By: Cat Ebeling RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-seller: The Diabetes Fix

Alzheimer’s, depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar, schizophrenia, behavioral problems, ADD/ADHD—the list goes on and on. Mental health issues are increasing by the day.

Pharmaceutical companies make massive amounts of money treating mental health, mood and behavioral disorders. In fact, Americans spend about $188 billion dollars a year on mental health treatments and medications. Of that, $71 billion is on depressive disorders alone. It is estimated that almost 20%, or 1 out of every 5 people in the United States have some form of mental health issue, according to the National Institute on Mental Health (2017).

Medical treatments for depression, autism, attention deficit disorder, insomnia, eating disorders, learning disabilities, drug addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, bipolar, dementia are making pharmaceutical companies billions of dollars!

And then there are things like chronic stress, brain fog, anger management, anxiety, mood swings, sleep issues, irritability, and memory loss. Mental health problems are an ‘invisible epidemic’ that affect 1.1 billion people worldwide.

Physicians have long held onto the belief that the brain and the body do not affect each other. The common belief was that what we put into our bodies did not change anything in our brain. But that is wrong.

We now know, that mood, memory, attention and behavior problems and most other brain diseases have their root cause in the body, especially the gut. Perhaps the conventional medical approach to dealing with brain disorders is totally backwards.

Doctors used to speak of the ‘blood/brain’ barrier in terms of medications, toxins, foods etc. The idea was that most of what we ate or drank did not cross that barrier to the brain. Now we know that that is totally not true.

That holds very true for many of the foods we eat. Toxins in the form of preservatives, hormones, pesticides and other chemicals affect us physically and mentally, and often the result is dementia, ADHD, depression, anxiety, insomnia, brain fog, memory loss, autism, behavior problems and more.

According to Dr. Hyman in his “UltraMind Solution” book—

“There is such an onslaught of stress and environmental chemicals in our world, and it’s no wonder that our bodies and our brains are challenged and not functioning properly. We are exposed to toxins we were never designed to deal with—and nearly all of them cause brain injury…In fact, a recent government survey found an average of 148 chemicals in our bodies. And those were only the ones they tested.”

We are finding it very clear that the brain is very much linked to the body and the gut, and that what happens in the brain affects the body and what happens in the body most definitely affects the brain.

If our health is off somewhere in our body, then the health of the brain is often off too.

While just treating the brain with pharmaceuticals may lead to drug dependence, a dulled reality, and not treat the REAL problem, treating the body’s systemic natural chemistry and gut microbiome can fix brain chemistry imbalances and lead to genuine healing in the entire physical body.

An imbalance in any of system–nutrition, hormones, immune function, digestion, gut bacteria, detoxification, or metabolism can help to explain many of the symptoms that we think of as mental health issues. Most of these imbalances start in the body and show up eventually in the brain as mood, mental health or behavioral problems.

Messed up physical systems in the body actually can clue us into explanations for the depression, anxiety, dementia, autism, and attention deficit disorder that we see today.

Conventional treatments treat only the symptoms—often with powerful drugs that cause adverse side effects and never get to the root of the problem.

The simple truth is that your body and your brain, and all of your physical systems must interact together in one smooth dynamic system. If you improve your physical body’s health, you improve the health of your brain as well.

To illustrate, think about this– does a sugary snack make you feel anxious, jittery, and sleepy, then irritable later? Do you feel groggy and mentally slow after a big meal? Ever exercise hard and then feel calm, relaxed and happy afterwards?

How well do you focus on anything when you are sick?

We know that PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) is the result of fluctuating hormones, but did you know that alcoholics can actually become ‘crazy’ with something called Wernicke’s encephalopathy that comes from vitamin B1 deficiency and simply treating with this vitamin will cure this condition? Did you know that antibiotics for strep infections can cure some children who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder? And did you know that many schizophrenics often have a gluten sensitivity?

Heal the body, heal the brain.

Changing your diet, nutrients, sleep patterns, exercise, detoxing, balancing your hormones, correcting the bacterial balance in the gut, and removing foods that cause food allergies can all radically transform your mood, behavior and brain function.

These few steps can have a huge difference in your brain function and your physical health:

1. Eat, healthy, clean foods. Avoid any foods that you are sensitive or allergic to.
2. Add in necessary supplements for brain and physical health.
3. Make a habit of exercise, relaxation, meditation, and quality sleep in your daily life.
4. Avoid toxins in your food and environment.

If you can follow these steps for at least 6 weeks, you will see major changes your life, your outlook, and your sense of well being—literally in weeks or days!

Some of the changes you experience may happen almost immediately. If you are gluten sensitive and you stop eating gluten, your gut health and your brain can change within just a week or so. You may notice other major mental health improvements by removing dairy products, corn, and food additives.

