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Stay inside! Avoid the beach! Stay away from parks! Messages like these have been hammered into our heads during the coronavirus pandemic. But being cooped up inside while we quarantine is taking a toll—not just on our mental well-being, but also by preventing us from getting much-needed vitamin D from the sun.

The ABCs of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is derived from foods, supplementation, or sun exposure. This last one is why people often call it the “sunshine vitamin,” but vitamin D could actually be called the “immunity vitamin.” A 2011 review on vitamin D and the immune system in the Journal of Investigative Medicine detailed a wealth of scientific findings showing its protective effects on immunity. Vitamin D also plays an essential role in overall brain health, mood, memory, weight, and other important bodily processes. With the threat of COVID-19 and the emotional challenges that come with quarantine, vitamin D is more important than ever. The bad news is, most Americans aren’t getting enough of it. According to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine, more than 75% of American adults have low levels of vitamin D. How can you tell if you’re one of them? Get your level checked at your next doctor’s appointment and optimize it if necessary. It’s a simple blood test called 25-hydroxyvitamin D level. Here’s what the results mean: Deficient: <30 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter) Normal: 30-100 ng/mL “Low-Normal”: 30-50 ng/mL Optimal: 50-100 ng/mL Take note that many traditional doctors will simply tell you whether or not you fall into the normal level. But you should ask for your exact number. Having a low-normal level isn’t good enough. It’s recommended that you aim for the optimal level.

7 Reasons to Supplement Your Diet With Vitamin D

1. Boost immunity.

With the pandemic, a healthy immune system is essential. Emerging research is showing that low vitamin D levels may increase the risk of dying from COVID-19. In a pre-print cohort study (pre-print means it is not yet peer-reviewed) from Indonesia, researchers looked at the influence of age, sex, pre-existing conditions, and vitamin D levels on outcomes in 780 patients with COVID-19. The majority of deaths were among older males with pre-existing conditions and who had below-normal vitamin D levels. The researchers concluded that when controlled for age, sex, and comorbidity, vitamin D level is strongly associated with the risk of mortality from COVID-19. An article published in a 2020 issue of the journal Nutrients presents evidence that vitamin D supplementation could reduce the risk of infections and deaths from COVID-19. This paper details several mechanisms through which vitamin D can reduce the risk of infections.

2. Reduce the risk of respiratory illness.

Considering that COVID-19 affects the respiratory tract, finding ways to protect against respiratory infections is key. In 2017, BMJ published a review of 25 controlled trials involving 11,231 participants ages 0 to 95 and found that vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of acute respiratory tract infections among all participants.

3. Achieve or maintain a healthy weight.

Did you know that higher body-fat percentages are linked to lower levels of vitamin D? That’s what a study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found when they analyzed vitamin D levels in 410 women. The researchers suggest that people who are obese may need higher supplementation with vitamin D to achieve healthy levels. Results of a 2012 study in Nutrition Journal found that taking vitamin D can aid in reducing body fat in overweight and obese individuals. This is especially important in the current pandemic because obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for serious illness and hospitalization from COVID-19, according to a pre-print study of over 4,100 people in New York.

4. Brighten moods.

The lower your vitamin D levels, the more likely you are to suffer from the blues. Decades of research point to an association between low levels of vitamin D and mood problems, such as depression. Supplementation may help, according to a 2008 study in the Journal of Internal Medicine that followed 441 overweight and obese adults with depression for one year. In this study, individuals who took vitamin D (20,000 IU or 40,000 IU per week) reported a significant decrease in their depressive symptoms, but those who took a placebo did not see such improvement.

5. Protect cognitive function.

Receptors for vitamin D are found throughout the brain and play a critical role in learning and making memories. Research in a 2015 issue of JAMA Neurology found that older adults with low levels of vitamin D experienced cognitive decline at a faster rate than people with healthy vitamin D levels. Promising research on humans in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease has shown that vitamin D may stimulate the immune system to rid the brain of beta-amyloid, the plaques seen in Alzheimer’s disease.

6. Promote physical health.

Vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to approximately 200 conditions. Serious illnesses, such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, are associated with low levels of the nutrient. These 3 diseases are also among the top 10 co-morbidities seen in people who died from COVID-19, according to statistics compiled by the state of New York.

7. Support your mental health.

The link between vitamin D and mental health is strong, as over half of all psychiatric inpatients are deficient in vitamin D, according to research in Currents in Psychiatry. Below-normal levels of vitamin D have been associated with depression (as you saw above), as well as autism and psychosis. Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting to get treatment until the pandemic is over is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples, as well as in-clinic brain scanning to help our patients. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

Everybody feels blue once in a while. When you experience a death in the family, a divorce, a job loss, a health scare, or a global pandemic, you may feel down. But how do you know if you’re depressed or just sad? There’s a difference between normal feelings of sadness and clinical depression.

Here’s are 7 questions to ask yourself to help determine if you may have a depressive disorder.

1. How long do your negative feelings last?

So you feel sad and blue and just want to cry. That may be normal if the feeling is temporary and goes away in a few days. It’s when crushing negativity lingers for weeks or months and you just can’t shake it that it’s a sign it may be depression.

