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Natural Anxiety Support on the Gold Coast

Gold Coast locals are frequently seeking out Natural Anxiety Support to improve their anxiety before resorting to pharmaceutical based treatments. Anxiety is becoming more prevalent in the world of increasing working hours, guggling family commitments, access to social media and declining social engagement.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 1 in 5 Australians between the ages 16-85 experience a mental disorder. The number is 1 in 7 for children ages 1-7 years. More specifically, 17% of Australian’s experience anxiety. Based on these numbers, herbal remedies for stress and naturopathic mood supports are being sought as valuable options for the management of anxiety and stress.

Herbal Remedies for Stress

Stress is a primary driver of anxiety and the severity of anxiety presentation. Herbal remedies for stress are often targeting ‘stress adaptation’. This means, supporting the body to adapt in how it responds to stressors. We so often refer to stress as being ‘chase by the tiger’, the ‘fight or flight’ response. Our body is equipped to dealing with short term stressors, in fact it thrives off them. Where the problems lay are when stressors become too frequent or prolonged. Prolonged stress affects our stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline and nor-adrenaline, resulting in overstimulated and in extreme cases, depleted adrenal glands.

The Impact of Prolonged Stress on the Body

In the presence of chronic stress, we regularly see an increase in the development of prolonged anxiety, reduced resilience to stress, fatigue, brain fog, often metabolic concerns such as weight gain/loss, high blood pressure and poor blood glucose management. This anxiety and stress can have a crippling affect on your work, social and personal life, causing you to withdraw from the world to escape it.

Thankfully, we have some adaptogen herbs at our disposal. These are herbs to improve the previously mentioned ‘stress adaptation’ goal. The good news is many of these herbs have been used for thousands of years specifically for these conditions. They have also been researched in more recent times for their effects on stress management, anxiety and mood support.

Some of these herbs include, but not limited to:

• Eleutherococcus (Siberian Ginseng)
• Withania (Ashwagandha)
• Glycyrrhiza (Liquorice Root)
• Schisandra chinensis
• Rhodiola

Naturopathic Mood Support

Balancing the mood can be an interplay between sex hormones, adrenal hormones and gut health. Supporting a person with low mood requires careful and thorough consultation to determine the root cause of the low mood. However, low mood can be improved with some key herbs, including:

• Hypericum perforatum (St John’s Wort (caution with other medication)
• Crocus sativus (Saffron)
• Avena sativa (Oats Seed)
• Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm)
• Lavandula angustifolia (Lavendar)
• Turnera diffusa (Damiana)
• Eleutherococcus (Siberian Ginseng)

Non-pharma Anxiety Support or Anxiolytics

When considering non-pharm based anxiety supports, we are looking at herbs classed as anxiolytics. These herbs take the edge off anxiety to reduce how significantly the anxiety affects you.

• Passiflora incanata (Passionflower)
• Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi)
• Eschscholzia californica (California Poppy)
• Turnera diffusa (Damiana)
• Piper methysticum (Kava)
• Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm)

Some of these may be used alongside anxiety medication or as a standalone. Some herbs are not safe to take alongside pharmaceutical medications. When considering pairing with medication, specific dosing advice is required for safety, efficacy and to limit interactions.

Thinking Like a Naturopath

As Naturopaths, we do not consider anxiety to be a condition all on its own. Anxiety is approached holistically, asking questions such as:

• Is the gut-brain axis overstimulating?
• Are blood glucose levels well balanced or poorly managed?
• Is there pain and inflammation (physical pain can significantly trigger anxiety)?
• Are nutrient depletions evident? What is the pathology telling us?
• Is stress adaptation effective?
• What lifestyle practices may be contributing and how can we help this patient to make life easier (e.g. simpler healthy meals, adaptogen herbs, rather than 45 minutes of exercise, 15 minutes of really effective exercise to free up more time etc.)
• Are hormones causing havoc in the nervous system?

A Naturopath is like an investigator, they think beyond the symptom and consider the whole person sitting in front of them. A Naturopath considers how all the parts (body systems), of that very unique person come to present with anxiety, low mood or unmanageable stress.

Professional Advice is Paramount

It is extremely important to understand that although the above-mentioned herbs have been recognised to support stress, mood and anxiety, it is not a one-size fits all.

