Overmethylation

• person’s often suffer anxiety and depression due to excessive activity at dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin receptors
• have striking abnormalities in specific nutrients required for neurotransmitter production and functioning
• symptoms typically include sleep disorders, underachievement, upper body pain, and an adverse reaction to serotonin enhancing drugs such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, methionine and SAMe
• once labs determine this imbalance, treatment focuses on folates, Vitamins B3, B12 that reduce activity of dopamine and norepinephrine
• avoid supplements containing copper, methionine and other nutrients that could worsen anxiety and depression

Undermethylation

• associated with low serotonin neurotransmission
• associated behaviours include OCD tendencies, oppositional defiant disorder, seasonal depression
• generally have seasonal allergies, perfectionism, competitiveness
• often benefit from Zoloft, Paxil and other serotonin enhancing medications, however side effects of these drugs are common
• natural approaches includes SAMe, methionine, calcium, magnesium plus other nutrients
• folates should be avoided for people whose problems are dominated by low activity at serotonin receptors ie:  folic acid, folinic acid and methylfolate

Copper Overload

• common problem in ADHD, academic underachievement and learning disabilities, autism, behaviour disorders, hormonal depression, high anxiety, poor immune functioning, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia,  male infertility
• elevated copper can cause striking changes in levels of dopamine and norepinephrine
• associated with hormonal imbalances and intolerance to estrogen
• must avoid nutritional supplements and “enriched” foods containing copper including chocolate, shellfish, carob
• avoid swimming pools and jacuzzis treated with copper sulfate anti-algae agents 
• exhibit white spots on fingernails, skin intolerance to tags and cheap metals, migraines, acne, food sensitivities, insomnia, ringing in ear, increase risk of endometriosis and fibroid tumors
• treatment includes zinc, B6 and nutrients that stimulate metallothionein synthesis and functioning

Pyrrole Disorder

• common feature of many behavioural and emotional disorders and tantrums in children
• diagnosed by a urine test
• a by product of red blood cell synthesis that depletes zinc and B6 from body through urine
• symptoms include explosive temper, emotional mood swings, poor short term memory, frequent infections, sensitivity to light and sound, abnormal body fat distribution, inability to tan, poor dream recall, white spots on fingernails, severe inner tension, dyslexia, premature greying of hair, delayed puberty, affinity for spicy foods, tendancy to be a night owl, abnormal or absent menses
• treatment includes normalizing blood levels of B6 and zinc
• can see improvements within a few days to a couple weeks of nutrient therapy

Other biochemical imbalances that are associated with mental/behavioural disorders include glucose dyscontrol, toxic substances (heavy metal toxicity with lead, cadmium, mercury, pesticides, organic chemicals), malabsorption and essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6 oils).  Most individual’s once tested often exhibit one or more of these biochemical abnormalities.

How Can Nutrient Therapies Help Someone A With Severe Mental/Behavioural Health Disorder?

The majority of mental health care professionals reject the use of nutrient therapies in their practices as they claim that nutrients are too puny to have any clinical potency with their psychiatric patients.  Words often spoken are “Don’t you need a powerful drug to get the job done for a serious condition like depression?”  

The favourite response to this question by Dr. William J. Walsh, PhD, one of the researchers and pioneers in Nutrient Psychiatry is “where do you think neurotransmitters come from?”

Your brain is a chemical factory that produces many neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine) and other brain chemicals 24/7.  The only raw materials for their synthesis are nutrients namely vitamins, minerals and amino acids.  If the brain doesn’t get adequate amounts of these nutrient building blocks, it can lead to serious problems with the neurotransmitters resulting in a mental health dilemma.

Pfeiffer’s Law

“For every drug that benefits a patient, there are natural substances that can produce the same effect.”

Carl C. Pfeiffer, MD, PhD

Why Your Doctor (Psychiatrist) Won’t Tell You About Nutrient Psychiatry

Mainstream medicine hasn’t adopted nutrient therapy for mental health and behaviour disorders as vitamins, minerals and amino acids cannot be patented.  Hence, Big Pharma cannot make billions of dollars from nutraceuticals like they have with the development of mind altering drugs routinely used in mental health.  These drugs are pervasive throughout the western world from our youth using stimulant medications for ADD/ADHD in grade school to our seniors being over-prescribed medications like anti-depressants in our nursing homes.

