Well+Being Holistic Mental Health
“Emotional Health & Wellness Tips From The Therapy Couch And Other Places”
Amino Acid Therapy To Heal Your Brain & Improve Your Anxiety, Depression, ADHD & More.
Some common reasons people reach out for therapy and counseling is to address their new or longstanding mental health challenges. Symptoms such as anxiety, depression, addiction, insomnia and lack of motivation are often so debilitating that they are unable to live the life they desire. In my experience, psychiatric medications are essential for many, and truly life saving. But for those who have not had success with traditional psychiatry, it’s worth considering the highly-effective natural solutions that are rarely offered in conventional medicine.
Many mental health symptoms are all indications that levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, GABA, and the catecholamines dopamine and norepinephrine (there are more) are low. This is otherwise known as neurotransmitter dysfunction or imbalance. There are four main neurotransmitters involved with mood and behavior, and they are: serotonin, GABA, endorphins and the catecholamines (dopamine/Norepinephrine). The main focus with Amino Acid Therapy in clinical practice is on the serotonin-catecholamine system. Low levels of each of these, lead to a very specific pattern of mental health symptoms. It’s important to know that there are many reasons why brains become depleted and imbalanced, such as, trauma, chronic stress, chronic pain, loss, poor nutrition, addiction, hormonal changes and genetic predisposition, and thankfully, there are effective and powerful ways to restore brain health.
Our bodies need amino acids to work properly, and they are crucial to metabolic function. Some amino acids are made by the body, and others come from your diet. Typically, when you consume a protein, your body breaks it down and what's left is the amino acid. Amino acids are precursors to neurotransmitters, and when these vital messengers are deficient or imbalanced, information is not relayed optimally in the brain, and symptoms arise. Amino acid therapy aims to heal and restore the brain to optimal functioning by supplementing what’s missing based on history, symptoms, behaviors and response to trial treatment.
Conquering Food Addictions With Dr. Neal Bernard
On this crisp Fall day, the Urban Zen Center welcomed Dr. Neal Barnard to share the science behind food addictions, and his solution of a plant-based (vegan) diet to control and reverse many chronic health problems, including food addiction. Winning Weight Battles And Conquering Cravings was the theme of the day as guests filled the stunning zen-like space. The six-hour workshop offered just the right balance of nutritional wisdom and delicious samples of the sweet and savory foods that promise to help heal our bodies. Can low fat, nutrition-dense food choices also be delicious? Absolutely, and my fellow attendees would agree.
The breeze from the garden was invigorating as the indoor space filled with the aroma of culinary delights that included kale and pear smoothies, vegan quesadillas and lentil stew on a bed of quinoa. With such a diverse group of guests, it was inevitable that someone would ask, “So what’s for dessert?” Not to disappoint, nutrition experts and chefs Christine Waltermyer, Jill Eckhart and Emily Richard served a raspberry chocolate mousse made with tofu. It was refreshing, (okay, pretty amazing, and I’m tofu-tolerant, not really a fan!).