As a Mental Health professional whom holds certification in Mental Health Integrative Medicine (CMHIMP), I often find myself working together with my clients in maintaining a healthy lifestyle balanced with nutritious foods that are good for mental illness as well as eliminating those that may be of harm.
In order to decrease symptoms of mental illness, I encourage the thought that healthy food equals medicine.
Going through a food-mood log, functional assessment, and finding the best substitutions, I provide my clients with a holistic alternative to feeling great. My goal is to prioritize non-pharmaceutical approaches to address symptoms and instill hope that symptoms can be managed and even eliminated when combining psychology and nutritional interventions.
I also incorporate breathing exercises as they are a well-established part of trauma-informed cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and mindfulness meditation. Breath has long been considered the missing link between mind, body, and spirit. Yoga scholars suggest that if “you control the breath you control the mind.”
Did you know that…
- A healthy gut equals a healthy mind and that where there is mental illness there is digestive disease
- That GERD (heartburn) is related to PTSD
- Fermented foods is encouraged in a healthy diet
- Vinegars such as apple cider vinegar can help reduce anxiety
- Broccoli and Cruciferous Vegetables are a great anti-inflammatory
- Omega 3s can support focus and attention span
- Vitamin B deficiency can contribute to loss of memory
