Our Nervous System is vital for our health, just like every other system in our body! The Nervous System contains the brain and spinal cord (these are part of the Central Nervous System), and the nerves attached to the spinal cord that run all over the body (These are part of the Peripheral Nervous System). All of these parts work together to help your body regulate things like digestion, blood flow, responding to stimuli, etc. Nerves have always fascinated me because they operate on a sort of electrical impulse, jumping from one nerve to the other at ridiculous speeds.

If you'd prefer to watch a video about most of this information, see below: 

Thoughts = electrical current

Thoughts can switch DNA on and off. Look into Epigenetics!

Our bodies were designed to respond to things in our environments for survival and daily life. The problem is when this system becomes in a constant state of "fight or flight" due to stress. If you'd like to learn more about stress, how it affects your body, and some tips to decrease it, check out my blog here. 

A large majority of our physical symptoms come from our thought life. Things like inflammation, can lower our frequencies within the body.  What you think about most will grow, and actually grow your brain. The amygdala is responsible for managing stress, and people who are stressed have a larger amygdala compared to other people with less stress. This impacts the room the other part of the brain has for logical reasoning. When nerve cells (neurons) fire, it creates grooves in the brain, that continue to deepen with repetition.  I read somewhere, "Neurons that fire together, wire together."  If you continue to think the same thought in your head, that signal will become stronger. Likewise, if you stop thinking the same kind of thought, the grooves won't be as strong, and it won't be as easy to think that same thought. So you don't have to be a product of your environment! You can take your thoughts captive and be intentional with your thought life! My pastor did an amazing series on one of his books called Winning the War in Your Mind. Check out one of his sermons here.  

Our ability to concentrate is extremely important when we are completing major tasks, but many people often struggle with concentration. There are so many noises in our current culture, and the world's information is literally at our fingertips. I would highly recommend the book, Redeeming Your Time by Jordan Raynor. He explains this in-depth and gives suggestions for ways to train your brain to focus during times of what he coins "deep work." His description of "open loops," or things that we think about, have to do, or worry about without any plan of action really resinated with me. Our brains are very logical, and thrive with plans of action. Again, def. encourage you to check that book out if this is an area that you struggle with!

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. struggle with mental illness.  (High stress levels only exacerbate the condition.)  A staggering 1 in 20 adults in the U.S. struggle with a serious mental illness. Their site also reports that 17% of kids, ages 6-17, have a mental health disorder. Some common stressors for people may be: money, work, family, and health concerns. There are lots of other statistics that I won't include in this blog, because I'd like to share some ways to help the body, but if you'd like to read them, check out the site here. I'm going to get into essential oils if you keep reading, but if you'd like to learn more about emotions, head over to this blog post on emotions.  

There is so much unknown about our brain because it's so intricately designed. Scientists and researchers continue to study, but I believe we have only discovered a small portion of knowledge about the brain.  

Essential Oils

Essential oils help support the brain in so many ways. If you're new to essential oils, read more about them here. When I am doing some difficult or challenging work, my favorite oils to apply are the DiGize & Thieves blends. They activate all parts of the brain and help me really focus and make connections. *Remember, our bodies consist of four parts: Emotional, Mental, Physical, and Spiritual. The brain is a key player in all of these areas. 

My 5 Favorite Essential Oils for Brain Health

1. Brain Power: a blend of Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Frankincense, Melissa, Blue Cypress, Lavender, and Helichrysum. This blend of oils was created to help the brain clear out receptor sites, increasing oxygen and mental capacity.
2. Cedarwood: emotionally grounding, just like all tree essential oils. Historically used to enhance spiritual communication. This is a great oil to use in conjunction with prayer and meditation. 
3. Cypress: emotionally grounding, just like all tree essential oils. This oil also aids blood circulation within the body.
4. Frankincense: one of the gifts given to Baby Jesus! It also helps to enhance spiritual communication, among many other benefits within the body. 
5. Peppermint: this oil can be used for soooo many different things, but to stick with the brain, it is best used to aid in concentration and memory. It can also help you wake up in the morning. 

My 5 Favorite Products for Brain Health

1. Life9: a probiotic supplement designed to replenish the good bacteria in your gut. We have 75% of our serotonin receptors are in your gut. These act like hormones, carrying signals around the body to help regulate mood, memory, and digestion. The brain and gut are strongly linked.  
2. Mindwise: a liquid supplement containing omega-3's. Depression, bipolar, and postpartum depression are all associated with omega-3 deficiencies.  This supplement may also assist the body with inflammation. 
3. NingXia Nitro: a packet you can add to desired beverage, or drink straight. It helps to increase cognitive fitness, may assist the brain with memory, and contains cherries, which release melatonin. 
4. NingXia Red: a juice using wolf berries to deliver a mega punch of nutrients, minerals and vitamins. This juice is a great way to fill in any gaps your daily diet leaves. It is also rich in antioxidants. 
5. Omegagize: a supplement to aid the body in reducing inflammation, supporting cardiovascular, joint, eye, and brain health. 

If your Nervous System could use some more support, please make one small change today! The easiest way to do that is by ordering some of these products and incorporating them into all the other health conscious decisions you make on the daily. 

Check out my fav products to support the nervous system here.