My latest contribution to Western Sydney Mums’ Hub is the first of a three parter, focused on teenage health.
A few years ago I held a talk about some ways to nourish your teenager through diet and how to navigate the tricky periods of these years such as puberty, exams and their changing brains. I have covered this topic again, and started off by talking about the teenage brain and the changes it goes through.

Photo by Zhivko Minkov on Unsplash

The Teenage Brain

Teenagers aren’t just smaller adults. Their brains are quite different in functioning and this keeps going until the 20s and 30s.
When entering puberty the brain goes through a rapid growth spurt which is very similar to what happens in small babies.

There is a growth spurt in the frontal cortex before puberty starts, with a thickening of the grey matter in this area. The grey matter of the brain is where the thinking and processing happens, and the white matter is where the transport of messages occurs.

The brain matures in a back to front pattern, with the frontal and temporal lobes being the last to mature. The frontal lobe is the home of planning, organisation, impulse control and reasoning.

These changes help to explain why teenagers have such a hard time regulating their mood swings. The hormonal changes can bring the mood swings on, but the changes in the brain mean that can’t regulate their behaviour, and are less likely to make more rational decisions.

Teens have a harder time analysing the emotions of others, and are more likely to perceive anger and threat in others, where there may not be. They are more likely to have a ‘gut reaction’ to these ‘threats’ as well.

In a study where teenagers were shown pictures of adults with various facial expressions, which adults would normally interpret as emotions of fear or concern were often interpreted by teens as shock and anger.

Pruning of the Brain

There is also a process that occurs that is essentially like ‘pruning’ or a use it or lose it process of certain cells and connections. Choosing which habits are practised more regularly in this time is important, because for most people opting for the academic, sport or music sort of pathways rather than the video gaming pathways. The adolescent brain is very versatile and can adapt to the environment very well.

Having an immature frontal cortex also means their ability to perceive risk and consequences is quite low. Not wearing helmets, performing more daring moves on their skateboard or even having unprotected sex and drug taking are examples of this. Teens usually feel that the risk is outweighed by the reward in these instances.

It’s not that teens are dumb by any means, in fact they are at a peak time for learning and processing and making new pathways in their brain. They can be amazing at solving puzzles, memorising things and learning new tasks like languages and music, but can have difficulty with analysing emotions and correctly assessing consequences of risks.

Mood swings

Apart from zits, one of the other more well known problems that teenagers can struggle with is mood swings.

Thinking about how their brain develops, it’s a bit easier to understand how teenagers have a much harder time processing their emotions as well as accurately perceiving the emotions of others.

In addition to that, teens are also going through a time where they’re trying to discover their place in the world. A lot of teenagers report feeling frustrated because they’re being told to act like adults, but they’re not getting treated like adults.

It’s a hard time for parents as well, because the way that you would have dealt with your younger child’s problems is quite different to the way you would deal with teenage problems, and a lot of the time you’re in a position where you are being pushed away and you don’t even know what they’re upset about.

Depression can affect teenagers, with 5% of teens experiencing depression to such a degree that it warrants treatment. Thankfully with the way the brain is continually reprogramming itself during the teenage years it can be very responsive to interventions.

If you suspect your teenager has depression, there are a few things you can do:

• You can try to talk to them. If they’re not forthcoming with a general discussion, try asking more specific questions related to those indicators of depression
• Encourage them to talk to someone they feel comfortable with
• Talk to your doctor
• Seek counselling
• Or See a qualified natural therapist

How to reduce mood swings:

There are a few ways that you can help to reduce the severity of mood swings, by reducing the fluctuations of hormones and blood sugar levels that impact on neurotransmitters and brain function.

• Eating a low GI diet will prevent blood sugar level fluctuations which can upset moods
• Eating a nutrient dense diet can help provide the brain with nutrients it needs for a calm mood. In particular, magnesium, zinc and B vitamins.
• Exercise can release endorphins which improve mood.
• Get 9 hours sleep a night, with a regular sleep routine.
• Employ stress management techniques such as mindfulness, journaling, exercise or meditation.
• If severe, consult a practitioner.

Tips for a Low GI, nutrient dense diet

Ensure there’s plenty of good fats such as coconut oil, butter, nuts and seeds, olive oil and avocado. Nut butter and almond butter are a great snack idea and really help to satisfy hunger.

