Nervous System Toolkit

Next stop on my gut-health journey: how I'm supporting my nervous system.

Adam and I just got back from a quick trip to Malibu for our ongoing house renovation project. Many of you know that we’ve been trying to get our permits approved for over three years, and sometimes this project feels like a pipe dream that’s never going to happen. But, there’s light at the end of the tunnel, and I’ll give you guys a (hopefully major) update in a couple weeks.

A highlight of the trip was our dinner at Felix in Venice Beach on our last night. I’d eaten at Felix once before, but after watching the new Chef’s Table that tells the story of chef Evan Funke’s passion for traditional handmade pasta, I brought a new level of appreciation for every bite. Highly recommend, both watching the episode and going to Felix on your next trip to LA.

Let’s talk about our nervous systems.

I shared with you in a recent email that I've been focusing on supporting my nervous system lately. It’s something most of us don’t think about—until our systems are extremely dysregulated. Many of you shared that you’re on a similar journey, so I thought it might be helpful to give an update on the specific products and habits that have been making the biggest different for me.

A quick catch-up for those of you who missed that one: I’ve been deep diving into research about the gut-brain connection, and it’s fascinating. A regulated nervous system is a crucial part of healthy digestion, and despite my best efforts to bring a sense of calm to my life, I realized that my body was in a stress response way too frequently. I started wondering how much of my years-long gut health struggles could be traced to stress, busyness, and being in a “fight or flight” state—and now that I’ve been paying extra attention to my nervous system, I believe it has a lot to do with it.

To be clear, this is work that starts from within. There’s no quick fix or magic pill that can bring a deep, authentic sense of balance and calm to our lives. It’s up to each of us to carve out space in our daily schedules for prayer, mindfulness, nature, and a good night’s sleep. Those are the true essentials. But I've also been using a “toolkit” of sorts to support my nervous system and boost my other efforts. Some of these are a bit extra—you don't need all of them. But perhaps there are one or two things here that can become part of your own supportive ritual.

1. Omnibiotic Probiotic

I’m a skeptic when it comes to the efficacy of most probiotics, but this one is proven effective for stress relief and healing gut dysfunction. In the lab studies, 83% of Omnibiotic’s probiotics reach the gut alive & active (versus an average of 7% in leading U.S. brands. I've been taking this first thing every morning.

2. Breathwork

Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing and the 4-7-8 breathing technique activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you relax. I love the guided sessions from Mindful in Minutes (Kelly's podcast is amazing, too.)