Mental Health Awareness

Last week was Mental Health Awareness Week and as Naturopathic Doctors we are well trained to be part of a complete integrative health team. Mental health has many different causes and treatments and we are able to help assess and treat any vitamin, mineral or nutrient deficiencies that may be playing a role in serious mental health conditions. Neurotransmitters for instance, are a major factor in mood and imbalance can lead to symptoms of depression or anxiety. We have the ability to measure the levels of all the different neurotransmitters to treat any excess or deficiency directly as opposed to merely guessing or assuming that it is always low serotonin which is commonly treated using antidepressant medications. Combining this test with hormone levels can give a complete picture of factors that work together to stabilize mood. Common supplements that have been shown to improve mental health include omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin D, iron and vitamin B12. Recent research is starting to look at methylation of DNA and the active form of folic acid playing a significant role in mental health conditions. Mental health is a very difficult topic to discuss and can often be hard to assess and treat. Mental health awareness week has helped improve this dialogue and with the tools mentioned above and the proper health care team to assist in individualizing the treatment plan a profound effect on the outcome of mental health conditions can be obtained. For more information please feel free to contact us anytime.