Beans, legumes and brown rice are a cheap way to add in some extra fibre, complex carbs and calories. Have a side of these with your main meals, and make dips with beans for some extra sustenance throughout the day. To reduce the gas you can experience with them, use dried beans, soak them overnight then cook on the stove for a few hours, rather than buying the tinned. You can keep them in the fridge for about a week.

Aim for 2 to 3 pieces of fruit a day, and at least 5 serves of vegetables a day. Starchy veg like sweet potato, potatoes and pumpkin are a great source of calories and have plenty of fibre.

If you choose, you can use Meat, chicken and fish for additional protein.

Whether you choose to include grains and dairy in the diet depends on the individual, but if there’s no intolerance than yoghurt and cheese are a good addition, and melted cheese can help make a lot of veg more palatable for fussy teens.

READ PART 2 HERE

The post Surviving the Teenage Years – Part 1 appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Happy World Contraception Day everybody!

Progesterone vs. Progestin

Side Effects of Hormonal Contraceptives

• Depression and anxiety. Some women, especially those aged 15-34 years can experience depression, mood swings or anxiety as a result of the OCP. This still needs more research, however one of the larger studies in this area (1 million women over 13 years) showed that 23% of adolescent women who started the OCP and had not experienced depression before, needed an antidepressant after starting the OCP.
• Blood clots. This is a risk that is so great that for those women who smoke or are overweight, they really should not use the OCP. For women without these factors, their risk of clotting still increases fivefold, and can be greater depending on the type of contraception that they use.
• Metabolic syndrome. Depending on the type of pill you are taking, the OCP can negatively affect cholesterol levels and raise triglycerides. It can also raise blood glucose and reduce insulin sensitivity, potentially leading to insulin resistance. For women choosing to take the OCP as a way to control Poly-cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), this can unfortunately worsen the condition as Insulin Resistance is a contributing factor.
• Low libido. This side effect also needs further research, and while I have seen this very common in clinic there is not that many papers which support it. One of the mechanisms is potentially the drop of natural hormones responsible for a healthy libido such as oestrogen and testosterone, but I also suspect that the nutritional deficiencies that can occur as a result of the OCP, such as zinc, magnesium and B vitamins can also play a role. While not necessarily harmful to ones health, it can cause some issues in a relationship and also goes against the concept of greater sexual freedom that should come with the OCP.
• Candida/Thrush and other infections of the reproductive and urinary system. Many women experience thrush whilst on the OCP, especially in the initial period of use. The risk of candida infection is actually higher for IUD use rather than OCP, and is also affected by other factors such as hygiene and antibiotic use.
• Post Pill Amenorrhoea. The standard length of time for a woman’s period to return after stopping the OCP is 3 months, however for some women they may return to normal straight away (yay!) or it can take much, much longer. This can be a real bother when the woman is stopping the OCP to try to fall pregnant. It may be that the pill was masking hormonal problems such as PCOS (a condition that is often made worse by the OCP) or that the woman was put on the OCP at such a young age that her hormones never had a chance to regulate themselves. Or potentially the hormonal production and messenging has been disrupted by the OCP, and the normal time to recover this is longer for some women.

So what are some safer alternatives?

• Pen and paper or app supported Fertility awareness method. Apps I recommended include Kindara and Read Your Body, but the purpose of these apps is for record keeping rather than analysis. For true accuracy you must input your cervical mucous, and this is not something that an algorythm in an app can read. Learn from an instructor for approximately 3 months before using this as a method. This is my recommendation of choice.
• Daysy is a fertility monitoring device that learns your cycle and uses this information to report back to you when you are fertile or not, based on your morning temperature.  Simply insert the tip of Daysy under your tongue each morning and allow it to take your temperature, input menstruation on the days that you have it. You can tell from either an App or the device itself whether you are in your fertile period or not, or if Daysy is still learning your cycle. Its accuracy is reported at 99.3% however as I mentioned above you cannot rely on an algorhythm to predict fertility and the analysis of cervical mucous must be included for accuracy and reliability.  Daysy retails at $499. I no longer recommend this device.
• Natural Cycles in an app which requires you to take your temperature and input the data into the app, and this then calculates the information and tells you whether you are fertile or not. The app is available on a monthly or yearly subscription. In the past I have recommended this app, however with further learning I have realised that temperature alone is not effective at predicting ovulation, and so this poses many concerns with those using it for contraceptive purposes. I no longer recommend this app.
• Condoms and diaphragms. Not everyones favourite but they are side effect free (except when allergic to the substance they are made from, however latex free condoms do exist). They are known to break, and there are many instances where they have been forgotten to be used in the first place.
• IUDs. Not free from side effects, but the side effects are less than other hormonal contraceptives. the copper IUD has no hormonal activity, is effective and not subject to user error. It can potentially worsen period pain for some women, and like all implants has a slight risk associated with the implatation and removal. The Mirena IUD has hormonal activity but seems to be less likely to produce the other risks and side effects than other implants, injections and the OCP.
• Vasectomy and tubal ligation. Effective and long lasting, mostly side effect free, not subject to user error,  and with a pearl index of 0.02 for male sterilisation and 0.13 for female sterilisation, this is something that can be considered once a couple has decided they are ready.

