The MindHealth360 Show

In this very personal and insightful episode of The MindHealth360 Show, Ashok Gupta – internationally renowned health practitioner and creator of the Gupta Program – joins us to discuss how brain retraining can reverse chronic illness and heal the nervous system. Gupta shares the powerful story behind the creation of his program, which he developed after suffering from ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) as a student at Cambridge University. Through his own neurological research and treatment plans, Gupta achieved full recovery and has since helped thousands of others do the same.  Kirkland Newman shares her own journey through mould toxicity, nervous system dysregulation, and severe neurological symptoms, and how the Gupta Program – recommended to her by Dr. Neil Nathan – was instrumental in her recovery. Together, they explore how chronic stress, trauma, and environmental triggers can lead to maladaptive brain responses that keep the body stuck in illness, and how brain retraining offers a path to healing.  In this compelling episode, Gupta explains the science behind his program, its origins, and how it helps people with conditions such as ME/CFS, CIRS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Fibromyalgia, long COVID, mould illness, anxiety, and other neurological and mental health conditions. He also reflects on the broader implications of neuroplasticity and the mind-body connection in the treatment of chronic disease.  In this episode you will learn about:  How Ashok Gupta developed the Gupta Program after healing from chronic fatigue syndrome during his time at Cambridge University.  The role of brain retraining in reversing neurological and mental health symptoms caused by an inflammatory and immune response driven initially by toxins and pathogens, and leading to a dysregulated nervous system and chronic symptoms Why chronic illness is often rooted in a “trauma loop” within the brain's limbic system.  How the Gupta Program uses neuroplasticity to interrupt maladaptive patterns and rewire the brain toward healing.  Why environmental triggers like mould can activate a dysfunctional threat response in the brain.  How Ashok Gupta's recovery journey led to the creation of a structured, evidence-based program that has helped thousands of people globally.  A firsthand account from host Kirkland Newman on how the Gupta Program helped relieve her symptoms of tremors, anxiety, fasciculations, and more.  The importance of viewing chronic illness through the lens of the brain-body connection, and the role of hope and empowerment in recovery.   

In this captivating online presentation from the IMMH 2023 conference, board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Achina Stein reveals how the intersection of functional medicine, gut restoration, and psychiatry can lead to lasting healing for depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges. She explains why the journey takes dedication and time, why psychiatry provides an ideal setting, and why it's worth the effort. She also delves into very concrete clinical advice on the basics of how to implement functional medicine psychiatry.    Dr. Achina Stein is a board-certified psychiatrist with over 25 years of clinical experience and serves as the Clinical Director of the Healing Depression Project. Also a certified practitioner with the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFMCP) and a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, Dr. Stein was awarded the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Author of the best-seller What If It's Not Depression, she explains how diet and lifestyle changes - including gut restoration and the 5R protocol - can significantly improve depression, anxiety, and mental health. In this comprehensive presentation, Dr. Stein reveals why standard psychiatric care often falls short by relying on a “silver bullet” approach, the limitations of medications, and why functional medicine offers a revolutionary path forward in psychiatry and mental health treatment.   In this episode, discover: Who benefits most from functional medicine and why it's ideal for patients open to diet and lifestyle changes. Why functional medicine analyses food diaries, bowel movements, sleep patterns, exercise, toxin and mould exposure and physical exam/gait analysis in evaluations alongside more conventional  psychiatric care. Why a diagnosis isn't always needed for treatment, and why changes to diet and lifestyle can treat conditions before they fully manifest. The link between complex chronic illness and mental health symptoms. The intrinsic connection between depression and inflammation. Other often overlooked root causes of depression and anxiety, including certain medications (e.g., Chantix, Accutane), low cholesterol, low Omega-3, low Vitamin D, thyroid issues, lupus and other autoimmune conditions, and hypoglycemia. Why antidepressants may not always improve symptoms and the potential downsides of their use. The importance of addressing infections, toxins, oxidative stress, hormone imbalances, digestive issues, blood sugar levels, and circadian rhythm in treatment. The 5R protocol (Remove, Replace, Reinoculate, Repair, Rebalance) and its role in restoring gut health for better mental health. Insights from the Dr. Hyman Questionnaire on how chronic toxicity impacts mental health. Why the gut-brain axis is a crucial missing link in treating depression, the mental health risks of gut permeability (leaky gut), and the critical role of diet in maintaining gut and brain health. Ways to strengthen the gut-brain connection and increase BDNF levels through HIIT, fasting, and cold exposure for mental health benefits. The crucial role of exercise in detoxification. Top dietary recommendations for improving depression, anxiety and mental health, including foods to add (vegetables, eggs, beef, fish, quinoa, nuts, seeds, fermented foods) and foods to avoid (caffeine, sugar, dairy, gluten).  

Dr. Nicole Cain is a leading expert in resolving anxiety and has helped thousands of patients break free from panic and build lasting mental wellness. In this insightful interview for the MindHealth360Show, she shares the powerful methods behind her revolutionary approach to treating anxiety.     Author of the book Panic Proof: The New Holistic Solution to End Your Anxiety Forever, Dr. Cain brings a unique and multidisciplinary perspective to mental health. With a degree in clinical psychology, training in EMDR, and a license as a naturopathic physician, she incorporates medical, psychological, and holistic approaches to healing, and successfully bridges the gap between biochemical and psycho-spiritual factors to address anxiety from multiple angles.   In this compelling and complex conversation, Dr. Cain introduces the 9 distinct types of anxiety (thought anxiety, chest anxiety, gut anxiety, depressive anxiety, nervous system anxiety, anger anxiety, endocrine anxiety, trauma anxiety, and immune system anxiety), emphasising that our different experiences of anxiety require tailored treatments. She highlights the importance of identifying the root-causes of anxiety for sustainable and effective healing and reminds us that anxiety is not caused solely by a stressor, but by how we respond to it in states of sympathetic activation. She outlines her ‘panic proof' strategies that focus on mind, body and soul for healing from anxiety and panic attacks, and explains why focusing on our bodies, sensation, touch and connection is so important. With real warmth and optimism, Dr. Cain reassures us that we are designed to heal, offering a message of hope: recovery from anxiety is not only possible – it's within reach.   In this episode you will learn: How anxiety and panic coexist on a spectrum, with panic at one extreme and generalised anxiety at the other. Why a trauma and biology-informed approach is essential, and how addressing both the biochemical and psycho-spiritual aspects of anxiety leads to deeper healing. Why anxiety originates in the body, and how thoughts are attached to those physical sensations – rather than the other way around. How to identify early “canary” warning signals of anxiety and why each person's experience is unique. Why we can't simply “talk” ourselves out of feeling anxious, and ways that trauma is stored in non-verbal parts of our brains, influencing anxiety in ways we might not consciously recognise. Why anxiety becomes maladaptive when it is not proportional to a threat, and ways maladaptive behaviours are those that stop you from adapting to new or difficult circumstances.  The neurophysiology of anxiety – understanding anxiety as a stress response that results from the nervous system getting "stuck” in a heightened state - and why it's rooted in the reaction, rather than in the stressor.  The root-causes of anxiety, including environmental toxins, moulds, infections, hormone, nutritional and neurotransmitter imbalances, inflammation, trauma, and adverse childhood experiences - and how these biochemical and psycho-spiritual factors interplay. The 9 types of anxiety – thought anxiety, chest anxiety, gut anxiety, depressive anxiety, nervous system anxiety, anger anxiety, endocrine anxiety, trauma anxiety, immune system anxiety – the typical symptoms of each, and how each type informs targeted treatment strategies. How the brain's salience network contributes to anxiety, and why excessive sensory stimuli (screens, social media, blue light, toxins) can trigger panic. How to shift from asking “how do I make the anxiety stop?” to “what is my body telling me I need” - and why listening to our bodies informs healing strategies.  How experiencing physical touch and building meaningful human connections play a vital role in recovery. Why asking “how can I become more of myself?” rather than “how do I fix myself?” can be a powerful tool reframes how we accept and heal from anxiety. 3 key foundational strategies that build resilience and adaptability; 1: meeting core human needs (prioritising connection, proper nutrition, hydration, warmth) 2: removing obstacles to healing (toxic relationships, unfulfilling jobs, and unhealthy environments) 3: strengthening brain/body health (herbal medicine, detoxification, micro-dosing, targeted nutrition, movement, bodywork, sauna therapy, and massage) A practical demo of the “3 minute hack” ,tips for panic attack prevention, and why self-compassion and care transform our experiences of anxiety.

In this fascinating interview, Dr. Matt Bernstein explains the groundbreaking and fast developing field of metabolic psychiatry, and outlines the ways diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors can radically transform mental health outcomes. He explains why metabolic dysfunction is  common to all manifestations of poor mental health, and why metabolic intervention can have profound benefits to all mental health disorders. Dr. Matt Bernstein is Chief Medical Officer at EllenHorn Clinic, where he pursues alternative ways to help individuals achieve their best levels of functioning and happiness without relying solely on traditional psychiatric approaches, instead focussing on metabolism, nutrition, circadian-rhythm, biology, mind-body and exercise, He is also Chief Executive Officer at Accord, a residential clinic implementing metabolic psychiatry approaches to mental health, and is  one of the leading voices in the emerging field of metabolic psychiatry.  Dr. Bernstein received his medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He then trained at the MGH McLean Psychiatry Residency Program, where he served as chief resident and psychiatrist-in-charge, and later as assistant medical director of its schizophrenia and bipolar inpatient programme.  In this episode, learn why metabolism and mitochondrial health is at the core of our mental health, why merely reducing symptoms is not the desired outcome, and how Dr. Matt Bernstein helps his patients function at their best and happiest in everyday life. Discover why diet is the most powerful intervention, and why behavioural choices, such as exercise, mind-body practices and circadian-rhythm alignment, deepen healing by improving metabolism.    In this episode learn about: How Dr. Matt Bernstein discovered metabolic psychiatry and why it is so effective  in treating  mental health conditions, including psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, addictions, eating disorders, OCD, ADHD, and more. How metabolic psychiatry works without traditional psychiatric approaches, and why mainstream medicine often falls short in addressing the root-causes of mental health issues. Why the treatment goal is for patients to thrive in everyday life, rather than merely reducing symptoms. The link between metabolic dysfunction and mental health: how metabolic imbalances contribute to depression, anxiety, and treatment-resistant chronic disorders. How lifestyle interventions can reverse metabolic dysfunction: the role of ketogenic diets, exercise and circadian rhythms in improving metabolic and mental health. Key data and case studies that highlight the potential of metabolic psychiatry to transform mental health, and ways evidence is beginning to reveal that metabolic treatments outperform pharmaceuticals. How improving mitochondrial function boosts neurotransmitter function, BDNF, GABA-glutamate ratio, while reducing neuroinflammation and decreasing oxidative stress. Why mitochondrial health is fuelled by ketosis, and why good mitochondrial health profoundly improves our metabolism and mental health symptoms. Ways a ketogenic diet is a ‘miracle drug', and how it can cure treatment-resistant mental health disorders and reduce anxiety and depression. What a ‘clean' ketogenic diet looks like: the importance of high-quality whole foods and the targeted roles of fibre, proteins, cholesterol, and fats in optimising brain health. How to reach ketosis as a vegetarian or vegan, and practical guidance for those following plant-based diets. Root causes of poor mitochondrial health: how childhood trauma, toxins, pollutants, nutrient deficiencies, ultra-processed foods, sugar, and circadian rhythm dysregulation impact metabolism and mental health. An overview of Dr. Matt Bernstein's 4-week minimum residential programme Accord, and how the programme uses diet, mind-body practices and circadian rhythm alignment to improve metabolism as the main intervention for improved mental health. Why over testing and over supplementing can become part of the problem, and is avoided in the programme. How treatment strategies are tailored to the individual: why personalised interventions require ongoing support, why the process can be challenging, but why the effort can be incredibly rewarding.