For example, Liquorice Root can increase blood pressure and should be not taken by those with existing blood pressure or with blood pressure medications. Withania can influence hypothyroidism and caution is taken when prescribing in thyroid cases. Some of the herbs are more stimulating and may therefore, not be as indicated for people who experience wired or jittery feelings, but may support those who are depleted.

As you can see, the right herb and dosage should be prescribed specifically for a person’s individual health presentation. Therefore, consultation with a health professional who has adequate training in Naturopathic Medicine is advised.

Final Note on Natural Anxiety Supports

It is important to realise that you are not alone. Anxiety impacts millions of people in Australia. Herbs can offer a calming balance to a world of chaos for those experiencing anxiety, low mood and stress. Naturopathic medicines demonstrate little adverse reactions and are gentle on an already overwhelmed system that requires nurturing to return to equilibrium.

In Naturopathic treatments, your Naturopath will first work with you to identify the underlying cause of your anxiety, low mood and stress. From this information, they will combine the herbs that are most suited to your needs and presentation while factoring in any possible interactions that may occur. This, combined with a nourishing diet and exercise can go a long way to overcoming the stress and anxiety that overtakes you. That tiger may no longer seem so scary after all.

You’ve found someone to support you with Natural Anxiety Support on the Gold Coast. Naturopath Danielle is available to guide you when you decide to take the step towards supporting your anxiety and stress naturally. Contact Danielle to book an appointment.

Looking for quality custom meal plans on the Gold Coast can be a minefield. The Gold Coast Meal Plan market is saturated with fitness and health influencers, personal trainers, dietitians, nutritionists and naturopaths, all willing to offer up meal planning services. So how do you choose the right fit for you?

My hot tip is to look for someone who is appropriately qualified with a bachelor’s degree specific to nutrition and meal planning for individuals. Whether you’re looking for a macro based meal plan for specific goals, to a personalised nutrition plan that supports a health condition, weight loss or general wellbeing, a Nutritionist who considers your nutritional needs, financial capacity, available time, family and working commitments will support you in achieving the best outcomes.

What are the benefits of custom meal plans?

All too often I hear of people following fad diets or generic plans found in magazines, online or social media. These plans fail to consider the individual person and their circumstances such as hormones, digestion, lifestyle and health history.

A personalised nutrition plan is tailored to YOU

Just as each person is unique from the next, responses to different aspects of dietary intake will be unique to each person. For example, some might respond well to a high protein, low carb or keto style diet. While others may respond better to a high healthy fat diet with moderate protein and carbohydrates. Others might require a high fibre diet and so on. Within these diets, each person has different energy (kilojoule/calorie) requirements as well as specific macro and micronutrient needs to support their goals or health conditions. See why having a meal plan tailored to YOU is extremely important to the outcomes or results you receive?

With all of these diets circulating online, people are confused and overwhelmed as to what advice they should follow. A personalised meal plan takes the confusion out of eating. With a structured meal plan you can feel confident in what to eat, when to eat and appropriate portion sizes to suit your goals.

With less overwhelm and your individual requirements considered, you are more likely to remain consistent and accountable. This consistency and accountability is more likely to secure the results you are looking for.

What’s included in your personalised meal plan?  

What you can expect from your meal plan is personalisation, in the form of:

• Tabled meal plan detailing breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks from Mon-Fri
• Portion guidance
• Time-suitable recipes (e.g. 15 minute, 30 minute, 45 minute, slow cooker etc.)
• Shopping List
• Nutrition information
• Education on WHY key ingredients have been included
• Avoidance of allergic/intolerant foods or disliked food items
• Strategies for dining out

Custom Meal Plans & Meal Planning Services

The Gold Coast is one of the top 3 cities in the country with an interest in health and wellness. Custom meal plans are a great way to provide dietary guidance in your pursuit of improved health and wellness. When engaging in meal planning services, your ability to follow through on the recommended plan is largely influenced by how easy meals are to plan, prepare, and eat on a daily basis. Equally important, however, is how enjoyable the meals are, as satisfaction plays a key role in maintaining consistency. Additionally, being provided with the reasoning behind WHY certain foods are included can help build understanding and confidence in the plan.

