Kainetics

01/30/2026

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Small controlled studies have shown that specific breathing protocols can sharply increase growth hormone release in a very short time. In these experiments, a five-minute breathing sequence altered oxygen and carbon dioxide balance in the blood, creating a brief, safe physiological stress that signaled the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. One study reported increases of up to 556% above baseline levels shortly after the session.

The effect appears to come from nervous system activation rather than muscle work. Slow, deep, rhythmic breathing combined with short breath holds stimulates the autonomic nervous system and shifts hormonal signaling. This temporary stress response resembles the body’s natural reaction to intense exercise or fasting, both known triggers for growth hormone release involved in fat metabolism, cellular repair, and tissue maintenance.

Researchers emphasize that breathing techniques are not a replacement for sleep, nutrition, or physical activity. However, these findings highlight that breath control is a direct lever on human physiology. Even short sessions can measurably influence hormone signaling, recovery processes, and metabolic regulation when used consistently and responsibly.

📚 Source / Credit

Journal of Endocrinological Investigation / Respiratory Physiology studies on hypoxic and controlled breathing responses

01/26/2026

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High cortisol levels, particularly when sustained for too long due to chronic stress or medical conditions, can lead to muscle wasting (atrophy) throughout the body, including the hip muscles. Cortisol promotes the breakdown of muscle protein, which can cause muscle weakness and loss of mass over time.

Cortisol not only increases protein breakdown but also inhibits protein synthesis, the process by which muscles are repaired and rebuilt. This double effect significantly contributes to muscle loss.

As proximal muscles—those closest to the center of the body, such as the hip and shoulder muscles—are particularly vulnerable to the effects of cortisol, weakening of the hip muscles is a common result of chronically elevated levels.

Chronic stress is one of the worst things for your body not only for this muscle loss, but also it steals your libido, causes weight gain, especially in the stomach and face, anxiety, depression, extreme cravings for sugary and sweet treats, brain fog, rage/over stimulation, chronic fatigue, and insomnia, and, if levels remain elevated for long enough, chronic stress can even lead to an autoimmune condition.

I suffered with all of these symptoms right down to the chronic hip pain for over eight years until I learned everything that was happening to me was truly being caused by stress. I am, however, like most of you, and am unable to reduce even one percent of my stress! That’s why the herb Rhodiola is the best thing for this hustle culture because Rhodiola is actually able to reduce your internal stress levels even when you can’t reduce external stress! I will expand on this much more in the comments, but I personally lost 60 pounds and healed all of those symptoms in myself by taking a tincture of the herb Rhodiola every day!

✨✨You can find the Rhodiola I use, love and trust here: https://linktr.ee/thefarmacy ♥️♥️

01/26/2026

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01/21/2026

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A groundbreaking discovery in brain health has revealed that facial lymphatic vessels play a crucial role in draining toxins from the brain. When massaged, these vessels help clear out waste, which is vital for the prevention of neurological diseases like Alzheimer's. Scientists are excited about the possibility of using this technique as a non-invasive treatment for brain health.

By targeting these facial lymphatic pathways, researchers believe they could slow down the progression of diseases that impact memory and cognition. Early intervention with this method may provide an effective and natural way to protect against diseases that lead to dementia.

This discovery also emphasizes the importance of regular facial massages, not just for relaxation, but for overall brain wellness. It’s a promising avenue for future treatments and something that could change the way we approach neurodegenerative diseases. 💆‍♂️🧠

01/19/2026

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🧠 WHY THE BRAIN CAN’T HEAL IF IT CAN’T CLEAR
CSF Flow, Glymphatic Dysfunction & Advanced Brain Recovery at theFNC

At The Functional Neurology Center (theFNC), one principle guides nearly every complex neurological case we see:

👉 The brain cannot recover in a stagnant environment.

New neuroscience continues to confirm what we observe daily in concussion, TBI, migraine, dizziness, dysautonomia, Long COVID, neurodegeneration risk, and chronic pain:

If cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and glymphatic flow are impaired, healing stalls—no matter how much rehab is done.

