Integrative Medicine

What nutrients or supplements can help with depression?

Unlocking the Gut-Brain Connection: Probiotics for Mood Enhancement

Hi there. This is a great question, what nutrients or supplements can help with depression? And when we talk about depression, we're talking about small-d depression, the mood state that most of us experience on a fairly regular basis where we're just not feeling as happy or as motivated or as engaged as we want to be. We're not talking about treating major depressive disorder, which is a disease state, and we don't want to do that with supplements and nutrients. But if we want to improve our mood, there's all kinds of ways that we can do it, and one of the ways that I love to do that is through the gut-brain axis, how we can modulate what's happening in the second brain, our gut, and especially our microbiome, to send signals to the brain in our head, our first brain, so that we can improve how we feel. So one of the ways that we can do that is with a specific strain of bacteria called Lactobacillus helveticus 52. That 52 strain we know will raise serotonin levels, and that can help us be happier. It's not like the serotonin goes from the gut and leaks out into the bloodstream and leaks into the brain. We know it doesn't work that way because serotonin from the gut cannot pass the blood-brain barrier. But having more serotonin signaling in the gut does send a signal, probably through the vagus nerve, maybe through your cytokines, maybe through your immune system, to signal well-being in the brain. As a result of that, you feel happier, so we can consider helveticus 52 to be an anti-depression strain in certain ways. There's another strain called Bifidobacterium longum 175 that can help increase the production of GABA, the body's primary relaxing neurotransmitter, and when you're anxious and stressed, that can lower that anxious feeling and make you feel calmer. We also have a strain called Lactobacillus rhamnosus 11. That 11 strain we know can lower cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone, so in a lot of ways, we consider Lactobacillus rhamnosus 11 to be an antistress strain that can help us feel calmer. So helveticus 52 for depression, longum 175 for anxiety, and rhamnosus 11 for cortisol are all different ways that we can help ourselves feel better in terms of overall mood, overall calmness, overall stress levels. Check them out, you guys. Thanks. Bye-bye.

Taking specific strains of probiotics, such as Lactobacillus helveticus 52, Bifidobacterium longum 175, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus 11, can help improve your mood by raising serotonin levels, increasing production of GABA, and lowering cortisol respectively.

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When it comes to improving mood, there are nutrients and supplements that can help. However, it's important to note that we're discussing small-d depression, the common mood state, and not major depressive disorder, which requires professional treatment.

One effective approach is focusing on the gut-brain axis, which involves modulating the gut microbiome to influence the signals sent to the brain. One strain of bacteria called Lactobacillus helveticus 52 has been found to raise serotonin levels, contributing to a happier mood. While serotonin from the gut cannot directly affect the brain, increased serotonin signaling in the gut can send signals, possibly through the vagus nerve or immune system, to promote well-being in the brain.

Another strain, Bifidobacterium longum 175, can help increase the production of GABA, the body's primary relaxing neurotransmitter. This can lower feelings of anxiety and promote a sense of calmness.

Additionally, Lactobacillus rhamnosus 11 has been shown to lower cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone. This strain can help reduce stress levels and contribute to a calmer state of mind.

Considering these strains, helveticus 52 for depression, longum 175 for anxiety, and rhamnosus 11 for cortisol, can be beneficial for overall mood improvement and stress reduction.

It's worth exploring these options to support your well-being. Remember to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements or making significant changes to your diet.

Nutrition

Cortisol: The Good, the Bad, and the Belly Fat

Why is cortisol important? It's one of the most important of all the stress hormones. It's part of the whole fight-or-flight reaction. So cortisol is important because it helps regulate carbohydrate metabolism. It helps with blood pressure regulation. It really does a lot of important things. And, in fact, short-term exposure to cortisol is good for your brain. It's good for your immune system. It's good for your motivation. But chronic exposure to cortisol can be really bad, because chronic exposure to cortisol ends up being catabolic. It breaks down your tissues in your brain. It breaks down your muscles. It breaks down your skin. It breaks down your immune system. It breaks down every single tissue in the body except for one where it becomes anabolic, specifically for your fat tissue, so your belly fat will grow in response to cortisol overexposure. Your brain also responds to cortisol overexposure by telling you that you're hungry. So you get this hunger signal when you're stressed out and have a lot of cortisol, and you get a storage signal for your belly fat when you're exposed to cortisol. And that's not a very good situation. You're chronically hungry. You're eating those calories. You're storing them as belly fat. That's going to be bad for your long-term risk of things like syndrome X, diabetes, pre-diabetes, problems with blood sugar, problems with blood pressure. So you really don't want that. So some of the ways we can control cortisol, we can get better sleep. We can exercise. We can do stress management. We can also look at some important dietary supplements that can directly lower cortisol, things like saffron, theanine, pine bark, and I can talk about some of these in some of the other videos. OK? So control your cortisol. It's a good thing for you.

