Awareness Health

What if the symptom isn't the whole story? 🌿

From a natural, vitalistic perspective, we can look at the body differently.

Instead of automatically seeing a symptom as the illness itself, we can see it as an outward expression of what is happening within the body — the body's response as it works to adapt, regulate, eliminate, repair, and restore balance.

That changes the questions we ask.

Instead of only asking,
“How do I get rid of this symptom?”

We can also ask:

“What is the body communicating?”
“What is creating the imbalance?”
“How can I support the body's innate ability to restore balance?”

This perspective is at the heart of my work at Awareness Health.

🌿 HOMEOPATHY
Looks at the individual pattern of the person and their symptoms as a whole, seeking to support the person's innate healing response rather than simply focusing on a diagnosis or isolated symptom.

👐 CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY
Works with the body's innate health — its inherent capacity for balance and organization. When tension and restrictions within this system are gently addressed, it can create a ripple effect throughout the body. Because our systems are interconnected, supporting one area can influence how other systems function and interact.

🤲 FUNCTIONAL BODYWORK
Works with multiple systems of the body — muscular, fascial, skeletal, lymphatic, visceral, and others — to reduce tension, improve function, and help these systems integrate and work together more efficiently.

Rather than simply working on the place that hurts, Functional Bodywork looks at relationships throughout the body and how restrictions or imbalances in one area may affect another.

Different approaches.
Different methods.

But one underlying idea:

The body is constantly communicating.

Symptoms are information — clues that invite us to look deeper at what is happening within the whole person.

Supporting health means working with the body instead of suppressing the body.

Listening.
Creating space.
Reducing restrictions.
Improving function.
Supporting balance.

🌱 Curious about what your body may be communicating?

Let's explore it together.

Send me a message with the word “CURIOUS” and tell me what you're experiencing. We can talk about what approach may be a good place to start for you.

*Natural and complementary approaches are not a substitute for appropriate medical evaluation or treatment when needed.

Craniosacral Therapy snd Homeopathy can be very beneficial for people with POTS!

Most people with POTS think about physical exertion as their main trigger. Standing too long, doing too much, being on their feet. But a lot of you have noticed something that doesn't fit that narrative. You crash from a work meeting. You're wiped out after a phone call. You try to read something for twenty minutes and it feels like you ran a mile. And you were sitting the entire time.

This study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association explains exactly why that happens. 🧠

Researchers tested cerebral blood flow and cognitive performance in POTS patients during sustained cognitive tasks. What they found was clear. During cognitive demand, POTS patients had reduced cerebral blood flow compared to healthy controls. As the task continued and the demand was sustained over time, that reduction got worse. And cognitive performance declined right along with it.

Here's the important context for why this matters so much. Your brain uses 20% of your body's total energy just to keep you alive at rest, doing nothing. When you ask it to do something cognitively demanding, it needs more. But in POTS, the blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain are already compromised. So when the cognitive demand goes up, the system can't keep up. It burns through what little reserve is there even faster, and blood flow regulation breaks down even sooner.

The brain fog, the word finding difficulties, the inability to follow a conversation, the exhaustion after mental work. These are not vague or unexplained symptoms. They have a measurable physiological mechanism behind them. The brain isn't getting what it needs, and cognitive work accelerates how quickly that deficit becomes a problem.

This also directly explains post-exertional malaise from cognitive activity. It's the same mechanism as physical exertion, just triggered through a different demand on the same struggling system.

What the paper doesn't fully address, and what I always push on, is why cerebral perfusion is impaired in the first place. The study measures what's happening at the cardiovascular level, but the root of the problem goes back to the vestibular autonomic reflexes and baroreceptor responses that are supposed to be maintaining adequate blood flow to the brain in the first place. When those systems are off, everything downstream is off with them.

This is also why slowing the heart rate down with beta blockers doesn't restore cognitive function for most people. Treating the heart rate is treating the compensation. It's not treating the impaired perfusion that made the compensation necessary.

Have you noticed cognitive tasks hitting you just as hard as physical ones, if not harder?

Research:
Lau DH, et al. (2020). Cerebral blood flow and cognitive performance in postural tachycardia syndrome: insights from sustained cognitive stress test. Journal of the American Heart Association, 9, e017861. DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.120.017861

Penny Heaton will be offering Rieki class in August! Check the website for more details!
awarenesshealthtulsa.com
Explore the holistic health services available at Awareness Health. Discover how Functional Bodywork, Craniosacral Therapy, and other empowering practices can support your mind, body, and spirit. Visit our website to learn more about personalized care designed to enhance your wellness journey. Start your path to balanced living today.

🌿 New at Awareness Health: Natural Healthcare Case Management 🌿

Feeling sick, injured, or just unsure what to do next with your health? It can get overwhelming fast. Natural Healthcare Case Management is here to help you sort it all out with personalized, down-to-earth guidance.

We can help you:
• Make sense of your medications and supplements
• Use homeopathy and other natural remedies for everyday illnesses and first aid
• Build nutrition and lifestyle habits that actually support healing
• Keep your medical records, labs, and plans organized
• Connect with other practitioners or resources when you need extra support
• Create a simple, realistic plan that fits your health goals

🌟 Introductory Special

Book your first 60-minute Natural Healthcare Case Management session for $75 (normally $120).

Diane is currently the only therapist offering this service, and she’s also offering remote energy healing sessions for $30 (30 minutes).

We also have other great offerings at Awareness Health:
• Rachel Garcia – Functional Bodywork
(in-office) $125 / 60 min
• Penny Heaton – Guided Imagery and Reiki, available in both group and individual sessions

Whether you're looking for natural ways to support healing, need help understanding your care plan, or just want someone to help you navigate it all, we’ve got you.

Reach out to Awareness Health to learn more or book your session. 918-971-8089

Natural Healthcare Case Management is meant to support—not replace—appropriate medical care when needed.

*** UPDATE***
MRI shows a tear in the ACL, bone bruising and blood in the joint. As well as the fracture in the radial head. I see an ortho this week to discuss tx. I have been using Homeopathy, energy work, rest and movement to heal this body!
I am offering Homeopathy/Natural healthcare and remote work while I heal.
For in office sessions:
Rachel Garcia is offering functional Bodywork Penny Heaton is offering Reiki and guided
meditation, both group and
individual.
Call/text to schedule 918-971-8089

Tonight's yoga sound bath has been canceled

✨ Bodywork support for babies & kids with acid reflux ✨
Reflux can show up as spit-up, fussiness, arching, or poor sleep — and it’s not just about the stomach. Tension in the body can impact how digestion functions.
💛 Functional Bodywork + Visceral Work gently support: • Release of tension in the diaphragm & abdomen
• Healthy digestion and motility
• Nervous system regulation
• Proper opening and closing of digestive sphincters (key for preventing reflux)
👶 Birth strain or early tension patterns can affect how these systems work — even in the tiniest bodies.
🌿 Gentle, hands-on care can help reduce discomfort, improve feeding, and support better sleep.

Our Spring Equinox alter for bringing in balance and renewal