This includes snippets of education that gives you added motivation to include various nutritious foods I your daily routine.

When you engage in custom meal planning services with Nutritionist Danielle, personalisation is paramount. After finalising your order in the shop, you will be provided with a pre-assessment intake form that will provide detailed information about your health, goals, preferences and lifestyle which will create a blueprint for your custom meal plan. Armed with this information, your Nutritionist Danielle will set to work on creating your plan. Once your plan is finalised, you will be emailed the result via email. It doesn’t stop there.

Nutritionist Danielle is dedicated to supporting the people she serves and will follow up after the completion of your two week plan via email. It is important to remember that custom meal plans are not static.

This follow up email is aimed at ensuring you are:

• happy with your plan
• seeing progress
• addressing any challenges you have faced
• if you are requiring a new meal plan for:
  • variety
  • to continue with progress such as weight loss, muscle increases or changes to exercise regimes, where energy requirements or macronutrient balance may need to be adjusted based on your new results.

Who might benefit most from a meal plan?

You don’t know what you don’t know. We lead busy lives and that often means understanding and prioritising our health comes second. Most people can benefit from nutritional guidance, however, there are a few groups who may find a meal plan particularly beneficial.

For example, some of the groups who often benefit include (but are not limited to):

• Those suffering from digestive symptoms
• Those with chronic health conditions
• People requiring structured support for weight management
• Busy professionals or families
• Those feeling confused about what to eat to improve health

A final note on custom meal plans

It’s clear tailored, personalised, professional meal planning services from a Qualified Nutrition Professional offer guidance, education and structure. This structure lends itself to long-term healthy eating habits and goals that are not geared towards quick fixes. Your plan is aligned with those very unique requirements that we all possess.  

Take the confusion out of what to eat. With a personalised meal plan, you will save hours put into Googling healthy foods, following fad diets, investing in expensive supplements that are unregulated or not necessary and making endless shopping lists. As Qualified Nutrition & Naturopath, this is exactly what I love to do. I thrive off of helping people fall in love with food again and seeing their lives transform, using food as medicine.

A Quick internet search on “Vitamin D deficiency Australia’ and you will see endless research and articles highlighting Vitamin D Deficiency as one of our most common nutrient deficiencies. According to the ABS, 1 in 5 Australians have a vitamin D deficiency. This may come as a surprise to some, given how hot our summers are and how much sun we do see here in Australia. This blog post will cover five common nutritional deficiencies seen in Australians, including vitamin d deficiency, and what we can do in our every day lives to boost levels naturally and safely.  

Five Common Nutritional Deficiencies in Australians

The five most common nutritional deficiencies we see in Australians are also some of the most important nutrients required for optimal health, including:

1. Vitamin D Deficiency
2. Iron Deficiency
3. Magnesium Deficiency
4. Calcium
5. Iodine

Why is Australia Seeing an Increase in Vitamin D Deficiency?

There is no single cause of the widespread vitamin and mineral deficiencies seen across Australia, rather, a snowball of contributors are resulting in low intake and absorbability across the population.

Vitamin D deficiency in Australians can be attributed largely to infrequent sun exposure and excessive sun safety measures. While sun safety is an important part of living in Australia, the excessive use of sunscreens with high SPF, full covers for the entirety of your time in the sun and indoor working environments play a large role.

Lifestyle Choices and Vitamin D Deficiency in Australia

Adding to the effects of excessive sun safety and indoor lifestyles/working environments, the western diet has limited sources of vitamin D foods. With a preference for fast, fried foods, foods rich in vitamin D like oily fish, eggs and vegetables like mushrooms are often replaced. These highly processed diets often result in obesity where Vitamin D can become trapped in adipose tissue (body fat tissue), reducing its availability in the blood.

Those with darker skin tones will also absorb less vitamin D from the sun making the requirements of sun exposure higher to reach optimal vitamin D levels.

Who is Most at Risk of Vitamin D Deficiency?

All Australians can experience vitamin D deficiency, however, those most at risk are:

• The elderly, particularly those in care.
• People with naturally dark skin.
• Obese people.

What Are The Contributors of Other Nutrient Deficiencies?