2. Do you find joy in anything?

If you’ve lost interest in activities you usually enjoy—whether it’s work, hobbies, sports, socializing with friends, or having sex with your spouse—it may be a symptom of depressive disorder. One of the most hallmark symptoms of this condition is no longer deriving joy from the things you used to think were nice, fun, or awesome. Psychiatrists call this “anhedonia,” a term that indicates an inability to feel pleasure.

3. Are you experiencing significant changes in your appetite or weight?

Classically, people with depression tend to lose their appetite, eat less, and lose weight. In fact, loss of appetite can be an early sign of the condition, so if you’ve lost interest in eating, it’s time to pay attention. In winter depression, however, people tend to feel hungrier and put on weight. If you notice any changes in appetite or weight, it’s worth investigating. Be aware that the sudden onset of feelings of depression (and anxiety) in people who have never experienced them before can also be a warning sign of pancreatic cancer. Speaking with your physician and getting a CT scan of the abdomen may be recommended.

4. Do you think about dying, have recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or have you begun planning how you would take your own life?

You may be surprised to discover that having thoughts of suicide is not unusual. In fact, a study among college undergraduate students found that 55% had thought about killing themselves at some point in their lifetime. Just because you have the thought that you want to end your life, however, doesn’t mean it’s true. You don’t have to believe every thought you have because your thoughts can lie, and they lie a lot. Your brain’s frontal lobes help protect you from acting on such thoughts. Having a suicidal thought doesn’t mean you need to share it. But if you begin to plan how you would carry out a suicide, you need to share with loved ones or with a mental healthcare professional because you need outsiders to protect you from yourself.

Brain imaging studies show that people with suicidal thoughts who make a plan or an attempt on their own life often have abnormal activity in the left temporal lobe. Problems in this area of the brain—often due to some form of head trauma—is associated with violence, either toward yourself (suicide) or toward others (homicide). Understand that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary feeling. In addition, taking one’s life damages loved ones. Children of parents who die by suicide are more than 3 times as likely to also die by suicide, according to a 2015 study in JAMA Psychiatry.

5. Are you experiencing changes in your sleep?

Do you find that you are sleeping more than usual or that you’re having trouble sleeping? A common pattern seen in people with depression is falling asleep, then waking up at 2 a.m., and being unable to go back to sleep. Smoking marijuana or drinking alcohol as a way to induce sleepiness can backfire and is likely to cause you to wake up in the middle of the night.

6. Do you have low physical and mental energy levels?

People with a depressive disorder often feel physically and mentally fatigued. “Brain fog” is a common complaint among those who have been diagnosed with clinical depression. If you typically feel energetic and mentally sharp but have been experiencing a prolonged period of low energy or a fuzzy memory, it can be a sign of a more serious issue.

7. Are you wracked with feelings of hopelessness?

Most people have fleeting moments when they feel worthless or hopeless, or are filled with guilt, but when you can’t get rid of these feelings for weeks or longer, it’s more likely to be a symptom of depression.

WHEN IT’S TIME TO SEEK HELP

If you have several of the symptoms described above and they have lasted for an extended period of time, it’s time to get help. It’s also critical to find out what’s causing your depression. Research shows that biological risk factors—such as inflammation, head trauma, exposure to toxins, neurohormone deficiencies, and diabesity (diabetes and obesity)—can contribute to mental health issues, such as depression. Addressing these risk factors with alternatives to antidepressants can help minimize symptoms of depression.

Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting until life gets back to “normal” is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

Feeling more anxious due to the coronavirus pandemic? Join the club. A report published mid-April of 2020 shows that the number of prescriptions filled for anti-anxiety medications spiked by over 34% during the pandemic. And the number of new prescriptions filled for drugs like Xanax, Valium, and Ativan while people were under COVID-19 quarantine orders was even higher at nearly 38%. This is very troublesome.

The Dangers of Anti-Anxiety Medications

What’s wrong with popping prescription drugs to feel better fast? All psychiatric medications—like all prescription drugs—come with side effects, but those associated with the anti-anxiety medications called benzodiazepines are some of the most concerning. Although they may be helpful in the short-term, anti-anxiety drugs can cause long-term problems, including:

When you’re feeling overwhelmed by anxiety—even during high-stress periods like the pandemic—asking your primary care physician for Xanax or other anti-anxiety medications is literally the last thing you should do. Here are 12 alternatives you should try before considering medication.

Note: If you’ve taken Xanax or another type of benzodiazepine for a long time, don’t stop taking it abruptly as this can heighten anxiety. Work with a physician to gradually taper off the drug as you try these other techniques.

Smarter Ways to Calm Anxiety

1. Attack your BRIGHT MINDS risk factors.

In Dr. Daniel Amen’s book The End of Mental Illness, he details the 11 BRIGHT MINDS risk factors that steal your mind and can increase mental illness, including anxiety. BRIGHT MINDS stands for:

B is for Blood flow

R is for Retirement/Aging

I is for Inflammation

G is for Genetics

H is for Head Trauma

T is for Toxins

Mi is for Mind-Storms

I is for Immunity and Infections

N is for Neurohormones

D is for Diabesity

S is for Sleep

In The End of Mental Illness, you can learn how to prevent, treat, or minimize your risk factors to help calm anxiety and other mental health issues. You can also watch below for more information on how the BRIGHT MINDS risk factors impact anxiety and what you can do about them.

