Sd Protocol: Achieve Greater Health and Wellbeing: Sympathetic Dominance

By Dr Wayne Todd

This life is about thriving not just surviving and this book you hold in your hands has the key to unlock your future potential for improved and sustained health. When you have health, mentally physically and chemically, the energy to live a wholly fulfilling life is achievable.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Feb 9, 2016
• ISBN: 9780994315229

Book preview

This book is intended as an informative reference volume only, not as a medical manual. The information given is written to assist you in making informed decisions about your health, and is not a substitute for any medical advice you may have been given or medication you may have been prescribed by your doctor. If you have a medical condition, we urge you to seek help from your primary healthcare giver.

All internet addresses given in this volume were correct at the time of printing.

© 2015 Dr Wayne Todd

Publisher: Todd Wellness Group

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher and copyright owners.

Todd Wellness Group books may be purchased for business, promotional or special uses. For more information, write to:

Todd Wellness Group,

P.O. Box 1500, Sale, VIC, 3850 Australia

Softcover ISBN: 978-0-9943152-2-9

eBook ISBN: 978-0-994-3152-1-2

Contents

Foreword – Cyndi O’Meara

SECTION 1: WHAT IS SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE?

1.   Introducing Sympathetic Dominance

Where it all Began

The Word We All Hate

An Epidemic in Society

2.   How Health Works

Things to Remember as you Read

Patient Story: Catherine

Structurally Well. Functionally – Not So Much

3.   Understanding Sympathetic Dominance

Nervous System Basics

Sympathetic Wind-Up mode

4.   Inside the Wound-Up Brain

Sibling 1:

Sibling 2:

Sibling 3:

Sibling 4:

Sibling 5:

SECTION 2: HALLMARKS OF SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE

5.   The Posture Problem

Patient Story: Tegan

The Postural Feedback Loop

Posture and Oxygenation

Lower Back Pain and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Patient Story: Samantha

Dealing with the Posture Problem

6.   Leaky Gut Syndrome

Patient Story: Thomas

Patient Story: Leonie

When You’re Doing Everything Right, but Something is Going Wrong

Patient Story: Mikaela

Not Another Crash Diet

What do you do about Leaky Gut Syndrome?

7.   Adrenal Fatigue: The Modern Blight

Patient Story: Grace

Patient Story: Megan

Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms

A Practical Example of Adrenal Fatigue and Inflammation

8.   Oestrogen Overload

Patient Story: Paula

Patient Story: Catherine

The Zinc Issue

What to do about Oestrogen Dominance

SECTION 3: SYMPATHETIC DOMINOS – THE KNOCK ON EFFECTS

9.   The Adrenal – Thyroid Link

Patient story: Margaret

Patient Story: Kristen

What do I do about my Thyroid?

10. Gallbladder

What to do about Gallbladder Dysfunction

11. Autoimmunity and Autoimmune Disorders

Patient Story: Erin

Taking Care of Autoimmunity

12. Mood, Anxiety and Depression

Sympathetic Wind-Up and Anxiety

Oestrogen and Mood

Adrenal Hormones and Their Mood Effects

The Food-Mood Connection

Cholesterol and Serotonin

Environment, Lifestyle Factors and Depression

13. Sympathetic Dominance and Men

Patient Story: Rob

14. Unhappily Ever After

Sleep

What Happened to all my DHEA?

Hypertension

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

SECTION 4: THE WIND-DOWN TOOLKIT

15. The SD Protocol

Controlling Light Input

Dampening Sound Input

Supplements

Posture Correction

IgG Blood Profile Test

Meditation

Chiropractic Adjustments

Lifestyle Factors

16. Calming Down the Busy Brain

Tips for Starting Out

Guided Imagery

Body Scan

Breath on Breath

The Benefits of Meditation

17. Exercise Guides

18. From Here to Better Health

APPENDICES

Appendix A: Practitioner Statement

Appendix B: FAQs

Appendix C: Bibliography

Acknowledgements

All names appearing in case studies have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals.

Foreword – Cyndi O’Meara

I’ve been a nutritionist for 30 years. When I began consulting there were not too many issues I couldn’t help with in regards to weight, heart disease, diabetes and other lifestyle diseases. We have known how to help these diseases for many years, and we know that diet and lifestyle have a significant effect on the outcome of these diseases. And if protocols are engaged, then the prognosis improves, thus improving morbidity and mortality parameters.

Having said that, times are changing and disease is becoming more complicated, so it seems, implicating most of the systems of the body. It’s no longer one issue but rather many symptoms people now present with to their primary care practitioners. Medications are the norm and it’s not uncommon for people to be on a plethora of medications for numerous symptoms.

It’s always amused me when people say that ‘he was perfectly healthy then he dropped dead of a heart attack.’ He was obviously not perfectly healthy. For most people it takes a long time for the heart and health to degenerate enough for infarctions (lack of oxygen to the heart muscle) thus a heart attack to occur, it’s just that we miss the bodies indicators or signs that something is wrong.

