Autonomic Nervous System Imbalance

A practical, informational word-sketch on autonomic nervous system dysregulation and tips for restoring balance to an imbalanced system.

I was diagnosed with seasonal allergies and allergies to cats and dogs when I was 10 or 11, but was never actually given an allergy test.

Recently I went through a number of tests to uncover the root of my stomach issues. While I was at it, I decided it was a good time to finally take an allergy test to know exactly what I'm allergic to.

I got my test results two weeks ago and... I'm not allergic to anything. Not even a little tiny bit. My body didn't even have a "very low" reaction to any of the allergens.

How can I have symptoms of allergies without having allergies?

Apparently this is called "non-allergic rhinitis".

The specific underlying cause or mechanism is still unknown but it seems that all types of non-allergic rhinitis involve nociceptor and autonomic nerve dysregulation. (read this article for more information).

• Nociceptor = pain receptor

• Autonomic Nerve Dysregulation = Imbalance of the Autonomic Nervous System (the system involved in fight/flight and rest/digest responses)

Lesson in (very) basic neurology

Now, please remember, I am not a doctor, but rather I'm sharing what I'm learning as two friends sitting down to coffee.

The more I look into IBS, the more it seems that it could also be caused/correlated with Autonomic Nerve Dysregulation/Imbalance.

The autonomic nervous system is a part of the peripheral nervous system.

This system consists of: the parasympathetic, sympathetic, and enteric nervous system.

• Parasympathetic Nervous System: responsible for the "rest and digest" response

• Sympathetic Nervous System: responsible for "fight or flight" response

• Enteric Nervous System: made up of over 100 million neurons, mainly in charge of digestion, can "function independently from the rest of the nervous system"

These three systems "talk" to each other and are interconnected. So, an imbalance in one is really an imbalance in them all.

Some symptoms that can point to Autonomic Nerve Dysregulation/Imbalance:

• dizziness

• fainting

• excessive fatigue

• rapid heart rate (also called "tachycardia")

• heart palpitations

• difficulty adjusting eyesight from light to dark

• sweating abnormalities

• heat sensitivity

• stomach pain

• constipation

• nausea/vomiting

• headaches

• erectile dysfunction or vaginal dryness

(read more about it in this article)

Basically, the peripheral nervous system is in charge of taking in stimuli, processing it, and making unconscious reactions in internal systems.

Not surprisingly, trauma and ANS Dysregulation/Imbalance are linked.

Trauma and ANS Dysregulation

I seem to be in this season of finding out a lot of the physical ailments I've been dealing with my whole life, are actually likely linked to the trauma and abuse I experienced as a child. Of the above symptoms of ANS Dysregulation, I am 12 for 13. I was recently diagnosed with IBS which is known to be triggered by anxiety and stress.

IBS has even been described and hypothesized as an internal hypervigilence similar to the outward-facing hypervigilence of anxiety disorders.

Non-Allergic Rhinitis (specifically the type I likely currently have) is linked to being highly sensitive to external stimuli such as strong smells, dust, etc. The system identifies non-harmful stimuli as "threat".

It seems my entire system is highly sensitive and on alert, scanning for any possible threat.

As I've stated before, I'm a doer by nature. So naturally, I got to brainstorming what to do with this newfound knowledge.

Well, if the system is out of balance, then steps need to be taken to restore balance.

Restoring Balance

There's a number of life changes I'm currently, slowly making in attempts to restore balance to my system. Depending on where you're at with your own healing journey, these steps have the potential to be helpful and interesting, or cause stress and anxiety.

Please do not use this list as an opportunity to "should" on yourself: "I should be doing these things and I can't because I'm just so overwhelmed and even getting up in the morning is a struggle."

Please see my thoughts on Self-Care and remember, healing the deep wound is the first step. Make sure your foundation is solid before attempting to build your house.

Okay, without further ado, and in no particular order, a few of the steps I'm taking to restore balance to my system (aside from continuing therapy).

1. Eating "Closer to the ground"

I'm right in the middle of working through the second phase of the low FODMAP diet for my recent diagnosis of IBS. This diagnosis spurred me to read medical journal articles and listen to podcasts on gut health and how it affects the brain.

The more I sit at the feet of people wiser than me in this area, the more I realize what I eat matters not just for my physical health, but also my mental health. Go figure.

I've begun to slowly add in more whole, un-processed foods -- vegetables, fruits, whole grains, meat, nuts, and seeds. And I'm cutting out more and more processed foods -- chips, fried foods, cereal, pasta, bread.

If this sounds like something you might be interested in, start small. Make one small change, and then another, and then another. Some ideas to start with:

• Start your day with an unprocessed protein

• Fill half of your plate with vegetables at dinner

• Have water and an apple (or kiwi if you're low FODMAP) instead of fruit juice

• Drink organic coffee or green tea instead of energy drinks and soda

• Eat a handful of blueberries instead of a handful of m&m's

Here's a super interesting talk on mental health and nutrition:

2. Cutting Out Sugar

I am an emotional eater; I try to fill feelings of emptiness with food.

My go-to comfort foods are fried foods and sugar.

Sugar has all sorts of negative affects on the body. It increases inflammation, leaches calcium from our bones, contributes to brain-fog, kills off good gut bacteria, and more.

And I've actually known this for a long time. I started researching sugar when I was 22 and actually completely eliminated refined sugars from my diet and consumed a limited amount of honey and fruit for a little over a year.