Deficiency of other minerals is linked to poor soil quality when growing fruit and vegetables, and western diets that are largely processed and fried. Fad diets also have a lot to answer for where deficiencies are concerned. These fads often restrict whole food groups. This may include dairy, animal meats, gluten containing products (that are often rich is other minerals). While these diets may hold some merit in supporting the health of some, unless appropriately executed with food combining and variety, deficiency is common.

Another important factor to consider is deficiencies cause by some medications. For example, iron, calcium, magnesium and vitamin B12 are commonly deficient in those who frequently use antacids. Other examples include, statins, which are known to reduce vitamin D and CoQ10 levels, diuretics deplete magnesium, potassium and zinc, while antibiotics and the oral contraceptive pill can reduce B vitamins.

While these medications may be important to the user’s health, replenishing depleted vitamins and minerals as well as appropriate spacing/timing of dosing is an important part reducing nutrient deficiency.

Further to medication implications, compromised absorption in conditions such as IBS, Crohn’s, coeliac, parasitic infections and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and other gut conditions reduce how much of each nutrient can be absorbed through the gut lining.

As you can see, Vitamin D deficiency is often multifactorial in nature, resulting from a combination of dietary, lifestyle and biological implications.

How to Fix Them Naturally

The good news is, you can improve your nutrient status naturally with the appropriate dietary intake and food combining techniques to maximise absorption. When diet alone is not cutting it, we will investigate how well you are digesting and absorbing nutrients and work on any issues in gut functionality to improve your uptake of nutrients. We may also support you with nutrient supplements to boost levels while working on the diet.

Iron Rich Foods

Iron plays an essential role in our bodies. It supports our immune system, helps us build healthy blood cells, transports oxygen in our blood, assists in energy production and release and has also been shown to reduce anxiety and depression in people with iron deficiency.

Those who are at most risk of iron deficiency include:

• young children who are fussy
• pregnant women
• babies born to an iron deficient mother
• vegetarians and vegans
• the elderly
• lower social demographic
• adolescent women
• people who are dieting on low kilojoule diets
• people with serious disease and infection
• people who have experienced high blood loss.

Iron can be found in a wide range of food, however the most well absorbed sources of iron come from red animal meats. These are called “heme” sources of iron and are taken up by the body more efficiently.

Heme Iron Sources Include:

• Beef
• Lamb
• Kangaroo
• Venison
• Liver
• Kidney
• Pate
• Chicken (thigh)
• Turkey
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Tuna
• Oysters

Although all contain some heme iron, levels vary.

Plant Sources of Iron

Plant sources are also available as “non-heme” sources of iron and must be accompanied by a vitamin C source for effective absorption.

Non-heme Iron Sources:

• Legumes and Pulses
• Dark leafy greens
• Tofu, Edamame & Tempeh
• Nuts & Seeds
• Quinoa
• Dark chocolate
• Dates

For some, despite including a wide variety of iron rich foods in their diet, it is difficult to reach optimal iron levels. This can have various reason such as digestion and absorption issues, iron transport issues and other factors. Speaking to an qualified health professional such as a Naturopath or Nutritionist to investigate and address these challenges is important.  

Symptoms of Low Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that is found in each and every cell of the body. It’s involved in over 300 internal reactions that help us to function at our best. You can read more about how important magnesium is in my blog post Magnesium: The Natural Mood Stabiliser and Stress Reliever.

Now that we’ve stressed the importance of this mineral, let’s look at those deficiency symptoms. Perhaps one of the most valuable overall role is magnesium support of the nervous system and brain functioning by regulating hormones known as neurotransmitters, deficiency can result in poor mood balance, depression and anxiety.

Other symptoms of deficiency include:

• Electrolyte imbalances
• Elevated blood pressure
• Headaches/migraine
• General body fatigue
• Poor blood glucose regulation
• PMS/Menopausal symptoms in women
• Poor sleep
• Brain fog/confusion
• Irritability
• Cramping/muscle twitches
• Poor recovery after exercise
• Restlessness
• Osteoporosis

Correcting nutrient deficiencies can be the difference between feeling on top of the world and completely checked out. In severe cases, it can be the difference between being sick and bedbound and living your life.

Finding a practitioner who engages in allied health coordination on the Gold Coast can have a significant impact on the success of your mental health treatments. Collaborative and coordinated care between your mental health support nutritionist and your chosen therapist or GP can take some of the pressure off an already difficult time in your life.

