Emotional and Mental Well-Being
Enchant: to subject to magical influence ; bewitch: to delight to a high degree dictionary.reference.com The Loss of Enchantment Nothing is more tragic than the loss of our ability to be enchanted. I see it in my friends, my patients, and even myself. That loss happens when we are no longer entranced by our lives and our dreams. This loss can happen slowly, such as when a person is forced to engage in a job or lifestyle that seems inauthentic, soulless, or disingenuous. Or tragedy may strike in an instant, changing the very foundation of a persons’…
"I am empty and aching and I don't know why"— Paul Simon Finding the Root Causes of Emotional Pain For many people who come to see me—due to depression and anxiety—I am often asked the same question, "why do I feel this way?" Perhaps worse than the emotional pain itself is—the inability to understand where our pain is coming from or how to treat it. One of the things I love most about being a naturopathic doctor is that naturopaths are dedicated to finding the root causes of disease. In the case of depression and anxiety: there…
The Bio Identical Hormone Restoration Therapy Conference Getting away from Los Angeles, and my busy schedule as a naturopathic doctor, can sometimes be a challenge. And last weekend, April 25-26, was no exception. Still, it was an amazing two days that I spent in Las Vegas, Nevada at the SLS Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, learning amazing medicine and spending time with great friends and colleagues. This is the second time I have attended the Medisca Network Conference on Bio-Identical Hormone Restoration and Balancing, and I am very glad I did. In the past I have treated…
Your Brain is Starving What if I were to tell you that your brain is starving? Believe it or not, there is a good chance it is. Our brains, like our bodies, need to be fed, and when they are not fed they can become exhausted and simply do not work right. A tired brain is easy to spot. When our brains are not fed properly it is impossible to learn, retain memories, or even to think rationally. You may find yourself hypersensitive and becoming distraught easily. For people who suffer from brain fog, even simple daily…
Niacin Can Have an Impact on Your Mood Feeling a bit blue lately? You might want to think about adding an inexpensive supplement to your daily diet. Niacin (also known as vitamin B3) is a readily available over-the-counter supplement that has been found to improve mood in some people. In fact, one of the first signs of vitamin B3 deficiency is anxiety and depression. Why would that be? When we aren’t getting enough B3, our bodies may become deficient in an important neurotransmitter called serotonin. Serotonin helps relieve stress and anxiety, so when there are lower circulating…
Enjoying the day with my friend Muriel Fremy at The Exposition Park Rose Garden When I think of naturopathic medicine, my mind naturally wanders to images of nature, like the forest I grew up surrounded by in the Pacific Northwest. I think of nature as inherently therapeutic. I am reminded of the smell of the air after a fresh rain; the beauty that assaults you when you are walking in a rainforest in the early morning. Simply by walking in the forest, research has shown, people become calmer and happier. For someone like me, who grew up…