In this vital and technically complex presentation, Dr Scott Antoine explains why PANS (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptoccocal Infection) are common and overlooked root cause of psychiatric symptoms in children (such as OCD, restrictive eating, anxiety, emotional distress, depression, dramatic mood swings, psychosis and suicidal ideation). In doing so, he encourages physicians to explore mental health in an entirely new way, especially in the treatment of children.    Dr Scott Antoine completed his undergraduate training at the University of Scranton, after which he completed his doctorate at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He later served in active duty with the United States Army as an Emergency Physician and worked as an Emergency Physician at St. Francis Hospital until 2019. In addition to his board certification in Emergency Medicine, he achieved board certification in Integrative Medicine and holds certifications in Functional Medicine through the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) and A4M. His book The Comprehensive Physicians Guide to the Management of PANS and PANDAS was released in February 2024 to excellent reviews.    He discovered his calling when he and his wife Ellen, also a Functional and Integrative Medicine physician, battled to correctly diagnose the root-cause of their 12 year old daughter's sudden-onset OCD, insomnia, rage, as PANS. Since then, he has helped hundreds of children recover from PANS and PANDAS, and in 2019 helped to pass a law which prohibits insurance companies in Indiana from denying coverage for medical care (including IVIG) for children with PANS and PANDAS.   In this richly informative personable interview, he presents an evidence-based outline of the successful ways to both diagnose and treat PANS and PANDAS, and stresses that they are not nearly as rare as mainstream medicine seems to believe. He decodes complex medical expertise, referencing over 300 clinical studies and peer-reviewed medical literature, that identify biological mechanisms and the root causes that underlie PANS and PANDAS. In this episode, Dr Antoine unravels why PANS/PANDAS can have such a profound, often sudden impact on Children's psychiatric health, and demands that PANS and PANDAS be considered more broadly in psychiatric diagnoses. In this episode you will learn how infections, toxins and the immune system interplay in the expression of harmful psychiatric symptoms, why they cause PANS and PANDAS, and how they can be successfully treated.   In this episode learn about: Why PANS and PANDAS are hidden and common root cause of OCD, violent mood swings, depression, anxiety and suicidality, how they are diagnosed, and the role of testing. Why physicians routinely overlook and even deny PANS and PANDAS as a cause of mental health symptoms. Why toxins and infections can trigger PANS and PANDAS and their associated neuropsychiatric symptoms. How Strep is related to autoimmunity and why to treat it even if strep tests are negative.   Why a range of infections - not just strep or Lyme borrelia - can trigger neuropsychiatric symptoms (OCD, attention issues, hallucinations, psychosis, depression, suicidal ideation), including other tick-borne co-infections, influenza, Epstein Barr, chlamydia pneumonia and Covid. Ways environmental chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides and mycotoxins (mould) can lead to inflammation and autoimmunity. The concrete link between rheumatic fever and OCD, ADHD, mood issues and psychosis. Other causes of autoimmunity, including genetics, intestinal permeability, infection/T-cell activation and molecular mimicry  (the mechanism by which microbes can induce autoimmunity). The 4 vital components of treatment: 1) find and treat infections 2) find and remove toxins 3) re-regulate the immune system 4) break neurological loops (OCD, anxiety). How to treat infections using prolonged use of antibiotics, and which antibiotics to choose. Why herbs (isatis, baicalensis, cat's claw etc) can reduce the duration of antibiotic use, and the studies that prove it. The binders (activated charcoal, zeolites, humic acid) and bitters that help remove toxins. Ways medications (naltrexone and steroids) can help re-regulate the immune system. Why and when IVIG is used for the treatment, why it can relieve and cure symptoms (OCD, anxiety and tics) quickly. How Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) and hypnosis outperforms medications in breaking neurological loops (OCD, anxiety, intrusive thoughts) Other helpful interventions that assist healing; nutrients, diet changes and probiotics.

In this captivating live event for The MindHealth360 Show and Alternatives, Dr. Dan Siegel discusses his upcoming book, Personality and Wholeness in Therapy, released in November 2024. It gives practitioners insight into different types of personality, and shows how this understanding can be used to help clients live happier, more harmonious lives, and have better relationships. Presenting a revolutionary new way to incorporate neurobiology and its impact on personality into therapeutic practice, Dr. Siegel reveals his theory of developmental pathways. In doing so he addresses a key oversight in conventional therapy training: personality - both what the personality is scientifically, and how to work with it therapeutically. Dr. Seigel's ground-breaking understanding of personality encourages therapists to unlock the neurological underpinnings of personality, and to help adjust ‘stuck' personality patterns - often formed through poor childhood attachment or trauma - transforming it from a prison into a playground, to ultimately improve states of wholeness and wellness in patients. In this episode you'll learn about: ·        What personality is and what it's for. ·        Dr. Siegel's nine Patterns of Developmental Pathways (PDPs) in relation to the enneagram types, showing therapists the neurological basis of personality patterns as applied in therapy. ·        Ways temperament and attachment interact in the formation of personality, and what that has to do with childhood development as well as long-term relationships, our brains and our mental health. ·        The four key factors that shape temperament: sensitivity (activation of the nervous system), intensity (size of response), novelty (how reactive a person is) and tone (manner of response). ·        Why parental responsiveness to children's temperaments is key to the outcomes of child development and well-being. ·        Why the in-utero experience is of being and wholeness, while being born is about surviving, and how this shapes personality. ·        Dr. Siegel''s three ‘vectors' that mirror the enneagram; 1) agency 2) bonding 3) certainty, and how these impact a sense of wholeness, as well as the influence of ‘inward' and ‘outward' energies. ·        How therapists can use Dr. Siegel's nine Patterns of Developmental Pathways (PDPs) to improve the mental health of their patients, and why seeking ‘wholeness' is the goal. ·        Why there is no such thing as a personality ‘type' but rather why there are personality patterns. ·        Ways temperament and life experiences intensify our adaptive strategies, which can then become a prison of behaviour and feeling. ·        What personality imprisonment is and how therapists can identify negative dominant personality patterns (such as fear or sadness) and identify their root causes (often poor attachment or trauma); and how awareness can help us find our deeper self and free us from these personality prisons. ·        Why every measure of wellbeing is predicted by the interconnection of neurological pathways, how this is damaged by developmental trauma and non-secure childhood attachments, and ways to increase/repair pathways to enable them to flourish. ·        How mindfulness and therapeutic psychedelics can open neuroplasticity potential to alter seemingly fixed neurological patterns of behaviours. ·        Why personality structures become inflexible, how to find harmony between chaotic and rigid states, and why integration and attachment security are key. ·        Why modern society is traumatising, and what this means for the ‘Self,' the personality, and our mental health.

In this episode, Silvia Covelli, a former social science researcher at Harvard University, successful business woman, single mother, and now founder and CEO of The Healing Depression Project, talks about her recovery from 25 years of treatment resistant depression. During this time, she explored over 60 different treatment modalities which failed to provide lasting relief, until she hit on a formula that worked. Drawing on her vast personal experience of suffering in silence while trying to find solutions, and her eventual recovery, she put together a groundbreaking programme to offer sustainable relief to those suffering from treatment resistant depression called “The Healing Depression Project” with a fantastic team of functional medicine psychiatrists, including Dr. Kat Toups and Dr. Achina Stein.  Silvia reveals the surprisingly simple yet transformative practices that helped her overcome years of depression. She offers actionable insights into her programme's treatment plans and emphasises why identifying common biochemical root-causes of depression (such as toxins, poor gut health, hormone imbalance, and nutritional deficiencies) as well as making lifestyle changes (to include better sleep, diet, exercise, and meditation) are key to successful healing.    Silvia assures us that depression is not a life sentence and explains how those suffering from depression can sustainably heal. Now, her life mission is to share this programme and help others achieve sustainable and lifelong mental wellness. In this episode learn about:  Silvia's four simple pillars for successful healing; 1) exercise 2) meditation 3) nutrition 4) prioritising sleep.   Why conventional treatments, including psychiatry and medications, not only failed to address Silvia's symptoms (such as fatigue, poor cognition, anxiety, lack of connection, apathy, etc), but worsened them and created new ones.   Why you don't have to accept medication for life – and where to find support as you de-prescribe.   How and why depression isn't “just in your head” but has roots in biochemical imbalances.   Why mental trauma should be viewed in the same way as physical trauma.    The science of habit and how to embed lifestyle changes into daily life.   Why talk therapies, life coaching, somatic work, psychodrama and yoga are integral to finding Peace and Purpose.   What The Healing Depression Project is, how it's underpinned by functional medicine psychiatry and how to apply for it.

