Bless Your Heart

It happened again, you stood up too fast. You think you’d learn by now to stand up slowly, calibrate, then walk, but here we are - room spinning, heart racing, vision turning dark, face kind of numb, slow-motion fainting, but not really if you can reach the floor in time and sit down gently. Take a few deep breaths and try again, slower this time.

Does this sound familiar? POTS, or Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, is a chronic autonomic nervous system disorder causing excessive heart rate increase upon standing, accompanied by dizziness, fatigue, and brain fog. That’s what Google says, but those of use who live with this condition know it’s more than that. It prevents you from living life. It brings on anxiety and a lack of appetite, dehydration, and more because the thought of getting up can be scary.

“What if I fall again?”

“What if I just wait until the kids are home from school to eat or get water so if I do fall, someone is here to know if I’m injured.”

These thoughts used to plague my mind on a daily basis because as someone who also has Elhers-Danlos Syndrome, when I fall, I usually end up injured.

POTS symptoms would prevent me from showering, eating, drinking enough fluids, going to the bathroom, going to the grocery store, exercising, or doing much of anything.

Sometimes I wouldn’t be standing up when the symptoms would hit, I had already been standing. Maybe I was doing the dishes or laundry and all of the sudden the dizziness and numb face and heart palpitations would hit out of nowhere. Usually it was when I was using my arms or looking down. Now I know this was probably caused by cervical instability and damage to the vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve is very important for proper autonomic nervous system functions. It is the body’s longest nerve, acting as a crucial bidirectional “superhighway” connecting the brainstem to the heart, lungs, and digestive system. It is the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system. This is your “rest and digest” system.

There are many reasons why the vagus nerve could be troubled. Physical or emotional trauma, stress, posture, toxins, viral infections, the list goes on. Pinterest and TikTok will tell you a hundred different exercises you can do to “improve your vagal tone” and you may have tried a few and thought “is this even helping?”.

Many people began having POTS symptoms, dysautonomia, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, and slow digestion after 2020. The world was stressed and sick. It was traumatic in many ways for the collective population. The symptoms came on quickly for some and slower for others but they seem to be pretty consistent. Some have it more harshly, even needing a feeding tube to get nutrients into the body when Gastroperesis became nearly fatal. It’s me, I’m talking about me. In 2022, I was down to 90lbs and was always in the emergency department for malnutrition and dehydration. The PEG tube was the only way they thought. It was incredibly traumatic so I now am dedicated to helping others before their health ends up with them in the operating room for any reason.

I will have many blog posts after this one that will give you advice on different autoimmune conditions and chronic pain conditions, however I must inform you that I am not a doctor, nurse, phychiatrist, chiropractor, or anything like that. I am a patient who has been through a lot and learned how to heal myself after surgeries and prescriptions nearly ended my life. I did a lot of research and worked closely with a well educated massage therapist and thoughtfully put together care team of holistic practitioners. All of the information you receive from me is for education and entertainment purposes only. I wish to give you encouragement to seek answers for yourself and advocate for yourself and your health. It is a chronic, every day decision to do so. Every decision you make is either bringing you closer to feeling better or feeling worse, you decide.

I will start with mineral balancing and heart health because it will give you enough energy to focus on the other things that need attention.

Salt

Salt had a bad reputation in my household growing up because I have a family that struggles with high blood pressure. I always heard that too much salt can cause this issue so I avoided salt.

Now I know that it is the type and quality of the salt that you are consuming that matters. I cook with Celtic Sea Salt and drink Maldon Sea Salt daily. I used to consume of bunch of flavored electrolyte drinks to stay hydrated but the sea salt replaced those and removed the unnecessary dyes and artificial sweeteners from my water intake.

https://amzn.to/4mWn81v <-Link for Maldon Sea Salt (by purshasing products from the links I provide, you help me be able to buy my own supplements! Thank you for your support! - I’m an affiliate with Amazon, TikTok, and Nature’s Sunshine)

I put Maldon Salt in my water first thing in the morning, a couple times during the day, and again before bed.