A powerful 2023 paper in Frontiers in Neuroscience (10.3389/fnins.2023.1288790) lays out the mechanisms behind this and helps explain why so many patients feel “stuck” despite normal scans and standard care.

Let’s break this down 👇

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🧠 The Glymphatic System: The Brain’s Cleanup Crew

Your brain does not have traditional lymphatic drainage.

Instead, it relies on the glymphatic system—a fluid-based clearance network that uses CSF to wash waste out of brain tissue.

This system removes:
• Beta-amyloid
• Tau proteins
• Neuroinflammatory metabolites
• Lactate
• Oxidative stress byproducts

🚨 When this system slows down, toxins and inflammatory debris accumulate, disrupting neural signaling and recovery.

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🚨 What Shuts Glymphatic Flow Down?

The Frontiers paper highlights several key disruptors we see constantly at theFNC:

🧠 1. Concussion & Traumatic Brain Injury

• Damage to perivascular spaces
• Astrocyte injury and aquaporin-4 (AQP4) dysfunction
• Reduced CSF–interstitial fluid exchange

📌 This explains persistent symptoms years after a “mild” concussion.

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😴 2. Poor or Fragmented Sleep

• Deep slow-wave sleep increases glymphatic clearance by up to 60%
• Insomnia, pain, apnea, or sympathetic overdrive = blocked cleanup

📌 “I sleep but don’t feel rested” is a glymphatic red flag.

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⚡ 3. Autonomic & Vascular Dysfunction

• CSF flow depends on arterial pulsatility
• Sympathetic dominance reduces CSF propulsion
• Dysautonomia = impaired brain clearance

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🦴 4. Cervical Spine & Postural Restrictions

• CSF flow is mechanically influenced by upper cervical motion
• Loss of flexion, extension, rotation, or respiratory coupling alters craniospinal pressure gradients

📌 Neck injuries and whiplash matter far more than most realize.

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🤯 What Glymphatic Dysfunction Feels Like

Patients often report:
• Brain fog
• Head pressure
• Morning headaches
• Light & sound sensitivity
• Cognitive fatigue
• Poor exercise tolerance
• Non-restorative sleep
• Worsening symptoms after mental or physical effort

🚨 These are not random symptoms—they’re physiology problems.

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🔬 How We Address This at theFNC

At theFNC, we don’t just talk about glymphatics—we build care plans around restoring CSF flow.

Step 1️⃣ Advanced Functional Neurological Assessment

We assess:
• Eye movements & brainstem timing
• Vestibular velocity storage
• Cervical joint position error
• Respiratory-CSF coupling
• Autonomic balance
• Postural control & sway
• Sleep and circadian stability

This tells us where CSF flow is breaking down, not just that it is.

One tool we integrate for the right patients is the Ciatrix CSF Flow System.

This is not aggressive manipulation.

Ciatrix uses:
• Gentle rhythmic oscillation
• Postural optimization
• Craniospinal pressure modulation
• Parasympathetic activation

🧠 Why this matters:
The research shows CSF flow improves with low-frequency rhythmic drivers, vascular pulsatility, and autonomic balance—not force.

Patients commonly notice:
✔ Reduced head pressure
✔ Deeper, more restorative sleep
✔ Less dizziness
✔ Improved cognitive stamina
✔ Better tolerance to rehab

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🔗 Integration Is Everything

No device works in isolation.

Ciatrix is combined with:
• Vestibular & oculomotor rehab
• Cervical proprioceptive & joint care
• Neuromodulation (LLLT, tVNS, ARPwave, PEMF)
• Sleep optimization
• Metabolic & inflammatory support

📌 Glymphatic flow is system-wide physiology.

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🧠 Who This Matters For

• Persistent post-concussion syndrome
• TBI with cognitive or autonomic symptoms
• Migraine & pressure-type headaches
• Dizziness & visually induced vertigo
• Long-COVID neurological symptoms
• Neurodegenerative risk profiles
• Chronic pain with central sensitization

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🔑 The Big Takeaway

Most care models focus on:
❌ Symptoms without clearance
❌ Rehab without recovery terrain
❌ Brain firing without brain drainage

The science is clear:

🧠 Healing isn’t just about activating neurons—it’s about clearing the environment they live in.

