EP 162: Connective Tissue, Movement, and Understanding Stress with Alicia Fajardo

In this episode, Kimberly and Alicia discuss connective tissue, states of the nervous system, dealing with chronic pain, and more. They discuss the complexities of fascia, differences between genetics and epigenetics, understanding individual dominant nervous system states, and body/mind mapping. Understanding the differences between physiological stress versus emotional stress as well as the importance of consciously and specifically paying attention to pain can help us begin to understand how to manage it better.

Bio

Alicia has over 35 years of experience in the fitness industry and holds a B.S. in Exercise Science and Sports Studies. A longtime movement enthusiast, Alicia has studied, practiced, and taught many different types of movement throughout her career. She is the Founder of the Fajardo Method of Holistic Biomechanics which teaches movement education and motor re-patterning in conjunction with nervous system awareness. She teaches various kinds of classes and has an upcoming workshop which can be accessed by the link below.

What She Shares:

–Composition of Fascia

–Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

–Genetics versus epigenetics

–Place and grid cells

–Working with chronic pain

–Physiological versus emotional stress

What You'll Hear:

–Syndrome longer lasting consequences affect autoimmune system

–Ehlers-Danlos syndrome as connective tissue disorder can go through all layers of tissues

–Can occur in muscular, joint, organ, vascular system(s)

–Attacks in different ways for different people

–Different types of testing to determine syndrome

–Perceptual experiences of symptoms

–Fascia made up of collagen, elastin, glycoproteins and protoglycans

–Ground substance in fascia

–Dominant state of nervous system determines ground substance

–Body weight distribution dependent upon dominant state of nervous system

–Nervous system state determines mineral absorption and digestion

–Hypermobility and developing support for joints

–Getting valve system to move

–Creating dominant parasympathetic motor patterns versus sympathetic motor reflex

–Genetics versus epigenetics

–Genetic has dominant or receptive expression from parents' genes

–Genetic expression has to do with mutation of a gene

–Epigenetics deals with genetic expression

–Epigenetics internal or external environment can potentially change gene expression

–EDS can be both genetic or epigenetic

–Many mental health issues connected to hyper-sympathetic nervous system

–Emotional stress versus physiological stress

–Physiological stress is sympathetic nervous system

–Emotional stress causing conflict to conscious and unconscious brain firing off sympathetic nervous system

–Vagus nerve and adaptability to sympathetic and parasympathetic

–Trigeminal nerve largest nerve in body, controls brain and senses

–All nerves have roles in either sympathetic or parasympathetic states

–Paying attention to bodily sensations doesn't create brain map

–Paying attention to external environment to communicate safety to brain

–Proprioception and greater movement orientation

–Brain map

–Sensation and location awareness

–More movement and dynamic and parasympathetic

–Exercises for mapping

–Keeping awareness between two points on body

–Different stages of states and conservation of energy

–Emotional Anatomy by Stanley Keleman

–Observing and being very specific about what's happening in body with EDS

–Bodies constantly changing

–Avoiding labels when understanding pain

–Losing body's adaptability when labeling

–Attachment to diagnoses and labeling

–Symptoms dependent on nervous system states difficult to diagnose and treat from medical perspective

–Adapting sympathetic activation to be appropriate to environment

–Brain assessing environment to determine appropriate state

–Physiological responding to environment instead of emotional state

–Teaches various classes and upcoming workshops

Resources

Website: https://fajardomethodmovement.com/