Toxins and Mental Health

When we talk about mental health, we think about a lot of things: psychological therapy, mental health treatments, support systems, inner peace, and everything related to our state of mind. But did you know that being physically healthy also plays a vital part in your overall mental being?

Liver detoxification is one of the proven ways to boost your mental health. It is an essential aspect of mental health treatment that involves eliminating harmful wastes in the body. These toxins are the main causes our body might not function well, affecting even our mental well-being. Here are a few ways to know how your mental health benefits from a liver detox.

You Protect Your Liver

Your liver is one of the most vital parts of your body. It is one of the major organs that help in flushing out bodily wastes. Our body will not function well if it fails or has hampered functions. To demonstrate the importance: you can live without a stomach, but you can’t live without your liver.

A body that undergoes a liver detox could benefit from a lot of things, which include glowing skin, increased energy, balanced hormones, slowed aging, and many others.

A Healthy Liver Means a Cleaner Lifestyle

People who are recovering from PTSD, addiction, and depression should not only rely solely on pharmaceutical drugs. It is also supportive to take a holistic approach to improve your overall health. 

An unbalanced diet and improper nutrition also contribute to toxin buildup in the body—these are the by-products of unhealthy eating and lifestyle. The appalling effects of a congested liver include skin problems, constipation, poorly formed stools, morning headaches, nausea, bloodshot eyes, and many other complications. This is why having a healthy liver could benefit your health, both physically and mentally.

Liver Detoxing Facilitates a Mental Health Detoxing

Since the liver is the main organ for detoxification in our body, keeping it free from toxins and unnecessary wastes could help boost your mental health. Through the proper treatments, the effects of detox can last. Having your body cleansed of waste is just as important as maintaining a sound mind. 

There are a lot of science-based strategies that back up how better physical health enhances mental function and cognitive abilities. Other traditional holistic treatments include the use of plant and animal-derived oils, saunas, water therapies, and more to detoxify the entire body. 

Conclusion

Everyone is presented with different struggles each day. We are all susceptible to mental trials and challenges, and we often fight battles we never even speak of. It is always important to keep ourselves checked and assess our overall state of mind no matter how tiring the world can be. It is our duty to take care of ourselves while we can. After all, we only have one life to spend, and making the best out of it should be our number one priority.
Are you struggling to progress in your healing journey? Have your mental therapies become a painstaking routine with no progress at all? Dr. Stephanie Lyn Coleman can support you with a holistic medicine approach to mental health. Book a consult today!

What Does Lyme Disease Have to Do With Ketamine?

Lyme disease is one of the bacterial infections out there that's actually pretty hard to diagnose. It's triggered by Borrelia burgdorferi, a bacterium. That's because it's generally caused by not just any tick bites, but particular ones. There's also chronic Lyme disease, which is rooted in the same thing. In a nutshell, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sees around 30,000 reports of Lyme Disease a year, but many are still unaccounted for. 

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease in any form is a major hit to a person's quality of life because it's essentially debilitating.

Over 300,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease on a yearly basis, but as previously mentioned, it's hard to diagnose. It's also actually pretty difficult to treat. Unfortunately, getting it is easy: just passing through an area with ticks gives prime opportunity for at least one to latch on skin or clothing. 

A carrier tick that's not removed in a timely fashion can end up transmitting Lyme disease. It does so by settling into the skin through a bite. Avoiding tick-prone areas is a great way to prevent Lyme disease from spreading. Animals that tend to have Lyme disease-laden ticks include, but are not limited to, white-footed field mice, deer, horses, opossums, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, foxes, skunks, weasels, and shrews.

Symptoms

Early on, certain symptoms of Lyme disease can manifest, like:

• Chills

• Fatigue

• Fever

• Headaches

• Joint pain

• Joint swelling

• Muscle aches

• Sleep disturbances

• Stiff neck

• Swollen lymph nodes

A rash could also show up around the bite: big and with a tendency to spread out even more. More progressive cases include heart problems, arthritis, nerve problems, and neurological symptoms. There are also cases of neuropsychiatric Lyme disease, though those are far and few between. Symptoms on that end include mania, paranoia, hallucations, and even obsessive-compulsiveness.

Ketamine Treatment

A good way to treat Lyme disease pain is through IV ketamine therapy. The Food and Development Authority (FDA) initially approved the use of ketamine as an anesthetic. It can now be used for the treatment of both psychiatric and physical disorders. 

Chronic pain management can be done through ketamine's N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-inhibition mechanism. It's a receptor that binds glutamate to manage the brain's pain center: the thalamus. Ketamine treatment protocol ends up blocking the receptors so that chronic and acute pain alike can be relieved. It's a natural Lyme disease treatment that, as previously mentioned, is delivered intravenously.

Patients that get IV ketamine have reported feeling considerable improvements in pain from the first treatment session alone. It's a proven treatment method best for patients whose conditions involve chronic pain. It's also ideal for people that cannot take on opiate medications and need an alternative.