In this fascinating conversation for the MindHealth360 Show, Pam Conboy and Leia Linder discuss an imminent and radical approach to mental health treatment: psychedelic therapy. When combined with spirituality, community, and functional medicine, this approach can be incredibly powerful for brain restoration, neuroplasticity, and mental healing. Pam Conboy is a biologist and clinical laboratorian who has worked most of her life in medical marketing but has been working in Naturopathic Functional Medicine spheres for the last 7 years, transforming her approach and understanding of medicine.  Leia Linder is a naturopathic physician. Following significant patient interest in the healing power of psychedelics, she was blown away by the wealth of research on the power of psilocybin to successfully address depression, anxiety, PTSD, and many other mental health conditions as a breakthrough therapy endorsed by the 2018/19 US Food and Drug Administration. Reconnecting a year ago, they discovered how psilocybin can be used legally and therapeutically in the context of a religious entity. Founders of the Setas Seminary Church of Spiritual Integration, the first legitimate non-profit church using psilocybin for therapeutic use under the Religious Freedom Act, their treatments sincerely incorporate elements of naturopathic medicine, holistic spirituality, and psychedelic-assisted therapy. In this groundbreaking interview, they explain the remarkable effects of psilocybin on our biochemistry to reveal why it can not only powerfully and sustainably address mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD when used in an integrative and therapeutic way but can also be truly life-changing for those who use it. In this episode, learn about: How the Religious Freedom Act enables the use of psilocybin within the church setting. Ways psilocybin kickstarts the healing process, and why it works significantly more effectively than antidepressants via the 5-HT serotonin receptors. How microdosing can help individuals taper off SSRIs. Why the therapeutic space is key and the importance of the therapist witnessing/holding in the healing journey. How recreational use can go wrong, and why the Church hasn't seen a 'bad trip.' Why the psilocybin used in the Church is safer than SSRI medications, where their psilocybin is sourced, and the rigorous testing involved. The three therapeutic psilocybin dosing categories, and the circumstances in which they are applied: 1) micro-dosing 2) moderate dose 3) full dose Ways the full dose generates a significant psychedelic experience, why it is taken in ceremony and how it works long-term. How psilocybin can create neural pathways/connections, as shown in MRI scans, and how it can vastly increase neuroplasticity and the growth of brain cells quickly – giving sufferers a jump start into better mental health. Why whole mushrooms, rather than molecules, are used and ways they are anti-inflammatory. Why psilocybin is only one of many tools in the healing toolkit, and why the integration of community, naturopathic medicine, EMDR, light therapy, etc., is also vital, and how the Church facilitates this approach. The early research showing that psilocybin can prevent neurodegenerative diseases and stabilize the endocrine system, pointing toward its potential to treat many areas of poor health. Some incredible case stories from churchgoers, ways it can unexpectedly bring to the forefront and heal past traumas, and why psilocybin therapy can be life-changing. For further insights, visit www.mindhealth360.com – your comprehensive guide to mental well-being.

Within our mental health crisis, there are some tools most of us have access to; one of the most influential is food. In this compelling episode, Dr. Uma Naidoo discusses the profound impact of nutrition on our mental health and explains why a bad diet is the leading cause of poor health worldwide. Dr. Uma Naidoo is a Harvard trained, board-certified psychiatrist, professional chef and nutrition biologist. Founder and Director of the first and only hospital based nutritional and metabolic psychiatry service in the US, and author of This is your brain on food and the up-coming Calm your brain with food, Dr. Naidoo is a leading expert of nutritional psychiatry. Grounded in nutrition science and evidence-based research, in this episode, Dr. Naidoo explains why a bad diet is the most common root cause of poor mental health; anxiety, depression, poor concentration, and other mental health concerns. She discusses the power of the gut-brain connection and reveals how a healthy diet—one which includes prebiotics, fermented foods, fibre, clean proteins, healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids—can help with mental health symptoms. In this fascinating interview discover which foods target anxiety, which relieve depression, which enable key neurotransmitter production essential to mental wellness, and learn why our diets are fundamental to our mental health.   In this episode, you'll learn about:   ·         How nutrition can help mental health conditions and why whole foods and nutrients improve mental wellbeing. ·         Which foods target anxiety, and why anxiety is the most prevalent mental health disorder of the post-pandemic era. ·         Why what we eat works in synergy with medications and other therapies to improve mental health. ·         How the biological mechanism of nutritional psychiatry shows the centrality of the gut-brain connection in anxiety, depression, poor concentration, insomnia, and other mental health issues. ·         Ways a diet rich in vegetables, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats, enable the production of neurotransmitters – dopamine, serotonin, glutamate and GABA – within the gut microbiota, any why this is essential to good mental health. ·         How neurotransmitters are synthesised in our brains to cross the blood-brain barrier, and the vital role of amino acids (derived solely through diet) in this process. ·         The lasting impact of the Covid pandemic on our diet and our mental health; what we can do to combat poor health through conscious eating, and why fast foods as an occasional treat offer a sustainable and realistic approach to lasting dietary changes. ·         Ways ultra-processed foods damage our health and the hidden threat of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) – a food thickener widely used in processed food–to our gut microbiome. ·         Which foods feed good mental health, reduce inflammation, improve gut microbiome, and combat poor brain health – including prebiotic foods, fermented foods, fibre, clean proteins, healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids – and ways they can be obtained simply through food. ·         Why fibre from whole grains–quinoa, spelt, barley, buckwheat and teff – can be vital to the relief of poor mental health, and anxiety and depression in particular. ·         How dark natural chocolate can really help us feel better! And why it can help ease symptoms of depression. ·         Which spices and herbs calm your mind and soothe mental health symptoms.    

In this extract of his presentation for IMMH 2023,, Dr. Robert Hedaya, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University and founder of the Whole Psychiatry & Brain Recovery Center showcases his cutting edge HYLANE treatment protocol which has proved very successful in treating previously intractable psychiatric and neurological problems. With decades of experience in both conventional and functional psychiatry, Dr. Hedaya has developed a unique approach that combines functional medicine with cutting-edge technologies like hyperbaric oxygen,quantitative EEG (qEEG) and photobiomodulation therapy to optimise brain function and enhance treatment outcomes. Dr. Hedaya shares case studies, including one of a patient suffering from cognitive decline and prosopagnosia (facial blindness), who experienced remarkable recovery after combining functional medicine protocols with high-tech brain treatments. His insights highlight how these advanced methods can repair not only the biochemical terrain of the body but also the brain's function. Dr. Hedaya's approach offers hope for patients with complex psychiatric and neurological conditions by combining functional medicine with high-tech brain treatments to achieve optimal outcomes. His work demonstrates that when the brain's hardware (the structural - neurons and their synaptic and biochemical connections) and software (character, psychology, schemas, belief systems)) as well as the cloud (spirituality and psyche) are addressed together, patients can experience significant recovery even in conditions traditionally deemed untreatable. In this episode, you'll learn about: The limitations of conventional psychiatry and how functional medicine can provide more comprehensive treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders by treating underlying issues such as hormone imbalances, neuroinflammation, and environmental toxins. The role of quantitative EEG (qEEG) in diagnosing brain dysfunction and guiding targeted treatments like transcranial photobiomodulation (laser therapy). How HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) can promote healing of the brain's hardware. The impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on mental health and how advanced therapies like hyperbaric oxygen and laser therapy can restore brain function. Highlights from a groundbreaking case study of reversing cognitive decline and facial blindness using HYLANE combination treatment  The success of combining personalised and layered treatments, including diet, gut healing, hormone therapy, detoxification and advanced brain technologies for better neuropsychiatric health. How qEEG can identify abnormal brain function that traditional scans may miss, providing more accurate diagnostic insights, and how qEEG-guided therapies can improve memory, word recall, and focus in patients with neurodegenerative disorders and cognitive decline. The role of advanced brain mapping technologies in targeting specific brain areas for personalised treatments. For further insights, visit www.mindhealth360.com – your comprehensive guide to mental well-being.   Guest's Social Media Channels: - Website: https://wholepsychiatry.com/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrRobertHedaya/  - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-robert-hedaya-84422379   Publications: - Understanding Biological Psychiatry   - The Antidepressant Survival Guide: The Clinically Proven Program to Enhance the Benefits and Beat the Side Effects of Your Medication   - Depression: Advancing the Treatment Paradigm Through Functional Medicine (Chapter in Textbook of Functional Medicine)    

In this episode of the MindHealth360 Show, we explore the future of healthcare with James Maskell, a pioneering advocate for functional and integrative medicine, author of “The Evolution of Medicine” and “The Community Cure” (check titles), and founder of the largest global network of functional medicine educational and practitioner groups, the  “Functional Forum”. Mr. Maskell discusses the growing burden of chronic diseases, the limitations of conventional medicine and how functional medicine addresses the root causes of illness, as well as the importance of community based care for healing. Mr. Maskell has been at the forefront of efforts to make functional medicine more accessible and effective at scale. The conversation covers the development of community-based healthcare models, such as group medical visits, which combine the power of social connection with medical care. Mr. Maskell explains how these models can enhance patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and address psychosocial factors that contribute to chronic disease. He emphasises the need for a shift toward participatory and preventive healthcare, where patients are active participants in their health journey. In this episode, you'll learn about: - The Role of Functional Medicine in Chronic Disease Management: explore how functional medicine's root cause approach can reverse chronic diseases by focusing on personalised care, and lifestyle interventions while simultaneously addressing underlying physiological imbalances. - Innovative Group Medical Visits: learn about the implementation and effectiveness of group medical visits in functional medicine. These visits not only address the medical needs of patients but also provide social support, which is crucial for improving outcomes in chronic illness and mental health. - Health Economics and Functional Medicine: understand the financial implications of adopting functional medicine in healthcare systems. Mr. Maskell discusses how functional medicine can lead to significant cost savings by reducing the need for chronic disease management through medications and frequent hospitalisations. - Psychosocial and Psychospiritual Factors in Healthcare: mr. Maskell highlights the importance of addressing psychosocial determinants of health, such as loneliness and stress, which are often overlooked in traditional medicine but are critical for effective chronic disease management. - Integration of Functional Medicine into Mainstream Healthcare: discover the challenges and opportunities in bringing functional medicine into mainstream healthcare systems, including overcoming resistance from traditional medical practices and the pharmaceutical industry. - The Impact of Community in Healthcare: mr. Maskell's work demonstrates how community-based approaches can enhance patient engagement, adherence to treatment plans, and overall well-being, particularly in managing complex, chronic conditions. - The Future of Functional Medicine: insights into how technology and data-driven approaches are being integrated into functional medicine to improve diagnostic accuracy, treatment personalisation and scalability of care models. Guest's Social Media Channels: - Website: https://www.jamesmaskell.com/ - Instagram: @mrjamesmaskell -LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmaskell/ Publications: - Maskell, J. (2014). The Evolution of Medicine: Join the Movement to Solve Chronic Disease and Fall Back in Love with Medicine - Maskell, J. (2019). The Community Cure: Transforming Health Outcomes Together  