More than 90% of the body’s serotonin lies in the gut, as well as about 50% of the body’s dopamine, so feeding the gut bacteria healthy foods, only serves to help your body make ‘happy’ brain chemicals.

Once you begin following these steps you will realize just how good you can feel—and you’ll never want to go back to feeling bad again.

Feed Your Brain the Right Foods

Your fork, you could say, can actually become one of the most powerful tools to use to change your health, your brain and your life.

There is nothing that has a bigger impact on your health. Absolutely nothing.

Here’s how to use that powerful tool:

• Eat REAL Food–Eat whole, real, fresh, organic, local and unprocessed food. If it has more than three ingredients (especially ones you do not immediately recognize), a package, or a barcode, AVOID IT.

• Get Healthy Fats for Your Head—The brain needs omega 3 fat DHA and EPA, which comes from algae, cold-water fatty fish and grass fed meats, along with saturated fats to stay its healthiest.

• Protein Power--Eat high quality, naturally sourced protein for breakfast every day, such as omega 3 eggs, salmon or grass fed meat, plain organic yogurt, or nut butters.

• Boost Your Brain Protectors–Eat piles of fruit and vegetables deeply colored with powerful phytonutrients. The deep red, yellow, orange, green, and blue in foods are a sign of powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, energy boosting, and brain-powering nutrients.

• Eat the RIGHT Kind of Carbs–Eat foods full of fiber, including raw vegetables, raw fruit, nuts, and seeds. This helps to clean out the gut, remove toxins, and grow healthy gut bacteria. A healthy gut has MUCH to do with the brain, and a healthy gut means a healthy brain!

• Remove the Poisons–Eliminate sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, coffee, alcohol, trans fats, food additives and preservatives, all of which poison your brain and disrupt your biochemistry.

If you can just follow these few steps—yes they may be big steps, but you can start instantly eliminating the brain-damaging foods and chemicals from you diet.

There is one other KEY change that is essential–That step is to eliminate the two most common causes of food allergens and hidden reactions in our diet. These come from gluten and pasteurized processed dairy.

Your brain reacts to allergens as well as your body—with increased inflammation. And when this occurs, you can get brain fog, anxiety/depression, autism, ADHD, dementia, and more. Gluten has even been proven to cause some cases of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

You don’t need to break out in hives or have an anaphylaxis reaction to these foods to be allergic. People often have hidden allergies to these foods and not even realize it—especially because these foods are often eaten on a daily basis, so the problem becomes chronic. Actually, that should be the FIRST thing you think of—“I am irritable today, or I feel depressed today,”…Think about WHAT you ate yesterday or the day before.

You can eat a piece of cheesecake on Monday and feel depressed on Tuesday. You eat a bag of cookies one day and the next day you are irritable. Many times, inflammatory reactions occur up to 24 to 48 hours later, but there definitely IS a connection to food sensitivities and changes in mood.

Many people just have ongoing, low-grade, delayed food sensitivities or allergies all the time. What you eat on a regular basis, may be causing a delayed allergic reaction you might not ever know it because those foods are the foods you just can’t do without.

You can get tested for food reactions from a doctor, but this method is not food proof. The best and easiest way is to remove the most common foods that cause reactions. Usually the top two are wheat and dairy.

Then pay close attention to your body and mind when you do this—the first few days may be tough, because you may actually have to break an addiction to these foods, but then you may suddenly feel great!

Remove the poisons in your diet as well including the artificial sweeteners, foods with preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup, trans fats or vegetable oils, and junk food.

Try this for a minimum of two-six weeks. Then challenge those foods and see how you feel, 1 hour, 4 hours, 12 hours, 24 and 48 hours later. You may be SHOCKED!

Supplements for your brain and physical health

Even those who eat the healthiest diet will probably need some additional supplements. These are ESSENTIAL for brain health and physical health as well.

1. Multivitamin–A high-quality, high-potency, multivitamin.
2. B vitamins that include methylfolate and methylcobalamin. These are forms of B vitamins necessary for brain health, nerve function, energy, and fat metabolism. A deficiency will cause anxiety, depression, loss of energy.
3. Vitamin C 500-1000 mg, take 1000 mg a day. Vitamin C reduces inflammation in the body and brain as well as protecting the immune system.
4. Omega 3 fatty acids with high levels of EPA and DHA.
5. Magnesium Glycinate or Magnesium Theonate to promote calm and overall better health.
6. An all-purpose digestive enzyme.

And be sure to incorporate these lifestyle changes into your life—exercise, relaxation and good sleep. Exercise naturally eases stress, releases ‘feel-good’ hormones, balances your gut bacteria, increases blood flow and helps balance blood sugar. Good sleep helps to ‘rewire’ the brain, eases stress and reboots the brain.