Your therapist and GP can focus on the psychological and medical perspectives, while your nutritionist, with experience in mental health, brings a complementary standpoint, targeting specific nutrients and dietary balances shown to improve mental health outcomes.

Nutrition and lifestyle factors are extensively research and recognised as complementary in mental health treatments. Much of the research demonstrates how specific nutritional support improves brain chemistry, mood regulation and general wellbeing.

A mental health nutrition plan does not replace your therapy treatments or GP support. An expert in mental health nutrition works side by side your current care team to support the physiological aspects of mental health, from a dietary perspective creating an all important link between diet and therapy.

Diet and Therapy Link

Diet and therapy are deeply connected. Psychological therapy effectiveness can be dependent on physiological factors that are guided by dietary intake. Nutrient status (including excess and deficiency), gut health and blood glucose balance can be influential in balancing mood, neurotransmitter function and overall mental health. When these factors are well managed and supported, people find their engagement in therapy is more effective.

With the support of effective allied health coordination on the Gold Coast, via joint care of therapists and nutritionist, the mental health goals of the patient can be better aligned.

The diet and therapy link may be supported by a mental health nutritionist by:

• Supporting neurotransmitter production and function by ensuring appropriate protein intake (including specific amino acid intake).
• Stablising blood glucose levels to balance moods, with meal frequency and composition advice.
• Advising on meal timing and nutrients to support healthy sleep habits and quality.
• Ensuring maximum nutrient absorption with relevant gut health support.
• Determining appropriate stimulant intake such as coffee, energy drinks or alcohol consumption to support emotional regulation and reduce nutrient depletions.

When the brain receives the nutrients it requires for concentration, focus, stress adaptation and emotional regulation therapy outcomes can be improved. The outcomes may include improved behavioural strategy implementation, focus in therapy sessions and the application of coping skills.  An integrated approach across diet and therapy creates cross-disciplinary reinforcement of strategies and outcomes.

To read more about how nutrition can help with anxiety and it’s role in mental wellness, refer to my other blog post here.

Supporting The Physical Factors Involved in Mental Health

A mental health nutrition plan supports the physical factors involved in mental health and mood disorders. This is because the physical and mental are closely related. Hormonal changes, metabolic health, inflammation and nutritional deficiency can all impact healthy mood regulation and stress adaptation.

Working within the appropriate scope of practice, a nutritionist can review any pathology. These pathology reviews help to determine patterns or deficiency and address any factors already identified by your GP. Factors may include, iron deficiency or excess, low zinc, vitamin D and blood glucose markers. Although a nutritionist will not diagnose a condition, suitable guidance can be provided under the collaborative care of your GP.

Individualised Mental Health Nutrition Plan – Not Just About Allied Health Collaboration

Your mental health nutrition plan is not only focused on allied health collaboration but on individualised care centered around your preferences and lifestyle. With a combined understanding of you and your needs, realistic and achievable nutrition plans are formed. This ensures additional pressures are not added to your everyday life. Factors considered include:

• Financial capacity
• Work schedules, family commitments and time available to prepare meals
• Sensory sensitivities or appetite fluctuations
• Motivation and readiness for change (e.g. do we incorporate slow single change steps or a multi-step process?)

Shared Therapeutic Goals Across Providers  

           

Each health professional offers a different set of expertise. When collaborated, this expertise come together to achieve shared goals. In mental health, GPs, therapists and nutritionists combine their expertise to address the neurological, physiological and psychological factors involved.

What is the scope of each practitioner?

• A mental health nutritionist targets the dietary and lifestyle requirements relevant in brain chemistry.
• GPs support medication prescription, referrals and monitoring as well as overall medical care.
• Therapists and psychologists support emotional and behavioural change, processing and understand of emotions and strategies for coping with mood changes.

Through allied health coordination, your Gold Coast practitioners can support complementary treatments and reduce conflicting and inconsistent advice, and ensure patient safety with combined treatments.

Your Consent is Vital

Communication and coordination between allied health professionals does not happen without your consent. Only with informed consent can a nutritionist receive and share relevant information with your GP or therapist.

