[Pod]#40 Let Go To Heal [Part 3] - ACE Study

In today’s episode, I am picking up where I left off in terms of the mind-blowing information about the correlation between the ACE Study, toxic stress, and later-in-life health issues. I will touch on resilience and strategies to let go to heal. Lastly, I will get personal and share my score and what I have been doing to heal as well.

P.S. If you haven’t got your ACE score yet, CLICK HERE to answer 10 questions now.

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT IN ACCORDION

[Transcript] What's Mental Health?

If you are new to the show or need a refresher, I encourage you to check out episode 37 and episode 39.

Let’s reflect together for a minute…

Society praises people who push through and succeed often by dismissing their adversities and emotions. How many people are putting up a façade at work and even at home to protect their careers and relationships? Could that be because they feel once open themselves up, they will lose control and life will change forever?

According to the CDC, mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a 2019 survey showed that one in five US adults is living with a mental illness. However, there is still a negative stigma against counselling. Many people forego treatment due to judgment, doubt, pride, fear, misinformation.

Another reason I encourage you do the ACE questionnaire and continue to learn more about it is because even if you have a score of zero, approximately 61% of Americans present at least one type of ACE. Roughly 12% have four or more types of ACEs.

[Transcript] Therapy, Convos, and Resilience

Dr. Vincent Felitti, on the authors of the ACE Study, says answering the questionnaire “helps to normalize the conversation about Adverse Childhood Experiences and their impact on our lives. When we make it okay to talk about what happened, it removes the power that secrecy so often has.”

He adds, “A mechanism, and momentum, for healing is set in place, even for seemingly intractable chronic conditions. Just one conversation about the fact that ACEs matter in a patient’s current health can have enormously beneficial output. Asking, including about subjects we have been taught as children that nice people don’t discuss, Listening, and Accepting that patient for who they are, in all their human complexity, are a powerful form of Doing that confers great relief to patients.”

Dr. Felitti continues to see that, “Once a patient is able to say that something happened to them when they were small, they begin to heal.”

After all the information I am sharing with you, does the expression ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’ hit you differently? Another upside of this understand might be that you might be more curious about other people’s lives especially when they show express certain behaviors, actions and reactions that you have had a hard time to understand.

As kids, we are defenseless, we soak it all in. We are in the middle of circumstances we have little to no control. We build mechanisms to deal with life. And if you are like me, you may wonder where parts of your childhood memories went.

Some people will suffer more than others. Just because you have ACEs, it doesn’t mean your health is sabotaged. Some children become emotionally resilient.

If you are wondering about the relationship between childhood adversities and resilience, a lot of research has evolved in this field, especially after the ACE Study. I would like to share a couple of things.

Two things play a key role:

The amount of hardship—the right amount can help build resilience, coping skills, and more. Mark Seery, associate professor at the University of Buffalo says “Negative life experiences can toughen people, making them better able to manage subsequent difficulties. People who have been through difficult experiences have had a chance to develop an ability to cope.”

The level of predictability of chronic stress. The more unpredictable stress is, the harder it is for the body to turn inflammatory hormone off. Dr. Seery says that “Exposing a child to unpredictable chronic stress causes the body to churn out inflammatory stress hormones igniting a state of chronic physical and neural inflammation and disease.”

The information and studies in this area are fascinating.

So here is the deal too… A team of mental health practitioners, researchers, and physicians developed the resilience study and questionnaire. If your ACE score is 4+, get your score now. I added the resilience questionnaire to the transcript of this episode (see below).

[Transcript] Getting Personal and Healing Activities

I have an ACE score of 5. After I figured mine, I figured I needed to know mom and sister. Mom has a 6, and my sister has a 7.

My discovery and healing journey started in 2015 with my first sessions of EVOX. That opened myself up to unimaginable conversations, reflections, and knowledge. Another phase of the journey emerged earlier this year. Although this deep work has been emotional, it’s been fascinating and empowering.

I’ve taken several steps to put this puzzle together and figure myself out. I am not sure if I will every finish the puzzle. I will tell you this, it’s exciting to place each piece. That’s what I am after: place one piece at a time, keep learning, growing, applying and sharing with amazing people like you.

Talking about sharing and steps…

In addition to EVOX therapy, reading books, and answering questionnaires, and having hard conversations, a few other steps to mention have been…

Writing, intentional breathing, practicing Mindsight, and following the health and lifestyle protocols I recommend to my clients. I am NOT perfect. I aim to do my best and when I fail, to fail forward. As a holistic health coach and trainer, that’s what I want for you as well. I believe in you. And when you are ready for a hand, mine is available.

You may know that I changed my lifestyle, health, and career 180º. You may have noticed I keep it raw and have not problems sharing my story. It’s because my goal is to empower you to take the necessary steps to start and continue your health transformation journey. So, I have $0.02 to share.

If you have fears and stigmas, learn to let it go so you discover your full potential and lead a fulfilling life until your last breath. Be yourself. Acknowledge where you are and where you came from. Understand that you when you hold on to toxic stress and untreated traumas your body and mind are likely suffering. Understand that you are NOT defined by your past.

Allow the science about neurogenesis, neuroplasticity, epigenetics, and nutrigenomics to open your mind and heart. Then, it’s about taking one step at a time to your next level of awesomeness!

The bottom line is…you CAN do something that can change the direction of your life or the life of a loved one. Therapy, meditation, and mindsight are strategies that have been transforming the lives of people with ACEs.

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It’s a wrap, my friend. This ACE Study mini-series has come to an end, at least for now. I’d love to hear your feedback about this mini-series.

If you’ve found it valuable, share it with your family and friends. 61% of Americans have ACEs. Help me raise awareness, inspire people to get their score and learn more about it. Millions of children are being raised by parents with ACEs. There are campaigns in place to help prevent ACEs. Two websites loaded with resources are CDC.gov and http://www.acestoohigh.com.

And of course, when you are ready to kick start your health transformation, let’s do it together. Go to BeFabBeYou.com and schedule a complimentary call. I’d love to be part of your health village.

Sending you love. Talk to you soon!

[Transcript] The Resilience Score / Questionnaire

Answer these 10 magic questions and get your score.

RESILIENCE Questionnaire

Please choose the most accurate answer under each statement:

1. I believe that my mother loved me when I was little.