Biological Stillness over the Shark Tank: The Power of the Soft Belly
Happy May 1st on this Functional Food Friday with a lovely full moon ;)
Happy May 1st.
We are entering a month dedicated to Mental Health Awareness, but from a functional perspective, we must address the “Environmental Injury” and poisoning.
Many of us are “Petrified Athletes”—Type A, high-achieving firstborn fixers who have lived in a state of high tension since the womb.
We were raised to push, to perform and to be the “third parent.”
This chronic stress creates a body that is stuck in a “Shark Tank” response called the Cell Danger Response and CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) driven by chronic stress.
It is not burnout. You are not a machine. Your human animal needs biological stillness to feel safe to heal.
This is often why, despite “doing all the things,” you may still struggle with a bloated, hard belly.
The Power of the Soft Belly
My journey into biological stillness began with a week-long silent retreat with Susan Child in 2017 when I took my power back from addictions to rest in peace now.
She taught me a phrase that changed my life: “Soft Belly.”
For the gymnast, the runner or the dancer, “holding it in” is a survival mechanism. But true healing begins when we fall in love with our inner child and allow that belly to soften.
Your stillness is your strength.
When we move out of the Shark Tank and into biological stillness, we allow our bodies to finally use natural binders to detox what no longer serves us.
Functional Tea Tips for the Professional Ritual
De-stressing is a biological necessity, not a luxury that I teach on our first semester at Skool with 155 future Soul & Soil Growth Peace Doulas using the BodhiBerry Peace Tree Method.
Our community is for those who are sober, holistic and med free many of us had our tonsils out before we were 2 and are divorced parents with sick kids.
If you are drowning with an overheated leaky body and no one understands what is going on with you, you are likely losing your mind and your hope.
I give you the tools to heal yourself with the DBM-5 frugally, fast and at a slow pace.
Reply to this email if you wish to know more.
The Lunar Reset
Tonight is a Full Moon. I’ll be setting out my filtered water to catch those lunar rays. It’s a simple, zero-cost way to reset your intentions and energy for the month ahead.
Your worth is not in the push. It is in the pause. 🙏
Note for my HSP readers:
If you are currently in a state of high tension and find reading difficult, you can listen to this article directly through the Substack app.
Look for the headphone icon to let the words wash over you instead.
True stewardship starts within.
When we refuse what isn’t compostable, we stop the toxic flush into our bodies and our soil.
We are the living solution to the global recycling crisis.
I will not be online in a year once the book is out because electronics cause harm to HSPs and our peaceful energy.
Join us now while the digital door is still open.
Seal the leaks. Find your stillness.
Sending Loving Kindness from Ottawa, remember:
You are love You are peace 🙏
You are the medicine for your human animal.
As within, so without. 🌕💧
Dee
Non-Toxic Mom to Noah in our non-toxic nest for c-ptsd peace on a poisonous planet🙏☮️🌎💜
PS re the leaves in Spring🍂
I intentionally do not rake my leaves in the fall. Leaving them exactly where they land is one of the simplest ways we can protect Mother Earth and all her living things.
Those "old" leaves are actually a vital winter blanket. They protect the soil from eroding, keep moisture in the ground and provide a critical home for the pollinators and beneficial insects that our garden needs to thrive in the spring.
By the time the grass turns green, those leaves are breaking down into natural compost—feeding the Earth without any toxic chemicals or plastic bags.
It’s the compost rule in action: as within, so without. We are the solution! ☮️🌎💜🙏
When was the last time you truly allowed your belly to be soft and what is the fear that keeps it tight?