Communications between practitioners is sensitive, professional, relevant to your treatment only and with your total wellbeing in mind. This communication supports continuity of care and safety.

Allied health practitioners on the Gold Coast enhance coordination through transparent communication and collaborative decision-making. This provides a full picture of health status and requirements across your care team.

Prescription Safety and Allied Health Coordination

Prescribed medications often form part of treatments within mental health support plans. For some, these medications are essential and life changing. A nutritionist who supports mental health patients, works within their scope of practice, to ensure safe co-prescribing of nutritional supplements and mental health nutrition plans when working alongside prescribed medications. Some of the responsibilities in safe prescribing include:

• Reducing medication-nutrient and medication-dietary interactions.
• Altering supplement/food timing to fit with medication dosing for absorption and interaction reduction.
• Discussing any concerns with GPs with regards to co-prescriptions.
• Reducing any foods/supplements that may reduce effectiveness of medications.

The Benefit of Allied Health Coordination on the Gold Coast

Research shows that a multi-disciplinary approach to health care best serves health outcomes. Particularly in the mental health space, collaborative care enhances recovery and long-term mental and emotional wellbeing. When considering and treating the ‘whole-person’, diet, lifestyle, psychotherapy, medical care and sleep all interrelate. Your mental health nutritionist forms part of this network by improving the biological factors supporting emotional health.

Strong allied health coordination allows you and your care team to agree on shared goals. These shared goals benefit patient outcomes, safe treatments and a true understanding of the patient.

An understanding and appreciation of the deep interplay between physical and emotional health and effective allied health coordination position both patients and practitioners of the path for successful outcomes.

Anxiety and other mental health conditions are an ever-increasing concern in modern day society. With the pressures of the fast-paced lives we now live, is it any wonder our nervous systems are in overdrive?

With what feels like fewer hours in the day and long periods sitting at our computers, running kids to school, sports and extracurricular activities, work meetings and endless housework, a healthy diet often gets put to the wayside and is replaced by convenience and comfort foods.

Unfortunately, while these foods may feel good in the moment, they provide little support and may even be detrimental to improved mental health outcomes.

Foods that lower anxiety and contain calming nutrients are pivotal in maintaining and improving overall mental health.

Mental Health Nutrition Tips

Food that lowers anxiety

From a general perspective, a wholesome, balanced diet that leaves no room in daily energy intake for high sugar, fatty and fried foods will go a long way towards improving mental wellbeing, enhancing energy and motivation.

However, there are specific micro and macronutrients that are well-known to reduce anxiety, regulate and create supportive neurotransmitters and manage dysregulation of the nervous system.

Lean Protein Rich Foods for Anxiety

Adequate and variety lean proteins are an essential part of the picture when targeting anxiety. The various protein sources contain a assortment of amino acids. These are the parts of the whole proteins that are broken down into individual proteins (amino acids), each with their own role to play in production and managing neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that operate in the nervous system and have effects on nerve cells or glands.

These lean proteins should be a mix of plant and animal proteins if possible. If you are vegan or vegetarian, effective protein combining is even more important, as plants lack the complexity of amino acids compared to animal proteins.

A healthy combination of the following:

• Red meats (lean)
• Poultry (lean)
• Seafood

And/or (if vegan/vegetarian) plant proteins:

• Legumes
• Grains
• Seeds
• Soy
• Nuts
• Vegetables

Essential Fatty Acids for Anxiety

Healthy fats are anti-inflammatory to the nervous system, make up important tissues and cells and play a role in the production and function of neurotransmitters. Essential fatty acids are ‘Essential’ because they can not be produced naturally in the body and must therefore be obtained through the diet.

Saturated fats form the majority of the Western diet. These unhealthy fats are responsible for many health problems, including, obesity, metabolic dysfunction, high cholesterol and heart disease. They also create inflammation in the nervous system.

Reducing these saturated fats from foods such as processed, packaged, take-away and fried foods and replacing them with the following healthy fats can greatly improve anxiety symptoms and prevalence.

Healthy Fats and Essential Fatty Acids – Food to Lower Anxiety:

• Fatty fish (e.g. cod, salmon, sardines, tuna)
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Avocado
• Unheated olive oil
• Quinoa

It is important to remember that all forms of fat (healthy or unhealthy) are higher in energy (calories/kilojoules) and should therefore be balanced with the remainder of the diet.