Our bodies continue to give us signs that something is not working in the way of function and symptoms. At first it whispers: slight headaches, a few aches and pains, stiffness in the neck and back, tiredness, not sleeping right and many small niggles that instead of paying attention to them, we may take a medication or ignore the symptoms all together and continue on our lifestyle as though nothing is wrong believing it will go away.

Missing the whispers of the body and ignoring them is like seeing the red light on the dash board of your car warning you that something is wrong (low oil, low battery, low petrol) and putting a band-aide over it so you don’t have to look at it any more. We all know what the result will be if we ignore that little red light and I can’t imagine anyone covering up the dash board light.

But I see people doing this continually to their body, ignoring the warning, band-aiding with anti-inflammatories and painkillers, and continuing on their journey only to be pulled up short when the body stops whispering and starts yelling or even screaming: heart attack, diabetes, thyroid issues, cancer, severe joint pain and inflammation, chronic fatigue, exhaustion, daily migraines and the list is endless.

It’s time to change this paradigm of ignoring and what we believe to be health care but in reality is crisis and sickness care – we need to stop band-aiding the red light and the warning signals.

In order to change you first have to educate yourself on how the body signals to you that something is wrong and instead of ignoring the issue, take control and make lifestyle adjustments. The SD Protocol by Dr. Wayne Todd gives that education and teaches you to listen to the early and later warning signs that your body is not functioning for health, but rather mere survival. Don’t wait, that is the key because some times when the body starts screaming at you, it has gone past the point of no return.

Dr. Wayne Todd and I have been friends for 25 years and over that time we’ve had many discussions on the health of human beings. Since we began our careers in our respective professions, I working in the field of nutrition and Dr. Todd working on the physical and neurological aspects of the body, we’ve seen a growing crisis with regards to health, both for humans and the environment. We’ve also seen that an integrative holistic approach is the way to help this health crisis.

This life is about thriving not just surviving and this book you hold in your hands has the key to unlock your future potential for improved and sustained health. When you have health, mentally physically and chemically, the energy to live a wholly fulfilling life is achievable.

Dr. Todd and I and many other health professionals over the past 30 years and especially more in the last 10 years have seen a growing sickness phenomenon. Autoimmune diseases are growing at an astronomical rate, thyroid disease, adrenal exhaustion, ovarian issues such as PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), endometriosis, infertility, depression, anxiety, erectile dysfunction and the list is exhaustive. Not only are adults in trouble but so are our children, and the public health care system is not fixing the problem. It’s been said that insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Well I’m here to tell you that if you do something different you will see a different result, but knowing what to do and understanding the problem is important in order to move forward.

We have a body that has evolved over a long period of time, survival and continuation of the species has been fundamental in human evolution. The Hunter Gatherer has been around most of our history and so it’s important for us to look to our past to understand the problems we are experiencing.

We have a biochemistry that relies on night and day as well as plant and animal based foods. Our physical body has the ability to run from the external enemy and our chemical body can fight enemies (bugs, parasites, viruses) that attack from within. It is this innate intelligence that has enabled modern humans to be alive and thrive today.

So then why are we in such a crisis? Firstly, we have dismissed our evolutionary past and believed our ancient biochemical body can survive in this new modern world of stress, bright lights, processed foods, loud noises, little physical movement, sitting all day, increase in screen times, constantly on the go, no down time and so on.

The SD Protocol looks at our evolutionary body and makes sense of why we just don’t have one symptom or problem but a cascade of health issues that will snowball until every system in the body is affected, both physically and mentally. Dr. Todd with his 30 years of clinical experience, research and continuing education has nailed the modern health dilemma and succinctly put together this book, which addresses modern health issues that will revolutionise the way we look at modern disease.

We can no longer just look at diet, or function or symptoms, we must take a holistic approach to this modern syndrome that Dr. Todd has so eloquently and simply outlined. This is not a one pill wonder – they never work for long, but this is an approach that touches on many aspects of a lifestyle in order to make lasting change.

Dr. Wayne Todd in this revolutionary book not only looks at the problem but gives very simple solutions for change that synchronise with our evolutionary bodies. You will find yourself nodding as you read through the common sense solutions.

Dr. Todd is an informed educator and by reading this book and following his protocol you will see a change in your health outcome. Action is the key, it is all well and good to have the knowledge but if you do not act on this book and the knowledge it imparts then you can’t expect any significant changes in your health. You are the ultimate hero to save yourself in this partnership. And in saving yourself we just might save our future generations.

Happy Changing Habits

Cyndi O’Meara

Nutritionist and Founder of Changing Habits.

1

Introducing Sympathetic Dominance

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

For twenty-seven years, I’ve been in the business of health and wellness, of restoring and nurturing nervous systems, and caring for patients in the grip of innumerable ailments. My job was never just about dealing with pain and illness though. My passion lay in empowering people to be in control of their health, to be truly well.

Over the years, I found myself caring for hundreds of people who seemed to be in survival mode. Some of them were incredibly busy, running from one thing to the next, caring for others, or nursing the ill. Others were wound-up, doing their best to bear up under the weight of life’s circumstances, or simply putting an incredible amount of pressure on themselves for whatever reason. Some have been dealt cruel hands health-wise. The reasons why these people could be living in survival mode were as innumerable as the conditions they faced.