This is the Sea Salt I cook with, Then I add finely ground Celtic Sea Salt on top of foods I don’t cook. I do not use any traditional table salt and order my food saltless so I’m not consuming processed salts that make me retain water.

https://amzn.to/3QNn9bZ <- link for Mineral Salt

https://amzn.to/4sXJroP <- link for Celtic Sea Salt Shaker

Organically Bound Minerals

These tablets provide iodine that support your thyroid function and hormone levels, helps cellular energy production, supports a healthy musculoskeletal system and nervous system.

https://amzn.to/4wfjxA3 <- this is the link for the Organically Bound Minerals

Hawthorn Berries

Studies around the world have confirmed that hawthorn berries improve the tone of the cardiac muscle, improve oxygen uptake by the heart, improve circulation in the heart, energize the heart cells and dilate blood vessels in the extremities to reduce strain on the heart.

Hawthorn berries can be great for treating high blood pressure when taken with garlic, valerian, chamomile, and capsicum.

https://amzn.to/422hHo4 <- link to Hawthorn Berries

Yellow Dock

Yellow Dock is high in organic iron compounds and liberates iron stored in the liver. This herb is used for anemia, especially when combined with alfalfa, beets, and other iron-rich herbs. It is also used as a blood purifier for skin disorders (acne, boils, etc) and general liver problems.

https://www.naturessunshine.com/product/yellow-dock?referrer=71278513&offer=NSP <- link for Yellow Dock. This is not on Amazon at this time, this link is my affiliate link from Nature’s Sunshine.

Magnesium Complex

This magnesium combination contains citrate to help with stress and sleep, malate to help heart and cellular health, and glycinate to help with digestion.

https://amzn.to/4t7elLJ <- link for Magnesium Complex

Solstic Cardio

Solstic Cardio is a drink mix that contains nutrients that help reduce high blood pressure, prevent cardiovascular inflammation, and promote a healthy circulatory system. One of the key ingredients in this formula is the amino acid L-arginine. L-arginine is used to make the chemical messenger nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels. This takes stress off the heart and allows blood to flow more easily. This can increase your tolerance to exercise as well, I like to take it before or during my work shift because I sit down and stand up a lot to help guests.

https://www.naturessunshine.com/product/solstic-cardio?referrer=71278513&offer=NSP <-link for Solstic Cardio. It is not currently available on Amazon, this link takes you to Nature’s Sunshine.

Spirulina & Chlorella

This combo has nutrient dense algae acting as powerful antioxidants to improve heart health, balance blood pressure, and boost immune function. Offers plant power protein, iron, and vitamin B. Helps to balance blood sugar and reduce heavy metal toxicity.

https://amzn.to/48pyC7J <- link to Spirulina & Chlorella combo

Ok friends, now that we know about some herbal remedies, let’s talk about diet changes.

Foods to Avoid

This was the hardest part for me. I can eat fruits and veggies no problem, I love them! However, I also love sweets and crunchy foods! I really love some sweet crunchy foods! Now I know that most of my worst POTS and menopause symptoms happen after I have something sweet or full of bad carbs. Gluten, lectins, dyes, cooked seed oils, and GMO foods are definitely on this list to avoid as well - I want you really focusing on your sweets and carbs intake. If you do have something sweet, even with stevia or asperatame, have protein! This will help prevent some of the symptoms.

***I know when you have a sugar addiction, “stop eating sweets” is either torture or impossible so I know you’re going to have it. On top of having protein with the sweets, take Berberine, this will help balance out your blood sugar afterwards.

Berberine By Nature’s Sunshine is great if you have 1 treat every now and then:

https://www.naturessunshine.com/product/berberine?referrer=71278513&offer=NSP <- link to Nature’s Sunshine for Berberine Capsules

These Berberine and bitters drops are great if you are addicted to having Coca-Cola or sugary drinks throughout the day.

https://amzn.to/4tyKqwQ <- Amazon link for the drops

You can drop it under your tongue after or during your drinks or put it in a water bottle and sip it throughout the day.

Foods to Add

This will be easier unless you eat like a toddler and in that case, you need to just retrain your brain. I cannot and will not lie to you on this one. Find something that satisfies the textures or convenience, whatever it is that keeps you on chicken nuggets and pizza, figure it out and change your eating habits now or you will not be able to improve your health that much.

Protein - If you know your blood type, I suggest looking up a blood type diet for your type. I’m A+ so I know, even before the Lyme Disease, that red meat is not that nice to my body. I prefer to consume chicken and sometimes fish but mostly get my protein from eggs, tofu, green peas, dark leafy greens, and bone broth.

Healthy Fats - Amish Butter, Avocado, raw uncooked seed oils like avocado oil or olive oil, wheat germ oil, flax seeds, etc.

