At least 25% of Americans are deficient in Vitamin D. Find out why vitamin D is important for your mental health and how to meet the recommended daily dose. While sunlight provides the most vitamin D naturally, too much sun exposure provides its own risks and so many people turn to vitamin D supplements.

The symptoms of depression may be due to an underlying nutritional deficiency. For many, these deficiencies can be addressed through dietary changes or by taking supplements.

Recently, several studies have associated some mental health conditions, in particular, depression with a deficiency in Vitamin D.

It is important that expecting mothers take the time to carefully monitor their health status to make sure that they have adequate levels of various nutrients and vitamins, including vitamin D.

There is a growing interest in the practice of adding supplements in order to help increase the efficacy of depression treatment.

Pregnancy can be an exciting time full of new discoveries. Addressing depression in pregnant women and shortly after giving birth can be complex.

Studies to date have found that PUFA supplementation, especially a combination of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, has been linked to a moderate improvement in behavior issues associated with ADHD as well as parent-rated symptoms of the ADHD. 

Evidence supports that notion that Omega 3s should be a part of a larger regimen of nutrients, lifestyle and in some cases, medication in order to fully address the symptoms of anxiety and depression. 

More and more research is proving that the gut plays an important role in emotional and mental wellbeing. The gut-brain axis is the pathway through which these two parts of the body communicate, and because of this open line of communication, it is essential that we pay attention to how what we eat effects how we feel. As a curious and motivated integrative psychiatrist, Dr. Beata Lewis has spent a lot of time studying the importance of gut health and can offer guidance for those wanting to learn more.

However, recent studies show that the benefits of probiotics extend well beyond digestion: probiotics can also have a positive impact on mental health and may be a valuable addition to the tool box of psychiatrists and psychotherapists who care about holistic care. 

 In recent years, researchers and integrative psychiatrists have been paying more attention to the potential for standardized pharmaceutical-grade nutrients or supplements, known as nutraceuticals, to improve the effectiveness of antidepressants.