Inner Genius Health with Dr. Traci Potterf, PhD

It's important to recognize that we all have our struggles. It's part of being human. But it's what we do in the face of those struggles that defines us. We can choose to stay stuck, or we can choose to take action. We can choose to embrace new possibilities. And one of the most powerful first steps to changing our health and our lives is changing our vibrational frequencies using the power of our minds.

I know change can feel daunting and like something as simple as visualizations or mental rehearsals could radically change our lives, but this is the power and beauty of your inner genius.

I believe in you. I believe that you have the strength and resilience to overcome whatever challenges come your way. And I'm here to support you every step of the way. However, the important thing is that YOU believe in YOU!

✅Save this post and give it a try for just one week and see what happens.

🧠✨Would you like a super simple yet powerful meditation tool to get you in the zone before your mental rehearsals? Try this 15 Minute Brain Trick Meditation that anyone can do, whether you are a complete newbie to meditation, have always struggled with it or are a veteran meditator.

Click the link in the comments to access it and unleash your inner genius today.

What if I told you there's a key in your possession right now? Not a tangible key made of metal, but something far more extraordinary—a key that has the power to unlock the doors to a world of untapped potential and possibility. It's the very breath that flows through your body, weaving its way through every fiber of your being.

Our breath is not just a biological function. It's a doorway—a doorway to cellular healing AND expanded states of consciousness. With each inhale and exhale, we have the opportunity to tap into our capacity for biological repair as well as a deeper sense of awareness and connection with ourselves and the world around us. This is what I call our inner genius!

The benefits of breathwork extend far beyond just calming the mind. Research has shown that conscious breathing can actually help to heal physical and emotional traumas stored in the body.

Traumatic experiences can become trapped in our nervous system, leading to chronic stress, anxiety, and even chronic illnesses. But with consistent breathing practices, we can gently rewire the parts of the brain impacted by trauma, harmonize our cellular symphony and release stored tensions, allowing the body to unwind and heal.

If you're interested in using your breath to calm your anxious mind, I've got something for you. Check out the link in the comments to watch the full video, "4 Basic Breathing Tools To Calm Anxiety And Boost Resilience." It's an easy-to-follow guide that shows you how to use your breath to heal from cell to soul. 🌬️🩵

You know, sometimes life can feel like a rollercoaster ride. There are so many responsibilities pulling us in different directions – work, family, relationships, health – it's easy to get lost in the chaos. But meditation is like a pause button. It gives you a moment to catch your breath, to step back from the whirlwind and reconnect with what truly matters.

And here's something remarkable about meditation – it's like flipping a switch that illuminates your natural genius. You see, buried beneath the layers of stress and worry lies a wellspring of creativity, intuition, and brilliance that literally has the capacity to heal you from cell to soul..

Meditation rewires your brain from trauma, balances your immune system, and promotes health and vitality by altering brain states, thoughts, and consciousness, thus affecting chemical signaling and gene expression.

But wait, there's more!

With time and practice, you'll find solutions to once-insurmountable problems, ideas flow effortlessly, and you tap into an unexpected reservoir of innovation and ingenuity.

New visions of possibility for your life reveal themselves and you start to see evidence of them showing up in your external world.

So, if you've ever felt like you're just scratching the surface of your potential, meditation is your secret key. It's like plugging into a universal power and wisdom source that amplifies your innate healing powers, talents and abilities, priming you to shine brightly in every aspect of your life.

Don't fear meditation. It's not about perfection or mysticism. It's about practicing, experimenting, and being patient with yourself. Show up consistently, start small, and even a few minutes daily can make a big difference in your presence and self-discovery.

Trust that within you lies a reservoir of strength, resilience, and yes, genius, waiting to be tapped into.

Try one of my favorite 15 minute meditation techniques that is so easy ANYONE can do it, even if you have hated meditation in the past or are brand new to it! Link in the caption.

Feeding ourselves well has gone from something natural and effortlessly shared in cultures to one of the most confusing, polarizing things we try to do.

Macros, or macronutrients, encompass proteins, fats, and carbs in your diet, but not all are equal biologically.

