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Whole Health Psychiatry
Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletions
Drug-induced nutrient depletion occurs when medications impair the body’s ability to absorb, utilize, store, or retain essential vitamins and minerals. These depletions often develop gradually and can be mistaken for side effects. They worsen mental health symptoms and contribute to declining health.
Water Quality & Hydration
Hydration is essential for every primary function in the
body—supporting cellular energy production, brain
function, nutrient transport, and waste removal. Even
mild dehydration can impair mood, focus, and
physical performance, while chronic dehydration can
worsen fatigue, inflammation, and symptoms of mental
health conditions. Not all fluids hydrate equally. Water
and mineral-rich drinks support proper cellular
hydration, whereas sugary or highly caffeinated beverages
may dehydrate or disrupt electrolyte balance. Optimal
hydration ensures cells function efficiently, protects cognitive
and emotional health and supports long-term disease prevention.
Trauma, Inflammation, & Mental Health
For individuals with a history of trauma, abuse, or chronic stress, the body’s prolonged fight-or-flight response often contributes to this inflammatory state. Early life adversity has been shown to dysregulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, increase cortisol variability, and prime the immune system for chronic low-grade inflammation—effects that can persist long after the threat is gone. Fortunately, evidence-based therapies can help regulate both the brain and the body. Trauma-informed approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and somatic therapies have reduced limbic overactivation, strengthened the prefrontal cortex, and restored parasympathetic balance.
Methylation Cycle & Mental Health
The methylation cycle is a fundamental biochemical process that plays a critical role in mental health. It influences the synthesis and regulation of neurotransmitters, DNA expression, detoxification, hormone balance, and immune function. When methylation is impaired, and homocysteine is not efficiently recycled back into methionine, homocysteine levels can rise, posing significant risks to both mental and physical health.
Movement, Exercise, & Mental Health
Exercise is one of the most accessible and powerful tools for enhancing mental health, primarily because it can directly modulate brain chemistry, inflammatory pathways, neurohormonal systems, and neurotransmitter synthesis. When combined intentionally, different types of exercise offer complementary benefits. High-intensity intervals enhance alertness and drive, while sustained, moderate-intensity movement supports emotional regulation and long-term mental health. Using brief intensity to spark motivation and gentle movement to reduce stress creates a flexible, evidence-based approach to strengthening focus, mood, and emotional resilience throughout the day.
Soil Depletion & Food Quality
Recent research underscores the significant impact of soil degradation on food quality and mental health. A study published in Nutrients highlights that soil degradation is accelerating global malnutrition, particularly “hidden hunger”—a condition where food lacks essential nutrients despite adequate caloric intake. This hidden form of malnutrition affects over 50% of children under five and 66% of women worldwide, leading to widespread deficiencies in critical micronutrients necessary for cognitive function and emotional well-being.
Orthomolecular psychiatry addresses mental health
conditions by correcting underlying biochemical
imbalances through targeted nutrient therapy. Rooted in
Dr. Linus Pauling’s concept of using “the right molecules
in the right amounts,” this approach involves therapeutic
doses of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acid
—often beyond standard dietary levels and typically used
short-term—to optimize brain function. For example,
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as
fluoxetine has been shown to deplete sodium and methylfolate
(the active form of folate), which are critical for mood
regulation and neurotransmitter synthesis, among other
things.
Orthomolecular Psychiatry
The Microbiome & Gut-Brain Axis
The gut microbiome is foundational in regulating mood, cognition, and mental health through the gut-brain axis—a dynamic, bidirectional communication network involving the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems. Over 90% of the body’s serotonin and a significant portion of dopamine are produced or modulated in the gut, making the integrity and diversity of the microbiome essential for emotional balance and mental clarity.
Nutritional Impact on Neurotransmitter Function
The synthesis of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine depends on a series of well-orchestrated biochemical processes that involve specific amino acid precursors (the building blocks of protein), coenzymes (molecules that help enzymes function), and micronutrient cofactors (vitamins and minerals required for chemical reactions).
Meditation & Mental Health
One of the primary neurological effects of meditation is
the activation of the prefrontal cortex, a brain region
involved in executive function, decision-making, and
emotional regulation. Simultaneously, meditation reduces
activity in the amygdala, the brain’s fear-processing center,
leading to decreased reactivity to stress and improved
emotional stability.