Cortisol is an important stress hormone that helps regulate carbohydrate metabolism, blood pressure and other bodily functions. However, chronic exposure to cortisol can have negative effects such as increased hunger, storage of belly fat, and an increased risk of conditions like Syndrome X, diabetes and pre-diabetes. To control cortisol levels, it is important to get enough sleep, exercise, and do stress management. There are also some dietary supplements that can help reduce cortisol levels.

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Cortisol is an essential stress hormone that plays a significant role in the fight-or-flight response. It is important because it helps regulate carbohydrate metabolism and blood pressure. Short-term exposure to cortisol is beneficial for the brain, immune system, and motivation.

However, chronic exposure to cortisol can have negative effects. It becomes catabolic, breaking down tissues in the brain, muscles, skin, and immune system. It promotes the growth of belly fat and triggers hunger signals. This can lead to chronic hunger, overeating, and increased storage of calories as belly fat, which can contribute to long-term health risks like diabetes, pre-diabetes, and blood sugar and blood pressure problems.

To control cortisol levels, it is important to prioritize quality sleep, engage in regular exercise, practice stress management techniques, and consider dietary supplements like saffron, theanine, and pine bark that can help lower cortisol levels.

Taking steps to manage cortisol is beneficial for overall health and well-being.

What nutrients or supplements can help with mental energy?

Boost Mental Energy with Mango Leaf Extract and Guayusa

What supplements can help with mental energy? OK, guys, let's forget about a couple of things first. Let's forget about caffeine, let's forget about coffee, and tea, and energy drinks. Let's just put all those to the side right now. I'm going to give you two recommendations. One is mango leaf extract and two is Guayusa. So mango leaf extract comes from anywhere in the world that they grow mangoes, like any of the tropical subtropical areas-- so Africa, South America, different parts of Asia and India. Mango leaf, if it's properly extracted-- and the one that I like is one called Zynamite-- can really, really help with mental energy and cognition. So much so that you get a mental edge that will fuel your physical performance. And there are at least seven clinical trials that show a cognitive benefit, mental energy, as well as a sports performance benefit. The other one, Guayusa, comes from South America, it comes from the Ecuadorian rainforest. And it's used there to really help what they would say, what the people who use it traditionally would say, to help them improve their connection with the universe. We refer to that in modern psychological science as mental awareness, which is one flavor, if you will, of mental energy. So if you were to use both of those together, mango leaf extract and Guayusa, what you would end up getting is, you'd get mental energy and physical energy. You would feel like doing something mentally or physically, you would feel like doing some work, you'd feel like getting something done, you would feel motivated, but you would also feel physically driven, physically motivated, so you be able to get up and go. But with Guayusa, you would have the ability to connect to that, engage that, really laser focus that in. And the combination of those two things is really, really beneficial. I think you'll love it. So look for those two things-- Guayusa and mango leaf extract. Check them out.

To improve mental energy, look for mango leaf extract and Guayusa. Mango leaf extract helps with mental energy, cognition, and physical performance, while Guayusa helps with mental awareness and connection to the universe. Both can be used together to get mental and physical energy, motivation, and focus.

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To enhance mental energy, I recommend two supplements: mango leaf extract and Guayusa. Mango leaf extract, specifically a high-quality extract like Zynamite, can significantly improve mental energy and cognition. It provides a mental edge that fuels physical performance as well. Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated its cognitive and sports performance benefits.

Guayusa, on the other hand, is derived from the Ecuadorian rainforest in South America. Traditionally used to enhance connection with the universe, it aligns with modern psychological science's concept of mental awareness, a form of mental energy. When combined with mango leaf extract, you experience both mental and physical energy. You'll feel motivated, driven, and focused, enabling you to accomplish tasks and engage with your surroundings.

Consider incorporating both Guayusa and mango leaf extract into your routine to enjoy the benefits of enhanced mental energy and physical performance. Give them a try and see how they work for you.

Probiotics: Not All the Same! The Power of Strain Specificity.