I felt amazing … but then my anxiety started to creep in again and I started having panic attacks. I was overwhelmed by feelings of unworthiness and self-hatred and went back to my old friend, sugar.

(hello unaddressed and unresolved trauma)

For the past 3 or 4 years, I've been trying to cut back on sugar, only to come right back to it. I just wasn't in a place yet to let it go. In therapy, we've been addressing and processing some really horrendous memories and sometimes I just needed a scoop (or three) of chocolate ice cream to remind myself that there is still good in the world.

Now that my self-beliefs are becoming healthier and I'm entering this new place of actually wanting to take care of myself, I'm looking at cutting back on sugar.

For me, when it comes to sugar, I have to go all or nothing. I have absolutely no ability to moderate my sugar intake. I cannot have just one cookie. So, I'm cutting out processed/refined sugars completely from my diet, at least for now. Maybe once they've been removed for a while I'll be able to try introducing the occasional sweet treat.

A lot of folks actually find going cold turkey when cutting out sugar to be next to impossible. So the recommendation is the 80/20 rule. Work towards: 80% of the time eating clean, whole foods and saving the 20% for processed, fried, or sugary treats. If you find that works for you, awesome! Do that.

If you want to try cutting back your sugar intake, try starting small and see what happens:

• Exchange a refined, sugary treat with a serving of fruit

• If you eat a sugary treat every day, try cutting back to 6 times a week, then 5, then 4, and so on

• When you're craving a sugary treat, first drink an 8-oz glass of water, wait 20 minutes and see how you feel (being dehydrated can manifest in sugar cravings)

• Start your day with protein instead of a sugary coffee and a pastry (this can help combat the 3pm sugar craving by stabilizing blood-sugar levels)

• If you're feeling anxious or upset, go for a 15-minute walk before grabbing a sugary treat

3. Walking More

Walking has all sorts of health benefits and has been linked to decreased rates of depression and increased mood. I've also personally experienced that I feel better when I'm walking regularly.

If you'd like to join me, here's how I'm starting small:

• I walk to and from work most days. (about a 15-minute walk)

• Take a break every 2 hours at work to walk a 5- to 10-minute loop outside

• Go on a 30-minute walk 3 times a week

• Walk to an activity or appointment you usually drive to

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator (I might also do this because I'm afraid of elevators, but it can also be a way to add more walking)

4. Using More Non-Toxic Products

The skin is the largest organ in the body. I've only just recently started to consider what I'm putting on my skin. If my body is labeling innocuous stimuli as "threat", I think it's pretty safe to say that things we know are toxic are probably not helping the situation.

I'm working on swapping out my make-up, soaps, and lotions for options that have ingredients that:

a. I actually know what they are

b. aren't toxic to humans

I'm also swapping out cleaning supplies for safer options. I'll write a post soon on the specifics, but a lot of the changes I'm making are to products I make myself.

If you'd like to give this a try, here's some small steps you can consider:

• Wear gloves when sanitizing surfaces with products like Lysol, Clorox, etc.

• Swap to beauty products from The Detox Market

• Use wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets

• Diffuse essential oils instead of burning candles

• Try oil cleansing instead of traditional store-bought facial cleansers

5. Creating More Quiet Space

Believe it or not, this is the one I'm having the hardest time with. I have a very hard time resting and pausing. Like I said, I'm a doer and I'm not so great at just being, but I'm working on it.

If my rest and flight response is out of balance, it just makes sense to intentionally pursue moments of rest throughout the day. Constantly going at 100 mph from the moment I wake up until I fall asleep can't possibly be helping my system to chill out.

Practices such as mindfulness and meditation have been found to not only reduce stress, anxiety and depression, but can actually change the structure of the brain in positive ways.

I also gave up Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, etc. about 2 or 3 years ago and I can't recommend it enough. I didn't realize how much stress and feelings of worthlessness social media was triggering until I cut it out.

Here's what I'm doing to create more quiet space:

• Wake up an hour earlier to read my Bible, journal, and pray

• Spend 5 minutes in the morning and at night in gratefulness meditation

• Take a break every 2 hours during work to walk a 5- to 10-minute loop (are you starting to see some overlap?)

• During my every-two-hour, 10-minute walks throughout the work day, really pay attention to the sounds, sights, and smells around me or focus on really feeling my foot falls and all the different parts of my foot that touch the ground during a step.

• Read an actual book before bed instead of watching TV or reading articles on my phone

Just One Thing

If I could make one recommendation for a small change that anyone can make to start balancing their system it would be this:

Take a 5- to 10- minute walk every 2 hours throughout the work day or your main getting-stuff-done hours (whether those be 8-5, or 11-3, or whatever).

This simple act can help with sugar cravings, decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, is a great way to give your brain a break, and can be the perfect opportunity to start practicing some mindfulness through mindful walking. (That's 3 of the 5 main things I'm trying right there!)

We Get to Choose

When I first made the connection between my physical ailments and the trauma I experienced, I was super discouraged and sad about it. But then I remembered that knowledge is power and now that I know, I can do something about it.

We don't have to be at the mercy of our past. We can take steps to lessen the negative impact our past experiences have on our present joy.

What happened wasn't fair and it wasn't our fault, but we get to decide what we do with it. Child abuse and sexual trauma take our decision-making ability, our power, away from us and send the message that we don't have a choice, that we're powerless.

Through therapy I'm beginning to learn even though I didn't have a choice then, I do have a choice now.

Working to balance my system is just one way that I'm exercising my choice muscles.

And when you're ready, I'd love for you to join me.