The Importance of Supporting Mental and Physical Health

Over the last few weeks I have noticed many of my patients stating that they are feeling anxious or experiencing lowered mood, “for the first time in years”. For many this has certainly been an issue throughout the year with the changes resulting from COVID-19 but for some this is a recent awareness with the weather changing, work stress increasing or the continued management of challenging health concerns. As I tell patients, you may not necessarily feel stressed, but your nervous system is stressed and this can manifest in many different ways for all of us – occasionally experiencing your heart racing, noticing sleep isn’t as good as it used to be, or feeling like you just can’t take on one more thing.

As a result of this, we need to ensure we are all supporting our mental health daily! This can be a regularly scheduled phone call with a good friend or loved one, engaging in meditation or prayer, or as a group of psychologists comment in a study – even looking at photographs of loved ones reduced the experience of pain and stress. And just as important is to support our physical health by moving our bodies whenever possible – a short walk, yoga, simple stretches – anything to support immune function which then has a direct impact on our mood.

I also utilize several modalities to help patients during this time – herbal medicine, specific supplementation, and dietary changes can all be helpful. If you feel like you need more support in this area, please do not hesitate to contact the clinic and book an appointment so we can review the options available to you.

In health,

Dr. Mark Fontes ND
Naturopathic Doctor