Are all probiotic supplements pretty much the same? The answer is no. No, no, no. They're not all the same. It all comes down to what strain you're talking about. So all probiotics should have three names-- genus, species, strain. So lactobacillus would be an example of a genus. Acidophilus would be an example of a species. The strain designation is usually a combination of letters and numbers that come after the genus and species. And 90% of the products in the market don't even tell you what the strain designation is. And if you don't know the strain, you don't know anything. You don't know what it does or what it's supposed to do. You don't know how to store it. You don't know how many billions of them you need. You don't know what the shelf life is. You know nothing. And so I want to give you a couple examples of that. Here's a product that has three different strains-- lactobacillus rhamnosus R0011, lactobacillus helveticus R0052, and bifidobacterium langham R0175. I happen to know that these specific strains help with stress, anxiety, and depression. So if that's the benefit that you're looking for, those are the strains that you should go look for. Here's another product. This has two completely different strains. One is called bifidobacterium lactis. BPL1 is a strain designation. That one helps with weight loss. Here's one called lactobacillus plantarum DR7. That one helps with inflammation and dopamine production, so motivation. If those are the problems you're looking for to solve, then those are the strains you're looking for. Here's another product that has five different strains, some that help with gastric motility, some that help with mineral absorption, right? So the whole idea here is that once you know the strain, you know the benefit or vice versa. If you're looking for a particular benefit, you need to find this particular strain that does that thing. You can't just go out there and find any old probiotic because you might get the wrong one. You might get a generic one that you actually don't know if it's going to do anything for you at all. So strain specificity is the moral of the story. How do you know? Look on your bottles. How do you know? Ask the company because the companies that are using the research validated strains are going to go out of their way to make sure that you know they're using the right strains for the right benefit for the right things that you're looking for. All right? Look for your strains, you guys.

Not all probiotic supplements are the same; it is important to check the strain designation on any supplement you are interested in to make sure you are getting the benefits you are looking for.

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Are all probiotic supplements pretty much the same? Absolutely not. The key factor that sets them apart is the specific strain they contain. When it comes to probiotics, each should have three names: genus, species, and strain. For example, lactobacillus is the genus, acidophilus is the species, and the strain designation is a combination of letters and numbers.

Unfortunately, 90% of products on the market don't disclose the strain designation, which means you're left in the dark about its effects, storage requirements, recommended dosage, and shelf life. Without knowing the strain, you know nothing about the probiotic.

Let me give you a couple of examples. One product contains lactobacillus rhamnosus R0011, lactobacillus helveticus R0052, and bifidobacterium langham R0175. These specific strains are known to help with stress, anxiety, and depression. If those are the benefits you seek, look for these strains.

Another product contains bifidobacterium lactis BPL1, which aids in weight loss, and lactobacillus plantarum DR7, which helps with inflammation and dopamine production for motivation. If these are the issues you want to address, these are the strains to look for.

The bottom line is that once you know the strain, you know the associated benefits. If you're seeking a specific benefit, you need to find the probiotic with the corresponding strain. Don't just pick any generic probiotic, as it may not provide the desired effects.

Always prioritize strain specificity. Check the labels on your probiotic bottles or ask the company directly. Reputable companies using research-validated strains will ensure you know which strains they use for specific benefits. So, be diligent in looking for the right strains for your needs.

Does Happy Juice help cleanse our bodies of heavy metals and toxins?

Happy Juice: Boost Your Body's Detox Pathways for a Healthier You

This is an interesting question and it's does happy juice help cleanse our bodies of heavy metals and toxins? And the short answer is yes, but the longer answer is it's an indirect effect. So what I mean by that is that happy juice is chock full of specific strains of probiotic bacteria, specific structures of prebiotic fiber, and all kinds of phytonutrients, flavonoids and polyphenols and xanthomes and you name it, that can help cause a detox reaction in the body. What do I mean by that? Well, if you're shoring up your gut integrity, right, reducing your leaky gut, if you're rebuilding your gut environment, if you're enhancing blood flow, and especially through the liver and the kidneys, those are all things that will naturally allow your body to go through its normal detoxification process. Unfortunately, if we're not getting those kinds of nutrients in our bodies because we're not eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, our detox pathways are suppressed. So our liver isn't doing a good job of detoxing us or our kidneys or our gut. And so what you can think of here is that by bringing these nutrients into our bodies, we're taking our suppressed detoxification pathways back up to those optimal natural levels. And so our body is able to go through its natural detoxification. That's one of the reasons that people feel so good while they're using happy juice, because their body is going through their normal process at a more optimal level.

