Episode 6: Moving Beyond Medication For Mental Health with Ashley Mannell
The number of prescriptions for antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications is through the roof, but there are other treatment options that are much safer and more effective!
My guest today is Ashley Mannell. Ashley is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and Registered Dietitian in Richmond, Virginia. She’s certified in functional medicine, and recently became certified in mind-body medicine.
Listen today as Seth and Ashley discuss a functional medicine approach to mental health and how looking at all of the interconnected systems in your body can uncover what’s really behind anxiety and depression.
In this episode, Seth and Ashley discuss:
- Getting to the root cause and fixing the issue is what leads to long-term resolution.
- Doling out medication just suppresses the symptom. When you take the medication, the symptoms go away, but when you stop, the symptoms come back.
- Your brain and neurotransmitters need the right fuel to function. Some nutrient deficiencies, including zinc, B vitamins, and magnesium are linked to depression.
- 90% of serotonin is made in the gut. If patients have an imbalance in the digestive tract from poor nutrition, lack of enzymes, an infection, an overgrowth, or an allergy, they often feel substantially better after addressing it.
- There is a very complex relationship between estrogen, progesterone, neurotransmitters, and the brain. Fixing issues in one area can restore balance in another.
Ashley's health tip: Get up and move your body. Exercise is the best antidepressant! Get out for a walk 15 minutes a day.
More About Ashley Mannell
Ashley is the owner and a practitioner at Nourish Health & Wellness and her areas of expertise include the impact of childhood and adult trauma on physical and mental health.
You can find more information about Ashley and Nourish Health & Wellness at www.nourishhealthandwellness.com
Find out more information about Mind-Body Medicine, head over to: www.cmbm.org
Connect with Ashley on Facebook: @richmondfoodandmood
Follow Ashley on Instagram: @rvafoodandmood
Connect with Dr. Seth Osgood
To learn more about Dr. Seth Osgood and the GrassRoots Adaptation Program, head over to www.grassrootsfunctionalmedicine.com
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