Navigating Physical and Emotional Stress and Noticing Where It Shows Up In Our Body As A Rare Disease Caregiver - With Christy Foster

Once Upon A Gene

ONCE UPON A GENE - EPISODE 239

Navigating Physical and Emotional Stress and Noticing Where It Shows Up In Our Body As A Rare Disease Caregiver - With Christy Foster

Joining me today is my sister, Christy Foster. We're talking about caregiver stress, stress-related pain, how and why it shows up, and how to cope.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

How does chronic stress affect us physically?

The muscle tissue is our body represents our emotional holding and our bone structure represents our thinking mind. Muscle tissue holds us up and helps us move and stay flexible. When there's stress or trauma, pain can happen and without attention, the body will become significant. When we're in pain, it's difficult to care for kids, sleep, and go to work. Things compound and things start spinning, leading to a flight or fight response. It's important to be able to recognize when that pattern shows up and what to do about it before it consumes you, so that you're affected physically less often.

What techniques can help with jaw tension and pain?

The jaw holds our teeth, moves up and down to chew, and somatically, the joint of the jaw represents flexibility and adaptability. When joints become rigid, there's a pattern of resistance to change and emotional inflexibility. Keeping your mouth shut when you're experiencing strong emotions, like anger, can cause jaw pain because of bearing down and swallowing, creating tension in the muscles and joint over time. Expressing to the degree that you can is healing because the emotion comes up and out.

As a long-term caregiver, how do you build resiliency?

Connection will help support your nervous system and will help you to better regulate. It's important to have connection with someone who isn't going to fix you, who will be there when you need to release and vent, that you can talk to about your emotions around grief, rage, sadness or shame, because it takes the edge off and it softens the hit.

How do we take notice of our pain and tension and take action?

We all have access to nature, whether it's a plant in your home or a backyard area. At least once a day, notice nature— the color, sound, feeling. This helps to get in the visceral sense of feeling versus surviving and being in the mind and thinking. Connect with your people to create a sense of safety and understanding. When our systems feel safe, they can relax. Get rest and, if needed, get the help you need to make time for rest. Any type of meditation or breath work that are mind-body geared are helpful, even if uncomfortable, because feeling the feeling helps to move that energy out of you. Exercise in any way possible to get you into your body, which will help you come out of your mind and the emotional looping that can happen. Self-care is essential, even in little pieces of time. Put your hand on your heart and connect to the feeling of love, compassion and gratitude. Research shows this act of mindfulness and experiencing gratitude helps the body settle into a more regulated state.

LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED

ONCE UPON A GENE - EPISODE 029 - Put Your Own Oxygen Mask on First

https://effieparks.com/podcast/008-tanjs-akayy-jr78y-ja2e8-zanza-njkxy-83esr-z2wkz-kx2a4-3zgjf-9n7e6-f4dl9-34pey-khhl4-plbpy-y5jw6-w4tay-9d7t9-4rf34-3ct68

My Intuitive Body Website

https://christyfoster.co/

Christy Foster on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/christy.f13/

Sinéad Quinn

https://www.instagram.com/sineadquinnofficial/

Rare Breathing Room

https://www.facebook.com/p/Annie-Lambert-True-You-with-Neora-100070644768526/?_rdr

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