Anxiety - how can Naturopathy help?

How can I reduce anxiety Lauren Stark Naturopathy

The statistics are quite startling:

1 in 4 people
1 in 3 women
1 in 5 men

Though not surprising, with many people who come to see me experiencing a range of anxiety that is impacting their day to day life.

Symptoms vary and can range from a sense of worth through to increased heart beat, shortness of breath, inability to sleep, restlessness, anger, finding it hard to concentrate, fidgeting, feeling agitated in a social setting through to overthinking, all of which can be impacting how we live, how we interact and how we thrive.

When clients come to me for support for anxiety I will look for ways that can help manage the symptoms and look at identifying what the underlying causes might be so that they can address these for long-term results, in some cases I may also recommend working alongside other healthcare practitioners such as doctors and counsellors.

What causes Anxiety?

It can be from many different reasons including an emotional trauma, imbalance or low nutrient status, imbalance in the gut microbiome (there is lots of information and research around the gut-brain axis), blood sugar dysregulation, having imbalanced hormones (oestrogen levels are involved in the synthesis of many of our neurotransmitters)

How can Naturopathy help?

We have many herbs and nutrients that we use to help manage symptoms and also balance the bodies response to stressful situations. Some of my favourites that I might include in a treatment plan - all of which eliciting a different therapeutic affect-

Kava
Passionflower
Chamomile
Theanine
GABA
Lavender
Magnesium
Protein

It is important to always seek the advise of a qualified practitioner when using herbal and nutritional medicine, we are trained in the mechanism of these herbs and nutrients, understand how they work in the body and if they will influence any other medication you might be taking and will work alongside other treatment programs you might be on.

Lifestyle changes will they help? Being outside, getting enough quality sleep, exercising, forming relationships with people , eating regular meals will help and this is something I will educate you about if you book a naturopathic consultation with me.

Can my genetics impact my mood?

Yes, definitely. Information about epi-genetics continues to grow and we know that there are certain gene variations may have impact on our mood, our ability to detoxify and how we make our neurotransmitters. For people that are interested we offer genetic testing using tests provided by DNA-Life.

How do I know if I experience anxiety? If you are unsure if you are experiencing anxiety you can complete online surveys through Beyond Blue - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety-and-depression-checklist-k10

Can I test to see what my neurotransmitters are doing?

There are quite a few testing options that we can also use to assess your neurotransmitters levels such as serotonin, dopamine, nor-adrenaline, adrenaline, cortisol and cortisone such as the DUTCH test, this being a simple urine test that includes these markers among other hormones and their metabolites. Understanding your nutrient levels from iron, zinc, B12 and Vitamin D can also help to identify other underlying factors.

If you or a dependent are experiencing anxiety, depression, inability to sleep or moodiness take control of your health and book a naturopathic consult with me today.

e info@naturallyforyouhealth.com M 0403 772 806

Wishing you health and abundance,

Lauren