What you don't know about anxiety + depression

Anxiety + Depression are symptoms of inflammation

“Inflammation in the body – joint pain, high blood sugar, chronic autoimmune disease – releases cytokines. These send messages across the blood brain barrier that activate inflammation in the brain, altering brain function and destroying brain tissue.” - Dr. Datis Kharrazian

Bottom line: Anxiety and depression are SYMPTOMS! Not a disease, the mind + body are scientifically proven to be connected. If the body isn’t well, the mind won’t feel well and visa versa.

Anxiety + Depression are symptoms of gut health dysfunction

Dysfunction in the body often, if not always, begins in the gut. The mind + body are scientifically connected, which means if there is dysfunction in the gut, there is dysfunction in the mind. So if you are experiencing heartburn, acid reflux, bloating, gas, cramping, constipation, and/or diarrhea you are likely going to experience mood imbalance.

  • Enteric Nervous System (ENS) is composed of over >100 million neurons (more than in the spinal cord).

  • The ENS makes 90+% of the body's serotonin and has a dramatic impact on CNS serotonin action. Sound sleep, pain regulation, and balanced mood are highly influenced by our gut health.

  • The ENS makes ~50% of the body's dopamine. Thus, our ability to focus, control our muscles, learn new habits, and have good memory are all highly influenced by the health of the gut.

  • The gut & the brain are highly connected because of the interactive vagus nerve that has 90% of the nerve fibers going from the gut to the brain (afferent).

Recommendations: Talk to me! We can uncover and create a happy belly + mind.

Anxiety + Depression are symptoms poor sleep quality

When we sleep we produce fresh neurotransmitters and regulate hormone production. Therefore, if sleep is impaired we are more likely to have low mood and impairments in stress + emotion regulation.

Recommendations: Learn out to get better sleep here.

Anxiety + Depression can be symptoms unresolved trauma

One of the root causes of mood imbalance can be unresolved trauma. This includes emotional trauma, chronic stress, crisis, shame, fear, disappointment, unmet expectations in others. Our thoughts quickly become actions. We can act from a place of love or fear. Our actions create reality. If we continue to put a band aid on feeling our pain instead of healing our mind + body, then we will continue to feel unhappy, unwell, tired, and stressed.

As stated above, our mind + body are deeply interconnected. Living in a mind of stress, worry, and sadness will create symptoms of inflammation leading to anxiety + depression.

Recommendations: therapy, journaling, acupuncture, meditation, self-care, self-love practices, reading, talking to a loved one, sitting with your feelings then dancing them out, gardening, health care practitioner (me :)), anything to bring awareness + peace to the mind and body

Anxiety + Depression can be symptoms of a food sensitivity and/or nutrient deficiency

Food is Information

To keep it simple, a root cause of mood imbalance could be a food sensitivity. Have you ever had a food sensitivity test? If you eat a food that your body thinks is toxic, it leads to inflammation. As we have already learned, anxiety and depression are symptoms of INFLAMMATION!

Nutrient deficiency: If you are not getting your unique needs met through food, overtime that creates imbalances in the body, which leads to…. YOU GUESSED IT! TOO much inflammation.

This topic I could talk about all day… if you would like to get a deeper dive I can send you more information!

Recommendations: Eat real, whole foods. Eliminate processed foods and sugar. Add healthy fats and vegetables.

Anxiety + Depression can be viewed as a gift

I invite you to view anxiety and depression as a gift. It is your mind + body alerting you that something is “off”, something needs to change, that it is time to pause and take care of yourself. Symptoms are information on how we are treating our body through self-talk, relationships, what we eat, what we do, how we sleep, and the choices we make day after day.

If you are not feeling well, I encourage you to ask for help, you are not in this world alone. And GREAT NEWS, you do not always have to feel this way because there could be other factors at play. But remember, the world is not always rainbows and butterflies. Pain and trauma are real. Feeling it means you are ALIVE. If you do not already have tools in place or what you are doing isn’t working. Let’s figure out how to navigate through the pain + create a life of joy, nourishment, and vitality. Let’s create a life where you are UNSTOPPABLE! 

Recommendations: Therapy, journal, meditation, garden, dance, paint, feel the feelings (I promise your feelings aren’t too scary, they won’t hurt you ;)), or talk to a loved one. What things do you do to express yourself?
Alexandrea CasiniComment