Every person’s health story is different. The information below explains common causes and contributing factors for this issue, but it is not a one‑size‑fits‑all prescription.
As a qualified naturopath practising in Adelaide’s CBD, I take the time to understand your unique circumstances, use targeted testing when needed, and design a personalised care plan so you can feel and function at your best.
Mood Boosters
The reality of daily life is that it’s easy to become stressed or out of balance. We face increasingly complex pressures, juggling demanding jobs, relationships, and a daily bombardment of unsettling news through a range of media.
COVID-19 has led to a silent pandemic in mental health, with the statistics for Australia showing a dramatic increase in the rate of depression and anxiety. Before the pandemic, the rate of depression was 10.4%. Now, it has blown out to 44%.
Science is only just beginning to be able to explain why some people have a higher capacity to remain resilient to stress while others experience alterations in brain structure and function that may lead to anxiety, depression and/ or insomnia.
A key discovery in neurology is that stress hormones can lead to changes in the structure of certain brain regions. When exposed to excessive cortisol, the tiny root-like structures of the neurons start to shrink and die off. This basically means that prolonged stress may change your neuron structure. The result is a decreased capacity of the brain to deal with emotions and think rationally.
Mood disorders are more than a single neurotransmitter imbalance. Recent research is disputing the connection of a “chemical imbalance” in the brain as being the cause of depression. This may explain why antidepressant medications only have a significant benefit for 30% of patients. Depression is a whole-body disorder, with cellular energy at a mitochondrial level affecting mood and energy.
New research has identified a pattern of high levels of inflammation being common to those with depression. This is not surprising, as chronic cortisol exposure triggers inflammation. Other contributors to this inflammation may be poor diet, lack of exercise, chronic pain, smoking, being overweight, insulin resistance, and digestive disorders.
One of the post-COVID infection symptoms that is emerging is depression. This, too, is thought to be related to the inflammatory response the immune system activates in its battle to fight COVID.
Screening for this type of inflammation is done through blood tests called C- Reactive Protein and Homocysteine.
Restoring balance is the goal, utilising a range of nutrients and herbal medicine specific for serotonin and dopamine support.
