Why you cannot heal in fight-or-flight
Dr Naomi Dongelmans
Health and Happiness in The Algarve
Last Update 7 months ago
Let’s be honest: you can eat the cleanest food, take the best supplements, and do all the “right” things, and still feel wired, tired, and stuck. If your body feels like it is always on alert, it is not a motivation problem. It is a nervous system problem.
Here’s the truth most doctors skip: healing is not just about what you add. It is about what state your body is in when you add it. When your nervous system is stuck in fight-or-flight, your body prioritises survival over repair. Digestion slows down, blood sugar becomes higher, inflammation rises, and sleep becomes lighter. Even your hormones can start to feel unpredictable.
Here’s the insight most people miss:
Stress does not only live in your mind. It changes your physiology. Under chronic stress, your body diverts blood away from the gut. That can mean more bloating, reflux, constipation, or “suddenly I cannot tolerate foods I used to handle.” It can also mean you absorb nutrients less efficiently, so you keep chasing the next supplement without fixing the real bottleneck.
This is why people often say, “I am doing everything and nothing works.” In many cases, the missing piece is not another protocol. It is regulation.
Start small and make it practical: a protein-rich breakfast to stabilise blood sugar, 10 minutes of daylight in the morning, a short walk after meals, and one simple downshift ritual at night (breathing, legs up the wall, or a warm shower). These are not “soft” habits. They are biological levers.
If you want a structured way to calm your system and make your health plan finally stick, explore Rebalance your nervous system.
