The Importance of Easing Stress and Enhancing Immunity

The way our brains react to external stressors is deeply rooted in conditioning, creating neural pathways that determine our responses to foster calmness and resilience. Our brains are remarkably adaptable, and they form neural pathways based on our experiences and responses to various stimuli. These pathways become ingrained over time, influencing how we react to stressors. 

The first step in neurosculpting serenity is identifying the stressors in your life. What situations or triggers consistently lead to stress? By recognizing these patterns, you gain awareness of the specific neural pathways that may be contributing to your stress response.

Mindfulness also plays a crucial role in neurosculpting. By being present in the moment and observing your thoughts and emotions without judgment, you create a space for conscious awareness. This awareness is the foundation for reshaping neural pathways and fostering a more deliberate response to stress.

In order to ease stress, it is important to intentionally redirect your thoughts and responses. Consciously choosing calm and positive responses to stressors can reshape neural pathways. Repetition and consistency are key. Engage in practices that promote relaxation and positive thinking regularly, reinforcing the desired changes in your brain's responses.

Additionally, incorporate mind-body techniques into your routine to enhance the neurosculpting process. Practices such as meditation, yoga, and deep breathing not only promote relaxation in the moment but also contribute to the formation of new, calming neural pathways over time.

One mindfulness practice to partake in to reduce stress is deep breathing. Deep breathing can shift the body from a stressed response to a calm and focused state. If you breathe through your nose, it allows for a greater effect on the brain and body. Nose breathing results in 10-20% higher oxygen uptake, sending nitric oxide to your lungs. This helps dilate the airways in the lungs and blood vessels, increasing immune defense. 

Nose breathing is associated with improved lung function. The natural filtration process that occurs when air passes through the nasal passages contribute to the overall health of the respiratory system. This is especially important in maintaining optimal lung function, which is essential for sustained physical well-being. By practicing optimal nose breathing you are supporting oxygen delivery to the brain, easing stress and enhancing immunity.

Enhance Immunity

Happy Friday! Today I want to discuss ways in which we can elevate our immunity. Stress is one of the main causes of a hindered immune system, which is why we will incorporate strategies to shift out of the fight or flight state and into a relaxation response.

Fortunately, none of this week’s strategies will take too much time to implement and you will notice the positive impact right away. You have the power to build the best immune system, and in turn, feel energized and resilient on a daily basis.

Here are a few easy ways to quickly strengthen the immune system and improve overall well being. Try integrating any of the following starting today:

• Nix the Grains and Processed Foods: Cut out or lower consumption of grains, foods in a package, sweeteners, and processed oils (corn, canola, sunflower,soybean, cottonseed, safflower,grapeseed). These create oxidative stress in the body and lower mitochondrial function (powerhouse of the cells). 

• Increase Consumption of Healthy Fats, Polyphenols and Fermented Foods: Enjoy wild caught fish, avocado, olives/olive oil, blueberries, raspberries, sauerkraut, all types of green vegetables. The powerful properties in these foods greatly lower inflammation and heal the gut flora (70% of immunity is made in our gut lining). 

• Lower Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels: Cut out processed foods and sugar. Add in any of the following on a daily basis: 

• Cinnamon- helps control blood sugar

• Reishi- lowers blood sugar levels by downregulating alpha-glucosidase which breaks down scratches into sugar

• Berberine- slows breakdown of carbs

• Matcha- helps stabilize blood sugar

• Apple cider vinegar- lowers blood sugar and improves insulin sensitivity

• High fiber veggies- improves insulin sensitivity

• Breathe Through Your Nose: Deep breathing can shift the body from a stress response to a calm, focused state. By taking it one step further and breathing through your nose instead of the mouth, there will be a greater effect on the body and the brain. Nose breathing results in 10-20 percent higher oxygen uptake, and removes germs and bacteria from the air. Nose breathing sends nitric oxide to your lungs which helps dilates airways in the lungs and blood vessels, increasing immune defense.

For those who want to go a little deeper on immune strategies and the research to support, here are a few additional ways to improve your health on every level.

Aim for 30 minutes of exercise per day. This can be any movement you enjoy. Feel free to switch up the type of workouts, but be sure to get in the 30 minutes daily. There are a number of proven reasons why this is essential to your health and happiness: 

• Exercise Improves Immunity: During exercise the body produces cytokine proteins, which are key in regulating inflammation. Studies conducted by UC San Diego found an aerobic exercise session of 20-minutes resulted in a 5% decrease of inflammatory proteins in the blood stream and a significant increase in beneficial hormones such as epinephrine and norepinephrine. 

• Exercise Improves Learning and Cognitive Function: Exercise stimulates brain cell production and increases brain derived neurotrophic factor. This protein in the brain helps to create new neural pathways, essential for information retention and analytical thought. 

• Exercise Improves Brain Plasticity: The brain capacity to adapt to ever-changing conditions depends on the ability of neurons to modify the strength and composition of their connections in response to both external and internal stimuli. Both endurance and resistance exercises release myokines into the circulation, which improves neural efficiency of the brain. Essentially, any type of exercise allows the brain to improve its capacity for thinking and adapting. 

• Exercise Lowers Stress: During physical activity, the body’s stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline lower and the production of endorphins are raised. A variety of studies conducted by the American College of Sports Medicineindicates that being physically active improves the way the body handles stress because of changes in the hormone responses, and that exercise affects neurotransmitters in the brain such as dopamine and serotonin that affect mood and behaviors.

Noras Natural's: Fat Burning & Immune Strengthening Coffee Elixirs

Happy New Years Eve! This year has truly been a crazy one. Nonetheless, I am thankful for every moment of it. I have enjoyed my time at home with my family baking cookies, watching Christmas movies and appreciated the moments of us all sitting in a room together, profusely laughing.

At last, the holidays have been such a wonderful time for me to enjoy the little things. And despite all the delicious holiday sweets and beverages offered throughout our celebrations, I still find myself turning to my classic cup of joe, with a small special twist. In light of the season of giving, I figured why not share my go-tos coffee elixirs with you all! Here below you will find my Fat Burning coffee elixir as well as my Immune Strengthening coffee elixir to help kickstart your mornings.

Fat Burning: Keto Coffee

Enjoy this coffee when you are in a time crunch. These ingredients not only enhance fat burning, but also allow the body to stay in a fasted state. Be sure to stick to water and this coffee recipe, or simply enjoy your coffee black for the desired benefits of fasting throughout the morning.

MCT oil in particular helps improve satiety, enhance cognition, weight loss & has been found to reduce the risk of heart disease. These properties make it the perfect ingredient to pair with your morning cup of joe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coffee

• 1 tbsp. organic grass-fed unsalted butter

• 1-3 tsp. coconut oil or MCT oil

• 1/4th tsp. vanilla

• Cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth

2. Option to enjoy hot or cold

Immune Strengthening: Superfood Coffee

Turmeric is a wonderful additive to coffee during flu season or when your immune system needs a little boost. Turmeric naturally strengthens the immune system by increasing the immunomodulating capacity of the body. If you have a bit of extra time in your morning, give this tasty mix a try.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup hot coffee

• 1tbsp. raw cacao powder

• 1 tsp. raw maca powder

• 1/4th tsp. ground turmeric

• 1/4th tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract natural sweetener of choice

  • ex: raw coconut sugar, stevia, pure maple syrup

• Splash of heavy cream or almond milk

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients into blender or mix well in coffee mug

2. Sip and enjoy!