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, are “chronic conditions that damage and destroy parts of your nervous system over time, especially your brain.” According to mainstream medicine, “these conditions are permanent and incurable, but many are now treatable thanks to medical advances. Currently, the main goal is to treat the symptoms and slow the progress of these conditions when possible”.  We also know that neurodegenerative disorders are the leading cause of physical and cognitive disability around the globe, affecting 15% of the world population, and are expected to double over the next two decades. Given that neurological disorders are so prevalent and on the rise, and given that mainstream medicine has few options other than symptom management, it is vital for the prevention and reversal of neurodegenerative disease to look elsewhere. Integrative and Functional Medicine has a lot more answers to neurodegeneration than mainstream medicine, and Dr. Ken Sharlin is a neurologist who has transformed his conventional neurology practice to incorporate more integrative and functional medicine approaches into his practice for better patient outcomes.  In this episode of the MindHealth360 Show, we are joined by Dr. Ken Sharlin, author of *The Healthy Brain Toolbox*, who shares his journey from conventional neurology to a more holistic practice, emphasising the importance of addressing lifestyle, environmental factors, and personalised medicine in treating conditions like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and MS. Dr. Sharlin discusses how modern neurology has traditionally focused on diagnosis and limited treatment options, often missing the opportunity to explore and address the root causes of neurological diseases. He explains that while medications and surgeries are valuable, they represent only a portion of the available tools. By incorporating functional medicine principles, including therapeutic lifestyle changes, environmental toxin mitigation, and addressing metabolic syndromes like "diabesity," Dr. Sharlin has expanded his toolbox to offer more comprehensive and effective care.  One of the critical insights from Dr. Sharlin is the role of the gut-brain connection and how gut health can significantly influence brain health, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases. He also delves into the emerging role of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress as primary drivers of diseases like Parkinson's. Dr. Sharlin emphasises the importance of early intervention and personalised care, recognising that no two patients are the same, even when they have identical diagnoses.

In this vivacious and informative presentation for IMMH 2023,Dr. Arwen Podesta, board certified in psychiatry, addiction medicine, holistic & integrative medicine, and forensic psychiatry, and author of Hooked  and Dr. Joe Mather, board certified in family medicine and functional medicine, discusses their fruitful experience of working together as a collaborative, intra-disciplinary team for better patient outcomes. They also discuss how to use integrative approaches to diagnose and treat the root causes of mental health symptoms, and delve into the key drivers of mental illness, and their most effective, evidence-based non-pharmaceutical treatments.  In this fascinating and lively presentation, Dr. Mather and Dr. Podesta illustrate on a case by case basis the way they interact on a patient's care, bringing their unique and separate approaches to bear, and showing how the power of their collaboration yields much better results than when they work alone. They take us through the key workups and diagnostic labs; the most common biochemical root causes of mental health issues; and the most effective evidence-based solutions.  In this interview learn:  What is a great definition of integrative medicine, and why is it so effective for helping patients heal?  How collaborative care works in practice, avoiding its potential pitfalls, and why it's more fun and yields better patient outcomes than when each doctor working in their silos The most common mental health symptoms, their most frequent biological root causes, and how to best diagnose them The most common genetic SNPs associated with mental disorders and why these don't always need to be tested but can be ascertained through phenotype The 8 key evidence-based non-pharmaceutical interventions that have been shown to help with mental health and addiction An overview of the key hormones, nutrients, toxins (including moulds and heavy metals), gut and methylation issues affecting mental health and addiction   

In the latest podcast episode of the MindHealth360 Show, Dr. Aimie Apigian delves into the neurobiology of trauma and how it impacts our mental and physical health. As an MD with a background in biochemistry, public health and functional medicine, Dr. Apigian bridges the gap between the biochemical and the psychological aspects of trauma. She explains how life experiences are stored in the body and how trauma can lead to nervous system dysregulation, contributing to various mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Aimie Apigian, MD MS MPH is a leading medical expert on how life experiences get stored in the body and on accelerating the trauma healing journey through her signature model and methodology, The Biology of Trauma®, based on her personal health and trauma journey. In this episode, learn about: The interconnectedness of the nervous system and the immune system and the connection of the autonomic and central nervous systems.  How dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system drives mental and physical health issues.  How one individual neuron cell is getting signals, and its receptors, and its mitochondria.  The role of our biochemistry in understanding trauma and nervous system dysregulation. How chronic stress and trauma can lead to cellular dysregulation and chronic symptoms. Practical approaches to restoring the body's health through integrative trauma therapy. The importance of creating micro-moments of safety to support the healing process.   We are so excited to announce that Dr. Apigian will be one of our keynote speakers at the IMMH 2024 Conference in Washington DC from 10-13 October. She will be presenting on the neurobiology of trauma and effective integrative approaches to healing. For more information and to register, visit https://www.immh.org For further insights, visit https://www.MindHealth360.com, your comprehensive guide to mental well-being. Guest's Social Media Channels: - Instagram: @draimie - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aimie.apigian - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-aimie-apigian/ Publications: - Apigian, A. (2022). The Biology of Trauma: Healing Chronic Stress and Trauma. [Publisher]. - Apigian, A. (2019). Functional Medicine and Trauma: Integrative Approaches to Health. [Publisher]. Resources Mentioned: - Trauma Healing Accelerated: For more information and to attend the course, visit [Trauma Healing Accelerated](https://www.traumahealingaccelerated.com).  

In this enlightening episode of MindHealth360, Dr. Sharon Hausman-Cohen, a visionary in the field of genomics, delves into the transformative impact of genetic insights on mental health treatment. As a co-founder of IntellxxDNA, she explores how understanding an individual's genetic profile can lead to highly personalised treatment strategies that can help prevent, treat and even reverse  mental health issues. Dr. Hausman-Cohen discusses the integration of genomics with traditional mental health approaches, highlighting the potential for revolutionising diagnoses and treatments. Dr. Hausman-Cohen is not only a respected researcher but also a trailblazer in applying genomic data towards practical, clinical solutions. With over two decades of experience in integrative medicine, she has dedicated her career to enhancing patient outcomes through innovative medical practices which involve cutting edge genetic research with targeted personalised treatment strategies. In an approach unique to Intelxxdna and due to an extensive library of research applied to her genetic findings, she is able to match lifestyle, dietary and supplemental interventions with specific genetic variations for personalised and effective treatment plans. Her expertise and commitment have positioned her as a leader in the field, particularly in the area of cognitive health, where she has made significant contributions to understanding and treating conditions such as Alzheimer's and other cognitive disorders. This comprehensive discussion with Dr. Hausman-Cohen not only sheds light on the scientific aspects of genomics but also offers hope and actionable advice for those seeking to understand and manage their mental health through cutting-edge medical advancements. In this episode, learn about: The foundational role of genomics in understanding and treating mental health conditions. How personalised genetic information is used to tailor mental health interventions. The synergy between genetic data and environmental/lifestyle factors in managing mental health. Case studies and personal insights on the impact of genomic understanding in clinical practice. Future directions in mental health treatment with the advancement of genomic technology.   Guest's Social Media Channels: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-h-26185718  Resources Mentioned: IntellxxDNA: Visit IntellxxDNA's website for more information on Dr. Hausman-Cohen's work.  

In this compelling extract from IMMH 2023, Dr. Robert Lustig, a globally recognized  paediatric neuroendocrinologist, delves into the intricate connections between diet, metabolic health and mental health. Dr. Lustig, with a career marked by extensive research and advocacy, shows us how dietary choices profoundly influence brain function and neurochemistry and contribute to various mental health disorders. His pioneering work underscores the critical role of metabolic health for maintaining optimal mental well-being. Dr. Lustig has a stellar academic and clinical career, with a BSc in Nutritional Biochemistry from MIT, an MD from Cornell University Medical College, and an MSL from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He is Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and throughout his career has made significant contributions to the understanding of the adverse effects of sugar and processed foods on public health, and has been instrumental in advocating for changes in dietary guidelines and public health policies aimed at combating the global epidemic of chronic metabolic diseases. Dr. Lustig's extensive research portfolio includes over 125 peer-reviewed articles published in renowned journals such as Nature, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism and The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. He is also an acclaimed author, with notable books including Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease, The Hacking of the American Mind: The Science Behind the Corporate Takeover of Our Bodies and Brains, and Metabolical: The Lure and Lies of Processed Food, Nutrition, and Modern Medicine. In this episode, learn about: The alarming rise in global metabolic and mental health disorders and their intricate connections Mechanisms by which sugar and fructose function as mitochondrial toxins and cause oxidative stress in neuronal cells, contributing to neurological and psychiatric disorders The therapeutic potential of ketogenic diets in treating neuropsychiatric conditions, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia The effects of insulin resistance on neuronal energy metabolism and its implications for mental health The impact of gut microbiota and the gut-brain axis on mental health, emphasising dietary interventions to support these systems Evidence-based dietary interventions for improved metabolic and mental health outcomes The role of chronic low-grade inflammation in mood disorders and the influence of dietary factors in modulating inflammatory states We are thrilled that Dr. Lustig is one of our keynote speakers at the IMMH 2024 Conference in Washington DC from 10-13 October, and will be giving two presentations on Technology Addiction in Children and "Amygdala Unchained" Ground Zero for the Syndemic and the Meta-Crisis For more information and to register, visit IMMH. www.immh.org  

In this illuminating extract from his IMMH 2023 presentation, Dr. Porges takes us on a fascinating tour of his groundbreaking polyvagal theory, the connection between our nervous system and mental health, and the role of the vagus nerve in regulating emotions and responses to trauma. With a distinguished career spanning multiple institutions and numerous accolades, Dr. Porges shares insights on how understanding and managing the nervous system can revolutionise mental health treatment. Dr. Stephen Porges is a distinguished university scientist at Indiana University, the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium at the Kinsey Institute, and a professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina. He is also a professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. With over 400 peer-reviewed scientific papers and several influential books, Dr. Porges has significantly advanced our understanding of the nervous system's role in mental health. His latest book, Our Polyvagal World: Health, Safety, and Trauma, co-authored with his son Seth Porges, further explores these themes. In this episode, learn about: Mechanisms of the autonomic nervous system: an in-depth exploration of the ventral vagal complex and its role in modulating physiological responses to stress and safety Polyvagal Theory in clinical practice: practical applications of Polyvagal Theory in therapeutic settings, including strategies for enhancing autonomic regulation and resilience in patients The concept of neuroception and its implications for understanding how the nervous system detects and responds to environmental cues of safety and threat Advanced therapeutic interventions based on Polyvagal Theory, focusing on how to effectively engage the parasympathetic nervous system to improve outcomes in trauma and stress-related disorders The significance of assessing and modulating autonomic state to optimise therapeutic interventions and improve patient outcomes in mental health treatment How the evolution of the autonomic nervous system supports social behaviours and the implications for mental health treatments Understanding the physiological underpinnings of emotional regulation and dysregulation through the lens of Polyvagal Theory Cutting-edge methods for assessing autonomic state and bio-behavioural reactivity to enhance diagnostic accuracy and personalise treatment plans Dr. Porges will be elaborating on this theory and putting it into practice at the Integrative Medicine for Mental Health Conference (IMMH 2024) in Washington, DC, October 2024. There he will be presenting his new polyvagal music initiative, designed to regulate the nervous system using musical interventions. He will be teaming up with Seth Porges, his son and co-author of “Our Polyvagal World” and celebrated Music Producer Anthony Gorry to present  The Transformative Power of Music Scientifically Composed to Signal Safety to the Nervous System. For more details, visit IMMH  