The post Knowing your contraception options appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Guest Post by Melinda King

What is Mindfulness?

The practice of mindfulness has been around for a long time, mostly in Buddhist, Taoist and Yogic traditions however ‘mindfulness’ is a practice gaining huge popularity in the western world….I’m pretty certain it’s because most of us are super-stressed and this practice largely helps address this.

To practice mindfulness is to allow yourself to be conscious and aware of something, through focusing your awareness on the present moment, as well as acknowledging and accepting your feelings and thoughts, without judgement.

When you practice mindfulness you’re then able to experience your emotions and thoughts safely and without judgement. Therefore, those who practice mindfulness have the ability to live with more calm, balance, peacefulness, self-awareness and self-acceptance.
The thing is though, is that mindfulness is a technique that takes a conscious effort to practice. It’s a practice that can be applied at any time of day, during any moment. But the trick is to have a reminder to do it.

What are the benefits of mindfulness?

Our stress response is often due to fear, therefore the more you practice mindfulness, the more you’re able to be accepting of your fear, reduce your stress and help to let it go. This builds incredible emotional resilience so that you end up handling life’s stressors much easier and therefore are able to enjoy life more. Sounds pretty enticing hey! Here’s a rundown of the benefits of mindfulness:

• Be able to deal with uncomfortable thoughts and feelings safely
• Become aware of what you’re trying to sweep under the carpet
• Be able to accept more easily all those unwanted things life throws at us
• Be less disturbed by unpleasant situations (and people!)
• Realise that you are not your thoughts
• Learn to be less reactive in unpleasant circumstances
• Become more connected to yourself and others
• Become more accepting of yourself and where you’re at
• Become more accepting of others and where they’re at
• Ultimately…..learn how to be fully present in the moment

Mindfulness is ALL about getting into the present moment – ‘the now’ – and to detach from stressful (fear-based) thoughts that are focused either on the past or the future. The bottom line is, mindfulness brings more peace and calm into your life.

How to do it

Step 1

STOP THE CRAZINESS

Physically stop what you’re doing this moment.

Clarity and peace can’t exist in a frenzy! Nor can it exist when you’re beating yourself up about what needs to be done/where you need to go/who you need to see.

WHAT TO DO

Sit upright in a chair. Close your eyes and allow yourself to be still. Take a deep breath in through the nose then exhale through the mouth.

Step 2

SLOW YOUR BREATH

Use the 4-2-6-2 technique to slow your breathing

INHALE for 4 counts, hold for 2
EXHALE for 6 counts, hold for 2
REPEAT
Aim for 30-60 seconds

Step 3

SYNC YOUR THOUGHTS

Consciously sync your thoughts

Thinking “Argh I’m so stressed, I’m totally overwhelmed” will only add to your stress. Guide your thoughts towards supportive and loving affirmations.

WHAT TO DO

Each time you exhale focus your mind on one of these affirmations:

“I am now letting go of this stress”

OR

“I now allow myself to relax”

Step 4

SOFTEN YOUR SHOULDERS

Remember that stress hangs out in the neck & shoulders

When we’re stressed we often hold the tension in our bodies – particularly in our
neck and shoulders. Let go of this tension and shake it out! Roll and relax your shoulders as you exhale.

WHAT TO DO

As you exhale, roll your shoulders backwards in a circular motion. Do this five times.

Step 5

SENSE YOUR SURROUNDINGS

Use your senses to bring yourself into the present moment

Stress is often caused by dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Bring your awareness into the present!

