6 Hidden Causes of Anxiety Webinars Ready!

by Jen Springer

Creating the 6 Causes of Anxiety Webinar Series has been the project of the year.

Recording these webinars and figuring out how to offer them to the world has been a hair pulling task at times.  My mind and internet skills have been greatly expanded!

If you are a VIP, you got to attend these events live. (Psst, if you want to be IN on future events, see the box on the top right of the page for the Free Course? Go fill it out now!)  Every spot for these live events filled up within hours of registration opening. The post event feedback was amazing; the reward of helping people figuring out why they feel like crap is what keeps me going.

These topics are the 6 hidden causes of anxiety, fatigue, hormone problems, brain fog, fibromyalgia, dull skin, and obesity that your doctor probably doesn’t even have a clue about – unless he/she is as cool as mine.

The information pooled into these webinars are from my formal education (B.S. & M.S.), countless hours of seminars, 10 years of practice, and most important of all … my personal experience.

Did you see the first one? The one that is the overview of all of them?

Click on the picture below and it will take you there.

The 6 Webinars Are About …

Part One – Food & Other Allergies

• The 7 most common foods that can make your brain go haywire.
• 14 typical symptoms, 16 symptoms that are 99% of the time not connected to allergies.
• 6 tests that take the guesswork out of what your body is reacting to.
• Why allergies are a symptom of a broken body, not a cause.
• Why radical digestive cleansing can cause more damage than good.

Part Two – Blood Sugar

• Why one minute you feel fine, the next you are a raging lunatic.
• Are you living in a state which insulin resistance is the norm, not the exception?
• The difference between diabetes, hypoglycemia, and insulin resistance and how determine which one is a problem for you.
• The ONLY test you should ask your doctor for to determine hypoglycemia and blood sugar problems.
• How to turn your blood sugar around in 5 simple steps.

Part Three – Hormones

• The 3 types of hormones that can make you “crazy”.
• The free (and most accurate) test you can do for your thyroid that your doctor doesn’t want you to know.
• Know how to spot imbalances with the 6 brain hormones, it’s so simple!
• Why playing with puppies and kittens may be necessary, not optional.
• The one test that pinpoints exactly what’s going on in your brain that physicians are up in arms over.

Part Four – Toxicity

• The human brain on toxins and why it has been linked to bi-polar, ADD, and mania.
• The medical doctor behind brain allergies who found that an inflamed brain is not your fault.
• Why insomnia, emotional outbursts, mania, migraines, alcoholism/drugs, anxiety, and the inability to think may be reactions to what you’re being exposed to every day.
• The 3 main body systems that must work right so your brain is happy and you feel energized.
• What to expect and look for when your body starts eliminating accumulated toxic waste.

Part Five – Nutritional Deficiencies

• Why why you eat is not as important as how you absorb it.
• The #1 macro-nutrient that most people don’t get enough of at every meal that your brain needs to feel balanced.
• A simple formula for food combining that even a 6 year old can do.
• The #1 nutrient that made Jen go from “straight jacket material” to sane overnight.
• The 6 supplements a depressed, anxious, foggy thinking, and absent minded brain needs all the time.

Part Six – Adrenal Fatigue

• What the adrenals are and why you should give a rip about them. (Pssst, they may be your ticket to sanity!)
• Determine if salty cravings, afternoon slumps, decreased tolerance, and the 15 other items on the adrenal health checklist are trouble for you.
• Which adrenal test not to waste your money, there’s another one your doctor can do that’s better.
• What the heck an adaptogen and how they can give make you feel more alert, calm, and not get frazzled with everyday stress.
• Why saying “no” might be the critical factor to regain vibrant health.

You can pick and choose what you’d like to learn. Study at your own pace whenever you like.

 
Be sure to go watch the first one, it tells you exactly what’s going to expect in each webinar.  Here’s the link again 6 WEBINAR SERIES.

If you LOVE it, don’t keep it a secret. Share using the Facebook and Twitter links below!

Jen Springer is a Holistic Nutrition Expert who currently serves 10,000 clients.  Her approach to health is refreshing and out of the box, yet makes so much sense.  Through her entertaining and informative webinars, blog posts, and personal recovery program Let’s Get Physical: Anxiety is NOT All in Your Head, her clients quickly get results even though  they’ve spent years of chasing for answers. Jen has been a health educator and practitioner for the last 10 years.

