It’s never too late to make great changes! 

On this episode of The Trimester Bubble, Dr. Katherine talks about her “back to basics” tips for the new year. Start small, make commitments you can stick to, and before you know it, you’ll be on your way to a year full of great sleep, balanced meals, and attainable exercise. 

Sleep

We often see patients in our office who are feeling the aches and pains of a poor night’s sleep. Set yourself up for success by:

Diet and Nutrition

Rather than focusing on taking food away from your plate, focus on the ratio of food on your plate. Aim for:

Steer clear of fried and processed foods as much as possible, and try out prepping your meals for the week on Sunday or Monday to make healthy weekday meals easier. 

Exercise

Move your body every day! If structured exercise sounds inaccessible, try out:

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Disclaimer

This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers/listeners of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Elyssa Wright nor Body and Balance Chiropractic. LLC nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading, listening or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

The holiday season can bring up a lot of emotions around self, family, events, food, and more. This week on the Trimester Bubble, we chatted with Jessica Van Antwerp for a better understanding of stress and learned some helpful, practical ways to tackle stress this season!

Why is Stress Management Important?

Stress levels are a key indicator of overall health (as well as nutrition and movement). It’s a contributing factor to all major diseases and changes your body’s processes when heightened.

Finding ways to manage the stress of everyday life and the added stressors of life events and holidays can support your longterm disease prevention, help you absorb vitamins and minerals better, and support your body’s innate healing process.

Stress Management Ideas

Stress management can include anything that helps you breathe and slow down. This might look like:

Self Care

While “self care” can feel like a buzzword, it can be pretty simple and very helpful. During the relentless pace of the holiday season, your stress management practices will make great self care practices. 

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to self care, but we’ve put together some ideas to get you started on your self care path:

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Disclaimer

This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers/listeners of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Elyssa Wright nor Body and Balance Chiropractic. LLC nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading, listening or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

The pregnancy journey brings up so many new questions, like:

On The Trimester Bubble, we’re happy to share some of the incredible experts and resources we have access to in Boulder, Colorado, so you can benefit from them wherever you are!

This week, Dr. Elyssa and Dr. Katherine sat down with Dr. Margo Gasta to discuss her work as a functional medicine dietitian and certified classical homeopath working with women on the path of pregnancy. We chatted about some of those common questions to help bring you some guidance along your journey!

When to Start Thinking About Nutrition

If you’re planning to get pregnant, it’s great to start thinking about nutrition now! Dr. Margo recommends getting labs done as a baseline and reviewing the results with your functional medicine practitioner. 

Creating Good Habits Pre-Pregnancy

Trimester 1 can bring a whole slew of physical and emotional shifts that make creating new habits even more difficult. So if you’re planning to get pregnant, consider taking a look at these areas to set yourself up well:

Dr. Margo Gasta is a functional medicine dietitian and a certified classical homeopath. She has been practicing for 34 years, working with gastro-intestinal issues, chronic pelvic pain, autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue, ADHD, anxiety, and depression. 

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Disclaimer

This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers/listeners of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Elyssa Wright nor Body and Balance Chiropractic. LLC nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading, listening or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

Like clockwork, every autumn the calls start rolling in: Is this allergies or the flu or a cold?

While fall and winter are typically “cold and flu season,” it doesn’t happen just because the weather is turning… it might be your nervous system crashing the party!

Be honest - how do you feel about the holiday season coming up?

Does it make you feel joyful, relaxed, and happy? Or - much more likely - like a “stressball”?

This fall, fight cold and flu season with a strong nervous system!

Your Immune System and Nervous System

Especially during this season, it’s important to balance the two main parts of your autonomic nervous system: 

Your fight or flight gets triggered with all kinds of modern stressors, including sudden noises, email alerts, phone dings, etc. When these stressors happen, your body produces a hormone reaction that disrupts your sleep, digestive system, reproductive system, and immune system. Meaning, your body is fighting everything except the external cold and flu bugs.

Shifting Into a Peaceful Holiday Season

Ready to have a holiday season full of ease and grace? Dr. Elyssa has three easy, accessible tips for you!

Let us know how these tips work for you this holiday season, or if you have any to add!

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Disclaimer

This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers/listeners of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Elyssa Wright nor Body and Balance Chiropractic. LLC nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading, listening or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

Ever wonder what a birth doula does?

Doulas can serve many roles in the pregnancy, birth, and postnatal journey. This can include:

It truly takes a village to support the pregnancy and birth process, as this week’s Trimester Bubble guest, Jennie Bingham, reminded us. She is a birth and postpartum doula and massage therapist based here in the “bubble” in Boulder, CO.

Birth doulas also help support a continuity of care, as you may or may not have the same medical team throughout your pregnancy and birth. They can adapt to your needs and play whatever role is needed, including being hands-on support during your delivery.

Bodywork is another crucial care practice for pregnancy. Between chiropractic care and massage, you can find relief from common pregnancy complaints like:

Plus, receiving bodywork during pregnancy (by a qualified practitioner) can help you build body awareness for a more easeful pregnancy (posture, functional movement) and labor. 

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Disclaimer

This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers/listeners of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Elyssa Wright nor Body and Balance Chiropractic. LLC nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading, listening or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

If you’ve visited Body & Balance before, you’ve likely experienced Dynamic Body Balancing. 

