Did you know that in Texas, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is just as common in the summer as in the winter?  While we have plenty of blazing sunlight here in toasty Texas, the reality is that the extreme heat drives many people indoors.  Some people actually get less sun exposure, make less vitamin D, and may even exercise less due to the extreme heat.  Adding this to dehydration, lighter food intake, and longer days, this means an increase in anxiety and depression for some Texans.

Another thing that comes with the spring / summer heat is rain & humidity. With that comes a big jump in mold levels. The warm weather not only activates mold in the ambient environment (outside), but it creates warmth and condensation in our air conditioning systems that create a perfect environment for indoor mold.  About 25% of the population are genetically sensitive to mold. For these individuals, mold exposure causes not just allergies but inflammation that affects the nervous system, joints, digestive system and immune system. Anxiety and depression are common symptoms of mold exposure in sensitive people. Read more →

Over the last thirty years, how many of you have noticed the rise in anxiety and depression? Have you also noticed an increase in ‘autoimmune’ disease(s)? Have you seen new treatments develop that are resolving these peoples’ suffering? Your answer to that last question is probably “no.”
According to a study commissioned by the ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America), a staggering 40 million American adults (and over 25% of American adolescents) are affected by anxiety disorders. Of those 40 million, 7 million suffer with general anxiety disorder, 15 million with social anxiety disorder, and 14.8 million with major depressive disorder. (1) The same study reveals that $42 billion per year are spent on anxiety disorder treatments, which averages to around $1,050 per person in a year. These statistics are actually from a 1999 study, so this data is almost 20 years old. I believe our rates of anxiety, depression, and autoimmune disease have increased in an exponential manner since these statistics were published. Read more →

When asked, “What do you want in life?” most people say they want to be happy. Although many might think money, an experience, a person or material item might make them happy, once they get it, the happiness doesn’t usually last — the ‘shiny’ wears off after a while. But, if you can generate happiness from within, rather than relying on some external thing, you will feel more empowered, healthy and confident — and this can last your whole lifetime. One simple way to do this is to create habits for happiness. Read more →

According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), over 18 percent of adults in the US experience mental illness in a given year. It is likely that you, a family member or friend has suffered from anxiety or depression. Anxiety and depression are among the top conditions I see in my practice, making it no surprise that emotional wellbeing and mental health are closely linked with physical health. There have been many times that I’ve uncovered a mental or emotional root causes to a disease that initially seems unrelated to mental health. Read more →

Did you know that the human brain is roughly 60 percent fat? DHA, also known as Docosahexaenoic Acid, is the predominant Omega-3 Fatty Acid found in our brains, so ingesting quality sources of DHA, both from food and through supplementation, is absolutely vital to support optimal cognitive functions. Read more →

Sadhana is an ancient yogic tradition, most commonly translated as, “a means of accomplishing something.” In Sanskrit, the word is slightly different, ‘sa’ meaning ‘all’ or ‘infinite,’ ‘dhana’ meaning ‘blessings.’ Typically performed during the “ambrosial hours,” or the two hours just before sunrise, it is an intentional practice involving yogic movement and/or meditation.

Practicing Sadhana is one of the oldest ways to change your entire being simply by changing your thought patterning.

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The media has been abuzz about homeopathy lately now that the FDA is re-evaluating their regulation of homeopathic products. In the initial testimony in April 2015, Michael De Dora of the Center for Inquiry in Washington DC said about the effectiveness of homeopathy:

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Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In 2000 it was estimated that 1 in 150 children fell within the autistic spectrum in the US. In 2014 the CDC released a statement claiming autism had increased by approximately 119.4% since 2000. Currently 1 in every 68 births will be diagnosed with ADS (autistic spectrum disorder). Why the sudden increase in ASD? What has changed in the last 14 years to cause such a dramatic increase? There are several theories and some very interesting facts that have lead to studies that may help answer that question. Read more →