Exactly How to Do a Whole Body Detox

by Jen Springer

Cleansing doesn’t have to be hard or taste like stagnant pond water.

I love the idea of 2 scoops of this and 1/3 of a tablet of that makes the yuck go away!

It can be that simple, that’s the way is should be.

The first time I did this cleanse, I was so excited and relieved that everything was outlined for me. I’m not so great at keeping myself on track, that darn wagon is so easy to fall off of.

In case you missed the directions, you can find them HERE.  I tweaked it a bit and made it my own, of course!

A few things were changed up so that I could really work on the inflammation I’ve been feeling the last few months.  The juice before bed is meant to pull out acid and help my body become more alkaline. The Omega Blue helps inflammation as well because of the omega 3′s from the fish oil.

The other angle I took for reducing inflammation was to target the adrenals. The PD 80/20 is pregnenolone and DHEA – both help a stressed set of adrenal glands.  The best way I have found to help kick start the hypothalamus is to place some DHEA under the tongue. It doesn’t have any taste thank goodness!

The other endocrine helper I used were the Thyromin in the morning, Endoflex in the lunch smoothie, and 4 Multigreens with dinner. Thyromin and Multigreens helps my low thyroid and give me energy – without stimulants.

This cleanse can be done without added supplements, but I had chronic nagging pain to get rid of so I hit it hard! It worked. As a result, my pain level is down 50%. I’m going to do the cleanse again in a few weeks and see what happens, why not?

Without further ado, here’s the custom adrenal building / anti-inflammatory 5 day whole body detox I created for myself:

RIGHT WHEN I WOKE UP:

8 ounce glass of water with ½ a fresh lemon or lime juice

1/3 of a capsule of PD 80/20 under my tongue, holding it for one minute

BREAKFAST:

2 scoops Balance Complete with ½ dropper of YL Stevia and 5 drops orange oil

3 Thyromin

3 Omega Blue

1 Digest & Cleanse

2 Comfortone

SNACK:

3 ounces Ningxia Red

½ Cup Granny Smith Apple, Berries, or Bing Cherries

LUNCH:

2 scoops Balance Complete with ½ dropper of YL Stevia, 1 drop Endoflex Oil

1 Super B (expect a niacin flush!)

Snack:

2 ounces of Almonds, Walnuts, or Pine Nuts

½ Cup Granny Smith Apple, Berries, or Bing Cherries

DINNER:

2 scoops Balance Complete with ½ dropper of YL Stevia and 5 drops tangerine oil

3 Omega Blue

2 Comfortone

4 Multigreens

1 Digest & Cleanse

SNACK:

Vegetable Juice: 1 very large cucumber or celery heart. Juice the WHOLE thing, peel and all. Dilute 50/50 with water add a sprig of fresh mint leaves or a bit of lime juice if desired, drink it all. YUM!

BEFORE BED:

1/3 of a capsule of PD 80/20 under the tongue, hold for one minute

1 Life 5

• 4 drops of peppermint oil in one gallon of water. Drank this throughout the day.

What should you expect from a cleanse? You could have less pain and inflammation like me. Or, if you’re craving salt and sugar that may subside.  Allergies, what allergies?!?  One of my favorite outcomes is when people report to me that they could just put down cigarettes EFFORTLESSLY because of cleansing.

Now you’re asking, “Where do I get this stuff?”

I know, a few dozen of you have already sent me requests asking for the source and I apologize for the delay!

The above products come from Young Living. I have been using for over 10 years and love them as much now as I did then.  The very first cleanse that helped me go from a 1-bowel-movement-a-week person to a “regular” daily person was from them too!   The stuff works and I trust recommending it to you.

I’ve heard stories where people pick up some random product from the local health food store have skin break outs, headaches, or major colon blowout – I don’t want that to happen to you! This is so gentle you can still work and live a normal life while you do it.

If you’re a do-it-yourself person, you can go to the Young Living site direct by clicking HERE. Or, if you want to ask me questions regarding your personal situation email me at Jen@NaturalAnxietyTherapy.com.  I’ll help you get going in the right direction.

