The 3 Keys to Sleep, Mental and Emotional Health

 
When it comes to pinpointing what is most important to our overall health, quality of sleep, mental performance and emotional well-being top the list.   If you can't sleep, you're constantly stressed and/or you feel as if you're riding an emotional roller-coaster, then something is definitely wrong.  You might be relieved by what I have to say:  healthy, drug-free help is available to you!  I offer natural, safe and effective strategies to get your body, brain and nervous system working optimally.

In reality, there is no delineation between brain and body.  Your body is your brain and your brain is your body.  The part of the brain located within your skull has nerves that branch out to every nook and cranny of your body.  If illness exists in the body, then there will be some degree of negative influence upon nervous system.

Did you know that the same neuro-chemicals produced in the brain are also found throughout the body?  Did you know that the heart and digestive tract have their own "brain" nervous system?  Did you know that 90% of the body's total production of the feel-good neurotransmitter, serotonin,  is produced in the gut?  That's right, serotonin.  It's the neurotransmitter that almost all anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications try and make 'work better.'   Unfortunately, these medications don't correct neurotransmitter deficiency.  In fact, over time, they make the problem worse!

Only nourishing and balancing the primary brain chemicals -which are serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, GABA, endorphins, norepinephrine and epinephrine- can you regain balance and control of your well-being.  Achieving balance can be tricky, so I don't recommend you go about it without expert guidance.  Attaining joy and peace, without the burden of drug cocktails that can cause severe damage over time, are just a few steps away.

Following are the 3 Keys to getting your brain-body working harmoniously to enjoy life to the fullest.

Key #1
Treat existing health conditions.  Without a healthy diet, managing stress adequately or utilizing corrective nutrients, it is impossible to regain health and balance.  Chronic digestive complaints and both limit the body's ability to absorb and utilize nutrition that is essential to achieving and maintaining health.  Other chronic conditions and chronic pain can actually change the architecture of the brain and deplete the body due to chronic exposure to stress hormones.  Depletion of important stress hormones over time causes weakness, exhaustion and debility.  In addition, patients with chronic conditions  have a higher levels 'oxidative stress' and are more prone to aging and general physical degeneration.

Removing the stress of a chronic health condition and supporting the body's anti-oxidant and hormone systems are essential to getting your life back, and, along with it, restful sleep, mental power and emotional well-being.

Key #2
Support neurotransmitter levels.  Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers between nerve cells in the brain.  When neurotransmitters become depleted and deficient due to stress, poor nutrition or brain injury, cognitive function and well-being suffer.  There is no better way to treat this condition than to replace these neurotransmitters.  Healthy neurotransmitter levels can be supported by using balanced amino acid therapy regimen.  Neurotransmitter precursor therapy is universally under-utilized and is well-researched and is extremely safe and effective.  (Note: It is essential to seek professional guidance for this therapy in order for it to work safely and effectively)

Drugs do not help you attain neurotransmitter health.  The problem is not a drug-deficiency problem.  Drugs merely move already depleted neurotransmitters around and make them work harder.  Unfortunately, this can often worsen matters by completely depleting the neurotransmitters upon which they are working.  When this happens, the conventional answer is to either up the drug dosage, add another drug or switch to a more powerful medication that sedates the whole nervous system.

Key #3
Establish healthy mental patterns.  As discussed in Key #1, it is important to eat and sustain a healthy diet and to work to address health conditions to optimize your body's overall function.  I consider this approach a 'supporting general physiology' patterning approach.  Establishing healthy mental patterns can have an even greater, more profound effect on your health and your ability to live a productive and joyous life.

What I mean by the phrase, 'establish healthy mental patterns', is to actually change the way your mind (or brain) works.  This means freeing yourself from stress, frustration, procrastination and other negative mental states, and opening your life to the possibilities of joy, peace, improved communication and relationships, as well as healthier behaviors. 

An exploding body of evidence within the field of mind-body medicine proves that this is actually what occurs when certain behaviors, practices and therapies are used.   To discuss all of the powerful strategies available to us is well beyond the space constraints of this newsletter.  I don't want to leave you hanging, so I have provided list a few mind changing strategies that I offer and teach to my patients.  These include: acupuncture, cognitive reframing, exercise therapy, biofeedback, and meditation.

Sleep, mental and emotional challenges can be conquered by using a comprehensive 3-pronged approach described here.  Should you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment to discuss an individualized program, please don't hesitate to contact me.  There's no time to waste when it comes to getting healthy and moving on with enjoying your life!

To Our Collective Health...

Dr. J

Thaddeus Jacobs, ND, LAc
Licensed Naturopathic Physician
Licensed Acupuncturist