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Supporting Men’s Mental Health
As the pioneer and global leader of Functional Medicine, the Institute of Functional Medicine leads and catalyses the efforts of a large and expanding Functional Medicine ecosystem, including providers, educators, payers, industry leaders, regulators, and influencers.
2023
Abstract
An insightful short read by the IFM raising awareness about gender norms around masculinity and the stigma of men’s mental health as barriers for support by practitioners. It suggests that men’s mental health issues may go unrecognised or undiagnosed due to presenting factors and the fact that men are in general less likely to seek support. The evidence for reducing mental health stigma in men and tailoring lifestyle interventions are discussed.
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Micronutrients, Phytonutrients, and Mental Health
As the pioneer and global leader of Functional Medicine, the Institute of Functional Medicine leads and catalyses the efforts of a large and expanding Functional Medicine ecosystem, including providers, educators, payers, industry leaders, regulators, and influencers.
2022
Abstract
The IFM provides some food for thought around the topic of micronutrient deficiency in the population today and how this is having a detrimental impact on our mental health. The many avenues of micronutrient depletion are explored including stress and the link between the coronavirus pandemic and the rise in mental health issues across the globe. They shine a spotlight specifically on magnesium and B vitamins where low levels have been linked to increased risk of depression, plus the importance of anti-inflammatory dietary phytonutrients and antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, D and E which have been associated with reduced levels of stress, anxiety and depression. Besides the evidence for a varied and nutrient dense diet, we are reminded that strategies for managing stress should also be considered with respect to both the direct impact on our mental and physical health, and the risk of micronutrient depletion.
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Coronavirus Recovery: Breathing Exercises
The mission of Johns Hopkins Medicine is to improve the health of the community and the world by setting the standard of excellence in medical education, research and clinical care.Diverse and inclusive, Johns Hopkins Medicine: Educates medical students, scientists, health care professionals and the public Conducts biomedical research Provides patient-centered medicine to prevent, diagnose and treat human illness.
2021
Abstract
In this article, Johns Hopkins physical therapist Peiting Lien offers a series of breathing exercises that can be used to aid in recovery for those patients who had Covid-19 or other serious illnesses. She explains how deep breathing can help restore diaphragm function and increase lung capacity, while reducing feelings of anxiety and stress.
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Relaxation techniques: Breath control helps quell errant stress response
Harvard Health Publishing (HHP) is the consumer health education division of Harvard Medical School (HMS), under the direction of Dr. David H. Roberts, Dean for External Education. Their publications draw on the expertise of the 11,000+ faculty physicians at HMS, as well as our world-famous affiliated hospitals, to provide authoritative, trustworthy, and actionable health information to our global audience.
2021
Abstract
In this article, Harvard Health Publishing presents some relaxation techniques that can be used to mitigate anxiety and our reaction to stress. Nowadays, stress responses occur more and more frequently, putting a toll on our immune and cardiovascular systems, as well as on our general wellbeing status. It explains how deep abdominal breathing needs to be encouraged in order to promote full oxygen exchange, as this has been shown to slow the heartbeat, lower blood pressure, and help to disengage from stressful thoughts and sensations.
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Can Probiotics Help Depression?
Healthpath is an educational platform that uses Functional Medicine to address the root cause of gut issues—and teaches people how to achieve great gut health via smart, sustainable changes.
2021
Abstract
This blog post summarises in plain English language the content of a scientific paper into which researchers collected data from five different studies. Their aim was to assess the impact of probiotics in both depressed and non-depressed people. It concluded that the results have suggested that gut bacteria can significantly affect mood and could be used preventatively. Although additional research in well-controlled studies is needed, it appears that probiotics reduce depressive symptoms more in people under the age of 60 compared to older adults.
Sponsored Blog Post
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Gut-Brain Axis
OptiBac Probiotics specialise entirely in probiotics. One of their core values is encouraging people to take health into their own hands in a responsible manner. Training and education is a cornerstone of this, and with their expertise, they hope to help raise awareness of probiotics and their potential to help change lives.
2020
Abstract
The idea of a gut-brain axis is not new, however the science continues to grow on the mechanisms behind the link between these two organs. Against a background of the physical connection between the gut and brain, this blog post provides details of the way that the gut microbiome communicates with the brain, influencing levels of anxiety, sleep, behaviour and mood. With details of specific probiotic strains used in a trial on depression, a TED talk link given by Guilia Enders on this topic and plenty of references to the microbiome and mental health, this is a good read for Nutrition Practitioners exploring mental health and links to the gut.