Balanced Carbohydrates for Anxiety

The western diet is laden with sugar. It is in almost every packaged food for flavour or preservation. Unfortunately, high sugar diets are notorious for mood dysregulation and anxiety due to resulting increases in inflammation, poor management of blood glucose levels (dramatic dips and spikes), sleep disruption and links to obesity.

Except for fibrous carbohydrates, all carbs convert to sugar once broken down by the digestive system. The influx of sugar overwhelms all aspects of body function and can result in low mood.

Eliminating high sugar, processed foods as well as high carbohydrate foods such as white bread, pasta and rice will only support your goals aimed at improving your mental health.

Instead, replace these high sugar and carbohydrate dense foods with:

• Higher fibre wholemeal bread
• Wholemeal pasta
• Brown rice
• Oats (can be a flour alternative)
• Quinoa (rice alternative)
• High protein snacks
• Fruit and vegetable snacks

Micronutrient Food to Lower Anxiety

There is ample evidence around supportive the effects of various micronutrients in managing anxiety. All of these nutrients can be found in the diet. Though modern day diets are often either completely void or are limit of these micronutrients.

What are the primary calming nutrients?

Magnesium

Magnesium plays a role in over 300 bodily functions. Because magnesium deserves a dedicated post all on it’s own, you can read more about this all important calming nutrient here:

Magnesium: The Natural Mood Stabiliser and Stress Reliever | Beta Me Nutrition & Naturopathy by Danielle Lamb

Calcium

Calcium both a messenger and modulator of the nervous system. It helps to support the release of neurotransmitters as well as regulating signaling. Deficiency can contribute to overstimulation of the nervous system including anxiety.

B Vitamins

There are several different types of B vitamins, all of which with together (synergistically). These vitamins are most frequently deficient in people on polypharmacy (many medications), heavy drinkers/alcoholics, coeliacs and vegetarians/vegans. Other people have issues converting B vitamins into their active form, resulting in similar deficiency symptoms. B Vitamins are considered ‘co-enzymes’ which help to produce energy, make neurotransmitters and protect the nerves themselves.

Zinc

Zinc is found in high concentrations in the brain. It is responsible for the creation of neurons and neurotransmitter activity. Zinc is often required in high amounts in men, coeliacs and those with IBD, vegans/vegetarians, pregnant and lactating women and heavy drinkers/alcoholics.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is neuroprotective, meaning it protects nerve tissue and neurotransmitter activity. Deficiency is common in office workers, people with darker skin and the elderly.

Ensuring a healthy balance of these key calming nutrients through the diet and adopting the above mental health nutrition tips including the recommending foods that lower anxiety can greatly improve anxiety presentation.

If you are requiring further support or are unsure how to balance these nutrients specific to your individual requirements, you can book an appointment with practitioner Danielle Lamb here.

Booking your initial naturopath consultation can feel both exciting and a little uncertain, particularly if this is the first time you’ve engaged a naturopath. Many new patients arrive wondering what will be discussed, how in-depth the consultation goes, and whether they need to “have it all figured out” prior to the consultation. The short answer? You don’t.That’s what the appointment is for.

A naturopathic initial consultation is designed to look beyond symptoms and explore WHY your body is presenting the way it is, using a whole-person approach that considers nutrition, lifestyle, physiology and environment together.

What Does a Naturopath Do?

A naturopath is a trained health professional who works alongside you to understand how your diet, lifestyle, stress load, medical history and biochemistry are influencing your current health. Rather than isolating one symptom or system, naturopathy looks for patterns and connections across the body.

During your consultation, we take time to explore your health history in detail. This may uncover underlying nutrient deficiencies, digestive or microbiome imbalances, hormonal shifts, blood sugar dysregulation or nervous system stress that are contributing to how you’re feeling. It also helps to guide any functional pathology that may support treatment tracking or uncover factors affecting your health.

Simply put, a naturopath focuses on the underlying causes, not only symptom management. This holistic approach allows for longer-term, sustainable improvements rather than short-term fixes.

