WHAT is Bruxism? Bruxism is the medical term for- - Teeth grinding - Jaw clenching - Tension in the jaw muscles It can happen during the day (awake bruxism) or while asleep (sleep bruxism) Sleep bruxism is considered a movement disorder, often linked to stress, nervous system imbalance, or airway issues. WHO Gets Bruxism? Almost anyone but some groups are more at risk. - People with high stress or anxiety - People with poor sleep quality - Those with misaligned bite or dental issues - People with sleep apnea or airway problems - Individuals with acid reflux - Those who drink caffeine late in the day - People who use nicotine, alcohol, or certain medications - Kids going through growth spurts - Adults with chronic tension patterns (neck, shoulders, jaw) It is very common in women 40+, especially with hormonal changes that affect stress response and sleep quality. WHEN Does Bruxism Happen? At night - Most common - People often don’t know they’re doing it - Often linked to sleep disturbances, airway obstruction, and stress hormones During the day - Usually due to stress, concentration, or habit - Happens while driving, working, or scrolling on a phone WHERE Does Bruxism Show Up in the Body? It’s not just the teeth as bruxism has full-body effects. - Jaw pain - Headaches (especially temple tension) - Neck and shoulder tightness - Cracked or worn teeth - Receding gums - Ear pain or ringing - Facial asymmetry - Clicking or popping in the jaw - Poor sleep quality - TMJ disorders Night grinding can even lead to morning exhaustion from micro-awakenings during sleep. WHY Does Bruxism Happen? Bruxism is almost never about the teeth alone. It's a nervous system and airway issue disguised as a dental one. The MOST Common Root Causes Stress & Overactive Fight or Flight response When the brain feels threatened (that Tiger chasing You), the jaw muscles tense automatically. Key - This becomes chronic if the nervous system stays stuck in stress mode.

Most gum today is basically plastic you chew.If the label says “gum base”, that usually means polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene, or synthetic rubber, the same materials used in tires, glue, and plastic bags. But good news: there are clean, plastic-free, chicle-based options. Here's your no-fluff guide to the best right now. These gums use natural chicle or plant resins and no synthetic plastics. 1. Refresh (Top Pick Overall) Base- Chicle (plastic-free) Sweetener- Xylitol & stevia - Cleanest formula, no microplastics - Smooth, long-lasting chew for natural gum - Natural colors & flavor that actually lasts - Slight earthy taste at the start - Not as intense as mainstream gum 2. Cerez Pazari Mastic (Most Natural) Base- Pure mastic resin - 100% natural resin from Greek trees - Piney, herbal flavor - Starts very firm - Unique flavor not for everyone 3. Chicza (Best Organic) Base- Organic chicle - Fully biodegradable & compostable - Earthy, herbal flavors - Traditional Mayan harvesting - Flavor fades fast - Starts sticky; texture takes getting used to 4. Simply Gum Base- Chicle Sweetener- Organic cane sugar (no xylitol) : - Very clean ingredients - Wide flavor variety - Great for those avoiding sugar alcohols - Very mild flavor that fades quickly - Soft chew, not like mainstream gum 5. Chewsy Base- Chicle - Organic, plastic-free, aspartame-free - Classic flavors & lemon - Flavor fades fast - Can get sticky and cling to teeth 6. Milliways Base- Natural plant-based ingredients - Stronger flavor than most natural gums - Smooth texture, doesn’t crumble - Plastic-free packaging - Flavor lasts only about 5 minutes - Pricier 7. Georganics Base- Chicle & Arabic gum - Zero-waste glass jar - Strong initial peppermint flavor - Flavor disappears quickly - Gets sticky with long chewing 8. Glee Gum Base- Chicle - Biodegradable, long-standing clean brand - Lots of great, nostalgic flavors - Softens and breaks down fast - Can be sticky & not good for dental work

Women over 40 don’t struggle because they’re “undisciplined.” They struggle because their three brains stop communicating properly. - Gut Brain leads to digestion, inflammation, cravings, mood - Heart Brain leads to stress, emotions, resilience, sleep - Head Brain leads to identity, decisions, motivation This FitnHealthy Forever series teaches how to realign all three brains so that weight loss becomes easier and more sustainable - Forever! The Gut Brain - Your Hidden Mood Thermostat (and Why It Controls Cravings)” - 95% of serotonin is made in the gut. Helps you feel calm, steady, emotionally balanced - Dysbiosis leads to inflammation leads to cravings + emotional eating. - Perimenopause + stress + glyphosate = higher gut permeability (“leaky gut”). - Why women gain weight from one off weekend - the gut brain goes inflammatory. Symptoms of Gut-Brain Imbalance - Cravings, bloat, irregular bowels - Mood swings, anxiety - Feeling hungry even after eating - Afternoon crash FitnHealthy Forever Action Steps - High Protein + fiber breakfast - Fermented food 1x daily - Ideally eliminate seed oils & reduce alcohol - 10-minute post-meal walks daily Maybe You don't have an Anxiety or Depression drug deficiency? Do you feel easily triggered? You're getting to the root cause. How is this landing for You? Recognizing any symptoms? Post below.

The Head Brain & Identity - Why You Self-Sabotage For the Head Brain - Your Identity Is Driving Your Weight Loss (Not Willpower) - Your head brain runs “identity scripts.” - Women over 40 often carry invisible beliefs: - These identities can override motivation - even good habits. Symptoms of Identity Misalignment - Self-sabotage - All-or-nothing cycles - Falling off for weeks after a slip - Feeling “not like myself” FitnHealthy Action Steps - Daily “identity rehearsal” (write the woman you are becoming) SWERP "S" S - Self Development - Write down 3 wins per day. Big or small - record them all. Your brain will start to "look" for them - Replace “I can’t” with “I’m learning to…” - Micro-commitments (5% more effort daily) Baby steps - inch by inch it's a cinch, by the yard it's hard Are you mostly Head, Heart or Gut Brain so far or a combination? They all work together.

The Heart Brain How Stress Locks Fat in Place (Especially Belly Fat)” - Your heart talks to your brain through Heart Rate Variance (stress resilience). - Low HRV leads to poor emotional regulation & cortisol surges. - Chronic stress signals your body to store fat, not burn it. - This is why “working harder” (more workouts, heavy cardio, less food) backfires. Symptoms of Heart-Brain Dysregulation - Irritability - Poor sleep - Feeling “on edge” - Emotional reactivity - Afternoon/evening wine cravings FitnHealthy Action Steps - 4-6-8 breathing (inhale 4s, hold for 6s, exhale 8s) - 10 minutes brisk walking - Magnesium Bisglycinate at night - No caffeine after 12 p.m.