15/10/2024
I haven't shared any client's journey for a while so here's one quite complex case, which required multiple steps approach.
𝗔𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 (𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱)
Amber, a 45-year-old woman, came to see me in January 2024 because she suffered from fatigue and brain fog. During her first consultation she rated her energy level as variable, ranging from 3 to 5 out of 10. After doing some physical activities, she often felt extremely exhausted. She also had a hard time falling asleep and often stayed up late, until midnight and waking up between 6:00 and 8:00am most days. Every morning was a struggle, as she didn’t feel regenerated and relied on coffee to wake her up.
Amber also suffered from severe anxiety, something she'd been dealing with since childhood. During episodes of anxiety, she experienced symptoms of muscle tension in her shoulders, neck, and jaw. Although she had experienced depression before, she wasn't feeling depressed at the time of her visit and was off her antidepressants. She was worried about the long-term effects of stress on her health.
Her diet was pretty standard “beige diet” consisting of lots of bread, pasta, pastry and takeaways, and she confessed that she lived off chocolate bars during her bouts of depression. She drank a good amount of water daily and avoided alcohol. While she wasn't following a strict exercise routine, she tried to stay active throughout the day and wanted to start doing yoga at home. She also struggled with occasional tension headaches and migraines.
Her digestion was, surprisingly, not bad, with no major complaints apart from occasional bloating.
She was living on her own with two cats, who were her best companions and as she said, helped her survive the worst time in her life.
She had a PTSD due to sexual abuse in childhood and had been seeing a psychotherapist for more than a decade and had tried various antidepressant medications without success. In fact, most of these medications made her depression worse and led to weight gain, so she stopped taking them last year.
When she booked her consultation with me, she was also using St. John’s Wort capsules for her mood (bought off Amazon) and supplementing with B12 (cyanocobalamin) and a low quality H&B D3. I wanted her to do a full health check, so advised her to do a comprehensive Wellness 360 Female Blood Test. The results showed a range of markers being outside the optimal range and extremely low vitamin D levels despite taking supplements previously. I advised a short-course of high-dose vitamin D3 along with 1000 mcg of vitamin B12 (in the form of methyl- and adenosylcobalamin, which absorb better), activated forms of other B vitamins, magnesium, and trace minerals.
We also started slowly changing her diet by crowding out pro-inflammatory and acidic foods and replacing them with healthier and less processed alternatives. Shortly after our initial consultation, she reported that magnesium was helping to improve her sleep quality and quantity and she was sleeping at least 7-9 hours each night.
𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀:
Research suggests that natural remedies can be safe and effective in treating depression and mood disorders. The best results come when these treatments are tailored to each person's unique needs.
Nervine herbs should be considered as a foundational aspect of mood disorder treatment. They nourish and calm the nervous system and are especially important when stress, irritability, trauma, or anxiety is present. These herbs can be very helpful in restoring emotional balance.
Adaptogens have potent effects on the neuroendocrine system, and many are also immune modulators, which makes them a perfect choice for many patients with depression.
I prepared a formula to support her adrenal glands and nervous system. I included a selection of herbs and combined them with Bach Flower Remedies for emotional support.
Flower essences can be a gentle yet powerful addition to an herbal tincture. They are highly individualised to specific types of mood concerns and may help to address the emotional and spiritual imbalances and traumas underlying a person’s experience.
I also included herbs for digestive support, like fennel and meadowsweet, however I was positive that changing her diet will have a massive impact on her digestion and body's regeneration.
In her diet plan, I included lots of rejuvenating, remineralising smoothies, soups and stews to ensure a big nutrient boost.
She started feeling more energetic shortly after starting the treatment protocol and reported general improvements in depressed and anxious moods, especially when she was consistent with the herbal tincture. She noted that her headaches were significantly less frequent and she finally felt increased feelings of calm and serenity and an ability to listen to her inner needs.
As time went on, Amber still had occasional mood swings, sleep issues, and low energy, especially during stressful times, but every time it was less severe.
After more than six months of continuous treatment, her mood and energy had greatly improved, however she now started experiencing some perimenopausal symptoms: hot flashes and irregular periods. I advised the hormonal DUTCH test (which I call the KING of all hormonal tests) and we are currently awaiting the results in order to adjust her treatment protocol.
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Results like this are possible with a carefully selected naturopathic treatment plan. If you feel, you want to choose a different approach, DM me and let's have a chat.
Don't choose the suffering you.
Choose the THRIVING YOU.