2. Check for hypoglycemia, anemia, and hyperthyroidism.

Low blood sugar, anemia, and an overactive thyroid can cause symptoms of anxiety. If you have anxiety that doesn’t respond to other solutions, it’s a good idea to have your healthcare provider perform the following 3 tests:

3. Eliminate artificial dyes, preservatives, and sweeteners from the diet.

Aspartame can cause anxiousness, red dye #40 is associated with irritability, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been linked to anger and irritability. Be sure to check nutrition labels for these ingredients. Be aware that MSG is sometimes listed only as “natural flavors,” so you may not know you’re ingesting it.

4. Try an elimination diet for 3 weeks.

Food can trigger allergies, which often impact the brain. Anything that impacts the brain can affect your mind because your brain creates your mind. To see if foods are contributing to your anxiety, eliminate sugar, gluten, dairy, corn, soy, and other categories of potentially allergenic foods from your diet for 3 weeks. Then add these back one at a time (except for sugar, which you should eliminate for good) and be alert for reactions to them, which would indicate that you should permanently avoid that food.

5. Practice prayer, meditation, and hypnosis.

Research shows that these techniques can calm stress and anxiety. You can use helpful audio programs for guided meditation and self-hypnosis on BrainFitLife. If you respond to prayer, Dr. Daniel Amen’s book Stones of Remembrance offers Bible verses for anxiety, such as:

Worry weighs a person down;
an encouraging word cheers a person up.

Proverbs 12:25

I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

Psalm 16:8

You can find many more soothing verses on anxiety, depression, fear, loneliness, and more in the book.

6. Do heart rate variability (HRV) training.

Research in Frontiers in Psychiatryshows that anxiety is linked to low levels of HRV, but you can hack your way to a healthier HRV with biofeedback apps, such as HeartMath.

7. Practice diaphragmatic breathing and hand-warming biofeedback.

Deep breathing can help calm anxiety, and it’s so easy. Just take a deep breath in for 3 seconds, hold it for 1 second, then exhale for 6 seconds, and hold it again for 1 second. Do this 10 times, and it will trigger a relaxation response. Watch Dr. Amen’s Facebook Live on the 2-Minute Anxiety Solution where he describes in detail how to do this exercise. As you practice diaphragmatic breathing, do a hand-warming exercise at the same time in which you imagine that you’re holding a hot cup of tea or you’re holding your hands up to a fireplace.

8. Eliminate the ANTs (automatic negative thoughts)

The automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) that invade your thinking drive anxiety. Some of the most anxiety-inducing thoughts are called Fortune-Telling ANTs, such as:

“This pandemic is never going to end.”

“I’m never going to get a job again.”

“I’m never going to have a successful business again.”

Fortunately, you do not have to believe every stupid thought you have. You need to develop an internal ANTeater to get control of your thoughts. Whenever you feel sad, mad, nervous, or out of control, write down what you’re thinking. That helps get the thought out of your head. Then, use a powerful exercise developed by Byron Katie and ask yourself, “Is it true?” Then write down the opposite of your negative thought, such as:

“This pandemic will end.”

“I will get another job.”

“I can have a successful business again.”

Ask yourself which statement is more true. You can find an ANT-killing exercise on BrainFitLife.

9. Engage in calming exercises.

Yoga, qigong, and tai chi are wonderful exercises that can reduce stress and fight anxiety. They help you learn how to direct your energy in a positive way. A 2017 study using EEG in Frontiers in Psychiatry found that qigong affects brainwaves in a positive way that induces relaxation.

10. Take nutraceuticals.

Several natural supplements have A-level or B-level scientific evidence for anxiousness and stress. What does that mean? A-level means there is robust research conducted with more than 2 placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trials. B-level means there are multiple studies where at least 2 are placebo-controlled, double-blind studies. Among these well-studied supplements are l-theanine, GABA, and magnesium—all found in BrainMD’s GABA Calming Support. To help you feel calm under stress—like during a pandemic—you can also try Magnesium Chewables.

11. Check your omega-3 level.

Did you know that 93% of the population is low in omega-3 fatty acids? The Omega-3 Index is a blood test that measures your omega-3 level. Try to get it above 8% by using 1,400mg (or more) of omega-3 fish oil with a ratio of approximately 60/40 EPA to DHA. Make sure to choose a high-quality fish oil like Omega-3 Power.

12. Try neurofeedback.

Neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback that measures brainwave activity in real-time and gain control of your brainwaves to achieve the desired brain state, whether the goal is to experience greater relaxation or to maintain better concentration. 

Anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and other mental health issues can’t wait. During these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever, and waiting to get treatment until the pandemic is over is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples, as well as in-clinic brain scanning to help our patients. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

 

“I was in Ireland & had been invited to open up, solo, for U2. It was the day of the show… I spent the whole day getting more & more anxious that I didn’t have anything to wear. Instead of going to the arena where the show was being held, I went to a huge shopping mall… I started to get a string of texts from U2’s tour manager asking where the hell I was & why I was skipping soundcheck… Then I got a final text from U2’s tour manager: ‘Don’t bother coming. Show has been canceled. Bono has just died suddenly and unexpectedly from COVID-19…’”

This is an excerpt from one of the many submissions to “I Dream of COVID,” a website where people are documenting the weird and wild dreams they’re having during the global coronavirus pandemic. People are also posting their nightly subconscious escapades on Twitter using #pandemicdreams, including this one:

“I had a dream last night that I went food shopping and people kept intentionally touching me, circling me and intentionally coughing on me. Apparently my subconscious along with the rest of me is pretty damn terrified. #pandemic dreams”

Apparently, the coronavirus isn’t just attacking people’s health and mental well-being, it’s also messing with our minds as we sleep.

What’s Causing Pandemic Dreams?

“Our dreams are being influenced by our heightened stress and anxiety, changes in sleep patterns, isolation, and more,” says Dr. Shane Creado, a psychiatrist and sleep medicine physician at Amen Clinics in Chicago and the author of Peak Sleep Performance for Athletes.

Dr. Creado says he’s been hearing from many patients that not only are they having dreams that are extremely vivid and strange, but they also seem to be remembering more of their dreams. They’re not alone. French scientists from the Lyon Neuroscience Research Center have found a 35% increase in dream recall due to the global pandemic.

Dr. Creado, who does sleep consults and who hosts an online course on Overcoming Insomnia, explains that this may be because the anxiety we’re experiencing during our waking hours is impacting the quality of our sleep. According to Dr. Creado, the fears and stress surrounding the coronavirus pandemic are causing more awakenings, or what is known as sleep fragmentation. This means that when you’re anxious, you lose sleep.

More importantly, to make up for sleep loss, your brain may quickly take a dive into rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, which is when our most vivid dreams typically occur. “Thus, worry can not only trigger nightmares,” says the sleep specialist, “but the sleep loss associated with them can increase their frequency.”

Why Nightmares Aren’t All Bad

As many as 85% of adults occasionally experience nightmares, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. What are the most common nightmare themes? A 2016 study found that the top 10 nightmares involve:

  1. Falling
  2. Being chased
  3. Death
  4. Feeling lost
  5. Feeling trapped
  6. Being attacked
  7. Missing an important event
  8. Waking up late
  9. Loved one passing
  10. Sustaining an injury

Other common nightmares include your teeth falling out, being paralyzed, or bugs crawling on you.

But nightmares aren’t all bad. Dream experts believe they may serve a purpose. “In some ways, nightmares may help us better navigate stressful situations in our waking lives,” says Dr. Creado, who trained in sleep analysis from a psychoanalyst from Harvard, and who helps his patients in dream analysis sessions.

A 2019 study in Human Brain Mapping suggests that nightmares help decrease anxiety by acting like a sort of rehearsal for how to deal with daytime stressors.

Having nightmares during this global pandemic is understandable. But having repetitive nightmares can be very troubling and can prevent people from even wanting to go to sleep.  They are common in people who have been traumatized. And we are all currently being traumatized by the fear of COVID-19. Dr. Creado says, “It’s very likely that after things go back to ‘normal,’ we’ll be seeing rising numbers of people suffering from recurring nightmares and sleep disturbances.”

How to Reduce Nightmares Even During a Pandemic

To minimize nightmares, you need to get restful sleep. The following simple strategies can help you get better quality sleep to reduce the sleep fragmentation that can increase vivid dreams and nightmares.

If you’re struggling with sleep disturbances, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, or other mental health issues, you aren’t alone—45% of Americans say the coronavirus pandemic has impacted their mental health. Just because you’re sheltering at home doesn’t mean you have to wait for the pandemic to be over before seeking help. In fact, during these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever, and waiting to get treatment is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time.

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples, as well as in-clinic brain scanning to help our patients. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

 

Sleep difficulties are very common in people with depression, and both issues can wreak havoc on your ability to perform at your best—whether it’s on the field, in the boardroom, or in the classroom. Did you know that about 75% of depressed people also struggle with symptoms of insomnia? Many aspects of sleep are linked to depression. How many of the following sleep issues do you have?

7 Sleep Issues Related to Depression

1. Going to bed early and getting out of bed late

Many people who are depressed want to sleep more, as it is considered an escape from their suffering. Many find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning due to reduced motivation and lack of energy, resulting in more time spent in bed trying to sleep. This worsens insomnia because the bed becomes associated with wakefulness and negative thoughts.

2. Waking up earlier than desired

Although early morning awakenings are more common in depressed people, they may also be due to simply being an “early bird” or “lark.” To know the difference, think about whether you were an early riser prior to the depression setting in.

3. Challenges faced by depressed people with strong “eveningness” tendencies

People who have a delayed sleep schedule (“eveningness” tendencies), in which they go to bed later at night, are more likely to have a lower mood in the morning and a better mood in the evening. So, they tend to delay their bedtime because they finally feel better in the evening, and they tend to postpone getting out of bed because they have a lower mood in the morning.