At theFNC, restoring CSF flow and glymphatic function is often the missing link that allows the brain to finally adapt, heal, and move forward.

If you feel stuck… foggy… pressured… or plateaued—this conversation matters.

👉 theFNC.com



DC DACNB

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1288790/full

01/18/2026

Systems matter 📝

🌊 What Is the Glymphatic System?

The glymphatic system is the brain’s unique waste clearance network, functioning similarly to the lymphatic system in the body—but with a twist. It was only discovered in 2012 by Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, and it has since changed how we understand neurodegeneration and brain inflammation.
This system relies on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to flush out waste products from brain tissue through perivascular pathways, facilitated by a type of glial cell called astrocytes. These cells regulate the flow of interstitial fluid and act as a conduit for metabolic clearance during deep sleep, especially in slow-wave sleep cycles.

🔥 When the Glymphatic System Is Inhibited: The Inflammatory Storm

When the glymphatic system is impaired, neurotoxic proteins—like beta-amyloid, tau proteins, and inflammatory cytokines—begin to accumulate in the brain's interstitial spaces. This accumulation triggers:
* Microglial activation, leading to chronic low-grade neuroinflammation
* Increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β
* Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction within neurons
* Blood-brain barrier permeability ("leaky brain") and further immune dysregulation

Over time, this chronic inflammatory state can manifest as:
* Brain fog, memory issues, and cognitive decline
* Mood disorders such as anxiety and depression
* Increased risk of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
* Worsened systemic inflammation due to vagus nerve signaling disruption

🛌 Sleep, the Glymphatic Switch, and Circadian Health

The glymphatic system is most active during deep sleep, particularly during non-REM slow-wave phases. When sleep is disrupted—whether due to stress, screen exposure, sleep apnea, or erratic sleep cycles—the brain cannot engage in glymphatic flushing.
Sleep deprivation has been shown to:
* Increase extracellular beta-amyloid by up to 43% in a single night
* Decrease the expression of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channels in astrocytes, impairing fluid transport
* Heighten markers of neuroinflammation, including NF-κB signaling and glial activation

🧬 Systemic Inflammation and Glymphatic Dysfunction: A Two-Way Street

Interestingly, inflammation itself suppresses glymphatic flow. Research shows that systemic infections, autoimmune flares, and even gut dysbiosis can produce pro-inflammatory cytokines that reduce CSF dynamics and glymphatic activity.
Conversely, poor glymphatic clearance can worsen systemic inflammation by:
* Disrupting hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis signaling
* Altering vagal tone and the gut-brain-liver immune axis
* Impairing clearance of immune-modulating neurotransmitters like glutamate

🌿 How to Support Glymphatic Health

1. Prioritize Deep Sleep
* Aim for 7–9 hours of uninterrupted sleep in total darkness
* Use magnesium, L-theanine, or glycine to support non-REM sleep
* Avoid screens and caffeine 3+ hours before bedtime
2. Rebound, Stretch, and Move Your Spine
* Movement of the spine and neck enhances CSF circulation
* Manual lymphatic drainage may also indirectly stimulate glymphatic function
3. Hydration & Electrolyte Balance
* CSF production is heavily dependent on fluid status
* Add trace minerals or electrolytes to water to support fluid dynamics
4. Nutraceutical Support
* Resveratrol, turmeric (curcumin), omega-3s, and NAC reduce neuroinflammation
* Melatonin not only promotes deep sleep but enhances glymphatic activity
5. Cranial and Cervical Lymphatic Drainage
* Facial and neck MLD can relieve interstitial congestion
* Techniques like craniosacral therapy or vagal nerve stimulation may further support this network

🧠 Final Thought

The glymphatic system is a vital yet vulnerable detox engine for the brain. When impaired, it doesn’t just affect cognition—it can unleash a cascade of inflammatory dysfunction that spreads throughout the entire body.

By supporting this system through sleep hygiene, lymphatic stimulation, and anti-inflammatory practices, we lay the foundation for resilient mental, neurological, and immune health.