Let me be clear, however that I am not against all prescription drugs used in Mental Health.  As human beings we allow ourselves to get into crisis situations and these drugs are very helpful in stabilizing individuals through their dilemma.  Once labelled with a mental health diagnosis, these doctors tell you that you have a chemical imbalance and you will be on these drugs for the rest of your life…there is no recovery! The side effects of these medications can be horrendous; weight gain, suicidal ideation, insomnia, decreased libido, akathasia (inability to sit still), dyskinesia (involuntary muscle movements), and tremors just to name a few.  Whats most disheartening about these diagnoses is that these doctors NEVER test for these biochemical imbalances and psychiatry is the only specialty in medicine that NEVER LOOKS AT THE ORGAN IT TREATS!  Psychiatrists base their diagnosis on symptom clusters and depending on the flavour of the day, you can be labelled a multitude of syndromes or conditions. 

Spiritual Emergency (“The Wounded Healer”)

An integral part of healing involves the mind, body, spirit connection. The western world is the only culture that views a spiritual emergency (psychosis~seeing visions, auras, talking to angels, departed loved ones or negative entities) as pathology or disease.  If  an individual experiences a psychological breakdown in other parts of the world, this altered state of consciousness is viewed as by the indigenous tribes as a shamanic initiation or a right of passage.  This individual is considered a “gift” to their tribe or culture and is taken aside by the elder shaman or healer for mentorship and training of these spiritual sensitivities/gifts which could eventually benefit the entire community. It is considered  a potential growth experience instead of a disease with no cure!  What a different world we would live in if our culture embraced these spiritual emergencies  (psychosis) like  other cultures around the world did.  What a different, loving experience that would be, as opposed to being drugged, isolated and shunned by our co-workers, friends and loved ones.  After all, we are spiritual beings having a human experience!

Who Am I Nutritionally?

Your brain is only 2% of your body weight but it uses 20-30 percent of the calories we consume.  Food is Medicine and “One Man’s Meat is Another Man’s Poison” (Shakespear).  What works for one person can have have little or no effect on another or even make someone feel worse.  Each person needs a nutritional solution tailored to meet his/her own biochemical individuality.  Nutrients that may be good for the body aren’t necessarily good for the brain. That’s why at DandiLion Healing, we TEST AND DO NOT GUESS!

Nutrients play a crucial role in mental health.  They are the building blocks of your nervous system.  Adequate testing and understanding deficiencies and overloads can determine the cause of many severe mental/behavioural symptoms and open the door to a new paradigm in mental health care.  There is RECOVERY and HOPE!

Work With Me.

Partnering for Healing & Recovery in Mental Health

Danné’s Consultation Fee Includes:

• Meet & Greet to get history of Mental Health issues, concerns and goals.
• Referral to a Physician trained in Nutrient Psychiatry best suited for your Brain Health/Mental Wellness issues; reviewing physician fees.
• Providing intake documents for specific medical, psychological assessments and symptoms for the physician administering your lab tests and nutrient program. 
• Facilitating a question list to bring to your initial physician appointment.
• Understanding the required lab tests, collection instructions, fees.
• TIPS & TIDBITS DOCUMENT – provided to client for a successful Nutrient Psychiatry Program.  This document gives insights on where you can purchase pharmaceutical grade nutrient supplements at the best pricing, info on compounding pharmacies, best time of day to take nutrients, ideas for detoxing gently, meditation, stress reduction protocols and a whole lot more for your healing journey.  This handout is exclusive to consult clients only.
• E-Book 20 page document “Tips & Tidbits for Successful Nutrient Psychiatry“

FOLLOW UP CONSULT

• Understanding your lab results and diagnosis from the physician; reviewing questions that you have on your physician directed  nutrient program
• Nutritional needs based on your YOU-NIQUE BIOCHEMISTRY
• Peer to Peer Support for Nutrient Psychiatry; updates of most current studies and research in Nutrient Psychiatry.