4. More negative thinking (dysfunctional beliefs)

This often means higher alertness in bed, which can lead to an increased effort to go to sleep, which leads to more wakefulness of the mind, which perpetuates the cycle of insomnia.

5. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

Sleep apnea—which is characterized by snorting, gasping, or temporarily stopping breathing while sleeping—may be more prevalent among patients with insomnia and depression. One possibility for the connection may be because of depression-associated inactivity and weight gain, as excess weight and obesity are the most common causes of sleep apnea.

6. Problems quieting the mind at night

When repeated thoughts (ruminations) occur in bed at night, they will interfere with your sleep.

7. Failure to get out of bed when unable to sleep

When you can’t sleep, it’s a good idea to get up so you don’t associate the bed with sleeplessness. However, depressed people often fail to do this because they may have low energy and less motivation, and they already use the bed for negative thinking and as an escape from “the depressing real world” (the wish for sleep to provide an escape from emotional suffering).

When Depression Treatment Doesn’t Help Your Sleep

Surprisingly, many of these sleep problems do not resolve with psychotherapy or antidepressant medication. In fact, several antidepressants are known to contribute to sleep disruptions. Medications like bupropion and venlafaxine can be activating and keep you up at night. Common side effects of most antidepressants include a number of digestive problems, which could also affect sleep. Medications such as mirtazapine can cause weight gain and potentially worsen conditions like sleep apnea. Most antidepressants worsen or contribute to Restless Leg Syndrome, a condition that causes your legs to move involuntarily, making it difficult to get restful sleep. And most antidepressants that work on the neurotransmitter serotonin can worsen or contribute to dream enactment (REM sleep behavior disorder), thereby disrupting sleep.

In addition, when stimulants are used off-label for motivation and energy in depressed patients, they can cause insomnia. When bipolar depression is treated with medications, such as olanzapine and quetiapine, they can cause weight gain and worsen sleep apnea, which in turn causes sleep disruption.

Treat the Depression AND the Insomnia

In general, individuals with co-occurring depression and insomnia tend to have a more serious disability, greater severity of depression, and poorer depression outcomes than those without insomnia. Depressed people with disturbed sleep are also at increased risk for suicide and are more vulnerable to a recurrence of depression. This is why it’s so important to address both issues. If you’re struggling with both depression and sleep deprivation, be sure to have your insomnia diagnosed and treated in addition to treating the depression.

You can find many more common sleep saboteurs that compromise performance, in addition to solutions to optimize sleep, in Dr. Shane Creado’s book, Peak Sleep Performance for Athletes: The Cutting-edge Sleep Science That Will Guarantee a Competitive Advantage.

In “Peak Sleep Performance for Athletes: The Cutting-edge Sleep Science That Will Guarantee a Competitive Advantage” author Dr. Shane Creado, who is board-certified in both psychiatry and sleep medicine and is on the Board of Directors for the International Society for Sports Psychiatry, shares his unique sleep optimization program for athletes that he uses with his patients at Amen Clinics. Order your copy here.

If you or a loved one is looking for that competitive edge or is struggling with sleep problems or depression, Amen Clinics can help. Speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or schedule a visit online.

 

Often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D is actually a hormone that should be called the “immunity vitamin” thanks to its positive effects on the immune system. It also plays an essential role in overall brain health, mood, memory, weight, and other important bodily processes.

How Low Levels of Vitamin D Harm Health

Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with approximately 200 conditions, including brain health/mental health issues (depression, autism, and psychosis), autoimmune diseases (MS, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes), as well as heart disease, cancer, and obesity. The link between vitamin D and mental health is strong, and over half of psychiatric inpatients are deficient in vitamin D. Low vitamin D has also been associated with memory problems and dementia.

The Protective Effects of the Immunity Vitamin

A growing body of research supports the possible role of vitamin D in protecting against autoimmune diseases, depression, cognitive function, and more. A 2008 study followed 441 overweight and obese adults with depression for one year. The individuals who took vitamin D (20,000 IU or 40,000 IU per week) reported a significant decrease in their symptoms, but those who took a placebo did not see such improvement. In a Swiss study, people who took vitamin D over a month had a significant drop in fatigue.

The Vitamin D Epidemic

At Amen Clinics, we test the vitamin D levels of all of our patients, and a staggering number of them have low levels. A report that looked at vitamin D levels for American adults in 1988-1994 compared with 2001-2004 showed that our levels are dropping. The percentage of people with levels of 30 ng/mL or more fell from 45% to 23%.

This means that 3 out of 4 Americans have low levels of this important vitamin. In part, this is due to the fact that we are spending more time indoors and using more sunscreen when we’re outdoors. The following groups are more likely to experience vitamin D deficiency:

Excerpted from “The End of Mental Illness” by Daniel G. Amen, MD. At Amen Clinics, our psychiatrists and Integrative and Functional Medicine physicians treat a wide range of conditions and make recommendations for pro-active therapies to enhance or restore the immune system. For more information, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

 

In the 4-part Hulu docu-series “Hillary,” former President Bill Clinton says that the affair he had with then-intern Monica Lewinsky was a way of “managing my anxieties.” Evidently, his stress-management strategy backfired and caused him a lot more anxiety considering the scandal eventually led to a grand jury investigation and his impeachment in 1998.