From carnivore, to paleo, to keto to vegan, health experts and fitness enthusiasts are in perpetual search for the holy grail of ideal nutrient balance, often FORSAKING SOMETHING CRUCIAL FOR EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR WELL-BEING:

INGREDIENT QUALITY.

If you achieve your desired macro balance but consume toxic, inflammatory foods such as factory-farmed meat, sprayed produce, chemicalized fitness shakes, high-glycemic carbs, and refined oils, you'll likely experience harmful effects:
-fatigue, brain fog and pain
-belly fat and weight issues
-hormone imbalances
-sleep disturbances
-sexual dysfunction
-chronic degenerative disease
-accelerated aging
-mood disorders like ANXIETY and depression or more severe mental illness

I use the term "INVISIBLES" to describe some of the most crucial aspects of food that WE CAN'T SEE YET MATTER IMMENSELY - like toxins, nutrients and social-environmental impact.

WE EVOLVED TO EAT PRISTINE, FRESH, MINIMALLY PROCESSED REAL FOODS, and to invest thoughtfulness, life force and resources into doing so. We did not evolve to eat overly cheap, easy and hyperconvenient zombie foods.

TRUTH: WHEN WE ACT AGAINST NATURE, WE PAY A HIGH PRICE THAT IS NEVER EVER WORTH IT.

The SOURCING and PREPARATION of your ingredients ARE SACRED, SPIRITUAL PRACTICES. They determine their nutritional value as well as the degree to which they build you up or tear you down.

MACROS DO MATTER. However, before you get your knickers in a wad over macros, make sure you're eating the most nature aligned foods you can get your hands on!

Need a hand? DM me to learn more about my Natural Anxiety Solutions program where you can learn Healthy Hedonism "anxiety free eating" for optimal mental and physical well-being.

In our world, we use just one word to encompass a vast array of bio-psycho-social experiences: ANXIETY. Yet behind that single word lie countless unique causes, each as individual as the person experiencing them.

While we may share similarities in our struggles with anxiety, no two cases are ever exactly alike. This is because anxiety is a symptom and not a disorder in and of itself. This symptom can be caused by infinitely varying combinations of traumas, daily stressors, destructive lifestyle habits, environmental exposures and microbiome imbalances (including infections), which trigger cascades of health issues that impact the brain and nervous system.

So, if this is true, if we want to truly heal anxiety, we must acknowledge this truth:

There's no one-size-fits-all magic drug or supplement that can erase chronic anxiety. Real solutions require detective work to unravel the mystery by:

1. identifying your unique underlying causes
2. reverse engineering them with solutions that work with the intelligence of nature that governs your biology, which I call your inner genius

That's what I can help you do, and the best part is that we can make it a fun, fascinating and pleasurable process where you get healthy and happy creating a life you love.

You don't have to be alone on this journey. With dedication, support, and a personalized approach, we can navigate through the complexities of your anxiety and you can emerge more fulfilled and joyful than you imagined possible on the other side.

Send me a DM and let's discover your unique causes and pave the way to a life where anxiety no longer holds you back. You have the power to transform your story, and I'm here to guide you every step of the way.

Our days can be consumed by the demands of work, family, and countless obligations, leaving little bandwidth to focus on our own well-being, let alone think about our future selves.

However, when we're operating in survival mode, our brains are wired to prioritize immediate survival over long-term goals. This means that in moments of overwhelm, we cannot access the parts of our brain responsible for foresight and wise decision-making - our "wisdom brain" if you will.

Consider mornings when you rush out with coffee, skipping breakfast, or late nights fueled by caffeine and screens, sacrificing sleep for "productivity." Who pays the price? Your future self.

That's why it's so important to cultivate habits that prioritize our future selves by making conscious choices that align with the life we want – that reflect self-love and self-care - that yield GOOD LONG TERM RESULTS.

Start by being mindful of your habits. Actions today shape your future. Prep nourishing meals ahead for the week. Have a balanced breakfast. Swap late coffee and Netflix for herbal tea, uplifting reads, or morning meditation, enjoyable movement, and time with uplifting friends.