WHAT TO DO

Keep your eyes closed and focus your attention on the air going in through the nose and out through the mouth. How does it feel? Is the air cool or warm? Where in the body do you feel the sensation of the breath rising and falling? You’ll probably have lots of thoughts clamouring for attention but try to simply stay focused on the breath and how it feels. Keep doing this for 2 to 5 minutes or until you feel a little calmer.

Want more information on mindfulness?
Sign up to Melinda’s program Crazy 2 Calm here crazy2calm.com.au

The post What is Mindfulness and how you can do it. appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

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In this podcast episode I interview Melinda King about her stress management program Crazy 2 Calm, stress management techniques and nutrition for stress.  We also chat about her recent New York trip where she explored healthy restaurants, attended a seminar by Gabby Bernstein, Spirit Junkie and generally had a good time.

Melinda is a University qualified Naturopath with a passion for stress management and good health. She practices at at the Terra Madre Wellness Clinic in Northcote, Victoria, focusing on treating anxiety, digestive complaints and women’s health with diet, herbal medicine and counselling.

Connect with Melinda through her website http://melindaking.com.au/ or on Facebook or Instagram, and learn more about her Crazy 2 Calm program at http://crazy2calm.com.au/

Video:

Audio:

Podcast breakdown:

0:55 A bit about Melinda and her personal health journey and how she got into Naturopathy.
6:23 What has Melinda been getting up to lately? She discusses her New York trip and her mission to find healthy places to eat while there.
12:18 Melinda talks about her experience attending the Gabby Bernstein – Spirit Junkie seminar.
15:54 How Melinda developed the ideas for her Crazy 2 Calm program with a ‘Think Week’ in Bali.
18:26 A bit more about the Crazy 2 Calm program
19:44 Step 1- Unwind
20:26 Step 2 – Nourish
20:52 Step 3 – Breathe
21:12 Step 4 – Accept
21:34 Step 5 – Surrender
22:19 Step 6 – Slow
22:45 Step 7 – Refresh
23:03 Step 8 – Connect
23:22 Step 9 – Love
24:00 Step 10 – Create
27:40 Some of the effects stress can have on our health, in particular the way stress affects our nervous system balance which can impede digestion, hormone health, skin health and more.
31:30 The importance of addressing stress as the root cause of ill health
33:06 The ability to heal from injuries and illnesses is affected by stress
33:41 What do you do when you’re too time poor to meditate?
34:42 the 4:2, 6:2 breath as a quick and easy way to pull out of sympathetic nervous system dominance
35:55 How to deal with negative/draining people.
37:19 How to pull yourself out of a bad day.
41:52 Affirmations to get through a bad day and when you feel pressured to be a certain way.
43:50 Why you should set your happiness around gratitude rather than goal achievement
46:55 Stress busting diet
48:51 The importance of blood sugar control for stable mood
50:50 Balanced blood sugar levels for stronger willpower to reduce emotional eating
52:15 Getting on top of the basics: Sleep, stress, whole food diet.
56:08 Our favourite calming herbs
59:28 How to connect with us

The post Crazy 2 Calm with Melinda King appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Health and Wellbeing Podcast #4

It’s time for podcast number four, and in this one I talk with fellow naturopath Laura Burton about stress, neurotransmitter health, adrenal health, ways to deal with and reduce stress via diet and lifestyle techniques.

Podcast Breakdown:

4:27 What have Laura and I been up to? Laura has been busy with her Tea Club and clinic life, and I have been busy in the clinic as well. I also have the Stress Talk coming up this Saturday at Windsor.

5:50 Stress has a big impact on our everyday life and it can be difficult to recognise stress because it comes in so many different forms. Sneaky stress!

7:00 The impact of over-exercising or the wrong forms of exercise on stress and adrenal health.

8:22 Stress impacts on nervous system balance.

8:54 The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

9:24 Serotonin

 10:45 Histamine

12:52 GABA

14:14 Dopamine

14:46 Adenosine

15:26 Laura talks about diet and nutrients for neurotransmitter and mood health

17:30 Digestive health is important in neurotransmitter health because we need to be able to breakdown our foods to absorb the nutrients required for neurotransmitter production

18:22 Vitamin C and other nutrients required for neurotransmitters and adrenal health

21:28 Iron supplementation risks, haemochromatosis and anxiety

22:40 Laura sums up how a balanced diet can usually provide the variety of

22:11 Adrenal health: How norepinephrine and epinephrine work in the body, and why high cortisol can impede muscle gain from exercise. Chronic stress can suppress out immune system and reduce our ability to heal from injuries.