Here’s a question for you -

Are you feeling blah, sluggish, bloated, and all around toxic? Yes?  Let’s work together and get your body working the way it supposed to. Feeling good is your birthright!

Jen Springer is a Holistic Nutrition Expert who currently serves 10,000 clients.  Her approach to health is refreshing and out of the box, yet makes so much sense.  Through her entertaining and informative webinars, blog posts, and personal recovery program Let’s Get Physical: Anxiety is NOT All in Your Head, her clients quickly get results even though  they’ve spent years of chasing for answers. Jen has been a health educator and practitioner for the last 10 years.

Adrenal Fatigue & Low Salt Diets?

by Jen Springer

Calling all salt fiends!

Read an article recently on Medicine Net that advocates a low sodium diet. True, a low WHITE SALT diet is a good idea because it’s de-mineralized junk, i.e. an anti-nutrient. But because we’ve been blasted with info that sodium raises blood pressure – everyone is avoiding it unnecessarily.

It has been shown that only 3% of people with high blood pressure actually have an increase in blood pressure when high sodium is consumed (quote from Dr. Janet Lang).

Our bodies need good sodium to function. It is an essential nutrient that so many of us are low in because salt has been labeled as ‘the devil’. When you crave salt, you need it! It’s a true deficiency craving vs. when we crave chocolate chip cookies or junk food.

I love salt and use a lot of it. However, I choose very healthy salt.

My favorite it Redmond Real Salt. I love it for it’s mild, sweet taste. It’s available at many grocery stores. Also, unprocessed sea salt is another good choice. If it’s white sea salt, “Just say no!”. The color in the salt is from the health giving minerals.

There are many foods that are naturally high in sodium – celery, strawberries, zucchini, etc. The perfect one is celery, because it’s high in potassium too. When we “BLOAT” from sodium, it may we’re low in potassium.

What does this have to do with anxiety therapy?

Sodium is an essential nutrient for stress handling centers in the body – our adrenals. The stronger those centers are, the less anxious we feel. It is also vital for every organ to function properly as well as the nerves sending electrical communication.

Salt acts as a diuretic for adrenal fatigued folks! (John Tintera, M.D.)

Use Real Salt or unprocessed sea salt and season away without feeling guilty. I love a pinch in my morning smoothie, makes it taste great and my adrenals are happy.

Adrenal fatigue impacts our brain function, sodium can really be a part of your anxiety therapy!

Got any super salt you love? Don’t hold out on us … share it on Facebook!

Jen Springer is a Holistic Nutrition Expert who currently serves 10,000 clients.  Her approach to health is refreshing and out of the box, yet makes so much sense.  She has a track record of  helping people have the “A-HA” moment they need in order to start rebuilding vibrant health which is their birth right. With her guidance, people quickly get results even though  they’ve spent years of chasing for answers. Jen has been a health educator and practitioner for the last 10 years

Adrenal Fatigue: The RIGHT Tests

by Jen Springer

Everyone has a different opinion, what should you do?

One thing’s for sure, guessing what your adrenal health is NOT the way to go. So many of the adrenal fatigue symptoms cross over to other imbalances in the body. Nagging problems like fatigue, foggy thinking, poor memory, insomnia, bloating, irritability, and chronic inflammation all can have many causes. Talk about confusing!

To mix things up even more, there are 3 primary stages of adrenal fatigue: acute, fatigue, and exhaustion. All of these show up different with testing.  Plus, you’d better pray your doctor / health practitioner knows how to interpret your test results properly.  Different phases of adrenal trouble require different treatments to help pull you out of the never ending fog.

Whatever you do, DO NOT let your doctor pull your blood for a one time test at 8 am. It is a complete waste of time and money. Adrenal tests measure the hormone cortisol, which changes throughout the day.  Taking a one time test is silly, unless you happen have a problem at 8 am. People with adrenal issues can have spikes or crashes in cortisol at any time – not just 8 am.

One of the docs I fired ordered an 8 am test, which came back normal.  I was in the slippery stage 3 exhaustion, which often looks normal on tests. He was belligerent about taking a functional test that takes multiple samples over the entire day.  For another 4 months I suffered with raging anxiety 24/7, tremors, and paralyzing exhaustion.  His only answer was to offer me Prozac; no thanks dude!