©️

01/16/2026

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01/16/2026

🌞

01/16/2026

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01/15/2026

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🧠 The Trigeminal System: The Most Overlooked Link Between Head Injury, Headaches, Facial Pain, Autonomics & Brain Recovery

Most people have heard of the trigeminal nerve because of “trigeminal neuralgia” or sinus pain…
…but almost no one understands how MASSIVELY important the trigeminal system is for:
• Headaches & migraines
• Concussion & post-traumatic symptoms
• Facial and jaw pain
• TMJ dysfunction
• Sinus pressure
• Neck pain & cervicogenic headaches
• Autonomic dysregulation (light sensitivity, nausea, dizziness)
• Cerebral blood flow
• Neuroinflammation
• Cognitive fatigue
• Brain recovery

At The Functional Neurology Center, we evaluate the trigeminal system in every complex case — because it is one of the most influential and interconnected systems in the human nervous system.

This system is NOT just a facial nerve.
It is a brainstem, vascular, sensory, autonomic, and pain-modulating superhighway.

Let’s break down why it matters.

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🔍 What Is the Trigeminal System?

The trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V) is the largest cranial nerve, with three major branches:
• V1 Ophthalmic – forehead, scalp, eye, dura, sinuses
• V2 Maxillary – cheeks, upper teeth, sinuses
• V3 Mandibular – jaw, lower teeth, TMJ, chewing muscles

It carries:

✔ Sensory input

Touch, pressure, pain, temperature, vibration, and proprioception from the head, face, jaw, sinuses, teeth, tongue, meninges, and blood vessels.

✔ Motor control

Muscles of chewing (masseter, temporalis, pterygoids), tensor tympani, and more.

✔ Autonomic & reflex connections

Deep links to parasympathetic nuclei, pupillary responses, salivation, tear production, and brainstem autonomics.

✔ Vascular & meningeal innervation

The trigeminal system innervates the meninges, dura, and cerebral blood vessels — making it a direct controller of brain vascular tone and blood flow dynamics.

The trigeminal ganglion and brainstem nuclei then relay information to:
• Thalamus
• Hypothalamus
• Insular cortex
• Somatosensory cortex
• Limbic/emotional centers
• Cerebellum
• Vestibular nuclei
• Autonomic brainstem nuclei
• Pain modulation systems (like PAG – periaqueductal gray)

This is why trigeminal input affects head pain, emotion, dizziness, visual comfort, sensory tolerance, and autonomic stability.

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🔥 The Trigeminovascular System: The Source of Most Headaches

One of the most important sub-systems is the Trigeminovascular System (TVS) — the network connecting trigeminal nerve endings to the dura + cranial blood vessels.

When activated by:
• Trauma
• Whiplash
• Concussion
• Stress
• TMJ strain
• Sinus inflammation
• Neck dysfunction
• Vascular irritation

…the TVS releases inflammatory neuropeptides like:
• CGRP
• Substance P
• Neurokinin A

This causes:

✔ Blood vessel dilation

✔ Neurogenic inflammation

✔ Increased pain sensitivity

✔ Facial & head pain

✔ Migraine-like symptoms

✔ Autonomic symptoms (nausea, light sensitivity)

This is the core mechanism behind:
• Migraines
• Tension headaches
• Sinus headaches
• Post-traumatic headaches
• Occipital headaches that radiate behind the eye
• TMJ-driven head pain
• Concussion headaches

If you irritate the trigeminal system, you can trigger headache physiology — even without a direct head injury.

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🧠 Concussion & the Trigeminal System: The Missing Link

Here’s the part most providers miss:

The trigeminal system is DIRECTLY affected after concussion.

Concussion creates:
• Shearing forces on the brainstem
• Irritation of the meninges (innervated by V1)
• Neuroinflammation → activates trigeminovascular endings
• Altered cerebral blood flow → sensed by trigeminal fibers
• TMJ/mandible compression from impact
• Whiplash → cervical inflammation → trigeminal-cervical convergence

All of these increase firing of trigeminal pathways.

