The MindHealth360 Show

Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD, an expert in biochemistry and functional medicine, discusses the neurobiology of trauma and its effects on mental and physical health. She reveals how life experiences are stored in the body, leading to nervous system dysregulation and various mental health issues. The conversation explores the critical connection between nervous system regulation and overall well-being, the impact of prenatal influences on emotional development, and practical strategies for creating safety and facilitating healing through integrative therapy.

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.

Dr. Robert Lustig discusses the link between diet, metabolism, and mental health, highlighting the impact of sugar on brain function. He explores the benefits of the ketogenic diet, omega-3 fatty acids, and the role of ketones in CNS energy metabolism. Dr. Lustig also discusses how sugar affects mitochondrial function, inflammation, and immune responses, advocating for better dietary choices for optimal mental well-being.

Join Dr. Stephen Porges, a distinguished scientist and professor known for his groundbreaking polyvagal theory, as he dives into the complexities of psychological trauma. He explains how our nervous system influences mental health and the importance of the vagus nerve in emotional regulation. Discover the critical role of social engagement in healing and how the pandemic has redefined our connections. Dr. Porges also highlights practical therapeutic applications, emphasizing the need for deeper understanding and holistic approaches in mental health treatment.

In this engaging discussion, Dr. Leslie Korn, an integrative medicine expert with over 40 years of experience, dives deep into the interconnection between trauma and nutrition. She emphasizes the importance of bio-individuality in dietary choices, the gut-brain relationship, and how communal rituals aid digestion. Dr. Korn also discusses the therapeutic potential of psychedelics when paired with traditional practices and highlights key nutrients for mental health recovery. Her insights on daily self-care rituals offer listeners hope and practical steps toward healing.

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

Dr. Christopher Palmer, a Harvard psychiatrist and researcher, shares groundbreaking insights on the connection between metabolic health and mental disorders. He discusses how dietary changes, particularly the ketogenic diet, can significantly impact psychiatric conditions. The conversation covers the roles of mitochondrial function, inflammation, and even intergenerational trauma in mental health. Palmer also touches on the challenges of eating disorders and the complexities of ADHD, proposing innovative, holistic treatment approaches that shift traditional psychiatric paradigms.

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.