A few months later I found another doctor who ordered the right test.  This test measured my adrenals by taking cortisol samples 4 times a day plus DHEA.

The results? Surprise, surprise … the results showed my cortisol levels were off at all other times of the day but 8 am!  At the time I was frustrated because I could have been feeling better 4 months prior if I’d had the right test to begin with.

So what do you ask your doc / health practitioner for? You need to ask for a test that checks your cortisol rhythm  (most likely 12 hr) and DHEA-S.

DHEA-S is a metabolite of DHEA and is more reliable than DHEA alone. If you can get an average DHEA-S, that would be fabulous.

Of course if you can check all the other hormones too, go for it. If you haven’t had a full hormone panel in a while, it’s best to have one so you’re not guessing with your supplements (prescribed or otherwise). Plus, funked out adrenals mess up other hormones too like melatonin (sleep), testosterone, progesterone, estriol, and estradiol.

To recap, ask for an a cortisol 4X and DHEA-S 2X. That means a four sampling of cortisol over 12 hours and two averaged samples of DHEA-S.  Capisce?

Getting the results of your tests provides radical mental relief. You’ll know where you stand. Then, it’s time to take action and get your body strong again through diet, rest, supplements, and laughter.

Remember, different stages of adrenal problems require different protocols.

The next step?  If you don’t have one, ask your health care provider for an adrenal test. If he/she has no idea what you’re talking about, contact my office at Support@NaturalAnxietyTherapy.com.

Working with your local practitioner is preferred, but some of you live in areas where this isn’t possible. I’m not a doctor, but I can coach you through the confusion of rebuilding your adrenals!

Meet me over on the Natural Anxiety Therapy’s Facebook page. I want to meet you and hear your stories!!!

Jen Springer is a Holistic Nutrition Expert who currently serves 10,000 clients.  Her approach to health is refreshing and out of the box, yet makes so much sense.  She has a track record of  helping people have the “A-HA” moment they need in order to start rebuilding vibrant health which is their birth right. With her guidance, people quickly get results even though  they’ve spent years of chasing for answers. Jen has been a health educator and practitioner for the last 10 years

Adaptogens: The Swiss Army Knives For Adrenal Fatigue

by Jen Springer

Adaptogens, sounds like a virus or some other cootie doesn’t it?

Far from it, they are your best friends if you have any of the enigmatic health conditions that doctors are scratching their heads over.

The adrenals are those little walnut sized buggers that sit on top of your kidneys.  I refer to them as “the spark plugs of life” because they give us our zip and keep us running.  Even though they are little, they have a big responsibilities.

When in full gear, they give us the juice to push beyond exhaustion or keep us in high alert when in danger. It is my personal opinion that because we run around like chickens with our heads cut off and don’t take the time to rest and recover, everyone should support their adrenal glands.

You’re probably thinking, “does that include me?”.

Let me give you some signs of adrenal fatigue and you decide:

• Dragging your buns out of bed but you’re wired at night
• PMS and other hormonal whackiness
• You’d rather clean your toilet than have sex
• Can’t poop or poop is spastic
• Any autoimmune craziness
• You hurt all the time without injury
• Feelings of anxiety, panic, depression
• Blood sugar cannot stabilize
• The bags under your eyes look as if you haven’t slept for months
• Your fingernails split vertically

I write about adrenals quite frequently because I feel they are at the core of all dis-harmony in the body. I feel supporting these little glands are imperative in any health recovery program and will speed up progress by light years.  But, one must be careful on which herbs they choose.  There’s been many a day where I’ve been wired up all night, felt anxious, or had crazy blood sugar swings because I chose the wrong herb!

My encouragement is to first get an adrenal function test prior to taking any herbs so you don’t take the wrong herbs and make matters worse. (Ask me how I know!!!)  If you have a cool integrative doc, ask him/her for a 12-hour cortisol test with DHEA.

If your doc thinks you’ve been smoking crack and has no idea what you’re talking about, you might find an indy lab who will do it like ZRT through Canary Club.

Reason? Certain herbs should be used for high cortisol and others for low.