This is why post-concussion patients develop:

✔ Head pressure

✔ Pain behind the eyes

✔ Facial pain or tingling

✔ Migraines

✔ Light & sound sensitivity

✔ TMJ pain

✔ Ear fullness or pressure

✔ Dizziness

✔ Nausea

✔ Cognitive fatigue

And even more importantly…

The trigeminal system helps regulate cerebral blood flow.

If this pathway is disrupted, the brain may struggle with:
• Autoregulation
• Neurovascular coupling
• Metabolic clearance
• Cognitive endurance

This explains WHY concussion symptoms get worse with:
• Bright lights
• Visual motion
• Thinking too hard
• Screen use
• Busy environments
• Neck movement
• Jaw clenching
• Increased stress

All of these stimulate trigeminal input.

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🔄 Cervical Spine → Trigeminal System → Pain & Dizziness

The upper cervical spine shares convergence pathways with the trigeminal system in the brainstem (trigeminal-cervical complex).

Inflammation or dysfunction in:
• C0–C1 joints
• C1–C2 joints
• Suboccipitals
• SCM
• Deep neck flexors
• Cervical proprioception

…can activate the same brainstem nuclei that process trigeminal pain.

This is why neck injuries cause:
• Headaches
• Facial pain
• Eye strain
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Trigeminal neuralgia-like symptoms

And why treating the cervical spine often reduces “facial pain” or “head pressure.”

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💥 The Trigeminal System & the Vestibular System

The trigeminal system links deeply with the vestibular nuclei, influencing:
• Balance perception
• Visual stability
• Head motion tolerance
• Cervico-ocular reflexes
• Spatial awareness

When trigeminal input becomes abnormal, patients experience:
• Dizziness
• Rocking or swaying
• Motion sensitivity
• “On a boat” sensation
• Feeling off-center
• Difficulty with head turns

This is why trigeminal modulation can help stabilize dizziness after concussion.

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🌡 Trigeminal System, Autonomics & Inflammation

The trigeminal system interfaces with:
• The vagus nerve
• Parasympathetic nuclei
• Sympathetic brainstem regions
• Hypothalamic stress circuits
• Pain modulation centers

Activation can produce:
• Nausea
• Temperature dysregulation
• Heart rate instability
• Anxiety or irritability
• Fatigue
• Sleep disturbance
• Digestive changes

And conversely — calming trigeminal input calms the autonomic system.

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⚡ Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (TNS): A Breakthrough for Brain Recovery

Research shows that stimulating trigeminal pathways can:
• Boost cerebral blood flow
• Reduce neuroinflammation
• Improve autonomic regulation
• Support consciousness in severe brain injury
• Reduce migraine frequency
• Improve mood & cognition
• Help post-concussion symptoms
• Improve sleep and sensory tolerance

This is why trigeminal-focused neuromodulation is becoming a major tool in functional neurology.

At The FNC, we integrate:
• ARPwave trigeminal/vagal stimulation
• TMJ and cranio-cervical work
• Facial proprioceptive rehab
• Neuromuscular retraining
• Sensory desensitization
• Autonomic stabilization
• Pterygoid, masseter, temporalis functional work
• Cranial/dural release
• Vestibular + trigeminal integration
• Visual + trigeminal reflex retraining

When you rehab this system properly, symptoms begin to unwind fast.

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🌟 The Takeaway

The trigeminal system is:

✔ A brainstem regulator
✔ A vascular controller
✔ A pain amplifier — or pain reliever
✔ A balance + eye movement collaborator
✔ A major player in headaches, concussion, and TMJ
✔ A target for neuromodulation and rehabilitation

Most patients with:
• Post-concussion symptoms
• Chronic headaches
• TMJ pain
• Facial pain
• Light sensitivity
• Dizziness
• Neck pain
• Cognitive fatigue

…have trigeminal dysregulation at the root.

The good news:
This system is incredibly trainable.
With the right functional neurology approach, you can calm it, retrain it, and rebuild healthy sensory processing.

This often leads to some of the fastest and most dramatic breakthroughs we see in clinic.

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There is HOPE.

And the trigeminal system is one of the most powerful pathways we use to help patients get it back.

TheFNC.com
612 223 8590

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Image: https://biorender.com/

https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/9/2392 #