You should have the privilege to live a life that is alert, awake, engaged, present, focused, joyful and balanced. Making these changes in your diet and lifestyle, while healing your body will most definitely help heal your brain as well. You cannot have a truly healthy body without a healthy brain too.

Your body, your brain, your gut, and your health. All are one. Nourish your body and your mind will be nourished as well.

We have been told for many years to eat your five a day to keep a healthy body, but this one fruit is revolutionary in brain health…

🧠 UCLA Neuroscientists Reveal the #1 Fruit for Memory (NOT Blueberries)

If your memory isn’t as sharp as it used to be… this may be why.

A major study from UCLA & Harvard found that reversing memory decline starts with better blood flow to your brain — and it turns out one surprising fruit may help.

👉 Discover the #1 fruit for brain health

References
Report on brain aging at the National Institute on Aging:
Elias, M., 2005. “Want a Sharp Mind for Your Golden Years? Start Now,” USA Today, Aug 17, 2005. [accessed April 20, 2007] http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-08-17-save-your-brain_x.htm.

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Mint is a popular herb in cooking, especially Greek and Mediterranean dishes, as well as teas, sauces, and mojitos. Mint is also very popular in toothpastes, mouthwashes, soaps, and soothing salves.

Mint has several outstanding proven health benefits as well and has been used by Ayurvedic medicine, and has been around long enough to be a part of ancient Greek mythology. It was used in ancient Athens as a deodorant and was used in the 14th century as a toothpaste.

There are a variety of types of mint available. (I used to have ‘chocolate mint’ plants that had a mild chocolate mint flavor.) Mint can be any plant that belongs to the Mentha family of plants and includes mint, peppermint, spearmint and all kinds of varieties related to these. Spearmint actually has a sweeter taste, while peppermint has more of the powerful menthol concentrations.

Many studies show the different variations of the mint plant have a number of different health benefits that can range from helping indigestion to boosting athletic performance. And considering just how common it is, it should be pretty easy to incorporate into your daily routine!
Below are a few of the most common forms of mint, all belonging to the Mentha family–

• Peppermint—This very common form of mint contains the classic minty fragrance and flavor.  Peppermint can be used dried or fresh in foods, tinctures or teas.
• Spearmint—You can find this version growing wild all over North America. This variety gained popularity when added to chewing gum and toothpaste.
• Catnip — Cat lovers know this herb can make cats go crazy. While cats love it, it also is popular in teas for people.
• Bergamot— Bergamot oil is excellent for aromatherapy, and this mint plant actually has a delicious orange-y citrus fragrance.
• Lemon balm— The delicate lemon flavor of lemon balm makes it a well-loved garnish for drinks, and also adds a delicate flavor to tangy dishes.

The plants in the mentha family are well-known to have health benefits. These include:

• Relieving Indigestion, Stomach Pain, and Nausea
• Fights Colds, Sinus Infections and Improves Allergies
• Boosts Brain Function, Memory and Mood
• Improved Exercise Performance and Motivation
• Pain Relief

Indigestion and Nausea–Mint has a long legacy as being helpful for stomach aches, nausea and indigestion. Peppermint, with its more concentrated menthols, actually helps to increase bile secretion and other digestive enzymes that help improve indigestion and help the stomach empty quicker. Peppermint can also relieve the pain from gas, bloating and even peptic ulcers.

The active ingredient in mint is a strong antispasmodic that actually soothes the spasms in the stomach and intestines. This antispasmodic action helps nausea and vomiting, gas pains, colic, stomach cramping, and even irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, if you happen to have a lot of issues with GERD (gastrointestinal esophageal reflux disease), be cautious, it could make it worse.

Colds, Sinus Infections and Allergies—Menthol from the peppermint plant is often used in cold and flu treatments. Menthol is believed to have soothing properties and to help with breathing and congestion. Check out the label of most any over-the-counter cold or flu medicine and you’ll most likely see “menthol” on the list of ingredients. A very popular commercial ‘chest rub’ for colds and congestion contains menthol as its active ingredient. Although many people believe menthol is an effective bronchial and nasal decongestant, studies show that menthol has no direct action on airways. The cooling sensation that menthol causes has minor anesthetic properties, though, making it feel easier to breathe.

Peppermint also acts as an expectorant, helping to open your airways and clear out mucus to reduce congestion, and is one of the best essential oils to use for coughs, sinus infections, asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory conditions. Lab studies show that the compounds found in peppermint oil have antimicrobial, antiviral and antioxidant properties, meaning it may also help to fight infections that lead to symptoms involving the respiratory tract.

