and you can come back to revisit it as well!Grounded & Guided Nervous System Support(Oct 5 at 12:00 ET)Supplement Support for Sensitive Folks(Oct 12 at 12:00 ET)
**Just $249 ($592 purchased separately). And enrollment is open now through September 25. **
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[Read about and enroll in the Autumn MCAS Reset bundle here]
See you there!The Mast Cell 360 Team
**PS. **Feel like you could really make progress if you had 1:1 support that was planned according to your specific needs? We have options! Book a FREE 20-minute Clarity Call to learn more.
It’s important you know that Mast Cell 360 resources are for informational and educational purposes. Mast Cell 360 does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prescribe for any disease or medical condition. Recommendations are based on the opinion of Mast Cell 360 and are not meant to replace the care of a medical practitioner. Always consult your physician before changing your healthcare regimen. Supplements/products mentioned are not designed to treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. And these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.Some links may be affiliate links, which means we may make a very small commission if you purchase through the link. It never costs you any more to purchase through the links, and we try to find the best deals we can. We only recommend products that we love and use personally or use in our practice. Any commissions help support the newsletter, website, and ongoing research so we can continue to offer you free tips, recipes, and info. Thank you for your support!
