How Nervous System Dysregulation Impacts the Ability to Nourish Ourselves

The parasympathetic nervous system allows for cellular repair and reduces inflammation in the body. That’s part of the reason we wholeheartedly believe in combining Taochemy acupuncture with Taochemy’s supplement line. 

Chronic stress robs you of nutrients.

Did you know that if you are chronically stressed out or your nervous system is out of balance, you can actually become malnourished due to that alone? Chronic stress taxes your body to use up vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants at a much faster rate. 

Standard supplementation is therefore not actually the first place to turn if you are malnourished, because your body isn’t in a place to receive nutrients to begin with. 

Think of eating and supplementing while in a fight-or-flight state like this: you’re only adding servings to an already overloaded plate. You may actually be overwhelming the body further. 

Starting with a clean plate -- by addressing the nervous system first with soothing techniques like acupuncture, breath work, and yoga -- and then adding on the right portions of whole foods and supportive supplements is ideal.

Address your nervous system before adding to your plate.

If you are not in rest-and-digest mode as you eat, then your body isn’t prioritizing absorption of nutrients. Acupuncture helps to address the nervous system first, bringing the body to a place where supplementation will truly benefit and nourish a person, providing the intended benefits.

Taochemy’s supplement line was designed to help support this process over time -- working at the cellular level to improve gut health and engage the parasympathetic nervous system to further turn on, tune in, and better absorb nutrients.

Understand the gut-brain axis.

We tend to think of the body as an electrical panel, especially when talking about acupuncture. Yet bacteria in our gut are responsible for some production of the neurotransmitters GABA and Glutamate. This is sometimes called the gut-brain axis. 

Glutamate is the more excitatory chemical and can also cause feelings of anxiety. GABA is the calming neurotransmitter. A poor gut microbiome can cause imbalances in these chemicals. 

What is good for the nervous system? The amino acid L-theanine, for instance, can help soothe the nervous system, even block glutamate receptors, and offer many other benefits! 

Protein-rich foods, fiber, diverse plants, plus pre-and probiotics can all help improve our microbiome.

Proper nutrition does benefit the nervous system, too

Incorporating nutrition into your routine and life is important. Yet, sometimes we need to balance our nervous system first, and then turn to supplements. 

So, where should you begin--bodywork or supplements? We believe you should start wherever you are most likely to take action. From there, you can add complementary therapies and begin to feel beneficial synergistic effects. 

Our clients have found that Taochemy acupuncture treatments work especially well alongside specially formulated whole-food concentrates like Taochemy’s supplement line.