Anxiety has been misunderstood and mistreated for far too long. Typically, it’s viewed as a sort of personality trait that one must accept and learn to live with. The truth is, anxiety is not who you are, it’s merely a manifestation of what’s going on inside your body. By understanding the various root-causes that are typically associated with anxiety, we can take a more effective approach to treating it, rather than just masking the symptoms.

So, what are some of the physical circumstances that can lead to anxiety? Here are a few of the most common correlations we tend to see.

Gut Dysbiosis

Groundbreaking research has demonstrated the strong connection between the gut and the brain, making it very clear that each one greatly impacts the other. An imbalanced gut can directly cause an imbalanced brain, and vice versa. One of the many reasons why gut health is so closely linked to mental health is thanks to the vagus nerve, which is a two-way communication channel between the brain and the gut, where neurotransmitters and other elements are found to be highly active. Gut health is a top contributor to mental health, so it's essential to address the gut when working to understand and treat anxiety. This means examining and caring for the gut microbiome, the gut wall lining, motility, and more.

Nutritional Deficiencies

We have long known that nutrition directly affects our mood. As they say, you are what you eat. When it comes to anxiety, there are often nutritional deficiencies at play — even in people who eat very healthy, well-rounded diets. The truth is, if you are not eating for your body's unique needs, informed by targeted lab testing, you likely have some deficiencies. And, even if you are eating an adequate amount of the nutrients you need, there's a high chance your body is not absorbing them properly if you have not been diligently caring for your gut health.

Genetics and Mutations

It's no surprise that genes come into play with mental health. This could be one of the reasons why the standard healthcare system tends to look at anxiety as inherent and unfixable. However, genetics are not set in stone, and we have more power than we've long thought. In fact, nutrition and lifestyle play a huge role in informing genetic expression. Understanding your genetics is empowering because there are targeted approaches that you can take to counteract genes that are working against you. Plus, when it comes to anxiety, there is one common mutation that is highly associated; the COMT mutation. Given that one third of caucasians have this mutation, it's no wonder anxiety is so common.

Hormonal Dysregulation

We all know that hormones have a lot to do with our mood, and that when they're out of balance life can feel like a rollercoaster. There are certain hormones that, when left unchecked, can directly contribute to chronic anxiety. For example, cortisol (the stress hormone) if often dysregulated in people who suffer from anxiety, keeping them in a constant state of fight or flight. Cortisol is of course just one of many hormones that impact mood. Hormones also have a big impact on gut health, and balancing hormone production is an important part of caring for one's mental health.

Neurotransmitter Imbalance

Neurotransmitters, like dopamine and serotonin, are well-known to be implicated in mental health. Most pharmaceutical treatments or anxiety work by targeting neurotransmitters, but the reality is that your body has the capacity to do this on its own — some people just need to take a more hands-on approach. For instance, SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), designed to regulate serotonin, are the primary drug used to treat anxiety and other mood disorders. Given that 90% of the body's serotonin is found in the gut, gut health is again critical in regulating mood.

Sub-Optimal Energy Production

Mitochondrial health is responsible for a lot of what goes on inside your body, including effective energy production. Mitochondria dysfunction can have a sort of domino effect on your physical and mental health, and can be directly linked to chronic stress and anxiety, so this is one of the things we like to look at in people suffering from those symptoms. Of course other factors that relate to energy production are sleep quality and quantity, as well as caffeine consumption, which are closely tied with stress and anxiety as well.

Heightened Toxin Load

Our bodies demonstrate an almost miraculous ability to expel toxins, but sometimes we can overload the system. When our toxin load is too high, or other systems are not functioning optimally, then the toxin load can begin to build and negatively impact our physical and mental health. For instance, gut health plays a key role in helping the body get rid of toxins (excess hormones, pollutants, chemicals in food and skincare products, etc.). Testing your toxin load, and helping the body detoxify, can be key in treating anxiety.

Chronic Inflammation

With the modern American diet and the rise of stress, chronic inflammation is incredibly widespread. When your body detects inflammation, it releases cortisol and other hormones in an attempt to counteract. This response is instrumental in mood regulation, and people with anxiety can suffer as a result. Cutting edge science shows that inflammation is the root cause of almost all chronic ailments, and it begins in the gut. Inflammation, therefore, can also be resolved in the gut. Nutrition can be used in a targeted way to reduce inflammation in the body, and in the brain, in order to help resolve anxiety.

The topics above are just some of the most common physical circumstances that are associated with mental health imbalances. As you may have been able to tell, these various elements are closely intertwined, which is why it's so important to take a holistic approach in caring for one's physical and mental health. Of course, one's lifestyle has a lot to do with these factors as well. By leveraging targeted lab testing, personalized nutrition, and a holistic approach, anxiety can be beat. If you're curious to learn more, I'd love to chat! Feel free to reach out to Ray@WellnessInTune.com.