One of the coolest things about my job is learning about the many stories of healing from my students.

They are especially cool when the shifts I hear about might’ve been deemed “not possible” by most in the medical establishment.

(And, just to be clear, I’ve got NOTHING against modern medicine. After all, I’d be crippled and unable to walk properly if it weren’t for orthopaedic surgery!!)

But for some forms of illness and disease – well, let’s be honest, it is a lot of stuff – the root cause can be traced back to our early years of life, via the many ways that chronic toxic stress and adversity show up and literally ‘insert’ into our cells, physiology, and behaviours.

The seminal piece of research that put this essential piece of knowledge on the scientific map was the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study, which I speak about here.

Today I’m introducing you to Sandra, one of my students from SmartBody SmartMind (SBSM).

Sandra lives with Type 1 diabetes,* and after working through and implementing the neurosensory exercises within SBSM, as well as learning the education and staying on top of her self-awareness, she has found positive shifts in her capacity to regulate her glucose levels.

Diabetes is one of the “diseases” that the ACE researchers found was correlated to early childhood adversity and chronic toxic stress, and in our conversation, Sandra and I dive into these connections from her lived experience.

I hope you take some time to listen to her story, and then consider any ailments or ill health that has been prevalent in your life that might be rooted in unhealed and unresolved early childhood adversity.

*As a reminder: Type 1 diabetes is the kind of diabetes wherein you need to take external insulin to regulate your blood glucose levels – something that is critical for human survival. For the most part, it is said that it is something you can’t change and just have to live with. 

I hope this talk with Sandra puts a little spark of hope into your awareness for what is possible when it comes to healing the human systems.

If you’d like to learn a bit more about the ACE study and its roots, then I highly recommend this tribute to the founder of this seminar work, Vincent Felitti. It is a great example of how tough it has been to get this information out into the mainstream. 

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Sandra’s links:

– Blog: https://emotionaldiabetes.ca/

– Facebook Group – Not type 1 or 2: Emotional diabetes 

Other resources mentioned: 

BOOK: When the body says no, by Gabor Maté

VLOG: Connection between migraine headache, anxiety, and nervous system dysregulation

AUDIO: Irene speaking about the ACE Study and its origins

VIDEO: Tribute to Vincent Felitti (founder/head researched of the ACE Study)

CDC’s Link for Adverse Childhood Experience’s Research