The Month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month. As we approach the end of the month, this doesn’t mean we should stop talking about mental health. In fact, we should continue this very important dialogue. We must remember that mental illness affects people regardless of age, gender, color, creed, or economic status. Mental health disorders are real disorders.
Our body is a whole system consisting of our physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual & financial health. Each area plays a significant role in a person’s health & well-being. When one of the 6 key areas is negatively impacted, it affects our total health & well-being.
Statistics show that 1 in 5 American adults have experienced a diagnosable mental health problem including: depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, addictive behaviors or post-traumatic stress.
While we may experience mental health problems due to stressful life events & traumatic experiences, there is a difference between a mental health problem & a mental illness. A mental health problem becomes a mental illness when ongoing signs and symptoms cause frequent stress & affect your ability to function. Sometimes, symptoms of a mental health disorder can appear as physical problem, such as stomach pain, back pain, headache, or other unexplained aches and pains. ***Check out the symptoms, causes, risk factors & complications of mental illness outlined by the Mayo Clinic by clicking HERE .
Many mental health conditions are caused by inflammation in the brain which can result in memory loss, brain fog, depression & anxiety. Proper diet & food supplements can provide essential nutrients as part of an alternative treatment for mental health disorders. This method is not widely accepted by conventional medicine even though studies show that a lack of essential nutrients does contribute to the onset of poor mental health. To read the article in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry about the connection between nutrition & depression, please click HERE .Conventional medicine doctors often treat patients with medication. They usually exclude nutrition in the treatment plan for mental illness. According to David Eisenberg MD, an adjunct associate professor of nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, only about one-fifth of American medical schools require students to take a nutrition course.
Wellness professionals in the alternative, complementary & integrative health fields have long recognized the link between nutritional deficiency & poor mental health. While conventional medicine doctors are quick to prescribe anti-depressants, there are alternatives. Recent research has shown that supplements including probiotics, zinc, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B & D3 can enhance mental health by improving mood & relieving anxiety & depression.
There are safe & effective ways to address depression or anxiety that do not involve hazardous medications. This includes proper nutrition, exercise & other lifestyle factors. We believe that more medical professionals should consider incorporating nutritional approaches to mental health treatment. Doing so will significantly improve patient health & well-being.If you are seeking holistic health assessments that address the whole person, please contact: The Wellness Institute: (213) 304-5603 OR info@the-wellness-institute.com
Edna Dimataga-Fernandez founded The Wellness Institute in 2013. The company utilizes a holistic model of wellness consulting focusing on the 6 dimensions of organizational well-being: physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual & financial health. The Wellness Institute provides holistic health assessments, corporate well-being workshops & wellness consultations with holistic health practitioners. Wellness-Spring, the company’s holistic health store, sells organic & non-toxic health & beauty products. A portion of the proceeds is donated back to causes that support women, children, health, wellness & education. She has worked & consulted for companies in the insurance & financial services industry, the medical & behavioral health field and the non-profit sector. Edna holds a B.A. in Economics from UCLA and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management. She is a Past President (2010-11) of the National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors - Los Angeles Chapter and is an approved Continuing Education Provider for the California Department of Insurance.