But what is it, really?

Dynamic Body Balancing (DBB) is a craniosacral myofascial unwinding technique originally developed by Dr. Carol Phillips. The practitioners at Body & Balance are trained extensively in DBB and use it with nearly every patient. DBB is three parts: 

Your Craniosacral System

We all have three primary metrics of health: your heartrate, respiration (breathing) rate, and cranial rhythmic impulse. 

The latter is what pumps fluid in and around your nervous system, bringing nutrients in and flushing toxins out of your brain. In DBB, practitioners clear any restrictions in your craniosacral system and help you find balance.

Myofascial Unwinding

Fascia is the spiderweb-like connective tissue that encases all of your muscles, ligaments, nerves, bones, and organs. When something gets “stuck” in your fascia, it can create all kinds of discomfort.

In practice, myofascial unwinding as part of Dynamic Body Balancing can look like rocking or shaking. While you are moving around, your practitioner is tapping into the receptors that talk to you brain and activating them so your brain can show the body what needs attention and the body will respond with unwinding. 

Dynamic

The “Dynamic” part of DBB means you’re sitting up or standing in gravity, rather than lying down for the entire session. This allows your body to more easily find “stuck” points and torsions. 

Torsions can come from many sources, including old injuries, traumas, repetitive motions, and inutero. We often see torsions from car accidents, falls, and student athletes. Athletes who play golf, tennis, lacrosse, soccer, baseball, plus dancers and snowboarders all have built-in torsions from their sport. Bodies can become unbalanced from a single torsion event (e.g. car accident) or a lifetime of layered torsions.

Is DBB right for me?

If you’ve tried other modalities of healing and they’re not lasting, or something’s missing, Dynamic Body Balancing is a great option. While everyone can benefit from DBB, we most frequently treat the following groups:

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Disclaimer

This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers/listeners of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Elyssa Wright nor Body and Balance Chiropractic. LLC nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading, listening or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

Feeling overloaded with all the pregnancy advice from doctors, family members, strangers, and the bottomless pit that is the internet?

Let’s get back to the basics. 

Very simply, rule number one is to listen to yourself. Your internal wisdom is super smart and will tell you what’s okay and what’s not okay. 

Connect with you and baby with these simple tips as you embark on your pregnancy journey:

Nutrition

Through the…interesting…cravings that can go along with pregnancy, there are a few simple things to keep in mind. 

Sleep

Your body will usually tell you the best way to sleep as you move through trimesters and your baby grows. Sleeping on your side with lots of pillow support is generally the way to go! Grab some pillows or a U-pillow to support your head, baby, and between-the-knees for your side sleeping.

Stress

Cortisol, your stress hormone, can impact all the other hormones in your body - and in baby’s body. What’s a mama to do? Regulate your nervous system with breath! Find a regular occurrence during your day - like going to the bathroom - and take 5 deep breaths just for you. Inhale silence, exhale racing thoughts. 

Manage stress with outside support like massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, etc. At Body & Balance, we specialize in regulating your nervous system in addition to helping your body feel its best. 

Movement

Should I keep lifting weights? Can I keep running while I’m pregnant? Generally, you can keep doing what you were doing before you got pregnant (as long as it feels ok), though now is not the time to push your limits or set PRs. 

Whether you were a “walker” before your pregnancy or not, now is a great time for walking! Start small and build up your walking duration to about 45 minutes a day and include as a regular part of your day throughout your pregnancy.

In this episode you’ll hear about:

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Disclaimer

This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers/listeners of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Elyssa Wright nor Body and Balance Chiropractic. LLC nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading, listening or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

This week on The Trimester Bubble, we chatted with yoga teacher and craniosacral therapist, Allie Greer to hear about the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of pre- and post-natal yoga.

About Allie Greer:

Listen to full episodes of The Trimester Bubble (formerly Balancing Holistic Mamas) on your favorite podcast player:

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Disclaimer

This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers/listeners of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Elyssa Wright nor Body and Balance Chiropractic. LLC nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading, listening or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

Welcome to The Trimester Bubble! 

Formerly Balancing Holistic Mamas, we are now The Trimester Bubble. Why the new name? The Body & Balance clinic and The Trimester Bubble podcast are based in Boulder, CO. Locals often call this unique area “the bubble” - plus, we know that being in any trimester of the pregnancy journey can feel like you’re in a bubble of your own. 

We are excited to bring the incredible pregnancy resources from our bubble to yours!

We know it takes a village to move through the journey of fertility (trimester 0) to pregnancy (trimesters 1-3) to postnatal care (trimester 4) and raising little ones. The Trimester Bubble and the doctors at Body & Balance are here to demystify the process and help make you more comfortable and confident along the way.

In this episode you’ll hear about:

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Disclaimer

This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers/listeners of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Elyssa Wright nor Body and Balance Chiropractic. LLC nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading, listening or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Fevers can be scary for parents, especially during a pandemic. In this episode, learn about what a fever is, how it affects our body’s system, typical signs and symptoms, and holistic treatments to care for your little one’s fevers. Fevers are the body’s way of reacting and protecting against infections and how the fever triggers and alerts the body to protect and fight.

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This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers/listeners of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Elyssa Wright nor Body and Balance Chiropractic. LLC nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading, listening or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.