Conclusion

Chronic Lyme disease and Lyme disease alike are caused by ticks that are carriers biting into the skin and settling there. It's a debilitating disease that can heavily affect a person's entire way and quality of life. Ketamine in itself was originally approved as an anesthetic by the FDA. Ketamine infusion therapy through intravenous means is a huge help for pain relief.

Learn more about holistic medicine and ketamine treatment with Dr. Stephanie Lyn Coleman MD.

What You Need To Know When Looking For Psychedelic Integration

Psychedelic drugs had a bad reputation, but it’s slowly breaking away from its stigma and taking center stage in the wellness industry as the next best therapeutic alternative for achieving mental soundness. 

Whether going on a psychotropic trip takes you on a curative, recreational, religious, or mind-bending journey, one thing is for sure: having a trained facilitator by your side can help you appreciate the steps you need to take to make progress in your life. 

The Basics of Psychedelic Integration: Taking a Deep Dive Into the Mind’s Locked Memories and Hidden Feelings 

Going to therapy is a leap already, but it can be challenging for many to open up the deep bowels of their anxious-driven thoughts. When one experiences some form of emotional resistance or has the sudden need to rely on their defense mechanism during a therapy session there is the potential for a person to shut down and block therapeutic process. Integration is NOT traditional therapy and integration is key to sustaining the benefits of psychedelic treatment. The use of psychedelic medicine can lower defenses and walls and can allow a person to access subconscious material. Integration is the process of taking the lesions, insights, visuals, and feelings of the psychedelic experience, making sense of them for the individual’s life and creating tangible daily changes.

Psychedelics have the ability to bring to light concealed memories, emotions, unprocessed trauma, grief, and other repressed painful experiences. It strips the mind of its walls, allowing patients to let their feelings loose and make sense of their situation. Integration can help reframe memories, beliefs, and habits to allow for healing and new ways of being. Integration goes beyond traditional talk therapy and incorporates movement, creativity, nature, and much more.  

The Importance of Choosing the Right Psychedelic Integration Support

No one wants to seek medical aid from unlicensed doctors, right? The same concept applies to psychedelic integration, though it may take more research since this approach is new to the industry. Taking psychedelics during sessions can leave people vulnerable, so it’s crucial to work with a facilitator who can give you the support you need in this setting and after the experience. 

Essential Questions You Need to Ask When Looking for the Psychedelic Integration

1. What are the qualifications of a reliable psychedelic integration facilitator? 

2. Do they have specialized training in psychedelic medicine, facilitating, and integration?

3. Why did they choose to focus on psychedelic integration? 

4. Do they have first-hand experience with psychedelics? 

5. What is their process and recommended number of sessions?

6. Ask yourself: Do I feel comfortable and safe with this person? And trust your intuition.

The Bottom Line: Freeing Your Mind with the Right Support that Best Suits You

The right psychedelic facilitator will not only keep you safe during the trip but also ensure your thoughts and feelings are redirected properly. It can be easy to get lost or feel confused on your own and support with understanding your experience will help to transform your insights into something that fuels you to make a positive change in your life. 

Why Choose Stephanie Lyn Coleman?

When it comes to mental health conditions, you must take the right approach to help manage your symptoms and experiences. With that being said, you should check out Stephanie Lyn Coleman. 

We focus on mental health and psychedelic medicine to help treat burnout and mental symptoms, burnout, anxiety, depression related to COVID-19, and more. Stephanie Lyn Coleman MD is a licensed physician trained in traditional western medicine culture, ketamine treatment, integration and believes in following a holistic approach to health. 

Want to learn more about psychedelic therapy and how it can help you? Book an appointment with us today!

Exploring Holistic Medicine

Everything You Need to Know About Holistic Medicine

Medicine has come a long way. This isn’t really surprising as medicine is constantly evolving to meet the needs of the times. One of the most important iterations of medicine nowadays is holistic medicine.  Indeed, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it has completely redefined how we approach wellness in the modern age. In fact, a third of Americans use alternative medicine to help boost their overall health and wellbeing. Considering how popular it is, it’s rather surprising how much people actually know about what holistic medicine is and what it entails. 

This is why we thought it would be useful to break down important details about this unique approach to healing. If you’ve always wanted to learn more about holistic medicine, then this is just what you need. Read on as we discuss everything that you need to know about holistic medicine!

What is Holistic Medicine?

Before we talk about anything else, it’s important that we define what holistic medicine actually is. As its name implies, it is an approach to health and wellness that actively involves a person’s physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health.

To put it simply, this form of medicine is all about treatment and prevention. Instead of just treating the symptoms, holistic medicine seeks to address the underlying causes of sicknesses and diseases in hopes of preventing them from reoccurring. It does this by taking into account every aspect of a person’s life that could be affecting their health. This can range from but is not limited to their diet, stress levels, and lifestyle.

What Are the Responsibilities of a Holistic Medicine Doctor?

