Natural Medicine for Mental Well-Being
- drlexilain
- May 5
- 5 min read
Most of us have experienced some level of anxiety or depression. The intensity of these emotions varies by individual and circumstance — but what does mental well-being actually mean?
Does it mean being "happy" and "joyful" all the time? Or does it mean being able to move through discomfort — sadness, anger, fear — without getting stuck there, so we can keep showing up for our lives?
The mind regulates the flow of information and energy. - Dan Siegle, MD
Emotions, in all their variety, are actually a gift — a hidden guidance system. In the book The Law of Attraction, emotions are described as a way to communicate with your inner being, your soul, or even with God.
When something triggers fear or makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up — that’s your inner wisdom alerting you that something may not be safe or right. When we feel sadness, it’s often because we’ve lost something meaningful or faced disappointment. While uncomfortable, it’s information — about how we’re experiencing life.
And when something lights us up, when we feel good or deeply excited — that’s the signal to lean in. That’s alignment. That’s your nervous system saying “yes.” Emotions can help us make decisions, discern truth, and find peace in uncertainty.
So, how do mental health struggles develop?
Every experience we have — especially stressful ones — can leave an imprint. These are often called intrusions. They begin as early as birth. While infants may not remember early fear, by age two or three, children can already sense emotional safety or threat in their environment. That’s when the foundational patterns of how we respond to stress begin forming.
Over time, if we experience repeated stress without the tools or support to recover, our system can start to dysregulate. We may not enter adulthood with full-blown anxiety or depression, but we can carry years of poor adaptation, which can build into deeper challenges like panic or depressive disorders.
The key question becomes: did we regulate well after the stressor, or did we stay stuck?
Each stressor adds to our system. Over time, we either become more resilient — or more dysregulated.
Let me be clear: being stress-free isn’t the goal. Being free from anger, sadness, melancholy, or fear isn’t my goal either.
These emotions are part of being human. They are messages — signs pointing us toward alignment or away from it. When we’re out of alignment with our soul, our values, or with God, we feel it in our bodies as dis-ease.
Okay, Dr. Lexi… this all sounds a bit “out there” — so how does this circle back to natural medicine?
Great question. The first step is understanding. And that’s what we’ll explore next...
First, we must seek to understand.
In my "Get Your Spark Back" program, one of the modules is to address the obstacle and challenges you are facing right now. This is important in understanding where you are right now as it relates to how you are feeling. In modules 3 and 5, you then dive into your life experiences and how that has molded you into the person you are today and can provide insight into why you may be responding to your world and stress in a certain way. The cool thing about this program is that you will learn how to re-frame the story in your mind, learning new and empowering ways to respond to stress. Instead of feeling controlled by your anxiety and depression, you can rise above it by training your brain to literally respond differently! Pretty amazing, right!
Second, your brain needs proper fuel and oxygen to optimally function and perform.
Your brain uses glucose as its primary source of fuel. Have you ever gone too long without eating and gotten shaky and irritable? That is your brain responding to the lack of fuel. Once you eat something it is no surprise that you feel much better!
Proper nutrition is foundational to happy, healthy brain.
Dr. Lexi loves to explore food sensitivities with her clients because so much of what we eat inflames our brain, making us have brain fog, moodiness, and even more stress. When we eat something that our body doesn't agree with, the immune system sends signals to the brain to say, "hey, this substance is a problem. We need to do something about it." The brain then gets "excited" - aka, anxious/stressed/inflamed - and tries to deal with the problem. Unfortunately, chemicals like food dyes, like Red Dye No. 3 and Red Dye No. 40, also can directly hurt the brain, too. So diving deeper into how you are feeding your body is TOP PRIORITY when it comes to natural medicine for mental well-being.
What increases oxygen to the brain? EXERCISE!
Movement is Life!
Blood carries oxygen, therefore, we need to increase our blood flow so wake the body up. If you are feeling sluggish in the office and need a quick pick me up- check out this easy "full body office exercise". It's super easy, you don't need equipment, and I promise, it won't make you all sweaty either. The goal is to get up and get your body moving which will increase circulation to your brain, sending much needing oxygen AND fuel for focus and better performance.
Lastly, #NaturopathicDoctors can dive deeper into your physiology to explore what could be contributing to your anxiety, depression, and stress. We might explore #hormones , #guthealth , #genetics , and other possibilities that all can have a direct impact on how your brain is functioning.
Estrogen helps the neurotransmitter, GABA, function better. When you see a drop in Estrogen, this can cause anxiety.
Progesterone aligns with serotonin and melatonin. When you see a drop in progesterone, you can see depression, melancholy, a little mild anxiety, and insomnia.
Testosterone mimics dopamine. So, a drop in testosterone can cause the loss of joy, loss of motivation, and cause depression.
90% of your Serotonin and Dopamine are made in the gut by your microbiome, so your gut health matters greatly in how you feel.
Genetically speaking, you could have the #MTHFR mutation that causes problems with how you respond to anti-depressants, supplements, and other medications.
Natural medicine can offer so much when it comes to empowering you and boosting your mental health! It does, however, require you to have the desire to want to change.
The truth is — healing is possible. Your brain can change. Your story can shift. And with the right tools, support, and strategy, you can feel like yourself again — or maybe, for the first time, the real you.
Natural medicine meets you where you are, honors your individuality, and works with your body — not against it. Whether it's through nutrition, movement, hormonal balance, or deep emotional healing, there are real, tangible ways to reclaim your peace and power.
If you've been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just plain exhausted, know this: you don't have to stay there.
You can get your spark back.
If you'ld like more help and have questions, please schedule a free Discovery Call with me, Dr. Lexi. I'm more than happy to have a conversation with you, learn what you are facing, and share more about the "Get Your Spark Back" Program
If you'ld like to hire Dr. Lexi as a speaker or to bring the Get Your Spark Back program to your team, please schedule a Discovery Call as well!
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