How to Get Present When the Toddler Is Mid-Tantrum
The first two posts in this series were about that angry little toddler in your head. The default mode network. The voice inside your head that is not really you.
That's the hard part to actually accept. Because at least for me, that internal dialogue always felt like who I was. It's the voice I hear when I read. The voice I hear when I think. I spent decades assuming that voice was me. It isn't. There's something underneath it: that breath, that moment of awareness that is more than just words and internal commentary.
The first two posts explored that. And if you've had any kind of trauma (most of us have, by the way: look up the ACEs test, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and see where you land), that early wiring runs deep and colors the dialogue you have with yourself for decades. One of the more sobering things I've come across is the idea that the way you talk to your kids becomes their internal dialogue later in life. Build them up. That's all I'll say about that.
Post one cove...
The 3 Stages of Adrenal Dysfunction (And Which One You're In)
Your adrenals don't just suddenly fail. They break down in stages.
Most people don't realize they have a problem until they're in Stage 3, completely crashed, unable to function. By then it takes months or years to recover.
If you catch it in Stage 1 or 2, you can reverse it in weeks.
Here's how to know which stage you're in, and more importantly, what to do about it.
What Adrenal Dysfunction Actually Is
Your adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys. They produce cortisol, your primary stress hormone. Cortisol isn't bad. It's essential. It helps you respond to threats, regulate blood sugar, control inflammation, and maintain your sleep-wake cycle.
The problem is chronic, unrelenting stress.
When stress is acute and short-term, cortisol spikes, handles the threat, and returns to baseline. Your adrenals recover. The system works.
When stress is chronic and continuousā€”work pressure, relationship problems, financial instability, poor sleep, blood sugar crashes, chronic pain, infla...
What Getting Present Actually Does to Your Body
So what the hell does it really mean for your health when the angry dictator of your thoughts (the guy with the German accent and the shitty little mustache, you know the one), that petulant little toddler of a hypercritical internal dialogue, rears his ugly little attitude?
One post wasn't enough. Learning why something works helps you figure out how to unplug it and unwind it.
In the last post we talked about the default mode network: the internal dialogue running old programming, generating anxiety about things that either haven't happened yet or already happened twenty years ago. In its misguided stupidity it's trying to keep you safe. Most of the time from imaginary nonsense, but I guess sometimes it's actually useful in modern society. Just not on social media. Just saying.
This one is about what happens in your body when you actually get out of it.
This isn't just psychology. Presence has a physiology. And if you're already dealing with adrenal exhaustion or a nervous system...
The Adrenal-Thyroid Connection
Educational Content Disclaimer: This article provides educational information only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The content discusses general health topics and should not replace consultation with your licensed healthcare provider. Always consult with your doctor before making changes to your diet, supplements, or medications. Dr. JJ Gregor is a Doctor of Chiropractic licensed in Texas and practices within the scope of chiropractic care.
You're on thyroid medication. Your labs look better. But you still feel terrible.
Exhausted. Can't lose weight. Brain fog. Cold all the time.
Your doctor says your thyroid is fine now. Must be something else.
Here's what they're missing: your thyroid and adrenal glands work together. When one fails, the other compensates until it can't anymore.
Fix your thyroid without fixing your adrenals? You won't feel better.
Fix your adrenals without supporting your thyroid? Same problem.
Here's how these two glands in...
Ready to Destress From the Holiday Season? Learn To Meditate
Educational Content Disclaimer: This article provides educational information only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The content discusses general health topics and should not replace consultation with your licensed healthcare provider. Always consult with your doctor before making changes to your diet, supplements, or medications. Dr. JJ Gregor is a Doctor of Chiropractic licensed in Texas and practices within the scope of chiropractic care.
Happy Thanksgiving Week!
I've been talking about ways to keep yourself healthy during the holidays. And let's be honestā€”sometimes it's our family members causing most of the stress.
But here's what I want you to understand: meditation isn't just about feeling zen or being spiritual. It's a physiological intervention that directly affects your stress response system.
When you meditate consistentlyā€”even just 20 minutes per dayā€”you're not just relaxing. You're reprogramming your HPA axis and restoring adrenal fun...
The Science Behind the Adrenal Gland
The Science Behind the Adrenal Gland
Your adrenal glands are walnut-sized organs that sit on top of your kidneys. They're small, but they control nearly every aspect of your stress response, energy production, immune function, and metabolic health.
When your adrenals function properly, you handle stress efficiently. When they're exhausted, everything breaks downā€”fatigue, inflammation, hormone imbalances, blood sugar crashes, immune dysfunction.
Understanding how your adrenal glands work helps you recognize when they're failing and what to do about it.
Here's the science behind adrenal function, the three major stress hormones, and why chronic stress wrecks your health.
The Three Major Adrenal Hormones
Your adrenal glands produce dozens of hormones, but three dominate your stress response:
1. Epinephrine (Adrenaline)
Epinephrine is your immediate "fight or flight" hormone.
Example: You're driving. The car in front of you slams on its brakes. You swerve into the next lane, barel...
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