Areas commonly explored include:

• Digestive function and gut health
• Hormones and menstrual health
• Blood glucose regulation
• Metabolic health
• Energy levels and fatigue
• Sleep quality and rhythms
• Stress and nervous system balance
• Brain function and mood

Supporting with Herbal Medicine Prescriptions

Herbs have been used for thousands of years to successfully treat many ailments, even before modern medicine entered the medical scene. Several modern-day medicines (e.g. Aspirin, Digoxin, Morphine and Codeine, Ephedrine and others) are in-fact derived from herbs and adapted by isolating, refining and modifying active components of herbs.

While modern medicine may derive some medicine from herbs, the two forms of treatment differ. Where modern medicine isolates a component, herbal medicine uses the whole plant or a plant extract that contain a mix of supportive plant components that work together to improve health outcomes. Both forms of treatment have merit in healthcare and hold important roles in managing public and individual health. Pharmaceuticals are often single, isolated compounds, with a targeted effect and often higher potency. Whereas, herbal medicines have multiple compounds, wider body action and are often gentler with fewer side effects.

When working with a qualified Naturopath, your herbal prescription will be formulated specifically for you and the requirements of your body, factoring in possible pharmaceutical interactions, health conditions and dosing preferences (e.g. tablets, powders, capsules, liquids).

Preparing for Your First Naturopath Appointment

To get the most from your appointment, gathering any relevant health information beforehand is helpful, though not essential. If you have recent pathology or test results, bringing them along or emailing them to the clinic prior to your consultation can help streamline the session.

You’ll be asked to complete intake forms electronically at least 24 hours before your appointment. In some cases, a food and symptom diary may also be requested, allowing time for review before your session.

The more information available, the more targeted your treatment plan can be. That said, you are not expected to know everything. Your role is simply to show up as you are.

New Client Naturopathic Initial Consultation Guide

Sometimes knowing what to expect makes the process feel more comfortable below is a new client naturopathy guide checklist to help ease any concerns surrounding the unknown.

To Complete (48 hours prior):

• Intake form
• Consent forms
• Food and symptom diary

What to Bring:

• Any pathology or relevant test results
• Yourself

What to Consider Beforehand:

• Your main reason for booking
• When your symptoms first began
• Your health goals
• Your ideal timeline
• What you hope to gain from working together

Health Information to Gather (if available):

• Personal health history (as far back as you can recall)
• Current and past medical conditions
• Medications (names, dosages, duration)
• Supplements (brands and dosages)

Helpful Areas to Reflect On:

• Your symptom picture (e.g. digestion, energy, appetite, sleep)
• Patterns or triggers you’ve noticed
• Cravings or appetite changes
• Previous strategies you’ve tried
• Sleep routines and quality
• Stress levels and coping strategies
• Lifestyle factors (work, family, travel, cooking capacity, movement)
• Food preferences, sensitivities or allergies
• Budget considerations

You won’t have answers to everything, and that’s completely okay. Each piece of information adds to the overall picture, and your plan will evolve over time as new insights emerge.

What You Don’t Need to Do (Before or During Your Naturopath Initial Consultation)

You don’t need to have all the answers or feel pressure to understand everything already. That’s the role of your practitioner. Naturopathy is a clinical discipline grounded in years of training and experience, you are not expected to arrive as an expert in your own biochemistry.

A Consultation Focused on You

When people ask, what does a naturopath do? The answer is genuine, individualised care. Your consultation is non-judgmental, confidential and centred entirely on your needs.

Open and honest communication allows the clues to emerge. Together, we identify what’s holding you back and what will best support your health goals within your real life, not the ‘ideal’ daily scenario.

As you prepare for your naturopath initial consultation, take a moment to acknowledge that booking is already a step forward. Set intentions, identify possible barriers, and allow yourself to be supported. Treatment plans are always collaborative and adaptable.

A Practitioner’s Promise

My promise is to support you every step by step, with compassion, transparency and evidence-based guidance. The goal is to empower you with knowledge and feasible strategies that feel realistic, not overwhelming.

This is about sustainable, long-lasting change rather than limitation. Together, we support your health while enabling you to continue enjoying food, life and social connection.

If you’re ready to get started, booking your initial consultation is often the most challenging step. Delaying change keeps things the same. Progress starts with action.

To book your Naturopathic Initial Consultation call, email or complete the contact form to book your naturopath appointment.