Fruits & Veggies - beets, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, carrots, purple carrots, dark greens, small organic apples, kiwi, melons, purple grapes, berries, pineapples

Ok, we have covered what to put into your body, lets talk about getting things out of the body.

Detoxing

We don’t have to get into all the conspiracy theories that we proven to be true about everything they put into our food, water, and air to know that we consume and absorb toxins day in and day out, while we are sleeping, while we shower, and while we breathe. After years and years of toxic build up, it starts to take a toll on your heart. The most important to focus on for you is probably going to be metals, fungal and yeast.

https://www.naturessunshine.com/product/heavy-metal-detox?referrer=71278513&offer=NSP <- link to Nature’s Sunshine Heavy Metal Detox

https://www.naturessunshine.com/product/yeast-fungal-detox?referrer=71278513&offer=NSP <- link to Nature’s Sunshine Yeast/Fungal detox

Binders

Anytime you do a detox of any sort you need to take binders. Binders are like soap inside the body, they grab onto the toxins and help remove them. When you don’t use a binder you can move the toxin around but they may not leave the body.

Even after I finish my detox regimen, I still take these 2 binders every night before bed to help my body flush the toxins I came in contact with during the day. Sometimes when I wake up with a migraine, I take these 2 binders again to help me remove the toxins during my morning bowel movement.

https://amzn.to/4eUJGxs <- Amazon link to Charcoal NOW brand.

https://amzn.to/4uedeL5 <-Amazon Link to Zeolite Powder

I will warn you, this does not taste good! It feels like you’re drinking mud. Just put it in a few ounces and chug it then chase it with a full glass of water! You’ll be fine. It’s worth it.

Another one of my favorite products is Chlorophyll! This is delicious and is a great daily detox

https://www.naturessunshine.com/product/chlorophyll-stick-packs?referrer=71278513&offer=NSP <- My Nature’s Sunshine link, you can get it on Amazon as well.

https://amzn.to/4n0m4K3 <- My Amazon link.

They have 4 different flavors!

Exercise

I know, it is very hard to even think about exercising right now and every time your doctor tells you it will be good for your heart you roll your eyes and imagine punching him in the….. we don’t need to go there.

They are right, exercise will be good for your heart! But exercise doesn’t always have to look like it does for people trying to lose weight. That is a whole different goal there. We want to be able to walk to the kitchen without passing out, not walk down the beach in a string bikini - not yet anyway.

I literally could not walk a few feet without needing to sit down when I first started so I would exercise in bed. I would turn around and put my feet on the wall, straight up. This is supposed to do something about blood and your heart. I still do it every morning and evening, I think it calms your nervous system too.

I would put my arms straight up (one at a time) and push my shoulder forward like I’m kind of punching the air. This engages the peck muscles and back muscles.

I would clinch my butt cheeks (one at a time) to let my glutes know they should still be there. They will deteriorate and make your pelvic floor weak if you sit too much.

Roll your ankles, wrists, shoulders, and hips around to remind them that they should still be bendy.

Stretch your neck. Gently pull your head to one side and then the other while taking slow deep breaths.

Get a vibration plate and stand or sit on it. At first I could just sit in a chair and have my feet on it for 1 minute on the lowest setting. I still use it every morning to help my lymph and nervous system. I sometimes do a full 15 minutes but sometimes just do level 5 for 5 minutes. Start low and slow like with everything, you delicate darling.

https://amzn.to/4cT2rii <- My Amazon link to the vibe plate

One more thing I’ll recommend is an Ionic Foot Bath. I do a 30 minute session every 2 week at least to help remove toxins and inflammation from my body.

https://amzn.to/4egCrzN <- link to ionic foot bath.

I’ll be honest. This is not the exact one I have, I have not used this particular brand before. I did do research and found this to be the best option for convenience and personal use. I have a larger one because I do sessions for others. Do look at all the options before you decide, this had great reviews and the most buys in these smaller devices.

Ok. That is all for now, my chronically amazing friends. I hope you found this post helpful. I know wellness can be slow and expensive and quite frustrating that we have to do so much to just feel somewhat normal. I want you to focus on shifting that inner monologue to think about taking care of your body in a more positive way. I will do a post soon with advice on how to be positive in a body that seems to hate you. Until then, drink your water and sleep well!

-Brandi Lucas