24:50 Adrenal fatigue symptoms we’d look for in clinic.

26:36 Saliva testing for adrenal fatigue

28:00 Diet and lifestyle ways to deal with adrenal fatigue

29:29 Hugs for relieving stress!

30:39 Meditation increases dopamine and serotonin

31:09 Mindfulness, meditation and breathing exercises.  One moment meditation video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6eFFCi12v8

35:29 Changing our mindset and ways of thinking

37:43 Gratitude practice

40:31 Our favourite stress herbs

The post Stress and the Nervous System – Podcast appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

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Health & Wellbeing Podcast #2

This is my second podcast and this time it’s all me. Today I’m talking about reasons for fatigue. Energy problems can be caused by a huge range of issues, so I wanted to discuss some of the most common ones. While it’s not a 100% conclusive list, I hope that this gives people a good place to start when they’re trying to work out why they’re so tired.

Want to subscribe to get podcasts automatically? You can do that here: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/health-wellbeing-podcast/id1006574743

Podcast breakdown:

2:30 Mitochondria – The powerhouse of your cells, where energy is made. The health and quantity of our mitochrondria determine our ability to make energy, and they can they are susceptible to oxidative damage, and can be depleted by certain nutritional deficiencies.

5:22 Inflammation, particularly chronic inflammation can affect energy and cause other imbalance.

7:40 Andropause, also known as male menopause

8:16 Some tips on reducing chronic inflammation

9:14 Stress is a major cause of fatigue, usually presenting in the form of adrenal exhaustion of HPA Axis dysfunction.

11:28 Thyroid problems are another major cause of fatigue, especially hypothyroidism.

13:36 Nutritional deficiencies that can cause fatigue, Iron, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc

16:12 Certain medications can affect energy levels

16:46 Inadequate exercise can cause fatigue, but this isn’t always straightforward

18:27 The wrong diet – not enough food, too much food, or the wrong type of food for you.

20:39 Sleep. Most of us aren’t getting enough, or it can be an issue with the quality of sleep. I discuss some tips on sleep hygiene.

23:00 Sleep apnoea

23:40 Shift work

26:30 Obesity and fatigue

28:57 The importance of gut health; gut problems can cause fatigue as well.

30:00 Toxicity affects the mitochrondria- what is toxicity, where does it come from, how can you identify if you’re toxic?

31:13 What do you do if you’ve been tired for a long time and you don’t know why? Start by working out a timeline. If you can’t do this because the fatigue has been going on for such a long time then testing may be helpful. There are several different types of testing available, but you may not need to do all of them.

33:00 Some tips for reducing inflammation and improving energy through diet

34:30 Depression is a common cause of fatigue.

35:29 My favourite herbs for energy

The post Reasons for Fatigue appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Health & Wellbeing Podcast #1

I’m excited to share with you my first podcast! In this recording I discuss with fellow Naturopath Lisa Costa-Bir thyroid health. Lisa has personally experienced both hyperthyroid and hashimotos, and she has a passion for supporting thyroid health and stress so I’m super grateful she helped out for this podcast.

Want to subscribe to get podcasts automatically? You can do that here: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/health-wellbeing-podcast/id1006574743

Unfortunately there are a few recording hiccups in this podcast where I found that the recording had stopped itself so it sounds a bit funny in some bits, (still getting used to the software), but the message is still there, and these problems should be ironed out for the next ones :).

Podcast breakdown:

1:30 The prevalence of thyroid conditions; sub clinical thyroid problems are frequently going undiagnosed and taking into consideration more factors than just blood test results, the rate of thyroid problems (hypothyroidism in particular) would likely be much higher. TSH alone is not enough.

3:50 TSH can be artificially suppressed.

4:30 Reverse T3

6:15 Causes of elevated thyroid antibodies

7:47 Foods Lisa recommends for people with thyroid disorders

10:45 Wheat and thyroid

12:00 Soy and thyroid

14:14 Nutrients for the thyroid and how thyroid problems can cause reduced absorption of nutrients

16:35 Look the adrenals and stress first

18:38 Oestrogen, progesterone, PMT and thyroid

20:43 Thyroid medications – You need nutrients for it to work properly

22:00 Iodine and the building blocks for thyroid hormones

23:40 Vitamin D

25:30 Thyroid and Iodine in Preconception, Pregnancy and Post-Partum

30:22 Thyroid and Depression

31:26 Thyroid and Cholesterol

34:30 How long does it take to improve thyroid function?

