Bussey Holistic Therapy

12/19/2025

Community is medicine.

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Research consistently shows that strong social connections are one of the most powerful predictors of health, resilience, and longevity. Not the size of your network, but the depth of your relationships. A few people who make you feel safe, seen, and supported can profoundly shape your biology.

Loneliness activates the same stress pathways as chronic disease. It drives inflammation, dysregulates hormones, weakens immune function, and accelerates aging. Connection does the opposite. It calms the nervous system, lowers cortisol, improves metabolic health, and even influences gene expression linked to longevity.

This is why community is a core pillar of functional medicine. Food, movement, sleep, and supplements matter, but without meaningful human connection, healing is incomplete.

Invest in your people. Nurture a small, trusted circle. Shared meals, honest conversations, laughter, and belonging are not soft interventions, they are some of the most powerful tools we have to extend healthspan and quality of life.

12/19/2025

Reduce inflammation, optimize your "second brain" (your gut), stabilize your energy, and activate your body's natural relaxation response. Beyond basic nutrition, this plan integrates the profound connections between your food, gut health, blood sugar, with key practices to keep your nervous system calm and grounded.

12/17/2025

You are worth holding space for too, therapists.

12/17/2025

A regular part of my work as a therapist who specializes in estrangement is sitting with adult children after an estranged parent has unexpectedly passed away. In the vast majority of cases, these adult children go on to learn, if they didn’t already know, that their estranged parent made a conscious decision to punish them beyond the grave by cutting them out of the will.

The discovery hurts at first. Then something else becomes clear. In their their final grab for control, these parents give their children an unintended gift: confirmation.

Confirmation that love was conditional. Confirmation that power and control were valued over relationship and connection. Confirmation that reconciliation was never truly possible. Confirmation that no contact wasn’t impulsive, cruel, or extreme. It was always the only reasonable option.

Estranged parents who leave their children out of their wills to “get the last word” aren’t saying anything new. They’re simply putting into writing what their children’s nervous systems knew all along. And while that kind of clarity can sting, it also brings relief. Because it means the child didn’t misjudge the situation. They responded appropriately to the reality they were given.

12/11/2025

Emerging research shows that the genes we inherit do not have the final say in how our brains age. Food choices can influence inflammation, metabolism, and the expression of genes that shape our long-term risk for cognitive decline.

This is especially important for people who carry genetic risk markers like APOE4. Diets rich in healthy fats, antioxidants, and low-glycemic foods can help support brain energy, reduce oxidative stress, and create an internal environment that protects memory and resilience.

I find this message incredibly hopeful. The choices we make each day can influence the way our genes behave and open the door to a healthier brain future.

Learn more about how food choices can override genetic risk: https://drperlmutter.com/food-choices-can-override-alzheimers-risk/

12/11/2025

!!!!!

12/10/2025

12/07/2025

Quality sleep is one of the most powerful ways to support brain repair, memory consolidation, and long-term cognitive resilience. The habits we practice in the hours before bed help signal to the brain that it is safe to slow down and begin this restorative work.

Here are a few simple habits that support deeper, more restorative sleep:

➡️ Eat your final meal earlier in the evening (at least 2-3 hours before bedtime)

➡️ Reduce evening blue light exposure

➡️ Keep your bedroom cool (ideally between 60–67°F) and dark

➡️ Follow a consistent sleep schedule

➡️ Limit late-night stimulation

➡️ Build a relaxing wind-down routine

12/06/2025

While new and exciting experiences are essential to leveling up and learning, our brains crave comfort and familiarity, too. It loves predictability, no surprises, and a lack of tension. And if that comes through watching your favorite movie on repeat for the 1056th time, so be it.

A study from the University of Chicago found that rewatching your favorite or show actually provides a powerful way to restore energy and peace. What will you be rewatching?