Clinton isn’t the only American to turn to unhealthy ways to deal with anxiety. Every day, millions of people self-soothe or self-medicate by taking drugs (whether they’re illegal, prescription, or over the counter), drinking excessively, overeating, engaging in compulsive spending, binge-watching TV shows, smoking, guzzling caffeine, or (like Clinton) having extramarital affairs.

There are better ways to cope with stress, pressure, and anxiety!

Here are 10 brain healthy ways to calm your nerves and soothe your soul:

1. Meditate or pray

Decades of research have shown that meditation and prayer can calm stress and anxiety. Loving Kindness Meditation, in which you repeat words like “May I be safe and secure, may I be healthy and strong, may I be happy and purposeful, may I be at peace” can develop feelings of goodwill and warmth.

2. Use self-hypnosis

Using self-hypnosis can quickly decrease the stress-induced fight-or-flight response and can lower anxiety. One simple technique involved focusing on a spot, taking slow and deep breaths, relaxing your muscles, envisioning yourself riding down an escalator, enjoying a feeling of tranquility when you reach the bottom of that escalator, then imagining yourself riding back up the escalator and opening your eyes. It should leave you feeling refreshed and relaxed.

3. Practice diaphragmatic breathing

Every time you take a breath, it brings oxygen to your blood cells. When you exhale, your body releases waste products, such as carbon dioxide. When there’s too much carbon dioxide in your system, it can cause stressful feelings of anxiety, disorientation, and panic attacks. Breathing deeply from your diaphragm calms the brain’s basal ganglia, the area that controls anxiety. Whenever you’re feeling anxious or stressed, take 5 deep breaths, taking twice as long to exhale to settle.

4. Consider calming supplements

There is strong scientific evidence for several nutritional supplements that can support a sense of calm and relaxation.

5. Eat anti-anxiety foods

Focus on foods that promote calm and relaxation, including:

6. Kill the ANTs

Learn to challenge the automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) that pop into your head and make you feel anxious, nervous, and stressed. Every time you have an anxious thought, write it down and ask yourself if it is true.

7. Create an anxiety rescue playlist

Music can soothe you when you’re stressed or under a lot of pressure. Create a playlist or try Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” or Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune.”

8. Check hormone levels

Hormonal imbalances can mimic symptoms of anxiety and nervousness. Have your healthcare provider check your thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels to see if they are out of whack and optimize them if necessary.

9. Try HRV training

A 2014 study in Frontiers in Psychiatry shows that anxiety is linked to low levels of heart rate variability (HRV), the time interval between heartbeats. You can biohack your way to a healthier HRV with biofeedback apps to help you deal more effectively with stress.

10. Limit caffeine, alcohol, and sugar

These substances may temporarily mask feelings of anxiety and stress, but they actually worsen anxiety and lower the body’s ability to respond to stress. Limit or eliminate them completely from your diet.

At Amen Clinics, we take a unique brain-body approach to diagnosis and treatment that includes brain SPECT imaging, as well as laboratory testing to check physical health, and other important factors that could be contributing to symptoms. By getting to the root cause of mental health conditions, such as anxiety and panic attacks, we can create a more effective, personalized treatment plan for you. We believe in using the least toxic, most effective solutions for anxiety and other mental health problems.

If you want to join the tens of thousands of people who have already enhanced their brain health, overcome their symptoms, and improved their quality of life at Amen Clinics, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

The novel coronavirus—now being called COVID-19—has already killed 3,200 people (mostly in China) and has infected over 94,000 people worldwide. In the U.S. at least 11 people have died from the virus and about 130 have been infected. In the wake of the rising numbers, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and several other U.S. cities have declared a health emergency.

Sounds terrifying, right?

Everyone is looking for ways to reduce their risk of developing COVID-19, but with all the hand-wringing about the outbreak, there’s one thing the media is neglecting. Did you know that having a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety, weakens the immune system, decreases your ability to fight off illnesses and makes you more vulnerable to common colds, flu, and other viruses?

The connection between psychological well-being and physical health is real and experts call it “psychoneuroimmunology.” What are the mechanisms behind it?  Research shows that depression ramps up the production of proinflammatory cytokines while compromising immune response. Anxiety and stress can trigger the body’s fight-or-flight response, which increases cortisol levels and alters immune system responses. And other mental health conditions, such as bipolar disorder, have long been associated with immune system dysfunction.

Seeking treatment for mental health issues is a critical step in shoring up the immune system. Here are 10 additional recommendations to strengthen your body’s ability to fend off viruses.

10 Ways to Boost Immunity

1. Hydrate your brain and body.

Staying adequately hydrated is critical for fending off viruses. Water oxygenates your brain and body so they can function at optimal levels. When your cells are operating at full capacity, they are better able to perform their primary functions. And when your brain is well-hydrated it helps you handle stress more effectively and allows you to make better decisions to help minimize your exposure to illness. For proper hydration, drink half your body weight in ounces of water. For example, if you weight 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water a day.