In this fascinating interview for The MindHealth360 Show, Dr. Leslie Korn discusses the connection between our biochemistry and our psychology; between trauma, nutrition, and mental health. With extensive expertise in integrative medicine and somatic and psychological therapies, Dr. Korn explores the impact of trauma and chronic stress on our biochemistry, and tells us how to balance our biochemistry for better nervous system resilience and better health. She explains how dietary choices, specific nutrients, plants and herbs, and personalised nutritional strategies can be vital for recovery from trauma, PTSD and mental and physical well-being. She underlines the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, especially when integrated with traditional healing rituals, and uses her extensive experience of working with indigenous cultures to suggest tried and tested approaches to improving mental health and resilience.  Dr. Leslie Korn is an expert in integrative medicine with over 40 years of clinical experience, focusing on stress, trauma, cognitive function, and chronic physical illness. She began her training in Mexico where she worked extensively with indigenous cultures, and continued at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Korn holds a PhD in Behavioral Medicine, an MPH from Harvard, and an MA in cross-cultural health psychology. She has developed the Brainbow Blueprint®, an individualized integrative approach, and has trained over 30,000 health professionals. Additionally, she directs the Leslie Korn Institute of Integrative Medicine, has pioneered somatic therapies at Harvard, and is an author of 10 books on related subjects including Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health, Rhythms of Recovery: Integrative Medicine for the treatment of PTSD and Complex Trauma, The Good Mood Kitchen, Natural Woman, and The Brainbow Blueprint: A Clinical Guide to Integrative Medicine and Nutrition for Mental Well-Being.   In this interview learn about: Dr. Korn's key principles for better mental health (eat breakfast, nourish both brains, eat only when relaxed, eliminate toxins, etc.) The best nutrition for your gut (foods that damage, foods that heal) and the link between gut health, mood and brain health The importance of circadian rhythms, exercise and other movement in combination with the right nutrition Key herbs and plant therapies for healing The importance of community for physical, emotional and spiritual healing Biochemical and psychological stressors which hamper our innate capacity to heal How trauma and PTSD impact our biochemistry (inflammation, gut dysbiosis, poor nutrition, difficulty with self-care, immune and neuro-endocrine imbalances, metabolic dysfunction, difficulty with detoxification) What we can learn from indigenous cultures about healing, nutrition, sacred rituals, and mental health How addictions and eating disorders are dissociative disorders and the link with trauma and control   Why eating more fats and proteins and less sugar is so crucial to brain health and mood stability; and sugar addiction, food cravings and their link with trauma and stress The connection between dysregulated cortisol rhythms and mood, anxiety and sleep, and how chronic cortisol exposure can cause neuronal death The best biochemical tests for mental health (toxins, nutrients status, etc.) Key nutrients for mental health (vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids, B vitamins, magnesium, chromium, lithium) How trauma creates an altered state of consciousness, and how psychedelics also create an altered state of consciousness, but one that can help us heal    Why it's so important to use psychedelics in their traditional and sacred contexts, and how the ritual of therapy is crucial to the experience  How psych drugs such as SSRIs, sleeping pills and antipsychotics as well as other medications such as statins and NSAIDs can suppress mitochondrial function and harm the gut, thereby exacerbating mental health issues  Why daily self-care practices are so important for mental health and healing  Dr. Korn will further elaborate on these concepts in her upcoming talk Integrative Medicine for PTSD and Complex Trauma at the Integrative Medicine for Mental Health conference (IMMH2024) in Washington, October 2024. For more details, visit IMMH.  

Join Us for an Inspiring Episode of The MindHealth360 Show with Susi Amendola - How to Build Nervous System Resilience with Daily Practices. We are excited to bring you an enlightening conversation with Susi Amendola, an internationally certified yoga therapist with over 40 years of experience in utilizing yoga and lifestyle practices for healing. She holds an ERYT 500 with Yoga Alliance as well as a C-IAYT with the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She founded Yoga Now in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1983, where she teaches and directs a 200-hour yoga certification program. She currently serves as a Stress Management Specialist for Ornish Lifestyle Medicine, a Medicare-approved intensive cardiac rehab program. Susi has developed yoga-based stress management programs for schools, businesses, and hospitals throughout the country. Additionally, she has written over 150 articles for Ornish Living Magazine, which reaches over a million subscribers, and is the author of 'The Centered Heart: Evidence-Based, Mind-Body Practices to Stress Less and Improve Cardiac Health'. In this episode, Susi shares her profound insights into how yoga, meditation, and relaxation can bridge the divide between the body and the mind, and transform mental health by building nervous system resilience and reducing anxiety. In this helpful and fascinating interview,Susi challenges traditional approaches to mental health with more somatic ones, and offers practical, evidence-based techniques for integrating these powerful practices into your daily life. Learn about: The importance of training the nervous system for long-term resilience instead of just temporary stress relief How daily practices can help switch from being in chronic sympathetic overdrive, which can cause harmful cardiovascular, immune and endocrine imbalances to being in  parasympathetic states which encourage rest, digest, growth, repair and restoration Insights into the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine program and its success in cardiac health The 7 evidence-based mind-body practices outlined in Susi Amendola's book, The Centered Heart: Evidence-Based, Mind-Body Practices to Stress Less and Improve Cardiac Health The connection between trauma, dissociation, and the necessity of somatic practices like yoga to encourage re-embodiment  Breathing exercises to help manage panic and anxiety How our nasal tissue responds to circadian rhythms, and how each nostril connects to a different part of the nervous system Why it's essential to build your daily routine around stress management and relaxation rather than try to fit them into your daily routine Deep relaxation practices and their benefits over and beyond sleep

Awareness Is Not Enough: Reflections on The Staggering Statistics for Adolescent Mental Health: Dr James Greenblatt's extract from IMMH Integrative Medicine for Mental Health Conference 2023. Dr. Greenblatt will be speaking at IMMH 2024: www.immh.org about Suicide Prevention Redefined: The Tragic Consequences of Ignoring Functional Medicine so come join us at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort in Washington, DC 10-13th October 2024 to hear him and our other fantastic speakers on the latest scientific research and best clinical practice around integrative mental health and functional medicine psychiatry. In this moving and important extract from child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Greenblatt's presentation for the IMMH Integrative Medicine for Mental Health Conference 2023, Dr. Greenblatt, a pioneer in the field of integrative and functional medicine psychiatry with over 35 years of clinical experience, gives us the hard truth around the staggering statistics and crisis in adolescent mental health, the failure of current treatment models and the importance of taking an integrative and functional medicine approach which diagnose and treat the root cause and the individual biochemistry of patients to bring about sustainable healing. In this extract from IMMH 2023, he delves into the critical role of nutritional lithium in mental health, particularly focusing on the concept of lithium deficiency syndrome in children and adolescents, making a compelling argument about how low-dose lithium, a simple but often overlooked micronutrient, is essential for brain health and can significantly influence behaviours related to ADHD, autism, irritability, bipolar disorder, and aggression. In this presentation learn about: - The failure of current mental health treatment and the epidemic of mental health issues and suicidality in children and adolescents; - The correlation between aggression against self (suicide) and others (violent criminals) and low lithium levels; - Lithium as the anti-impulsive nutrient for ADHD, bipolar, aggression and road rage; - Lithium and other nutritional supplements as part of a more effective and sustainable treatment alongside, or even instead of conventional psychiatric treatments, allowing for the reduction of psychiatric medication such as antipsychotics, mood stabilisers and tranquillisers; - The clinical and research-based evidence supporting the use of low-dose lithium in treating and possibly preventing a range of psychiatric disorders such as autism, suicidality, irritability, bipolar 2, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, aggression, etc.; - Low dose micronutrient lithium and lithium carbonate both as anti-suicidality molecule according to 50 years of research; - The relationship between elemental lithium and lithium carbonate (used in conventional bipolar treatment); - Understanding functional Lithium Deficiency Syndrome due to genetics (which can be tested) and nutritional status; - Understanding who will be the most responsive to lithium supplementation, and how to test for lithium deficiency including hair mineral analysis, symptoms and family history; - Lithium's effect on neurotransmitters including decreasing glutamate and dopamine which are excitatory, and increasing serotonin and gaba, which are inhibitory; - Lithium's positive effects on inflammation, oxidative stress, and microglial activation ; - Best doses for nutritional lithium, side effects and best sources; - The effects of lithium on neurodegeneration and its role in dementia care. Find out more about IMMH and book your tickets for the IMMH 2024 conference: www.immh.org

In this episode of The MindHealth360 Show in conjunction with the How To Academy, distinguished Harvard psychiatrist and prolific researcher Dr Chris Palmer unveils his pioneering insights into how metabolic processes underpin mental disorders, challenging traditional psychiatric paradigms. Dr Palmer leads the Metabolic and Mental Health Program and directs the Department of Postgraduate and Continuing Education at McLean Hospital. He is also an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. His revolutionary work advocates for the medical ketogenic diet and a metabolic approach as a treatment for psychiatric disorders, proposing significant shifts in how we understand and treat mental illness.

Join us in this insightful interview for The MindHealth360 Show and the How To Academy with Dr. Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and author of the best-selling Dopamine Nation. In this interview, Dr. Lembke explores the intricate balance between pleasure and pain governed by our brain's dopamine levels, and offers valuable strategies for finding balance in an age of indulgence. With the rise of digital drugs and behavioural addictions, such as social media, online shopping, gaming, and gambling, Dr. Lembke discusses the need for balance and the pursuit of pain in a world obsessed with quick dopamine hits. She explains that our biological mechanism of seeking pleasure and avoiding pain is well-suited for a world of scarcity, but it is mismatched for the overwhelming abundance of rewards in today's society, leading to a global mental health crisis and addiction issues.  Dr. Lembke provides a deeper understanding of the neurobiology of pleasure and pain, shedding light on how these mechanisms work in the brain and their impact on mental health. She also teaches us to recognise and address addictive behaviours, whether related to substances or digital activities for greater health and happiness.

