How to Overcome Complex Chronic Inflammatory Conditions

Stage 4: Regeneration and Repair

Fig. 4:  "Activating Healing and Repair."
Now that we've set a solid foundation, we can begin feeding our cells, solidifying our resilience so that we can maintain our newfound sense of vitality as we move into the future.

In order for our bodies to heal at all, there must be adequate blood flow. There is no way around that.

Our bodies are made of cells, and those cells constantly consume nutrition, create waste, and even use gases for cellular respiration.

Our blood brings fresh nutrients and vital gases, and shuttles away the waste products so that our cells can grow and heal without being mired in their own metabolic filth.

In many cases, healing is impeded by poor blood circulation. Let’s take a look at why that happens, how to correct it, and what can go wrong if we do things out of order.

The heart wants to pump blood and create movement of fluids to feed our cells. When we have pathogens in our body, our immune system does its best to isolate and eliminate those pathogens. But with every beat of the heart, there is movement of blood, movement of fluids, and movement of pathogens. Sometimes the pathogens can actually get driven deeper into the body, where they hide for years.

Additionally, when there is inflammation, increased circulation only spreads more inflamed blood around the body, setting off cascades in other areas.

In this situation, the immune system and the circulatory system must find balance. When you get an acute cold or flu, often times you’ll lose the desire to exercise, and feel like just lying down to recover. This sense of fatigue is actually a protective mechanism from your immune system to keep you from being too active and causing further circulation of pathogens.

The same thing happens in complex chronic inflammatory conditions. The inflamed blood, along with the latent pathogens that are present in 99% of cases must not be allowed to circulate and go deeper.

So you feel fatigued while the immune system tries to work out what to do.

Sometimes this can last decades.

This is why it is so vitally important to go through the entire process in the correct order.

The first thing to do is to get the immune system cleared up. Those chronic flu-like symptoms subside, and then the whole world opens for us.

If we force circulation too early, we will pay for it.

This happens when we “push through” the fatigue and exercise anyway, and then feel a flare-up come on right afterwards. Or the exertion wipes us out to where we have to “recover for a few days.”

Similarly, a circulatory or deep tissue massage may feel great for some pain relief, but if it’s too vigorous and pushes blood circulation beyond where it should, the pathogens and inflammatory compounds will make us feel sore, achey, flu-like and tired afterwards.

It would be a mistake to call that a healing crisis.

The unhelpful symptom flare is simply the consequence of intervening out of order.

When there are pathogens and inflammatory compounds in the body, and the circulation is slowed, another symptom is cold hands and feet.

Since there is a circulatory limitation, your body prioritizes blood flow to the brain and internal organs over the extremities. This is especially true for females, whose bodies are designed with a wisdom that always prioritizes core temperature (vs. hands and feet) to protect the uterus and ovaries.

Traumatic Injuries

Another cause of decreased circulation has to do with traumatic injuries. A car accident, sports injury, a fall, a surgery, even a sexual trauma...

Wherever there is physical injury there will be some damage to the blood vessels. This damage can lead to deep bruising, scar tissue, and poor circulation in the area.

This is a recipe for chronic pain, and it’s usually sharp and stabbing in nature.

People experiencing this usually say things like:

“My ankle has been bad ever since the skiing injury”

“Ever since that car accident my neck hasn’t been the same”

“My bad knee.”

Unfortunately, many women who have been sexually abused often develop decreased circulation around the uterus and ovaries which manifests as very painful periods, heavy bleeding, endometriosis, ovarian cysts…

Just to be clear, not every woman with those symptoms has had sexual abuse. There are other factors that contribute.

Blood Stasis

You can very quickly check the quality of your blood circulation by looking at your tongue. Your tongue is a muscle that we can see directly.

When we examine that muscle we can then infer the state of the bloodflow to the rest of your muscles.

If the body of your tongue is purple that is a sign that your circulation is blocked. A particularly pale tongue can also be a result of poor circulation.

If you look underneath your tongue, you’ll likely be able to find two veins running underneath it. These are called the sublingual veins. In healthy individuals these veins are not particularly bulging or dark. However if yours are swollen, and/or purple, that is a clear sign that your blood circulation is being blocked.

In fact purple anywhere is a sign of stagnant blood. Spider veins, bruises that won’t heal. It’s all poor flow, and there are reasons for it.

I’d encourage you to take a photo of the top and bottom of your tongue.

As you get healthier you’ll be able to see direct changes to the color, coating, and sublingual veins.

It’s an excellent way to stay in tune with your state of health.

In Stage 4, we stand firmly on the foundation we’ve built during the previous three stages.