Contrary to popular belief, there are holistic medicine doctors that have medical degrees. This is because having experience as a medical professional can be extremely beneficial when it comes to improving the overall treatment. With that being said, there are practitioners that are NOT physicians. This is why some practitioners falsely call themselves “doctor” even if they don’t have an actual license.

However, what makes these doctors different from other doctors is that they are focused on prevention as well. If a patient comes in with a stomach ache, it is the doctor’s responsibility to help the patient address the source of pain and to address the underlying reasons why the stomach ache happened in the first place. 

How Does Holistic Medicine Work?

To understand how holistic medicine works, we have to take a look at the core idea behind it. At its most basic level, this form of treatment focuses on the mind-body connection. This means that how a person is feeling emotionally, mentally, and spiritually has an effect on their physical well-being. A doctor that practices this form of treatment takes this into consideration when providing aid.

Now, this doesn’t mean that they aren’t also including the evidence based science behind the medicinal practice. Instead, holistic medicine is geared towards supplementing the scientific approach to medicine in order to provide the best treatment possible.

Conclusion

While all of this can be rather intimidating in the beginning, a little research goes a long way. We hope this information has helped shed some light on holistic medicine. As you can see, this approach to medicine can be incredibly beneficial. This is especially true if you are struggling with recurring illnesses.

If you’re interested in holistic medicine, Stephanie Lyn Coleman MD is a licensed physician with a holistic approach to health and utilizes ketamine therapy to support in that goal. Get in touch with us today.

Men versus Women

For years, mental health has been put at the backburner, with society labeling it as a taboo subject. But thankfully, the discussion on mental health has been put in the forefront in recent times, with more and more people talking about it. People are now giving attention to their mental health and spreading awareness. However, there is still more to be done on the subject.

Anyone can be afflicted by a mental health disorder. But somehow, men tend to suffer more in silence with depression compared to women. While biology may be a factor, gender politics also plays a significant role in this discovery. This article will compare the differences in depression between men and women and discuss why men are less likely to seek treatment.

How Depression Affects Women

Depression can be triggered by a number of reasons, from biological factors to external aspects such as socioeconomic status and cultural impact. 

• Age

For women, age can be a factor to consider. In particular, women can be more prone to depression during puberty and menopause. This is due to the hormonal fluctuations experienced by women during these life stages.

• Lack of Serotonin

In particular, the hormone serotonin plays a significant role in depression. Serotonin is essential in mood stabilization and is a chemical that encourages feelings of well-being and happiness. But serotonin can get affected by the hormones estrogen and progesterone. When these two hormones drop, so does serotonin. And when there’s a lack of serotonin in the brain, a person can experience feelings of depression.

• Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are also signs of depression prevalent in women. While the above cause is more biological, depression resulting from eating disorders can be triggered by societal standards and expectations. 

• Unrealistic Beauty Standards

The unrealistic beauty standards set upon women by society from a young age can lead many women to the path of eating disorders. The pressure society imposes on women has a significant impact on both their mental and physical health. That’s why, when discussing mental health, it’s also vital to open the discussion to other serious topics such as eating disorders and societal pressure. 

How Depression Affects Men

At first, it may seem that men don’t suffer that much from depression, but the opposite is true. Men silently suffer from depression, and the signs can often be harder to detect in men than in women. This may be because men tend to hide their emotions and exhibit a so-called high-functioning depression. This behavior can cause the condition to go overlooked. 

The unfortunate thing with depression in men is that they tend to self-medicate. They may do this through alcohol consumption and substance abuse, which can only worsen the condition. Men also tend to express their depression through anger, which can lead to violent outbursts and episodes. 

Because the signs of depression can be more challenging to detect in men, they often go undiagnosed. Without receiving professional help and treatment, their depression may become more severe. This is why suicide rates are usually higher in men than women.

Why Are Men More Likely to Ignore Their Symptoms?

The reason men are less likely to seek professional help may be found in their upbringing. At a young age, men are taught to hide their emotions. This can stunt their emotional growth, making it more difficult for them to manage their feelings in a healthy way. 

For a long time, the misogynistic ideals of society have not just endangered women but also men. This wrong notion that men are not allowed to feel or cry puts them at more risk of depression. It is crucial to correct these misguided teachings and give men the freedom to have a healthy relationship with their emotions. 

Final Thoughts

The ability to feel does not have a gender. No matter your age, race, sex, or socioeconomic status, we all have a right to process our emotions in a safe and healthy manner. That’s why it’s so important to talk about these things and allow ourselves to feel. Our obligation as a society is to correct the mistakes of the past and move toward a healthier and more forgiving future. Remember, it is okay to cry. It is human to feel. 

Take the first step towards better mental health with Dr. Stephanie Lyn Coleman. We create personalized mental health treatment plans that emphasize supported integration and focus on the whole person to achieve sustainable results. We believe that everyone deserves to love their life, themselves, and truly experience happiness free of worry. Schedule an initial evaluation today!