Mental Health, It’s Ups and Downs
Most certainly everyone can relate to having moments of anxiety and depression as we all navigate our particular paths in life. For some, these moments can extend into days, weeks, or years. Our mood shifts according to what is going on in our lives, as well as what is going on in our bodies.
Our bodies and minds are intricately connected, therefore imbalances in either of these areas affect the other significantly. Certain aspects of our physical health impact our mental health more than others. These key areas of physical health can be investigated with appropriate questions as well as lab tests, to see if any imbalances are present and likely contributing to symptoms of mood changes. By investigating these areas, we can better understand which specific areas of our bodies need the most support in order to optimize our emotional and mental wellbeing.
When we investigate mental illness, we look at general health as well as specific imbalances and nutrient deficiencies that we know negatively affect mood. We have different tests that help us assess a range of potential issues, but most commonly we will do blood work, and other specific tests for hormone and digestive health. Our state of health can be impacted by so many factors; it continually changes throughout our lives. For this reason, it’s helpful to repeat basic blood work once a year to monitor any shifts that are happening, and make changes as needed.
Here are some key investigations into mental wellness:
Nutrient deficiencies
-Iron stores
-B12
-Vitamin D
Hormone balance
-Thyroid function
-Sex hormones
-Cortisol patterns
Blood sugar
We investigate these factors in particular as they have the ability to impact our energy levels, clarity of mind, and our nervous system. Imbalances in these areas cause issues that overlap with symptoms of anxiety and depression. By correcting some of these imbalances we can greatly improve how we feel.
In order to understand why values in our labs might be shifting, we do a thorough investigation of lifestyle including diet, sleep, exercise, and stress management. Our daily routines affect our mental health, as we either positively contribute to or diminish our overall health with everything that we do. It would be impossible to never stress our systems, but it is important to acknowledge what we are doing that may burden our body and aim to balance it out when possible.
These are the key lifestyle factors impact mood most significantly:
-Stress levels
-Sleep quality
-Diet
-Exercise
By making small changes in our daily routines, we can consistently shift the balance in a positive way and optimize our physical and mental health. These are the areas that we so often push ourselves to unhealthy limits, and don’t make changes until our bodies force us to a stop. It is important to acknowledge when our routines are shifting in ways that negatively impact our health and try instead to make small healthy changes that propel the bigger ones.
Our bodies can recover and thrive when supplied with the right nutrients, adequate rest, and stress management techniques. By investigating the body’s unique state of health, and what it needs to re-establish its balance, it allows us to start to affect positive change.
If you are feeling like your mental health has suffered recently, or has been a long term concern, seeing a naturopathic doctor is a great place to start. Don’t hesitate to reach out and start uncovering what your particular barriers to optimal wellness might be. In doing this, you can start a more sure and targeted path forward to feeling your best self.
If you are in need of support with getting a handle on your mental health, schedule a Naturopathic visit with Dr. Brett Simpson, ND.
Call (604) 974-8999 or email [email protected] today to schedule your appointment.