There are some that will do double duty also but honestly, it’s best to know what you’re targeting.  There are a zillion adaptogens and they loved by Chinese and Ayruvedic Practitioners.  Adaptogen means they support immunity, stress, and can do the ‘ol presto chango to do what your body needs. That’s why I love them, they are broad spectrum and are multi-functional.

I know learning about herbs can be confusing and overwhelming, so I’m giving you a few to start playing with.

Here are my top 5 of all time:

Ashwadandha: Just saying that name ASH-WA-GAN-DA is fun!!!  Say it 6 times super fast and you’ll smile for sure.  This herb is best for HIGH cortisol situations.  If a person knows when they are spiking (from the tests), do it then.  I know I spike at night and that’s why I wake  about 3 am. So, I’ll do some of this in the late evening to help even me out.  This one is also helpful for lack of bedroom ‘mojo”.

Eleuthero: Also known as Siberian Ginseng.  If you have LOW cortisol, this herb might be your consideration.  If you have low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), DO NOT USE this herb.   Like a ding-dong I was taking mitfuls to help my adrenals, but I didn’t know that if you are a hypoglycemic this herb should be avoided.  This herb rocks for everyone else and is especially great for people who are so burned out they aren’t making cortisol anymore.

Licorice Root: This is a tonic herb for the adrenals that is great to pair with eleuthero.  It tastes yummy and can even be used as a tea. People with adrenal fatigue often have low blood pressure. This herb will help raise it up so upon quick standing the room won’t spin anymore! People with high blood pressure should not use this herb.  When under heavy stress, I enjoy this as a tea in the morning.

Rehmannia: I love this herb! I love this herb! I love this herb!  This little adrenal tonic is pretty much a-ok for high or low situations and FANTABULOUS for blood sugar folks like me.  A little harder to find, but a great choice for overall adrenal support.

Lycium Barbarum: Just like rehmannia, this baby can be used for everyone.  It’s not really an herb though, it’s a fruit that the Chinese have been using for eons to support kidney and liver chi.   I have never had a negative response to this botanical and I know it has been instrumental in repairing my insulin resistance issues and unclogging my sluggish liver.  I’ve also known men who’ve had trouble saluting  (you know what I mean, wink wink) start running around the house after their wives about a week after loading this little gem. I prefer the liquid form over the whole dried berry because if the adrenals are in trouble, so is digestion. The liquid is assimilated much faster, that means feeling better in short order.

Become friends with the adaptogens, learn about them, and use them.

Get tested before using targeting herbs like ashwaganda or eleuthero so you’re knowing which tool to use for the job. You wouldn’t use a screwdriver to do a hammers job would ya? I’ve tried, doesn’t work!  Tonics like licorice and rehmannia and if you’re not in severe adrenal fatigue, you might be able to get by with just these.

The lycium barbarum can be used by anybody in any situation. I have a friend who makes a concentrated and great tasting formula (unlike ashwaganda or rehmannia!) for this, contact me and I’ll show you the way you’ll look forward to taking your adaptogens every day.

Jen Springer is a Holistic Nutrition Expert who currently serves 10,000 clients.  Her approach to health is refreshing and out of the box, yet makes so much sense.  She has a track record of  helping people have the “A-HA” moment they need in order to start rebuilding vibrant health which is their birth right. With her guidance, people quickly get results even though  they’ve spent years of chasing for answers. Jen has been a health educator and practitioner for the last 10 years.

Heads up before New Years Eve!  If you suffer from anxiety, panic, and stuff like that … watch out for anxiety and/or panic attacks the next day.  I have known many people this happens to; it used to happen to me too. With these secrets, you’ll be able to have a good time and still keep up on your anxiety therapy.

I figured these tricks out through self experimentation because I used to have panic attacks the next day even after 1 drink!  Of course abstaining is the best way to avoid post-drinking anxiety.  However, here are a few tricks if you decide otherwise.

1. Do not drink alcohol without having a big meal full of good fats and protein. This will help keep your blood sugar balanced.

2. Have about 2 ounces of Ningxia Red before bed and 2 ounces first thing the next morning.  This packs in a bunch of minerals, vitamins, and amino acids that help the adrenals and balance blood sugar.