35:35 Sleep for thyroid

37:44 Basal body temperature and salt in the morning

38:20 Our favourite thyroid herbs

The post Thyroid Health appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

In the Media:

Published in Australian Natural Health: Eat Yourself Happy

If you’ve noticed your mood hasn’t been as vibrant as usual lately, one of the first things to consider is tweaking your diet. It never ceases to amaze me what amazing results can be produced with small dietary changes.

Pick up a copy of Australian Natural Health this month to have a read!

The post Eat Yourself Happy appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Perhaps you’ve heard about one of the latest health buzzes when it comes to mental health – a cheeky enzyme known as MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase).

If you have a mutation in this gene then it can cause your methylation processes to work too much, too little, or not enough at all.  Methylation is essentially a process that occurs where DNA gets tagged with a ‘methyl group’ which lets the rest of the body know not to read that particular bit of DNA.  It’s also involved in the production of neurotransmitters, detoxification of chemicals, nerve health and processing of certain hormones and nutrients, to name just a few.

When the MTHFR genes work properly, you have adequate enzyme activity and that means you can more efficiently make proteins, use antioxidants, metabolize hormones, enjoy more stable brain chemistry, better eliminate toxins and heavy metals, and manage inflammation.  So if you’ve got a problem with this gene, it really can be a bugger.

How does it affect your mood?

Many people with the MTHFR gene experience mood imbalances.  This gene affects your mood in a few ways.

Reduced MTHFR enzyme means that you cannot make and recycle a very important antioxidant, glutathione effectively.  Glutathione is responsible for a vast array of activities in the body and low levels have been associated with conditions such as depression, inflammation, bipolar, chronic fatigue syndrome and autism.

If your body cannot methylate the chemical homocysteine (you can find out if this is too high via a blood test) that results in decreased production of SAMe.  This leads to decreased production of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, neurotransmitters all responsible for mood balance.

If there is a reduced ability to detoxify chemicals and heavy metals (which is a factor for those with the MTHFR gene) this can also affect your mood.  Digestive and liver health can have an indirect affect on your mental health, for several reasons such as the health of your gut flora, increased inflammation and an impact on your neurotransmitters.  Digestive health problems have been linked to mental health problems in several studies.  Click here to read more.

A lot of people with MTHFR gene also have a condition called Pyroluria (also known as Pyrolle disorder, Mauve factor, Kryptopyrrole, Kryptopyrroluria.  People with this condition produce excess amounts of a substance called Pyrolles which bind to certain nutrients such as Vitamin B6, Biotin Zinc and GLA (an essential fatty acid).  There are several conditions associated with this disorder but namely it is involved in several mental health conditions such as Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Manic depression and ADD/ADHD.  This condition is also strongly linked to the state of the digestive system.

MTHFR and Folate

One of the main issues we have come to understand with MTHFR is that people with this gene cannot process folic acid into folate effectively and so cannot handle synthetic forms of the nutrient.  This can become a bit of an issue because synthetic folic acid is in pretty much every multi-vitamin, and a lot of foods are fortified with it.  If you are consuming synthetic folic acid and you can’t process it, it clogs up a lot of the pathways that require folate and as a result a lot of health complications arise.  You can also be prone to problems relating to deficiencies of folate, such as miscarriage and neural tube defects.

Photo by Braňo on Unsplash

People with MTHFR require a special activated form of this nutrient, the type found naturally in some foods.   How much depends on the level of the gene mutations present (there’s a lot of variety that you can have) and your diet and lifestyle can have a big impact on it as well – it’s completely possible to have this gene and be symptom free and healthy if your diet and lifestyle is fine, and the gene hasn’t been ‘switched on’ (usually by stressful events).  In Australia the closest to natural folate that we have available is folinic acid (calcium folinate) supplements, however this may still be difficult to metabolise for those who have very poor methylation.

Getting tested

If you suspect that you have this gene, then you can easily get yourself tested via labs such as Healthscope, Nutripath or 23 and Me.  You may like to get this organized with a health practitioner who is knowledgeable in the realm of MTHFR, so they can guide you with treatment if needed.