The latest episode of The MindHealth360 Show is an event replay done in partnership with The How To Academy and features Harvard Nutritional Psychiatrist Dr. Uma Naidoo. In this interview, Dr. Naidoo discusses the importance of food to mental health and healing as well as lessons from her new book, Calm Your Mind with Food, where she lays out both science and practical advice for using food as medicine for mental wellbeing. Dr. Naidoo tells us about the major advances made in understanding the gut-brain connection, which explain how food and its digestion  in the gut directly impacts the brain, mood and anxiety levels. Dr. Naidoo explains how the brain and gut initially derive from the same tissue during foetal development, and stay connected by the vagus nerve through a bi-directional communication pathway. She tells us that when food breaks down during digestion, some of the products are good and support healthy brain function, while others are toxic and lead to inflammation in the gut and brain, causing mental health symptoms. Psychological stress can change the make-up of the bacteria in the gut, encouraging the growth of bad bacteria and the reduction of good bacteria, and food can change brain function depending on whether it is healthy or unhealthy.  Dr. Naidoo talks about the foods to avoid (ultra-processed food, lots of added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and trans fats) and foods to seek out (healthy fats, clean proteins, fibre-filled vegetables and legumes) to maximise mental wellbeing. She talks about how different diets can be adapted to personal requirements and preferences, and how moderation and substitution work better than trying to cut out guilty pleasures entirely. We also discuss intermittent fasting, helpful supplements, and Dr. Naidoo's CALMS acronym for what to look for at the store. Michelin-starred chef David Bouley described Dr. Naidoo as the world's first “triple threat” in the food and medicine space: a Harvard trained psychiatrist, professional chef graduating with her culinary schools' most coveted award, and a trained Nutrition Specialist. Her nexus of interests have found their niche in Nutritional Psychiatry. Dr. Naidoo founded and directs the first hospital-based Nutritional Psychiatry Service in the United States. She is the Director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) & Director of Nutritional Psychiatry at MGH Academy while serving on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. She was considered Harvard's Mood Food Expert and has been featured in many media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal. Dr. Naidoo is also the national bestselling author of This Is Your Brain on Food. In her books, she shows the cutting-edge science explaining the ways in which food contributes to our mental health and how a diet can help treat and prevent a wide range of psychological and cognitive health issues, from ADHD to anxiety, depression, OCD, and others.

Our latest guest on The MindHealth360 Show, Dr. Janina Fisher, one of the world's leading experts on treating trauma, explains the revolution in trauma treatment since Bessel van der Kolk's work, which showed that trauma is not in the event itself, but rather in the body's reaction to that event, which is stored in the body, the nervous system and the lower brain regions. This explains why talk therapy and CBT, which engage the brain's higher prefrontal cortex, so often fail to address the root causes of mental health issues and are blunt tools when it comes to successfully treating trauma.  She explains that when we have an emotional reaction to an event or a person, we may actually be having a “feeling memory”, reacting to an implicit memory from a childhood trauma rather than to the actual person or event in the present. And this memory can trigger our nervous system's animalistic response to an earlier threat – whether mammalian (fight/flight) or reptilian (freeze), in the present – dysregulating our nervous system and contributing to mental health symptoms such as depression, anxiety, panic, and lack of focus, memory and concentration. Dr. Fisher developed the groundbreaking TIST (Trauma Informed Stabilisation Treatment) to help heal trauma and educate and train trauma therapists around the world. Combining Dr. Dick Schwartz' IFS parts work with mindfulness, clinical hypnosis, and Pat Ogden's sensorimotor psychotherapy, her approach has proven very successful in sustainably treating trauma. Here she shares some key insights to help us understand the effects of trauma and nervous system dysregulation on our bodies, minds and behaviour, and gives us some top tips for recovery. Janina Fisher, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and a former instructor at Harvard Medical School. An international expert on the treatment of trauma, she is an Advisory Board member of the Trauma Research Foundation and the author of three books, Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors: Overcoming Self-Alienation (2017), Transforming the Living Legacy of Trauma: a Workbook for Survivors and Therapists (2021), and The Living Legacy Instructional Flip Chart (2022). She is best known for her work on integrating mindfulness-based interventions into trauma treatment, and she is also the creator of Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST) therapy.

Deb Dana, LCSW, is a world-renowned clinician, consultant, author and speaker who has successfully put into practice Dr. Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory (PVT), making it accessible and beneficial to hundreds of thousands of people around the world by developing therapeutic practices based on PVT. Deb has a busy career training therapists around the world on how to bring a Polyvagal approach into their clinical practice, and also works with agencies and larger systems to explore how to incorporate a Polyvagal perspective into organisational culture to make them safer, happier, and healthier places to learn, work and function. She is a founding member of The Polyvagal Institute, a consultant to Khiron Clinics, and an advisor to Unyte. She is the author of several books, including her latest Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory and Polyvagal Practices: Anchoring the Self in Safety. In this fascinating interview for The MindHealth360 Show, Deb discusses how the state of our nervous systems is essential to our mental and physical health and our daily energy regulation, and how we can understand and manage this state throughout the day using tools and techniques based on Polyvagal Theory. She talks about the hierarchy of the nervous system – from the ventral vagal state (social engagement, which is essential to health, growth and restoration), to the sympathetic state (fight-flight), and finally to the dorsal state (freeze, collapse) and how each one relates to different adaptive behaviours and pathways of neuroception, further influencing our nervous systems. She tells us of different strategies to move more quickly and easily from dorsal or sympathetic to ventral states so we can find calm, connection and healing in our lives. She also discusses the impact of loneliness; her “glimmers” of ventral activation (gone viral on Tik Tok) that we can use to self-regulate; and tells us how different peoples' nervous systems require different interventions to find their way back to the ventral pathway which is essential to healing; as well as the importance of following the “intuition” of our nervous system. If we could all put Deb's healing work into daily practice and better manage our nervous systems, our inner and outer worlds would be happier, healthier and safer places to live. 

Dr. Robert Hedaya has been practising functional medicine psychiatry for many years, and is a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center. He is the author of Understanding Biological Psychiatry, The Antidepressant Survival Guide and Depression: Advancing the Treatment Paradigm, and the founder of the Whole Psychiatry and Brain Recovery Center, as well as a faculty member at The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM). In this captivating interview for The MindHealth360 Show, Dr. Hedaya talks about how he uses Functional Medicine, focusing on nutrition, digestion, inflammation, toxicity, and hormone levels, and combines it with novel brain therapies which he bundles in his pioneering HYLANE protocol, for a truly personalised treatment for mental health and neurological disorders. HYLANE combines hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), qEEG guided transcranial laser therapy, and neural exercises to treat dysfunction in the brain. He has had great successes with treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, neurodegenerative and other brain disorders using this technology, sometimes even when not combined with functional medicine.  He also discusses how our brains can be deeply affected by socio-cultural, environmental factors and trauma, leading to dysregulation of the hypothalamic pituitary and adrenal (HPA) axis and epigenetic mutations which can affect vital functions such as methylation.

Ben Greenfield is one of the world's leading biohackers. Voted by the NSCA as America's top personal trainer, he is also a health consultant, nutritionist, physiologist, competitive athlete, 13-time Ironman triathlete and New York Times bestselling author of 13 books, including the wildly popular Beyond Training: Mastering Endurance, Health, & Life and Boundless: Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging. With a focus on brain hacks for improving mental health, in this fascinating interview Ben explains why rebooting communication between our nervous system and brain is fundamental to our mental health and wellbeing. He discusses why our emotions, intellect, motivations, cravings, focus and ability to feel whole, human and “boundless” can be drastically impacted when communication between our brain and body is poor. The interview packs a punch and covers an extensive discourse on the many biochemical causes of poor mental health (including neurotransmitter and hormone imbalance, insomnia, dysregulated nervous system, poor diet and gut issues), and he suggests surprisingly simple ways we can recover from anxiety, depression, low mood, stress, poor memory, addiction, fatigue, poor motivation etc. In this lively and incredibly educational conversation, learn why neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine) can drive poor mental health; discover why neurotransmitter testing, DNA testing and hormone profiles offer helpful tools for understanding the root causes of poor mental health; and discover how our diets (protein and amino acid intake, ketogenic diets etc) are the building blocks of our neurotransmitters and our hormones, and why when depleted or dysregulated they are a major cause of poor mental health. Discover how diet, quality sleep, cold therapy, calming the nervous system and taking care of our Soul can hack our brains for greater happiness and health, enabling us to become truly “boundless” in mind, body and spirit.

Addressing the survival of our civilization, this is one the most pressing interviews ever featured on the MindHealth360 Show. Daniel Schmachtenberger is one of the most brilliant systems thinkers and social philosophers of our time. Combining astounding intellect and depth of knowledge with profound concern and wisdom, he is tackling the many issues that threaten humanity. Founder of the Civilisation Research Institution (a think tank focused on preventing global catastrophic risks) and founding member of The Consilience Project (which publishes cutting edge research on catastrophic risk), he advises governments and institutions on the risks we face as a species and planet (such as AI, exponential tech, biological warfare, species extinction, climate change, biodiversity loss, dead zones in oceans, and the global health crisis, and is a much sought-after speaker whose interviews regularly reach hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.  In this vital and deeply thought-provoking interview, Daniel focuses on the epidemic of poor mental health. He explains why our world system is inherently unhealthy, why poor mental health (anxiety, depression, addiction, ADHD, body dysmorphia, suicidality) is linked to our collective (rather than individual) trauma, and why our health is inextricably linked to the political, economic, sociological structures in which we live, which disregard the true meaning of life and our fundamental wellbeing. An expert in Integrative Medicine through his own struggles with chronic illness, Daniel has helped open several Functional Medicine clinics, and is head of R&D at Neurohacker Collective, which develops high performance nutraceuticals.  With 1 in 5 people on a mental health drug and with suicide rates in the US increasing by 36% between 2000 and 2021, Daniel rightly views the status of our metal health as a catastrophic risk and very real crisis. He looks at our global health from a complex and holistic systems-perspective, and argues that we urgently need to attend to our planet, society and each other in order to heal – and even save –  ourselves before it's too late. Discover why the world crises we face are impacting our mental health, why a profound shift into modernity (and away from an evolutionary lifestyle based in nature, good nutrition and community) is killing us, and why it ultimately takes a collective, holistic and fundamental redesign of civilization to restore our individual well-being. It is my longest interview yet, but well worth listening to it in its entirety in its life-affirming, thought provoking, sobering and vital pearls of wisdom from one of the great thinkers of our time.

