Get to the root of the issue.
Anxiety and depression go hand-in-hand, and are closely related to the stress response. No matter what the stressor, the impact on the brain and the body can be damaging. This is especially true if the stressor lingers around for a prolonged period of time. This could be a stressful job, loss of a loved one or a life transition.
Counselling is an important tool when managing mental health. The first step is identifying the triggers and becoming aware of the mental and physical symptoms.
Nutrient Deficiencies in Mental Health
Anxiety and depression do not only exist in the mind. They are full-body experiences linked to changes in appetite, weight, sleep quality and pain sensation. Motivation levels plummet, and unhealthy foods provide the best comfort. The problem with these foods is that they are often devoid of nutrients and provide us with more of an inflammatory response than anything else.
Many nutrients are required for optimal brain function. When we are stressed out, highly focused or anxious, these nutrient requirements increase. If this process continues, we can rapidly resort to a deficiency state. This causes all brain and body processes to slow down, resulting in brain fog, difficulty concentrating and poor focus.
Food Sensitivities and Mental Health
Anxiety and depression are strongly linked to body inflammation. For some people, inflammation can come without obvious symptoms, and for others it can have a large impact on an individuals’ ability to function.
Most inflammation comes from the foods we eat. Let’s take tomatoes as an example. Most of us would consider tomatoes to be healthy foods, and indeed they are highly nutritious. However, if our immune systems don’t recognize the tomato, it will create an inflammatory response. Though we may consider ourselves healthy eaters, our immune systems ultimately make the final decision. Identifying and removing our food sensitivities is an essential part of lowering inflammation in the body.
Mental Health is Neuroinflammation
Joint pain, swelling and eczema are examples of inflammation we can see. Anxiety and depression are not visible, but can be signs of inflammation affecting the brain.
Our liver and kidneys are meant to help us detoxify the body. When the level of inflammation overwhelms the liver’s ability to detoxify, it overflows and pools in other body systems. Neuroinflammation refers to the overflow of body inflammation into the brain. It changes brain mechanics and can decrease neurotransmitter levels, resulting in anxiety and depression.
Mental Health is Becoming the Focus of Healthcare
Mental health is losing its stigma, and will soon become the focus of our healthcare system. More and more people are looking to come off their antidepressant medications and take control of their mental and physical health. These medications are highly effective strategies for managing severe episodes, but were not intended to be used long term. Naturopathic medicine has helped many people come off medication and manage their symptoms naturally. It has also helped many people continue on their current medication, and minimize the side effects.