I Gave up Matcha & Accidentally Healed my Nervous System
Matcha was my Identity. I joked with a client on retreat once, saying we now classify countries under three categories: good matcha, bad matcha, or no matcha at all.
I already ditched coffee a while ago, so a part of my bedtime routine was looking forward to my morning matcha (and porridge, but more on that later).
Feeling stuck in rural Germany after living in London, I clung onto my matcha as though it proved I belonged somewhere cooler.
Then life knocked me off my matcha high horse, and accidentally, I unlocked a new level of nervous system healing.
Here’s how it happened…
I was unhappy with how my body looked. I was exercising more than ever, but the constant travel for retreats meant I couldn't eat what I wanted, when I wanted. I’d either overeat, afraid I’d get hungry without a proper lunch, or go overboard at the sight of a buffet, wanting to try everything.
Don’t judge - I use chat gpt for everything (except writing this article), so I went ahead and hired her as my new PT and nutritionist.
The first thing she told me was that daily oat matcha lattes contribute as much to low belly fat loss as a teenager to your family weekend plans.
Sweet foods in general, as healthy as they may seem (like my beloved morning porridge, think almond butter, sour cherries and all …) tend to spike blood sugar and leave you looking for a second course right after you’ve licked out your bowl.
As committed as I am, I followed along and waved the green goodness goodbye.
I kid you not - as soon as I did this, my HRV skyrocketed.
HRV (Heart Rate Variability) is a marker of parasympathetic dominance and recovery after workouts. You want it to be high. Women my age should score between 50-100 ms.
For two years, I scrambled around averaging 40.
I had come to the conclusion that I must have just a bad heart since I did everything under the sun to destress (exercise, great sleep, meditation, yoga, celebrating the f out of my life… you know?).
Then suddenly, I was consistently scoring over 100, sometimes even up to 150 ms. This was like winning the nervous system lottery for me!
To be fair: I’d also just left rural Germany, started reformer pilates, and massively increased my animal protein intake, so it was likely a mix of all of that.
But I am sharing this to encourage you to go out and experiment. I love a good study and a highly educational reel (just kidding… kinda. I actually do like reading, but reels, too).
What made the ultimate difference wasn’t information. It was life. Experiences, testing, and trying things out. LIVING.
All the biohacking books I’ve consumed haven’t made any impact whatsoever. Being out in the world had.
Life always provides you with exactly what you need.
And the point I am making here is: Our biggest shifts NEVER happen in the way we expect them to.
We meet the love of our lives when we have given up on finding them. We make friends not in the cool restaurant, but at the self-checkout at ALDI. You get the gist.
Your next problem is going to be solved in a beautifully unexpected way. Because life doesn’t want you to control and plan, at least not as much as you do. It wants you to be in it, to experience, to receive.
If this is stressing you out and you're thinking “okay but… what can I actually do right now to help myself feel better,” I've got you.
Besides lifestyle shifts, NSDR (non-sleep deep rest) practices like yoga nidra are your best friends when it comes to calming your nervous system and improving heart health.
Check out my On The Go Wellness shop and get instant access to the practices that changed everything for me.
From me, for you, with love.
Paula