Dr. Richard Schwartz is the Founder of IFS (Internal Family Systems), an evidence-based therapy which is revolutionising traditional psychotherapy. IFS has shown to be remarkably successful where other therapies have proven to be ineffective or unsustainable in helping patients resolve issues with addictions, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, self-harm, suicidality, and other mental health problems. Its strength lies in its simple and intuitive premise that we each have parts (the fearful part, the caregiver, the perfectionist, the overachiever, the grieving part, the addict, etc, usually formed in childhood) which are often at odds with each other and can cause us to act in ways which are destructive to ourselves and others (while in fact, they are actually trying to protect us). Uniquely combining cognitive and somatic approaches, IFS teaches us to pay attention to our different parts and their relationships in order to successfully heal trauma and poor mental health.  In this fascinating interview, Dr. Schwartz explains why damaged or conflicting parts can lead to emotional pain, physical illness and mental crisis. He helps us discover why there are no “bad” parts, and how when our parts are allowed to feel safe and heard, feelings of compassion, curiosity, calm and confidence flourish. He identifies these qualities as forming our “Self”, and has found them to be fully present (though often repressed) in even his most traumatised patients. As such, IFS is one of the therapies most aligned with spiritual traditions in that it recognizes that we all have a healthy and intact “Self”, separate from our parts. He shows that by listening to these wounded parts with compassion and courage from a place of “Self”, and then speaking and acting with “Self Leadership”, speaking for our parts, rather than from our parts, we can substantially improve our professional and personal relationships, our lives, mental and physical health and happiness.  Dr. Schwartz has a PhD in family therapy, has taught at a number of institutions including University of Illinois, Northwestern and Harvard University, and has authored many best-selling books including No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model and You Are The One You've Been Waiting For: Bringing Courageous Love To Intimate Relationships.

Clinical neuropsychologist Dr. Mario Martinez has spent years interviewing healthy centenarians around the world, and studying the effects of culture, beliefs, thoughts and feelings on our biochemistry, longevity and health. He is the best selling author of The MindBody Code: How to Change the Beliefs That Limit Your Health, Longevity, and Success. In this thought-provoking interview, he outlines the profound influence cultural contexts have on the immune system, the endocrine system and the regulation of the nervous system, and how our culture influences our mental health and life expectancy. Backed by scientific evidence, he reveals that longevity is learned rather than inherited. Discussing top tips on how to defy falling rates of life expectancy in the West, he explains how our minds and bodies are heavily influenced by our cultural attitudes towards health and ageing, and why feelings of shame, disempowerment and hopelessness are worse for our mental and physical health than stress. The pioneering founder of Biocognitive Science, Dr. Martinez shows why self-worth is key to living beyond 100 and explains how we can remodel our physiology through our thoughts and actions to promote health, happiness and longevity.

Dr. Datis Kharrazian is an award winning clinical research scientist, Harvard trained academic professor and world renowned Functional Medicine expert. He is at the forefront of developing evidence-based treatments for mood disorders as well as autoimmune and chronic neurological diseases, which are used by academic institutions as well as by thousands of health care providers. A Fellow of the American College of Nutrition, Diplomate of the Board of Nutrition Specialists, member of the American Association of Immunologists, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, he is also the bestselling author of Why do I Still have Thyroid Problems?, and Why Isn't My Brain Working? In this very complex and captivating interview, Dr. Datis Kharrazian explains why conventional medical approaches to brain health are ineffective, and why neuroinflammation – rather than neurochemical imbalance such as low serotonin – is the true cause of poor mental health. With a focus on psychoimmunology, he sheds light on cutting edge research into glial cells (which are responsible for ‘cleaning' the brain), and explains how they dictate all aspects of health. Revealing the concrete link between primed glial cells and chronic neuroinflammation, he outlines why immune activation is the most common cause of poor mental health (anxiety, depression, insomnia, OCD, etc), neurodegeneration (autism, ADHD, Parkinson's, etc) and autoimmune diseases (MS, diabetes, IBD, etc). He explains that our brains, thoughts and emotions can all cause neuroinflammation and in turn poor mental health, and shows how anxiety, depression, autoimmunity, and other chronic health symptoms can be treated successfully through functional neurology models that address and treat neuroinflammation. He also offers real hope that although identifying the causes of glial cell activation and neuroinflammation can seem complex and overwhelming (and can include a vast array of biochemical, environmental and psychological stressors, mould, toxins, viruses, leaky gut, trauma, injury, stress, etc), wellness can be achieved through relatively simple lifestyle and dietary treatments.

Renowned Functional Medicine Neurologist Dr. Suzanne Gazda is at the forefront of treating neurological disorders, from neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Multiple Sclerosis, to neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism and ADD and has also become a specialist in Long Covid and its neurological effects. She completed her residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center, and is the founder of the Neurology Institute of San Antonio (NISA). Dedicated to patient care since 1989, having worked extensively with Hope for Humans charity in Uganda on the treatment of neurological diseases, and trained in functional medicine, Dr. Gazda has a unique and incredibly diverse perspective and experience, enabling her to approach neurological illness from a whole body and whole brain perspective, diagnosing and treating the root cause of neurological disorders.  In this in-depth interview she focuses on how to find and treat the biological and environmental root causes of neurological disorders (MS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's Disease, Autism, ADD, etc) and psychiatric symptoms (depression, anxiety, OCD, etc), rather than just treating their symptoms. She explains how immune reactions–to infections, mould, chronic stress, toxins, poor diet, EMF, etc–produce neuroinflammation, which is the major cause of all neurological diseases. She also explains why Covid poses the biggest threat to neurological and psychological health humanity has ever faced. In this fascinating interview, she outlines how we can reduce and prevent chronic inflammation to safeguard our brain health through simple ‘pillars of health' solutions.

In this captivating interview, Dr. Doni Wilson reveals the ways we can overcome stress, anxiety and burnout in modern life. Acclaimed public speaker, researcher and author of the best-selling book Master Your Stress, Reset Your Health: The Personalized Program to Calm Anxiety, Boost Energy, and Beat Burnout, Dr. Doni Wilson is a naturopathic doctor, and is certified in midwifery and nutrition. In this vital conversation, she discusses how we can calm our stress response, and outlines why stress is a root cause of biochemical imbalances (such as leaky gut, dysbiosis, hormone imbalance, inflammation, dysregulation of the nervous system) and poor mental health (anxiety, depression, poor memory, insomnia, burnout, etc). She explains what healthy stress is, what happens physiologically when our stress levels remain chronically high, and how we can manage our stress so that it doesn't leave us feeling overwhelmed, anxious, depressed and/or exhausted. Rather than striving to be stress free (which is impossible), she focuses on the ways we can build stress resilience. She discusses her unique CARE stress recovery protocol and explains that we all fit into one of the five stress ‘types', and that each one requires a different treatment.

Board Certified in Family Medicine and in Integrative Holistic Medicine, Dr. Jill Carnahan is a Functional Medicine expert known for her experience with gut health, immunity, and detoxification. In 2010 she founded the Flatiron Functional Medicine Practice, and in February 2023 will release her book Unexpected: Finding Resilience through Functional Medicine, Science, and Faith. An inspirational survivor of breast cancer and Crohn's Disease, she has lived experience of how Functional Medicine can help you recover and thrive when faced with complex and chronic illness. In this fascinating interview she discusses some  lesser known factors of poor mental health, explaining how a leaky gut, toxins, pathogens and environmental stressors can underlie depression, insomnia, cognitive decline, anxiety, ADHD, and even trauma response. Committed to treating the root causes of illness rather than just its symptoms, Dr. Carnahan explains the mechanism of immune system activation and dysfunction, and its interaction with nervous system dysfunction and mental health issues. She sheds light on the emerging field of psychoneuroimmunology, which examines the impact of inflammatory toxins, pathogens and psychological factors on the immune system, nervous system and in turn our mental health; and gives us top tips on how we can detoxify and heal.

In this fascinating conversation with one of the leading physicians in treating complex chronic illness, Dr. Neil Nathan, author of bestselling Toxic, Heal Your Body, speaks of his latest book on Energetic Diagnosis: Groundbreaking Thesis on Diagnosing Disease and Chronic Illness and the importance of the unseen in medical practice. In this interview, learn why sometimes, despite doing everything right physically, true healing will only happen when the more esoteric impact of energy blockages – whether driven by emotional or spiritual factors – are taken into account. He explains the vital importance of intuition, both for the practitioner and the patient, for true healing to occur, and how medical practitioners need to focus more on developing the art of nurturing their perceptual gifts and deep listening, which can, in itself, be healing. He explains the importance of practising using intuition, despite the stigma against it in mainstream medicine.  Find out in the book about different energetic healing modalities, from Reiki to biofeedback to TCM, ayurvedic etc. , and in this interview, learn about how energy affects us and inhabits us – empaths, energy vampires, people with toxic energy, how to deal with them.

Conventional mental health treatment manages the symptoms rather than treating root causes of mental health issues. Functional medicine psychiatry seeks to treat the root causes behind these symptoms, whether they are biochemical (hormone imbalances, gut issues, toxic load, inflammation, infections) or psycho-spiritual (adverse childhood experiences, trauma) or both. But what comes first? Do depression, anxiety, insomnia generally come from biochemical imbalances or psycho-spiritual ones? According to the legendary Professor Stephen Porges, biochemical imbalances are the downstream effects of the real root cause of all mental health issues: a dysregulated nervous system, which itself is caused by a chronic physiological state of stress (fight, flight, freeze). Interestingly, this physiological state of stress can be caused by biochemical issues (such as a toxin or a pathogen) and/or psycho-spiritual ones (such as childhood trauma). The body responds to both with the same threat reaction.  In this interview, Professor Porges, who after years of scientific research has developed a deep understanding of the vagus nerves and their role in mental health, discusses his groundbreaking Polyvagal Theory and its implication for mental health diagnosis and treatment, as well as his latest book, “Polyvagal Safety: Attachment, Communication, Self-Regulation”.  He shows that the syndromes we call depression, anxiety, insomnia, poor attention, irritability, exhaustion, as well as many physical health conditions, have in common a disordered response to stress, or nervous system dysregulation, which he defines as being in a chronic state of sympathetic arousal or dorsal vagal shut down, neither of which are conducive to health, growth and repair – a state facilitated instead by the social engagement system, or ventral vagal nerves. He shows that mental and physical health comes from homeostatic flexibility – the ability to go between states of fight, flight, freeze and social engagement, appropriately and with ease, and shows us how to promote this healthier state in our lives.

