Neurobiology of Chronic Conditions | Ep 240

Do you ever feel like you’re in an endless loop when it comes to your health? Have you been diagnosed with Long Haulers or another chronic condition and feel like you’re in a vicious cycle of fear and anxiety? Have you been made to believe that it’s “all in your head”?

What if we told you that is technically true? Well…sort of. Your brain plays a key role in chronic conditions, but that doesn’t mean your symptoms aren’t real. 

Today, Erin dives into key concepts of neuroplasticity, understanding how our brain functions from start to finish whenever our body’s health has been compromised, factors that lead to chronic conditions, why certain hormones make us feel certain emotions (hint: it involves the amygdala & insula), and the three main areas of focus when it comes to retraining our brain to veer away from this loop of symptoms.

In this episode, we want you to keep in mind that everyone is coming to this show at different levels of their healing journey, and if you are dealing with a chronic ongoing issue, all of your experiences and emotions are valid. 

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how your mind can help you overcome the stresses - and symptoms - of chronic conditions at your own pace and strength. Our hope & my intention is that this episode provides healing strategies that may not have been presented to you before.

In this episode:

On having the emotional maturity to self-filter [2:40]

How our brains are never static with the body & are naturally wired for survival [8:01]

Chronic conditions and the certain factors that lead to it [16:47]

How the amygdala and insula may be involved in over-triggering the hyper-defense response [19:31]

The first step to retraining your brain: nervous system downregulation [26:28] 

How retraining the brain can change our bodies [38:15]

Learning to engage with elevated emotions as a way to change your brain [39:14]

FOR A FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/240-neurobiology-chronic-conditions