Happy juice can help cleanse our bodies of heavy metals and toxins indirectly by providing nutrients that support the body's natural detoxification pathways.

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The question is, does Happy Juice help cleanse our bodies of heavy metals and toxins? The short answer is yes, but let me explain further. Happy Juice contains specific strains of probiotic bacteria, prebiotic fiber, and various phytonutrients like flavonoids, polyphenols, and xanthomes. These components can trigger a detox reaction in the body.

By improving gut integrity, reducing leaky gut, and enhancing blood flow, especially in the liver and kidneys, Happy Juice supports the body's natural detoxification process. When our bodies lack these essential nutrients, our detox pathways become suppressed. This means that our liver, kidneys, and gut are not effectively eliminating toxins.

By introducing these nutrients through Happy Juice, we can elevate our suppressed detoxification pathways to their optimal levels. This allows our bodies to undergo natural detoxification more efficiently. It's worth noting that people often feel great while using Happy Juice because their bodies are functioning at an optimal level during the detoxification process.

Is it safe to take supplements like "kids mood" while taking prescription medicine for ADHD? 

Expert advice: Natural supplements like Kids Mood can support ADHD treatment alongside prescription medicine

Hey dr. Shawn Talbott here. This is a great question. Is it safe to take supplements like kids mood while taking prescription medicine for ADHD? So, first of all, kids mood is a product from my company. I'm already Global. I formulated this product. One of the key ingredients in that product is a very particular saffron extract that has been shown in clinical trials, to be equivalent to methylphenidate. That's the drug. That's in ritalin and adderall and some of the ADHD. Medication. So, first of all, we don't want to promote that product or that particular herb as a treatment. For ADHD, ADHD is a disease dietary supplements by law cannot be marketed to treat cure or prevent mitigate a disease. Right? So we do want to talk about the fact that saffron if it's a properly extracted saffron extract like the one that we use can help with Focus can help with staying on task can help with mood can help with behavior can help you and your brain. Do what you need to do in a given day, right? So let's frame it the right way. Can you take it alongside ADHD medications? Well, some people can do that. What we generally see though is that once you do a natural option, like a saffron or a pine bark, or theanine, or one of these natural ingredients that have very good clinical efficacy for helping people focus and helping people improve their mood and their behavior and all those sorts of things. Very often, they don't need as much of whatever that synthetic option is. Whether it's an ID, Eh d drug or a prescription antidepressant or anti-anxiety drug or a sleep drug sometimes. And so it's very important if you're going to do a natural option that you work with, your prescriber to figure out, should you lower your dose of whatever that drug is? Because if your body is doing a better job of regulating itself naturally, you probably don't need as much of that synthetic option. And you might actually be overmedicated once your body gets into a better place. So absolutely we know that these ingredients are effective. Absolutely. We know that they can improve all these lifestyle manifestations. I've been using them for years and years with my own children. So we know that they're safe, we know that they're effective, so check them out. And then work with your prescriber to figure out what is the best option for you in terms of matching up natural versus synthetic options, okay? See you next time.

Kids Mood is a dietary supplement formulated by Dr. Shawn Talbott that contains a particular saffron extract that has been shown to be equivalent to methylphenidate. It can help with focus, mood, and behavior, but should not be marketed to treat, cure, or prevent ADHD. If you are taking prescription medicine for ADHD, it is safe to take Kids Mood in conjunction with it, but it is important to work with your prescriber to decide if you need to lower the dose of the medication depending on how well your body is responding to the natural option.

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Is it safe to take supplements like Kids Mood while taking prescription medicine for ADHD? This is a great question. Kids Mood is a product formulated by my company, Univera. It contains a saffron extract that has shown clinical efficacy in improving focus, mood, and behavior. However, it's important to note that dietary supplements cannot be marketed as treatments for diseases like ADHD.

That being said, saffron and other natural ingredients can be beneficial for focus and overall brain function. Some individuals may be able to take these supplements alongside their ADHD medications. In fact, when incorporating natural options, such as saffron, pine bark, or theanine, many people find that they require less of the synthetic medication. It's crucial to work with your prescriber to determine if a lower dose of the medication is appropriate as your body adjusts to the natural option.

These natural ingredients have been proven safe and effective, and I have personally used them with my own children. It's important to explore these options and collaborate with your prescriber to find the best approach for you, considering both natural and synthetic options.

Remember, always consult with your healthcare provider for personalized advice.

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Dr.Shawn Talbott