Mint plants also contain an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory ingredient called rosmarinic acid—as does rosemary and other herbs. Rosmarinic helps allergies by relieving the inflammation that accompanies allergies. Rosmarinic acid is increasingly being identified as a highly effective anti-inflammatory and immune modulating substance. This antioxidant works by inhibiting COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes, in a similar fashion as medications such as ibuprofen.

Improved Athletic Performance—Almost every athlete is looking for ways to (legally and safely) increase their athletic performance. Peppermint has held popularity among athletes as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and antioxidant. Most research has focused on using peppermint aroma as a performance enhancer that also helps to decrease perceived effort.

This study looked at how peppermint odor affected actual athletic task performance. Forty athletes undertook a series of physical tasks under conditions of no-odor or peppermint odor. The peppermint odor condition resulted in increases in running speed, hand grip strength, and number of push-ups. Using a Peak Flow Meter device showed an improvement in the lung capacity and inhalation ability after inhalation of peppermint aroma. Nasal airflow force increased as well, so it was speculated that the peppermint aroma may help the body to supply more oxygen to the brain, which could be effective for continuing physical performance.

And, this study shows the effectiveness of supplementing with peppermint oil to improve actual physical performance. In this study, 12 males consumed 500ml of water with 0.05ml of peppermint oil. Blood pressure, heart rate, and spirometry parameters including forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow rate (PEF), and peak inspiratory flow (PIF) were determined before and after the supplementation period. The results of the experiment support the effectiveness of peppermint essential oil on the exercise performance, gas analysis, spirometry parameters, blood pressure, and respiratory rate in the young male students. Researchers think that the relaxation of bronchial muscles, increase in ventilation and brain oxygen concentration, and decrease in the blood lactate level are the most plausible explanations.

Brain Booster—A nice cup of peppermint tea may be just thing to boost your brain function and improve your mood. A recent study from Northumbria University shows it helps to not only stimulate the central nervous system, but it also helps to improve both short and long-term memory. The research presented at the British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference in England last week, adds yet another health benefit to peppermint tea’s impressive resume. Study subjects showed significant improvement in both long and short-term memory tasks, and they reported a higher level of alertness and improved mood as well.

Pain Relief— Mint is a very effective natural pain killer, as well as a muscle relaxant. ‘Mentholated’ balms or sprays used externally help to relieve pain on sore achy muscles and joints. Because the sensation of mint or menthol is very cooling, it can provide an intensely cold sensation to any affected area. In case of injuries, or aches and pains, topically applied peppermint oil or ‘menthol’ rubs will help to reduce swelling, relieve pain, and decrease uncomfortable inflammation. Mint can also provide a number of other benefits because of its calming and cooling properties. It helps to relieve insect bites and stings, rashes, sunburn and other skin ailments.

Dr. Josh Axe has some great suggestions on using peppermint oil for pain:

• To use peppermint oil for pain relief, simply apply 2–3 drops topically to the area of concern three times daily, add 5 drops to a warm water bath with Epsom salt or try this recipe for Homemade Muscle Rub. Combining peppermint with lavender oil is also a great way to help your body relax and reduce muscle pain even more.
• Where to get mint, spearmint or peppermint—If you don’t happen to have it growing out of control in your yard, you can purchase fresh mint from the grocery store or farmers’ market. Add to your salads, spaghetti sauces, salsas and soup to enjoy its many benefits.
• Peppermint oil, which is edible, can be purchased from almost any health food store and can be added to teas, drinks and other foods.
• Peppermint essential oil should not be confused with peppermint oil, as it is NOT edible, but very useful in topical applications, inhaled or infused.
• Tinctures can be purchased or made at home, by soaking the mint in alcohol to draw out its beneficial compounds. Tinctures are much stronger than teas, as the alcohol can draw out the medicinal compounds in the mint.
• Dried mint, spearmint or peppermint are also available as delicious and soothing teas—or you can use your fresh mint in a tea as well.
• Add a few sprigs of mint into a big jug of spring water and it will taste refreshing and delicious, and you’ll get some of the benefits, especially if you chew on the mint leaves.
• You can also crush mint leaves into a paste, mix in with your favorite lotion or cream, and apply it topically to reap the rewards of this powerful herb.

References
https://healthfreedomidaho.org/peppermint-for-upset-stomach
https://articles.mercola.com/herbs-spices/mint.aspx
https://draxe.com/mint-leaves/
https://healthfreedomidaho.org/peppermint-for-upset-stomach
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mint-benefits#section8
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/275944.php
https://draxe.com/peppermint-oil-uses-benefits/
https://www.healthline.com/health/peppermint-health-potential#6

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