Science journalist and author of “Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey” and “The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative”, Florence Williams takes us on a fascinating journey around the physiological effects of heartbreak, loss and loneliness on our bodies and minds. With access to cutting edge scientific research, as well as her own personal experience of heartbreak when her 20 year marriage ended, she describes how grief and loneliness impact our physiology (our nervous system, immune system, hormones and brains), and what we can do to heal our physical and mental health through a sense of Purpose, Connection, Parasympathetic regulation and Awe.

Life expectancy, quality of life and health-span are going down, and not because of Covid. We are witnessing an epidemic of chronic noncommunicable disease (CNDs) (such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke, fatty liver disease, cancer, dementia) as well as mental health issues (addiction, depression, anxiety) and autoimmune conditions which are increasing in prevalence and severity. These diseases of metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunction cannot be helped with a pill, but rather with food. But not just any food. “Let food be thy medicine” is true only if it is the right food. The wrong food, however, will poison you over time.  Prof. Robert Lustig, paediatric neuro-endocrinologist and best-selling author of “Fat Chance”, advises us to take our health into our own hands in order to dodge the agendas of big food, big pharma, and to an extent, modern doctors who don't have the time (nor often the knowledge) to teach us about prevention, lifestyle and the power of food to heal.   So how do we take our health into our own hands when there is so much conflicting and confusing information out there? And what should we eat, and should we supplement, given the various diet trends (Keto, Vegan, Paleo, Mediterranean etc.) and advice on nutrition and supplementation? And each person's dietary and nutritional needs vary! In this live streamed event in collaboration with the How To Academy, Prof. Lustig gives us some clear guidelines to follow for greater health, longevity and happiness.

Eating disorders are one of the most dangerous and difficult to treat mental health issues in young women and men, with the highest levels of mortality and relapse rates of all psychiatric illnesses. And their numbers are growing. In this urgent and eye-opening interview, leading child and adolescent integrative psychiatrist Dr. James Greenblatt, with over 40 years of clinical experience treating eating disorders (anorexia, binge eating, bulimia, etc.), tells us about the often overlooked biochemical factors influencing eating disorders, and shares how to successfully and sustainably treat (and prevent) eating disorders, in women and men, by addressing nutrition, vitamins and amino acids, as well as psychiatry, psychology and body-based therapies. Dr. Greenblatt is a pioneer of integrative psychiatry and currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Walden Behavioral Care in Massachusetts and as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine and Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine. He is the author of 7 books, including Finally Focused: The Breakthrough Natural Treatment Plan for ADHD, Integrative Medicine for Alzheimer's and Integrative Medicine for Depression. Having already featured in two fascinating interviews for the MindHealth360 Show (on ADHD and suicide prevention), the topic of this conversation turns to the pressing issue of eating disorders, and to his book Answers to Anorexia: A Breakthrough Nutritional Treatment That Is Saving Lives.

Dr. Lara Salyer, author of Right Brain Rescue, is a family medicine physician who retrained in Functional Medicine after experiencing debilitating burnout. In this inspiring and complex interview, she explains how increasing our neurochemical flow can successfully soothe burnout, calm a dysregulated stress response and improve mental health symptoms. Dr. Lara Salyer's remarkable approach to burnout and poor mental health draws on her training in functional medicine and her personal experience and creativity to explain how we can rekindle optimal brain-body health and rediscover a love of life by developing better boundaries and lifestyle habits, and encouraging creativity for flow state training.

Dr. Josh Friedman is a pioneering psychotherapist and psychologist who uses not only psychological therapies and mind-body practices such as yoga and breathing techniques, but also a wealth of tools and knowledge to support his patients' biochemistry using diet, supplements and amino acids. He has found that this combination approach is more effective in helping his patients' mental health than psychotherapy alone.  Dr. Friedman earned his doctorate in psychology from New York University, did post-doctoral training in psychoanalysis at the Training and Research Institute for Self Psychology, and is an eating disorders psychotherapist at the esteemed Renfrew Center of New York. In this captivating and profound interview, he explains how nutritional psychology adds the missing piece to traditional psychotherapy. He reveals how biochemical imbalances and nutritional deficiencies combine with psycho-spiritual stressors to cause mental health symptoms, and suggests natural, simple solutions to sustainably heal from depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and addictions.

In this lively and informative interview, Professor Bonnie Kaplan and Professor Julia Rucklidge, co-authors of The Better Brain, discuss the vital role of nutrition in mental health, the importance of diet and the right kind of supplementation (spoiler alert: the right type and combination of supplements is crucial). Prof. Bonnie Kaplan, winner of the Rogers Prize for Excellence in Complementary & Alternative Medicine, is a research psychologist at the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine. Prof. Julia Rucklidge, director of the Mental Health and Nutrition Research Lab, is a clinical psychologist at the University of Canterbury. Both are experts in the impact of nutrition on the brain and mental health, and have led groundbreaking research supported by rigorous clinical trials.  In this dynamic conversation, they explain why poor nutrition can negatively impact mental health, showing how nutrition affects brain metabolism (the brain is known as the hungriest organ, consuming up to 40% of our nutrients) and why the right combination of micronutrients is vital for good mental health. They reveal the surprising role that combined nutrients play in brain health, and how anxiety, depression, ADHD and stress can be simply and successfully overcome through what we eat and how we supplement.

Dr. Hyla Cass is a psychiatrist and pioneer of integrative health and functional medicine psychiatry, author of several popular books including Natural Highs, 8 Weeks to Vibrant Health, and The Addicted Brain and How to Break Free. In this striking interview, she outlines the ways we can recover from mental health issues (PTSD, depression, anxiety, PMS, poor memory) by using CBD to support the endocannabinoid system. She explains what the endocannabinoid system is and why it is so central to our mental health, and describes the ways CBD replenishes endocannabinoids to provide successful, sustainable and natural recovery from mental health symptoms.

Dr. Ameet Aggarwal, best-selling author of Heal Your Body, Cure Your Mind, is a naturopathic doctor, psychotherapist, homeopath, EMDR and family constellations therapist. In this fascinating and comprehensive interview, he explains that healing from poor mental health, anxiety, depression, and insomnia can be successfully achieved by addressing gut health, liver stagnation and inflammation (our biochemistry) and painful emotions and past traumas (our psychospirituality). By understanding the mind and body as integrally related, Dr. Aggarwal reveals that the best way to sustainably recover from poor mental health is through a combined approach incorporating homeopathic remedies, psychotherapy, EMDR, herbs, and supplements, which together help treat the root causes of mental health symptoms: liver stagnation, inflammation, hormone imbalances and unresolved traumas.

In this astounding conversation for the How To Academy in association with MindHealth360, Dr. Dale Bredesen and Dr. Kat Toups reveal their pioneering research into new treatments for dementia and cognitive decline. They explain that, contrary to widespread medical belief, cognitive decline and dementia are not only preventable, but also reversible. Both leading experts in neurodegenerative diseases, Dr. Dale Bredesen, legendary neurologist, is the author of the two best-sellers The End of Alzheimer's and The End of Alzheimer's Programme, and Dr. Kat Toups, recognised as the Godmother of functional medicine psychiatry, is the author of the upcoming book Dementia Demystified. They explain how dementia and cognitive decline can be prevented and reversed through a fundamentally new approach: by attending to factors that affect brain function—including diet, toxins, inflammation, infections, hormone deficiencies, and stress.

Christina Veselak is a psychotherapist and nutritionist, specialising in addiction recovery, relapse prevention and mental health. She is the Founder and Director of the Academy for Addiction and Mental Health Nutrition. With a unique focus on psychotherapy (trauma, emotion, addictions) and nutrition (biochemical imbalances), in this compelling interview she explains that nutrient and neurotransmitter depletion in the brain can cause addictive behaviours and other mental health symptoms, and outlines the ways diet, amino acid and nutrient therapy, and psychotherapy can significantly help prevent addiction relapse. She notes that addiction programmes which offer nutrition therapy have significantly reduced relapse rates.

In this fascinating interview, Dr. Michelle Veneziano, board-certified in family medicine and a clinical professor of osteopathic medicine at Touro University, California, discusses her work with the nervous system, embodiment and brain health. Detailing how tongue position, posture and circulation have a significant impact on mental health, she explains how osteopathy can initiate a mechanical body-release which helps to reset the nervous system, and enable recovery from symptoms such as depression, anxiety and insomnia.

In this inspiring and comprehensive interview, the tables are turned as Cressida Bonas interviews Kirkland Newman, our very own founder and editor of MindHealth360, and discuss the key factors that impact our mental health, and integrative solutions to common mental health issues.  Encapsulating her extensive knowledge of integrative medicine and her experience interviewing leading practitioners, Kirkland outlines ways to identify and treat the root causes of mental health symptoms such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, cognitive decline and insomnia.  She explores and offers solutions to the two most important areas for successful healing from poor mental health  -- biochemical factors (such as hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, toxin exposure, adrenal fatigue and leaky gut), and psycho-spiritual factors such as underlying nervous system dysregulation (often due to trauma and chronic stress) and lack of purpose and meaning.

Dr. Kyrin Dunston is a Board Certified OBGYN and Functional Medicine Specialist, host of Stop the Menopause Madness Summit and author of Cracking the Bikini Code: 6 Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss Success. In this interview she discusses her all-natural journey to losing 100 pounds and healing from anxiety, depression, chronic exhaustion, IBS and fibromyalgia. She outlines how to sustainably recover from poor mental health and reveals the most common causes of mental health symptoms, with a focus on hormonal imbalances. She explains that by treating mental and physical health simultaneously, we can not only heal, but truly thrive.

In this unnerving interview, Nick Pineault, investigative health journalist and author of The Non-Tinfoil Guide to EMFs, reveals the pervasive effects of EMFs (electromagnetic fields) emitted from our mobile phones, wifi and wireless devices. Using scientific research, he outlines why EMFs are NOT safe, despite assurances that they are, and explains how they could be affecting our physical and mental health. He suggests the solution to the problem lies in changing how we use our gadgets in order to reduce EMF pollution, rather than in rejecting these technologies.

Behavioural Neuroscientist and co-director of the Healthy Brain Programme in Colorado, Dr. Ilene Naomi Rusk is a specialist in functional brain health. In this captivating interview, she explains what neuroplasticity is and how to use it to rewire your brain for the prevention and treatment of cognitive decline. She shows how neurological and psychological health are interrelated, and outlines ways to fortify your brain, optimise your cognition and sustainably heal other mental health symptoms by addressing both biochemical (genetic, environmental) and psychospiritual (psychological, emotional) imbalances.