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Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey

Ease Depression and Anxiety with Probiotics

Patient Suffering from Depression and Anxiety

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With the gut-brain axis increasingly under scrutiny, two studies provide new evidence of how the microbiome, or gut bacteria, affects mental health. In a review in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health of seven high-quality probiotic and prebiotic studies, researchers found that 11 out of 12 probiotics studied produced “measurable reductions in depression.” The major strains studied were Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei and Bifidobacterium bifidum. In a second study in the journal Nutrients, 20 male soccer players ages 18 to 21 received either a placebo or a probiotics drink with L. casei for two months. By week four, those drinking the probiotic drink had significantly more relaxed (theta) and attentive (delta) brain waves, suggesting lowered anxiety and enhanced training ability. The probiotics drink also improved cognitive reaction time in the subjects.
5 Top Tips to Finding Your Next Doctor

1 Keep an Open Mind! Healthcare has come a long way. Today, you have access to practitioners that branch outside of traditional medicine and aim to identify the root causes of conditions while using alternative treatments that may help you get the relief you need. Just because it’s not a pill, doesn’t make it pseudoscience.

2 Build Your Health Care Team. There is no one doctor that can be the be-all-end-all for your health needs. Be sure to have a team of practitioners with different “lenses” and areas of expertise who will treat the root cause and not just the symptom(s).

3   Environment Influences Healing. Health is multi-factorial. Your mental and emotional environment plays a pivotal role in your healing potential. Your doctors and their staff should create an office atmosphere filled with positivity so you can get the most out of your care.

4 Your Story Matters.  Before you begin any treatment, be sure to have a comprehensive consultation to discuss your health concerns. Find practitioners who welcome questions and will take the time to listen and treat you with respect.

5 Report of Findings. When it comes to our health, we often make decisions without understanding the risk versus benefits. Knowledge is an important part of the healing process and is essential to make conscious, informed health decisions. Find practitioners who take the time to explain their exam findings and the recommendations for treatment in ways that make sense to you.

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