That’s where the links started appearing in my mind. These patients seemed to be chasing symptoms, seemingly random ones at that. But the more I observed this trend, the less random they seemed to be. I began to see one factor at the root of it all – something we could so easily change, if we only knew about it.

As the dots began connecting for me, I started to see person after person who was in this same boat. They often suffered from the so-called ‘random’ symptoms. Managing them was important, even life-preserving at times. But I couldn’t stay focused purely on symptoms: I needed to go after the cause. Years on, having found a pathway out of this particular health maze, it has been a joy to empower others to do the same.

Jenna was one such patient. When she walked into my office, warning bells started ringing in my head straight away. Jenna was suffering from numbness on one side of the face as well as in her arms and legs. She had blurred vision in one eye and a raft of other symptoms. They were all pointing in a very concerning direction: that of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Jenna’s tests were inconclusive, eventually ruling out MS but not offering any solutions. This lack of answers was distressing but I said to her, "Regardless of whether or not this is Multiple Sclerosis, I have an idea of what the underlying cause might be."

It wasn’t over-confidence or false optimism that made me say that. I could see in her symptoms and characteristics an all too familiar story.

Jenna and her husband Andrew sat across from me as I reeled off a long list of symptoms. It’s one I have used hundreds of times in recent years, for patients with all sorts of health issues and concerns. I was seeing a remarkably common link at the root of them all. Her case was no different.

I said, "You are a light sleeper and you have vivid dreams. You are sensitive to both light and noise." Jenna and Andrew nodded.

"Your shoulders feel like concrete and you find that you sweat more than you used to." More nods.

"You have hormonal issues, and you are experiencing food intolerances and gut issues. You suffer from unmanageable fatigue. I went on to describe other symptoms, all to more nods from Andrew and Jenna. Finally I started to explain Jenna’s personality, including how she often felt wound-up, had to have everything organized and just so," and was a bit of a ‘Type A’ personality.

It was at this point Andrew picked his jaw up off the floor and exclaimed "How do you know my wife?" I’d pinpointed many of her symptoms and personality traits without being told about them.

Over the weeks that followed, Jenna was told she didn’t have MS. Good news, no doubt! But being told she didn’t have an autoimmune disorder would not relieve her symptoms. Nor would it decrease her anxiety over what was causing them.

Does this sound familiar? It doesn’t matter whether it’s an autoimmune disorder or something like migraines or hormone and food issues. Not having anything conclusive show up on a test often has people thinking, ‘I’m a hypochondriac’ or ‘I’m going crazy.’

Neither was true for Jenna, and hundreds of other patients like her. The symptoms had told me everything I needed to know though. Jenna was Sympathetically Dominant. We enacted the treatment protocol straight away. As I always do, I encouraged Jenna not to abandon her specialist appointments.

Within weeks, the numbness and blurred vision had resolved. Jenna started sleeping well. Her gut function improved. A number of symptoms she didn’t even know were connected started dissipating.

By the time she got around to her next specialist appointment, she had no symptoms to report.

Honestly, I can’t count the number of times I have had conversations just like that one. The original presentation may have differed – migraines, high blood pressure, gut issues, tense shoulders, pain in a number of joints and autoimmune disorders to name a few, but at the root of it all, there was something all too common. It’s a list of symptoms leading down the same pathway called Sympathetic Dominance (when something called the Sympathetic Nervous System becomes dominant).

Due to a series of built-in triggers, the brain knows when it needs to activate the fight or flight survival mechanism. It’s called the Sympathetic Nervous System and we’ve known for a long time that it exists. When it activates, it suppresses your digestive system, reproductive system, immune system and the repair functions of the body.

Under normal circumstances, the Sympathetic Nervous System activates in response to extreme physical, cognitive or emotional stress. This is useful as it allows our body to adapt to situations and ensures we have enough fuel for the crisis. Medical science has led to a relatively clear understanding of the reactions in the body in these situations.

What we haven’t explored in depth is what happens when this survival mechanism stays switched on or fired up for extended periods of time. This is when our body’s hardwired stress responses cross out of ‘normal circumstance’ where they are helpful, to a scenario in which prolonged physiological change can actually cause harm.

Modern life doesn’t improve this scenario. We leave demanding jobs and arrive home with financial stress sitting like heavy weights on our shoulders. We wake up with a to-do list as long as our arm. We go to bed knowing the same will wait for us the next day. Some of us have businesses, noisy or demanding family lives. Others have illnesses or sick loved ones that we worry over.

We lie awake at night worrying about mortgages, exams, interviews, relationships, and the list goes on. Typically, we don’t think of these things when we think of fight or flight. But they represent only a handful of issues that can activate the survival mechanism and keep it activated.

The rest of the list may surprise you. It includes the constant barrage of light and noise we deal with, the poor posture we often engage in when we spend hours looking down at our laptops and handheld devices, and the simple fact that many of us are living life in a ‘wound up’ state.

Can we live life in complete silence with the lights turned off? No. Can we avoid the use of technology? Absolutely not! Can we avoid stress and the demands of modern life completely, never facing a financial, relational or health stressor ever again? The answer to that is a resounding no!

We can think about whether