3. Apply my favorite oil for blood sugar balancing before alcohol, before bed, and first thing the next morning – coriander.

4. Take a handful of digestive enzymes (Detoxyme) before bed and a few when you first wake up (wash it down with Ningxia Red).

5. Drink 8 ounces of water before bed and another first thing in the morning when you wake. Dehydration adds to anxiety!

6. Have anxiety busting essential oils on hand. I like to use them before bed and when I wake up, especiall Stress Away.

Adrenal and liver stress is the root of post-partying anxiety. As your body gets stronger and healthier, you probably won’t have this happen.  But for now, help your body out and you’ll have a much better New Years Day.  Have a Happy and Healthy New Year!

I teach many classes on how to balance blood sugar.  It isn’t something a person can learn in an hour or even a month, it’s an ongoing process and even I’m still learning (years later!). It is possible via balancing blood sugar to achieve a very potent form of anxiety therapy.

Many people don’t realize that one of the #1 causes of anxiety and panic attacks is blood sugar imbalance.  What makes is “anxious” is when blood sugar levels drop and the body needs to release adrenaline (epinephrine) to raise up blood glucose levels. When there are other underlying imbalances in the body, this can create the feeling of uneasiness, jitters, and even panic attacks.

Here I’m going to outline two days of example of how to eat to support the adrenals by balancing blood sugars. Adrenals – when fatigued- can be an underlying cause of hypoglycemia and other blood sugar issues. Be sure to also check out the Blood Sugar Category on the right!

DAY 1:

AM: Protein Super Smoothie

AM SNACK:Few slices of apple with a handful of sprouted almonds

LUNCH: Two soft boiled eggs & half an avocado

AFTERNOON SNACK: 1 ounce of fresh mozzarella with a small carrot

DINNER:  Cabbage soup (recipe coming!), Salmon Steak, Steamed Brocooli (buttered).

BEFORE BED SNACK: 3/4 cup plain yogurt, dressed with 1/4 c. blueberries and 2 tablespoons of fresh ground flaxseeds

DAY 2:

AM: Power Meal Pancakes (Powermeal, flax, eggs, Ningxia Red)

AM SNACK: Handful of sprouted walnuts with Ningxia Wolfberries

LUNCH: Tuna Salad

AFTERNOON SNACK: 1 hardboiled egg with a few stalks of celery

DINNER: Salad (romaine, carrots, celery, tomato, avocado), Steak, and Stir Fry Zucchini

BEFORE BED SNACK: Apple with raw almond butter

For ideas for quick, on the go visit the FAST FOODS post from Feb. 24, 2010

I also drink at least 70 ounces of water a day and  rest 8 hours a night. There are very important in addition to the above type of eating regimen for anxiety therapy.

If there’s one book I recommend for people to read in my practice, it’s UltraMind Solution (click to see the book).  Especially when people are looking for anxiety help.

Mark Hyman MD is a Functional Medical doctor who has had four books that have been New York Times Best Sellers. I enjoy his writings because he is scientific (my left brain loves this) and he is also REAL. Dr. Hyman has had his own set of health challenges where he has been left without answers; even after he had his medical training!  We are all human, and his vulnerability I find comforting.

UltraMind Solution I would encourage to anyone who is dealing with ADD, ADHD, dementia, Alzheimer’s, autism, anxiety / panic, depression, memory loss, and fatigue.  He not only explains why we feel like junk, he tells us what to do about it!

I still think the part of this book I love the most is how he explains what happens to our brains when we aren’t detoxifying or digesting properly. Literally our brains (or that of our kids) can become violent, anxious, intoxicated, unfocused, thought racing, and depressed just from what we ingest and can’t process.  It’s the reason why I’ve seen clients who’s children transform into the spawn of the devil after they eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat toast with a glass of milk.  No joke!

Functional Medicine is NOT!

Last post (November 9, 2010) was a basic introduction to the principles of Orthomolecular Psychiatric Medicine.  This post I will explain its parent — Functional Medicine — and how it relates to anxiety therapy and anxiety relief.

