It is important that expecting mothers take the time to carefully monitor their health status to make sure that they have adequate levels of various nutrients and vitamins, including vitamin D.

Removing junk food, sugar and low quality food and replacing it with organic vegetables, clean fats and meats, plus exercise, sufficient sleep and a healthy lifestyle can do a lot to lower inflammation levels. 

It might seem surprising that simply changing your meat source could impact your health in such a significant way, but the evidence points to grass fed meat being healthier for you than meat from other sources.

There is a growing interest in the practice of adding supplements in order to help increase the efficacy of depression treatment.

Pregnancy can be an exciting time full of new discoveries. Addressing depression in pregnant women and shortly after giving birth can be complex.

Studies to date have found that PUFA supplementation, especially a combination of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, has been linked to a moderate improvement in behavior issues associated with ADHD as well as parent-rated symptoms of the ADHD. 

Evidence supports that notion that Omega 3s should be a part of a larger regimen of nutrients, lifestyle and in some cases, medication in order to fully address the symptoms of anxiety and depression. 

The bottom line is that yes, there appears to be a link between depression and nutrition, and ensuring a healthy diet could help keep children as happy as possible. More research is necessary to determine exactly how effective nutrient treatment might be in treating depression in children.

Cannabis use is currently quite prevalent and in this blog we will take a look at a four research studies that look at the relationship between cannabis use and mental health.

In a recent meta-analysis examing research on exercise and mood, authors found that exercise positively impacts mood as well as conditions frequently comorbid with mood disorders (i.e. anxiety, pain, and insomnia).

Studies suggest that mindfulness practices lead to an increase in gray matter concentration in parts of the brain that affect learning, memory, emotion regulation, self-referential processing and perspective taking.

If you are unhappy with your weight, you might be thinking you need to correct it with diet and exercise. Weight and body shape are influenced not only by physical health, but by mental health too. Our brains and bodies work together, such that challenges in one affect the other.

More and more research is proving that the gut plays an important role in emotional and mental wellbeing. The gut-brain axis is the pathway through which these two parts of the body communicate, and because of this open line of communication, it is essential that we pay attention to how what we eat effects how we feel. As a curious and motivated integrative psychiatrist, Dr. Beata Lewis has spent a lot of time studying the importance of gut health and can offer guidance for those wanting to learn more.

Treatment of alcoholism with medication can be a great option for those looking for alternatives to traditional 12 step programs or psychotherapy.

However, recent studies show that the benefits of probiotics extend well beyond digestion: probiotics can also have a positive impact on mental health and may be a valuable addition to the tool box of psychiatrists and psychotherapists who care about holistic care. 

 In recent years, researchers and integrative psychiatrists have been paying more attention to the potential for standardized pharmaceutical-grade nutrients or supplements, known as nutraceuticals, to improve the effectiveness of antidepressants.

Recent research shows that blue light-blocking (BB) glasses can be effective in relieving the symptoms of mania in patients with bipolar disorder. Here, Dr. Beata Lewis presents research supporting this integrative approach to treating this disorder and explains why, as an integrative psychiatrist, she appreciates these alternatives to traditional medications.

Many of the foods that dominate the modern American diet have never before been encountered in the course of human evolution, and recent studies show that our bodies have not been able to keep pace with the rapid changes.

Inflammation seems to be common in individuals suffering from depression. In these patients, taking the time to treat both their heightened inflammation as well as their depression could lead to a faster recovery and better treatment results. Here, Dr. Beata Lewis offers analysis of current research that explores the role of inflammation in depression.

Eating a tub of ice cream after a breakup seems to be an accepted behavior in response to a stressful situation. However, it also reveals a relationship to food that, in excess, can be unhealthy. Here, Dr. Beata Lewis describes the signs of a binge eating disorder and offers tools for addressing it.