Learn more: MTHFR_Related_Health_Problems

The post MTHFR and your Mood appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

When your gut controls your mood: the gut-brain axis

From as early as the 1930’s, scientists were beginning to understand that the health of our digestive system could influence our mood.  The state of our intestinal lining and the balance of bacteria within our digestive system have a major role to play in the production of our neurotransmitters: chemical transmitters that tell our brain whether we should be feeling such ways as happy, sad, agitated, or calm.  But even though the research in this area sky-rocketed in the last decade and continues to grow every day, the concept of our gut-brain connection isn’t very well known.

The gut is linked to the brain

Did you know – When you were just starting to grow in your Mumma’s womb, your brain and your digestive system developed from the same lump of tissue.  During this process of dividing up cells (embryogenesis) this lump of tissue divides and forms our central nervous system and our enteric nervous system (this is the nervous system of our gut – sometimes called the second brain).  These two are connected by an important ‘wire’ – our vagus nerve.  This development can help us understand why there are so many similar chemicals and receptors in both our brain and our digestive system, for instance serotonin.

Gut bugs and your mood

As soon as you’re born, bacterial colonies start to develop in your digestive system.  Within the first few days, the bacteria starts sending messages to the nervous system and can actually determine our nervous system ‘set point’ long term (1).

When the balance of our gut bacteria (collectively referred to as the microbiome) is affected, this can affect your mood.  Studies have found that the microbiome can have a major impact on stress levels and anxiety (2).  In fact, by treating imbalances in our microbiota, it is possible to support a wide range of mental health disorders (3), (4), (5), (6), (7).

The second brain

The nerves in your digestive system are constantly speaking to your central nervous system.  If your gut is irritated for some reason – say you’ve eaten something that you’re intolerant to (like gluten, for example), you’ve generally got a bad diet, there’s an imbalance in your microbiome (that’s your collective gut bacteria, remember) or you’ve got an infection – this can create an inflammatory reaction and will certainly make you irritated as well.  We know that depression is both associated with, and worsened by inflammation.  This inflammation in the brain can be driven by inflammation in the gut, which can be caused by intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and bacterial imbalances (dysbiosis).  Treating leaky gut can help reduce the severity of depression (4), (8), (9), (10), (11).

Neurotransmitters in our gut

Serotonin is produced in large amounts in our digestive system.  In people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) there is too much serotonin in their digestive system.  This is why antidepressants known as SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) can improve the symptoms of IBS: these act by reducing the amount of serotonin taken into cells in the rest of our body which allows more to get into the brain.  However anti-depressants can affect the gut negatively as well, because if you weren’t making enough serotonin in the gut in the first place, you’d end up with even lower levels in the digestive tract and so it can become irritated, affectively you’ll get a depressed gut (12), (13).

A vicious cycle

When your gut is upset, you feel upset.  But stress can affect your digestive system just as much as it affects your mood.  It can impair the secretion of digestive acids, slow down the motility of the gut, allows the unfriendly bacteria to grow, reduces your friendly bacteria and exacerbates intestinal permeability (leaky gut) (14), (8).  This is a recipe for an unhappy digestive system, and as you know this can then go on to send more messages to your brain: so you can see how the cycle continues.

People with gut problems are more likely to experience anxiety and depression.  Some studies have found a high proportion of anxiety in those with gut conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome(IBS), Crohn’s disease and coeliac disease (15), (16), (17).

Helping the gut-brain axis.

By treating digestive problems, sealing leaky gut and balancing your microbiome it is possible to help with conditions such as anxiety and depression, and there’s even research showing the benefits of treating the gut in conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome, schizophrenia and autism (10), (18), (11).  Probiotics are one of your major tools when it comes to treating the gut, but it’s a good idea to consult with a health practitioner to make sure you’re getting the right type, and also to get a good gut healing treatment program to go along with it ⁽¹⁹⁾, (4), (9).

Related articles:

• Probiotic stress busters: http://www.naturopathnsw.com.au/probiotic-stress-busters
• Depression starts in the gut?:  http://www.naturopathnsw.com.au/depression-begins-in-the-gut
• What is Dysbiosis: http://www.naturopathnsw.com.au/what-is-dysbiosis
• Fermented foods (foods to stop bloating and farting): http://www.naturopathnsw.com.au/foods-to-stop-bloating-and-farting-fermented-foods
• Enhance your health with probiotics: http://www.naturopathnsw.com.au/enhance-your-health-with-probiotics
• The benefits of soaking and sprouting: http://www.naturopathnsw.com.au/the-benefits-of-soaking-and-sprouting-plus-a-sprouted-chickpea-hummus-recipe

Works Cited

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