2. Skip or limit the booze.

Excessive drinking disrupts immune pathways and, according to a 2015 review of alcohol and the immune system, increases susceptibility to pneumonia and other illnesses. Chronic alcohol abuse also reduces the number of virus-fighting T-cells in the body, which lowers your ability to keep illnesses at bay. And a study in the journal Alcohol found that a single episode of binge drinking significantly disrupts the immune system.

3. Make sleep a priority.

Mom was right when she told you to get quality rest to avoid getting sick. A 2015 trial in the journal Sleep found that compared to people who sleep more than 7 hours a night, those who get only 6 hours or less of shut-eye are 4 times more likely to catch a cold after being exposed to the virus. Other research shows that chronic sleep deprivation suppresses the immune system. Be sure to seek help for sleep disorders, aim for 7-8 hours a night, and stick to an evening routine that encourages relaxation and restful sleep.

4. Protect your body with probiotics.

A 2014 study shows that probiotics support gut health and boost the immune system, which can help you fight off viruses. Include fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, or kimchi in your daily diet for added immunity support.

5. Eat from the rainbow.

Increase your intake of colorful fruits and vegetables. These antioxidant-rich foods have anti-viral properties that act as an army against foreign invaders, such as viruses and bacteria.

6. Munch on mushrooms.

The unique and diverse compounds in these fungi, not found in other plants, have been found to have immune-enhancing effects. Eat and cook with mushrooms and consider taking them as supplements. Among the most researched therapeutic mushrooms are Lion’s mane, shiitake, reishi, and cordyceps.

7. Go for garlic.

Consuming garlic can increase the number of T-cells—the body’s natural virus fighters—in the bloodstream. Findings from a 2012 study in Clinical Nutrition show that taking aged garlic extract minimizes cold and flu symptoms and shortens the duration of viral illnesses.

8. Pump up vitamin D levels.

Often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D is actually a hormone that should be called the “immunity vitamin” thanks to its positive effects on the immune system. A 2009 report analyzed vitamin D levels in American adults and found that over 75% had low levels of this important vitamin. Get your levels checked and optimize them if necessary.

9. Power up with zinc.

This potent nutrient supports the immune system and helps your body defend itself from invading viruses and bacteria. Fuel up on zinc-rich foods like beef, oysters, lamb, asparagus, spinach, and pumpkin seed and consider taking zinc supplements.

10. Get moving.

Doing moderate exercise on a regular basis has been scientifically proven to enhance the immune system and reduce the risk of illness. It appears that even a single workout can give the immune system a boost. Going overboard with highly intense exercise, however, may have a negative effect on your ability to fight off viruses. A healthy approach is to walk fast—like you’re late for an appointment—for at least 30 minutes a day.

If you’re struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, depression, or other mental health issues, you aren’t alone—45% of Americans say the coronavirus pandemic has impacted their mental health. Just because you’re sheltering at home doesn’t mean you have to wait for the pandemic to be over before seeking help. In fact, during these uncertain times, your mental well-being is more important than ever and waiting to get treatment is likely to make your symptoms worsen over time. 

At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples, as well as in-clinic brain scanning to help our patients. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk. 

Blood flow is critical for life. It transports nutrients, including oxygen, to every cell in your body and flushes away toxins. Even though your brain, which weighs about 3 pounds, makes up only 2% of your body’s weight, it uses 20% of the oxygen and blood flow in your body. Anything that impairs blood flow or damages your blood vessels hurts your brain and your mental well-being.

On brain SPECT imaging scans, low blood flow is associated with depression, suicidal thoughts, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADD/ADHD, traumatic brain injury, hoarding, murder, substance abuse, seizure activity, and more. It’s also the #1 brain imaging predictor that a person will develop Alzheimer’s disease.

11 Blood Flow Robbers

1. Being sedentary or exercising less than twice a week

Over 90% of teenagers do not get the recommended level of exercise, which could be one of the major reasons why mental health issues among teens have skyrocketed in the last 30 years.

2. Too much caffeine

Drinking more than 2 cups of caffeinated beverages a day reduces blood flow to the brain.

3. Smoking or ingesting nicotine

Smoking constricts blood flow to the brain. On brain SPECT scans, the brains of smokers tend to look older than they are.

4. Excessive alcohol use

In particular, drinking alcohol lowers blood flow to the cerebellum, an amazing part of the brain that is associated with physical movement, which means it can make you less coordinated. Plus, people who drink every day have smaller brains.

5. Having a history of cardiovascular disease

Coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure, and heart arrhythmia are all indicators that cerebral blood flow is decreased.

6. High LDL cholesterol

High levels of LDL cholesterol, and in particular having a high content of small LDL particles, is a sign that blood flow isn’t optimal.

7. Having hypertension or pre-hypertension

High blood pressure negatively impacts blood flow to the brain.

8. History of a stroke

Experiencing a stroke indicates that blood vessels are already damaged or vulnerable to trouble.

9. Erectile dysfunction

If you have blood flow problems anywhere, it likely means they are everywhere, including in the brain.

