Depression and anxiety must be dealt with on many levels. For years I used acupuncture, herbs and homeopathic with varying results, but some people would not get better. The last few years I have really focused on the brain and all the newest research and have found that when you work on the physical level of the nervous system — plus the emotional traumas from the past that are lodged in the brain — you can, indeed, turn around most cases of depression, anxiety, PSTD and other brain disorders.
Many people start focusing on neurotransmitters as the first line of action for brain complaints, but I find when you work on more fundamental levels, you often don’t have to address the individual brain neurotransmitters. One of the first things to look at is blood sugar. The brain uses about 30 percent of the body’s glucose, and it needs a steady supply of it. If your blood sugar is going up and down like a roller coaster, then the brain can’t get a balance of its main food and brain function will suffer.
The neurons also need enough oxygen. If your hands and feet are cold, then it is even harder to get the blood upward into the brain, which may affect brain function. This is why some sort of aerobic exercise is important for the brain. The brain also requires stimulation. The brain is plastic, meaning that although it doesn’t produce new brain cells, the ones we have can keep building new branches and connections, which keep us happier. Don’t get stuck in a rut, learn something new, develop a new hobby, add something fun into your life. Chronic inflammation and hormonal imbalances also affect neurotransmitter activity.
If you have food allergies, this can affect your brain, as well. Twenty-five years ago I was in acupuncture school and I found that I was falling asleep in class and even while driving, I would get depressed and would only feel better after a nap. I was tested and found out I have a gluten intolerance. I cut out all wheat and the brain fatigue and depression cleared. Dairy is another big one for many people. If you are depressed, try cutting out wheat and milk products, as well as simple sugars.
Stress and the fight-or-flight response in the body has a major impact on the brain. The adrenals make epinephrine and noradrenaline that are fight-or-flight hormones, so tools like yoga, qi gong and meditation are useful for so many people in our modern life.
Acetylcholine has to do with learning and memory. Serotonin has to do with feeling happy, calm and relaxed, so that is a target of most anti-depressants. GABA is an anti-anxiety neurotransmitter. Dopamine has to do with motivation, hope and self-worth and is involved with addiction. So many natural products, herbs and vitamins help neurotransmitters, so it is worth trying these — after you first address blood sugar, oxygenation and brain stimulation. In some cases prescription drugs are necessary and helpful, especially with suicidal thoughts or severe depression or psychosis.
For the last three years, I have been doing a type of therapy called Quantum Neuro Reset Therapy (QNRT). In this process, we find that emotional trauma from the past affects certain parts of the brain and organs of the body. When the records are released, the core in the nervous system is let go and the body and brain start to function normally again.
I find that when you work on both levels, the physical brain and neurotransmitters, as well as emotional trauma from the past that is lodged in the brain, then healing of depression, anxiety and other nervous system problems can be relieved.
