Returning to Our Nature

A November Series on Returning Inward

RETURNING INWARDHEALING FOUNDATIONSTHE BODY REMEMBERS

11/1/20264 min read

November is one of my favorite times of year. I love the change in the season, the slowing down, and having time to reflect on what has been happening in my life. With my Scorpio Moon and Rising, this season feels extremely personal. This year especially, I’m becoming clearer about my purpose and how I want to live and share my work in alignment with my higher self.

Our theme, Returning Inward, feels fitting. I can get through a busy day taking care of what needs doing and realize how tired I am when I sit down. I care deeply about my work and the people in my life, and I’m learning to include myself in that care. That brings me to what I want to explore with you this month: how we support the body that carries us through all of it.

October ended with consolidation, giving supportive changes enough time to take hold. November brings our attention toward the Kidneys, adrenals, and mineral reserves, and the nourishment that helps sustain us through daily demands.

In TCM, winter belongs to the Water element. The Kidney system is associated with essence, often called Jing, and its relationship with development, reproduction, and aging. Bones and teeth belong within that traditional connection as well. As autumn moves toward winter, the seasonal teaching encourages us to conserve and nourish those deeper resources.

There is a great deal happening within us while we go about the day. Our kidneys regulate fluids and minerals. The adrenal glands participate in hormonal responses that help us meet changing demands. We don’t consciously direct those functions. They continue whether we are working, resting, or thinking about something else entirely.

We usually hear about the kidneys filtering waste, but they also help regulate what we retain. Water, minerals, and acid balance need ongoing adjustment. Removing more is not always what the body needs. Keeping what sustains us matters too.

Here is a connection I wish we discussed more often: the kidneys help activate vitamin D. Vitamin D from sunlight, food, or supplements is first processed in the liver. The kidneys then convert much of that circulating form into calcitriol, its active hormonal form. When we talk about vitamin D, calcium, and bone health, the kidneys belong in that conversation.

Mineral storage brings bone into it as well. Bone is living tissue and a reservoir of minerals, particularly calcium and phosphorus. The body regulates circulating calcium carefully because nerves, muscles, and other tissues depend on it. Under certain conditions, maintaining that balance involves drawing calcium from bone. Having enough calcium in the blood therefore doesn’t tell us everything about the condition of our reserves.

As a dental practitioner, I find that distinction important. We might take minerals because we want stronger teeth, while the body is managing needs throughout the whole system. Our reason for taking a nutrient doesn’t determine where it will be used.

Jawbone, gums, and enamel also have different needs and ways of responding. Saliva helps maintain the mineral environment surrounding the teeth. A product applied to a tooth can have a purpose, while nourishment and broader health remain relevant to the tissues supporting it. Healing teeth naturally has always meant keeping the whole person in view.

The mouth gives us practical places to begin that conversation. Chewing discomfort can change what someone eats. Dryness may make swallowing difficult. Exhaustion can make daily care feel overwhelming. I want to hear those details because they help me understand what support might actually make a difference.

The adrenal glands sit above the kidneys and produce hormones including cortisol and adrenaline. Hormonal activity involves production, signaling, feedback, and response. When someone feels depleted, I want to understand what is contributing to that experience. Choosing something labeled “adrenal support” doesn’t explain the need by itself.

The same reasoning applies to nutrients for nervous system function or cellular energy. A nutrient may participate in a pathway that also depends on enzymes, transport, signals, and functioning tissues. Learning what that nutrient does is useful. We still need to understand whether it is appropriate for the person receiving it and how we will know whether it is helping.

This is why I place so much importance on creating support first. When someone comes to me with a dental concern, I want to understand their nourishment, sleep, breathing, and digestive health alongside their home care. I’m looking for needs that may have been overlooked and considering whether nutrient status deserves investigation. Targeted replenishment may be appropriate. A detox needs a clear reason. What we choose should come from understanding the person and how their body responds.

With the current Mercury retrograde in Scorpio and Venus retrograde in Libra, I find the symbolism of review especially meaningful. I’m considering what I want to keep giving my energy to and what needs to change. Those questions belong in our health routines too.

I believe honoring our divine nature includes respecting the body through which we live. Replacing what is low may be part of care, while understanding why it is low and how the body responds remains important. We can support an identified need and continue learning about the person experiencing it.

As November begins, think about a need you keep putting off. I’m doing that alongside you, learning how to care for myself as thoughtfully as I want to care for others.

If you keep developing cavities despite consistent home care and using products intended to support your teeth, I’d like to help you look more closely at what may be missing from the conversation. Through my dental health coaching, we can review your nourishment, sleep and breathing, and the concerns you haven’t felt heard about. Together, we can identify questions to investigate and practical support suited to you.

Book a consultation with me to explore how your daily care and whole-body health fit together.

What have you been meaning to give yourself more of: nourishment, rest, support, or simply time to hear your own thoughts? You’re welcome to share in the comments. I’d love to hear what returning inward means for you this November.

If this brought someone to mind who feels discouraged by ongoing dental concerns, please share it with them. Sometimes a thoughtful conversation helps us find a place to begin.

With warmth and love,
Shannon

Returning to Our Nature

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