A question asked many times over the last decade is whether meditation is more effective than medication in managing your mental health and health in general. I put together a small workup about meditation’s role in the brain when taking some personal responsibility for stress. In that article, I promised I would do a deeper dive and feel the time is right, so here we … [Read more...]
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for mental health?
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a nutritional compound that seems beneficial for mental health and everything in between. Or at least that’s how the initial research presented. Let’s look into how it might help you. NAC, as it’s usually known, is a popular over-the-counter supplement and FDA-approved drug used for paracetamol overdose.[1] Interest in NAC’s use spans multiple … [Read more...]
Herbal medicine for Anxiety and Depression – Part One
Herbal medicine used for anxiety and depression is becoming more common. One study of two hundred and sixty patients with depression showed that up to fifty per cent had tried some form of natural medicine.[1] Another study from the USA found that forty per cent of people with moderate depression and anxiety had tried some form of natural medicine, including herbal … [Read more...]
Magnesium: Deficient in many, essential to all.
When it comes to magnesium and its role in around six hundred different biochemical reactions in the body, essential is an understatement. In this article, we’re going to break down some of the key reasons this vital mineral is one of the first interventions for me when patients initially visit me. We’ll look at some of the different forms, which one is best to take if … [Read more...]
Is there a connection between the gut, your brain and chronic pain?
The answer is yes, there is a connection between the gut, your brain and chronic pain. Around 2 billion people are living with chronic pain worldwide.[1] For most people living with chronic pain, it is often considered a symptom of another condition. Usually, unfortunately, this leaves it inadequately treated. In my early years of practice, I saw many fibromyalgia patients, … [Read more...]
Introducing Cortisol, the stress hormone.
“I think stress is affecting my hormones.” And it’s so true. But not in the way many people may think. It’s not just your sex hormones like oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone that are causing reactions in your body but others such as insulin and the hormone we are looking at today, cortisol. Introducing cortisol, the hormone that allows your body to deal with stress … [Read more...]
Everyone tells me to reduce my stress. I don’t even know where to start?
I’ve been making a sincere effort to reduce referring to “stress” when talking with patients. Why? You might think it’s obvious two minutes into a new doom scrolling session on Twitter, but as soon I enter into the discussion with patients, I’ve just started to feel as if it’s a moot point. Here’s often how the conversation goes. “So, talk to me about your … [Read more...]
Leaky gut and its influence on digestive and mental health.
The term "leaky gut," its symptoms and causes, are becoming highly ambiguous to my patients and readers alike. So, in this article, I will attempt to clear up some of the confusion. I'll look at some key points to simplify things a little more and help you perhaps prioritise your understanding around its influence on digestive and mental health. Finally, I'll look at some of … [Read more...]
Zinc is necessary for IBS, immunity and depression.
Zinc is undoubtedly one of the most important forms of currency your body needs to pay its bills, especially for IBS, immunity and depression. It’s hard to simplify just how many of these transactions it pays for in a day, but maybe some fun facts might better illustrate it. Of all the trace elements in the body, only iron is more abundant than … [Read more...]
Is histamine making your mental and IBS symptoms worse?
I feel histamine is most well-known because of anti-histamine drugs than its actual effect on the body, certainly not IBS. It's no wonder as allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, is thought to affect ten to thirty per cent of the worldwide population, and that was ten years ago.[1] We've all been affected by histamine actions on the body at one stage in our lives, but hay fever … [Read more...]