And here's the amazing thing: The resulting mental clarity, vitality, creativity and joy will make it harder and harder NOT to make self-loving choices. The resulting energetic shifts start to remove overwhelming obstacles and open up new possibilities you might not have ever dreamed possible.

I get it. It's not always easy. Life has a way of throwing curveballs when we least expect. Even in moments of chaos and uncertainty, there are small, simple ways to show kindness and compassion to ourselves.

Maybe it's taking a few minutes to slow down your movement and breath while reminding yourself that it's okay not to always have it all together.

Take a moment today to consider future you. What choices can you make right now that will lead to a happier, healthier tomorrow? Remember, your small daily choices are the most significant life decisions that determine your ability to heal and live the life you desire.

Anxiety is a symptom, not a disorder. Just like the extremely unpleasant sound of a smoke alarm - it's your body's way of saying, "Hey, pay attention, something's not right here." It's a call for help.

Imagine if your house was on fire, and instead of putting out the flames, you just took the battery out of the smoke alarm. What would happen? Exactly. Your house would burn down.

Similarly, if you just suppress anxiety symptoms without addressing the root causes, you can end up with some serious health issues over time.

How is that?

Pretty much no one just has chronic anxiety. There are ALWAYS other health issues, whether they are debilitating symptoms, diagnosed conditions or even mystery illness that have doctors baffled or being dismissive.

This is because the bodily trauma of living in perpetual anxiety creates chemical and cellular changes in the body that can lead to chronic illness. Furthermore, traumatic stressors increase the probability of choosing self-destructive lifestyle habits, which also lead to chronic illness.

And, from the other direction, which is often overlooked in discussions on mental health, there are seemingly "normal" habits, microbial imbalances (including stealth infections) and environmental exposures that create the biology of anxiety.

And, your genetics play some role in the equation, but not in the way we have been led to believe. Even Herre, there are natural workarounds.

The good news?

There are natural anxiety solutions to - not just manage - but get rid of chronic anxiety when you do proper detective work to find and fix your unique hidden causes. This is what I have dedicated my life to helping people do.

Anxiety is not a genetic life sentence, even if there is mental illness in your family and you've experienced significant trauma. It is your body begging for nurture.

You deserve to live a life free from the shackles of anxiety.

You deserve to feel empowered and at peace in your own skin.

Check out the testimonials on my website innergeniushealth.com and DM me if you'd like to learn more.

Are you juggling work from home responsibilities while struggling with anxiety? Is it impacting your focus, creativity, productivity and enjoyment? You're not alone. Here's one powerful, free and easy practice that has been a total game changer for me and my clients.

Simply take your work outside into your yard or park and connect with the earth. Try to choose an area that has not been sprayed with toxic chemicals. Kick off your shoes and let your bare feet touch the ground. Earlier and later in the day get sun in your eyes (indirect is fine) and on your skin.

The practice of being barefoot on the earth, known as grounding or earthing, allows the frequency of the earth to flow through you. There is an electron transfer between the soles of your feet and the ground. This has been scientifically proven to reduce, not only inflammation, but also stress and anxiety.

Furthermore, by touching earth and breathing in spores from vegetation, you diversify your microbiome, which is crucial for every conceivable body function, including your brain, nervous and immune systems.

Allowing sunlight into your eyes is excellent for eyesight, alertness and circadian rhythms for more restful and regenerative sleep.

Sun on your skin without sunscreen or getting burnt supports healthy D3 levels and something called sulfation cycles for detoxification, immune function, hormone balance and much more.

Then, there are the ineffable, primal sensory benefits. Imagine sitting in your backyard, on a beach or at a nearby park, feeling the sun and breeze on your skin, the birds singing. It's a beautiful way to connect with nature and find peace amidst the chaos of everyday life.

There are too many benefits to possibly list here.

Why not give outdoor grounded working a try and let nature work its magic on you? You'll be amazed at how a simple connection with natural elements can transform your workday and make it feel more like play.

Remember, nature has a way of healing us in ways we never thought possible.

Ready to explore more natural anxiety solutions? DM me for info.