10. Pre-diabetes or diabetes

High blood sugar levels, associated with diabetes and pre-diabetes, cause blood vessels to become brittle and more likely to break, delaying healing and causing disease complications.

11. Sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that lowers overall blood flow to the brain, especially in the areas that die first in Alzheimer’s disease.

3 Ways to Get Your Blood Flowing Again

If you want to keep your brain healthy, your mind sharp, and your mental health strong for as long as possible, you need to keep your blood flowing freely. If you have any of the lifestyle factors that lower blood flow, work to change your habits, and if you have medical conditions that impact blood flow, don’t hesitate to seek treatment. Here are 3 additional ways to boost blood flow.

1. Spend 10-20 minutes a day in prayer or meditation.

Both prayer and meditation have been shown to improve blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, decrease anxiety, and improve mood.

2. Undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)

HBOT is a simple, non-invasive, painless treatment with minimal side effects that use the power of oxygen to enhance the healing process and reduce inflammation. Before-and-after SPECT scans from a 2011 study showed remarkable overall improvement in blood flow following 40 sessions of HBOT.

3. Consider supplements.

Nutraceuticals with research-based evidence to help maintain healthy blood pressure and increase blood flow include ginkgo biloba, cocoa flavanols, omega-3 fatty acids, green tea catechins, and resveratrol.

At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging and lab testing as part of a wrap-around evaluation and treatment plan to determine the root causes of your symptoms. We believe in using the least toxic, most effective therapies and strategies to optimize your brain function and feel better again.

If you want to join the tens of thousands of people who have already enhanced their brain health and overcome their symptoms at Amen Clinics, speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.

We recently got a frantic call from a patient. From her ragged breathing and racing dialog, it was clear that she was close to having a panic attack. After she was instructed to take a few deep breaths, she calmed down somewhat and got to the reason for her call. She had just learned that 3 children at her daughter’s school in Southern California had visited China, and she wanted to know if she should rush over there immediately and pull her own child out of school.

She isn’t the only one freaking out about the coronavirus. On January 31, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared the virus a public health emergency here in the states.

So what should you do?

What is the Coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a common group of viruses that can cause an infection in the nose, sinuses, or throat. Some coronaviruses are mild and simply produce symptoms often seen in the common cold, such as a runny nose, sore throat, and fever. Other types are far more severe and can lead to pneumonia and early death. You may remember the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses that killed hundreds of people.

In early 2020, the World Health Organization identified a deadly new strain of the virus, the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), also referred to as the Wuhan coronavirus. To date, over 560 people have perished and over 28,000 have contracted the disease, mainly in China where the government has ordered a lockdown on about 60 million people. The illness has already spread to 25 countries, including the U.S. where at least a dozen cases have been confirmed so far.

The new coronavirus is transmitted from human to human and symptoms can appear within a couple of days or up to 14 days from the time of exposure. The symptoms of this coronavirus include the typical cold-like symptoms, and can also include shortness of breath, cough, and fever. Most people experience mild symptoms and recover, but others develop lethal complications.

How to Help Prevent Contracting the coronavirus

Whenever there’s a potential pandemic, it’s a good idea to know the basics of preventive measures you can take. Here are 3 strategies that can shore up your immune system to help you fight off the virus in case you are exposed to it.

1. Lower your stress.

Freaking out about a potential pandemic raises stress levels, which actually hurts your immune system and makes you more vulnerable to infections. Techniques to soothe stress include laughter, diaphragmatic breathing, prayer or meditation, listening to calming music, warming your hands with your mind, hypnosis and guided imagery, and flooding your 5 senses with positivity.

2. Eat foods that boost the immune system.

Foods that are natural immunity boosters include onions, mushrooms (shiitake, white button, portabella), garlic, vitamin C-rich foods (oranges, berries, peppers, dark leafy green vegetables), vitamin D-rich foods (fatty fish, eggs, tuna), zinc-rich foods (oysters, beef, lamb, spinach, asparagus, sesame and pumpkin seeds), and selenium-rich foods (Brazil nuts, seeds, grass-fed meats).

3. Take nutraceuticals that boost immunity and stave off infections.

In general, everyone should start taking a multivitamin, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D whether you are healthy or not. Only about 25% of the U.S. population has healthy levels of vitamin D. Get yours checked and optimize your levels if necessary.

Work with an integrative practitioner to determine other supplements and nutrients from the following list that enhance immunity:

What if you (or a loved one) develop symptoms?

See an integrative medicine, also known as functional medicine, doctor immediately if you develop symptoms and suspect you may have been exposed to the virus. Experts are currently working on a vaccine, but as of yet, there is no known treatment for coronaviruses. Most people recover on their own. To treat symptoms, drink lots of water, rest, and take pain or fever reducers if necessary.

At Amen Clinics, our Integrative Medicine physicians treat complex conditions and make recommendations for pro-active therapies to enhance the immune system. If you are having physical or psychiatric symptoms that aren’t improving with traditional treatment, it’s important to get a comprehensive evaluation that includes brain imaging and sophisticated lab testing to identify any underlying infections. Speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834. If all our specialists are busy helping others, you can also schedule a time to talk.