Because the Immune System (Stage 1) is balanced, inflammation is down, and the pathogen load is low we can begin to actively improve circulation without causing further problems.

Because the Gut Microbiome (Stage 2) is balanced, and our food is being absorbed more efficiently, we know that as circulation improves, all of our cells are receiving more of the fresh nutrition that they need to repair themselves.

Because the Neuro-Endocrine system (Stage 3) has been rebooted, we can increase circulation without worrying about recirculating old stress hormones throughout the body.

Now that we have worked so diligently to remove blockages, it’s time to open the flood gates and let the circulation flow.

It’s time to focus on cellular repair.

Living with complex chronic conditions and low grade inflammation takes a severe toll on the body. The slow burn becomes a smolder that is especially damaging for nerves.

In Stage 4 we work to increase microcirculation, in both the periphery (fingers and toes) as well as the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).

New capillaries will form to bring precious blood to areas that have been closed off for for quite some time.

Most complex conditions, especially if there’s a pain component, have accumulated nerve damage. In conventional medicine, there is no treatment for damaged nerves. They consider it intractable and degenerative.

However, we know that damaged nerves can either be dead or dormant. And given the right environment, dormant nerves can wake back up.

How do we do this?

In Stage 4 we continue and enhance the effects of the previous stage by using herbs and practices that have been shown to:

  • Promote Blood Circulation
  • Increase Formation of New Blood Vessels
  • Decrease Platelet Adhesion
  • Encourage Neurogenesis (Nerve Repair)
  • Protect the Central Nervous System (CNS)
  • Enhance Libido and Sexual Function
  •   Promote Macrophage Activity at Old Injury Sites


During Stage 4 you will continue your self care training and learn new techniques to further regulate gasotransmitters such as Nitric Oxide (NO) to viscerally and palpably increase systemic blood circulation.

Imagine being able to cycle your breathing to create pulsations of blood in your fingers and toes at will.

During Stage 4 we know changes are taking hold in your Circulatory System by observing the following signs:

  • Decrease or Absence of Fixed Sharp Pains
  • Energy Level Should be 90-100%
  • Warm Hands and Feet
  • Mental Clarity Better than Before
  • Desire to Exercise
  • Visibly Brighter Eyes (as the central nervous system is restored)
  • Increasing Sense of Inner Peace
  • Improved Libido
  • Future Forward Planning (travel etc)
  • Old Injuries “Waking Up”
  • Reduced Morning Stiffness

Often in Stage 4 we will start to observe a desire to exercise naturally emerge. Once the inflammation is down, the gut is restored, the neuro-endocrine system has rebalanced, and the circulation begins to flow, inspiration hits and many people start getting back to activities they used to enjoy before falling ill.

It’s a great sign when you have the confidence to join a local gym because you know you’ll have the energy to use the membership.

Once we hit this point we absolutely know that you are becoming more independent in taking charge of your health.

Additionally, we often observe old injuries “waking up.” Once we are at this point in the process, your immune system will often make up for lost time and start taking care of old neglected areas that had been injured in the past.

You may notice some soreness, or even itchiness at old injury sites. This usually only lasts a few days as the macrophage activity kicks up in the area. Your body is smart, and finally has the resources to truly take care of itself.

Personal Growth

When we balance the Immune System (Stage 1) we develop healthier boundaries.

When we restore the Gut Microbiome (Stage 2) we develop a stronger center.

Once we have boundaries and a center, we have defined ourselves in space.

Once we have defined our space, next we define our orientation to time.

When we reboot the Neuro-Endocrine system (Stage 3) we find ourselves clearing out our past, and feeling less and less frozen and encumbered by old events and patterns.

When we shift the focus to Blood Circulation and Tissue Repair (Stage 4) psychologically we start to become much more open to a bold future.

People in Stage 4 often feel as if they’ve just woken from a spell.

All of the dreams that you’ve had to put on hold while sick suddenly become real possibilities.

I feel like a brand new person!

We really can’t do anything remotely interesting in life without feeling some stability in our health. Once we have that stability we feel confident to start fully living life again.

International travel plans (like dream trips to New Zealand or Europe)...

Creative projects to channel the reclaimed flood of inspiration...

Even something as seemingly simple as making dinner plans to finally catch up with your greatest friends…

The future opens up, and you are ready to create your own story again.

During Stage 4, with our freshly cleared eyes we tend to develop a larger perspective on the entire process we’ve been through. We are able to look back and understand the highs and lows of our life so far, and see a grand picture. In many cases we even develop gratitude for the entire journey (even the tough parts) and the lessons learned along the way.

At this point many people are driven by a desire to give back to the world and often begin volunteering, mentoring, or in other ways being of service to others.

At this point you’re free.


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