Contrary to popular belief, mindful eating isn't another diet fad. It's a powerful practice that can transform your relationship with food and reduce anxiety around eating.

When we practice mindful eating, we bring awareness to our food choices, how they make us feel, and the sensations they evoke in our bodies.

Imagine taking a bite of your favorite healthy, delicious dish. Close your eyes and really taste it. Notice the texture, the flavor, the juiciness. Allow yourself to fully experience the pleasure of eating without guilt or judgment.

Mindful eating isn't about following strict rules or depriving yourself. It's about listening to your body's hunger and fullness cues, honoring your cravings, and making choices that nourish you from the inside out.

By slowing down and savoring each bite, we can reduce stress and anxiety around food. We become more attuned to our body's needs and can make choices that support our overall well-being.

And let's not forget that we can choose to reframe thoughts that make cooking into a burden and find pleasure in preparing and enjoying delicious, nourishing meals. Whether it's a vibrant salad bursting with fresh veggies, a comforting bowl of homemade soup, an aromatic curry or a decadent homemade healthy dessert, food can be a source of immense pleasure and nourishment for both body and soul.

I encourage you to embrace mindful eating as a tool for nourishing your body, soothing your mind, and finding joy in every meal. Remember, food is not the enemy; it's a source of nourishment, pleasure, and connection.

If, like me, you've spent a lot of time in personal growth and spiritual circles, then you most likely know both the magically beautiful light aspects as well as the dark, murky shadow side.

I think most of us have heard of spiritual bypass and spiritual ego...

Here are some other terms I have devised...

⏺️Performative spirituality
⏺️Spiritual narcissism
⏺️Fauxthenticity
⏺️Competitive / comparative spirituality
⏺️Perpetual striving

Then there is grounded spirituality. It's truly authentic and humble. It doesn't need to prove itself, compete or make anyone else less than. It doesn't need a lot of public attention for validation and security. It is deeply compassionate and loves unconditionally, yet is OK being perfectly imperfectly human and looking fears and blindspots straight in the eye. It also bridges nicely with some of the most cutting edge science and traditional wisdom. It does not tear down or manipulate. It uplifts.

When I am with the most evolved people I've known, the vibe is totally down to earth, deeply loving, safe, playful, creative and like we are at home our souls. There is oneness, integrity, transparency, maturity and innocence. I so deeply admire and am grateful for these teachers and friends.

Our egos - even spiritual egos - while they can be pretty darn obnoxious, are not fundamentally bad. They are a primal aspect of our brains that are trying to protect us with the maturity of little toddler animals. They are not going anywhere until the day we are brain dead, but can be nurtured, parented and healthily integrated by our adult selves so that they have little destructive impact.

There is no one spiritual trajectory or master order of life lessons. There are lessons I got pretty early in life that others might learn later in life, and there are plenty of things that other people got really early in life that I am just now learning or haven't begun to learn.

And that's okay, because it's not a race or competition.

No matter where we are in our growth path...

We are loved.

We are love.

There is an insidious logical fallacy in our culture that if something takes time, effort, resources and some work, then it's too hard and therefore not possible. We have been taught by marketing and advertising to create a toxic life of overwhelm, and then reach for magic bullets to try to fix it.

Doesn't make any sense, right?

This is horrendously deceiving, because it is not how nature works. We are nature, and if we want to heal or solve any challenge, we must work with nature's intelligence, and not against it.

Magic pills and silver bullets by definition are destined to fail in the long run. They almost always have side effects that, at best, only grant us a partial win to make our suffering slightly more bearable, and worst, create far more pain and suffering than the thing they tried to solve in the first place. This is not too different from the fallacy of addictive substances that give a momentary high, then can destroy lives.

The good news is that there is intrinsic pleasure and healing in self nurture. The things that we need to do to heal our anxiety and other chronic health issues create a ripple effect of well-being and even exhilaration across every dimension of our lives.

When we take just a few steps working with our inner genius – the intelligence of nature within us - a momentum is formed in which
our inner genius carries us the rest of the way.

Curious to experience this for yourself? DM me or comment for more information.