Even though I am not a doctor, I use the principles of Functional Medicine in my nutritional consulting practice. It is also what my ebook “Let’s Get Physical: Anxiety is NOT All in Your Head“. People who have read it have found there were many things they were doing every day that was taking away from their health and creating a lifestyle of anxiety, panic, overweight, hormone imbalance, and fatigue.

This is the definition I found from the Institute of Functional Medicine: “Functional medicine is personalized medicine that deals with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of symptoms for serious chronic disease. It is a science-based field of health care that is grounded in the following principles:

• Biochemical individuality describes the importance of individual variations in metabolic function that derive from genetic and environmental differences among individuals.
• Patient-centered medicine emphasizes “patient care” rather than “disease care,” following Sir William Osler’s admonition that “It is more important to know what patient has the disease than to know what disease the patient has.”
• Dynamic balance of internal and external factors.
• Web-like interconnections of physiological factors – an abundance of research now supports the view that the human body functions as an orchestrated network of interconnected systems, rather than individual systems functioning autonomously and without effect on each other. For example, we now know that immunological dysfunctions can promote cardiovascular disease, that dietary imbalances can cause hormonal disturbances, and that environmental exposures can precipitate neurologic syndromes such as Parkinson’s disease.
• Health as a positive vitality – not merely the absence of disease.
• Promotion of organ reserve as the means to enhance health span.”

They also have a fabulous brochure explaining Functional Medicine and working with Functional Medicine practitioner found HERE.

American College for Advancement in Medicine, American Board of Holistic Medicine, and American Holistic Medical Association are organizations you can learn more about Functional Medicine as well as find practitioners. One of my favorite authors and Functional Medicine celebrities is Dr. Mark Hyman.  I encourage all of my clients to read his book UltraMind Solution. It is AMAZING! (Maybe I’ll do a book review in the future?)

People often ask how I got better and where I get my information from.  Most of my information came from 10 years of practice, seminars, books, and my biggest teacher … personal experience!  There wasn’t a workshop that could’ve prepared me for when I got sick in 2007. I was a supposed “expert” on natural health and I was the one who was knocked on my butt from sickness!  When people come to me know asking for places to learn more about my position on health, I encourage them to learn more about Functional Medicine & OrthoMolecular Psychiatric Medicine for panic and anxiety therapy.

OrthoMolecular Psychiatric Medicine is part of Functional Medicine, this post I am focusing on OrthoMolecular. The next post will focus on Functional.  Medical Doctors, Osteopathic Doctors, Chiropractic Doctors, and some Naturopathic Doctors are the professionals who are trained in this philosophy.  I adore the medical and chiropractic doctors in my life who have helped me by practicing this way: Ann Stanger MD, Joel Lopez MD, William Hobbins MD, Chris Danduran DC, Michale Buskohl DC, and Diana Sabella DC.

Orthomolecular Psychiatric Medicine is not like aliopathic, it doesn’t just treat symptoms. It treats causes. When I was sick, I knew that if I took drugs I would only be masking a symptoms.  Sure Xanax, Wellbutrin, Prozac and other medications of the like would help me feel better – superficially. They did not fix the reason why I had anxiety, adrenal fatigue, blood sugar imbalances, food allergies, and panic attacks.  There was an ENORMOUS underlying issue – imbalance and deficiency.

This is a great definition from International Society for Orthomolecular Medicine website:  “Orthomolecular medicine, as conceptualized by double-Nobel laureate Linus Pauling, aims to restore the optimum environment of the body by correcting imbalances or deficiencies based on individual biochemistry, using substances natural to the body such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, trace elements and fatty acids. The term “orthomolecular” was first used by Linus Pauling in a paper he wrote in the journal Science in 1968. The key idea in orthomolecular medicine is that genetic factors affect not only the physical characteristics of individuals, but also to their biochemical milieu. Biochemical pathways of the body have significant genetic variability and diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer, schizophrenia or depression are associated with specific biochemical abnormalities which are causal or contributing factors of the illness.”

You can also find more information from OrthoMolecular.org, OHM Society, and Linus Pauling Institute.  My Let’s Get Physical: Anxiety is NOT All In Your Head ebook was written based on my journey of helplessly ill to recovery using OrthoMolecular principles.  It is the step by step process of what worked that lead me to getting better, I left out all the stuff that didn’t work!