Am I anxious, irritable and high strung? Or do I just have to poop?

For years, the health industry has been pushing mental health as the primary form of healing for everything from anxiety and depression to stress and loneliness. And while therapy is a wonderful tool and can help tons of people - we also know that the mind is not its own entity. And many of the issues that people face today - especially around anxiety and stress have the best chance of improving (especially in the long-term) through a multi-faceted approach that incorporates the mind, body and spirit.

Thankfully, more and more mental health practices are realizing this and have been increasingly working to collaborate with integrative doctors, nutritionists and others who work particularly in the area of the digestive system.

In my own practice, I’ve regularly noticed that many of the people who suffer from many of the typical “mental health” issues common today vastly improve when issues such as hormones and digestion are addressed through some nutritional and lifestyle changes.

So before you get too hard on your self for struggling with symptoms related to mental health, it might be beneficial to experiment with ways to improve digestion. While that's best done working with a professional, I figured I would add in a small list of my favorite products that support good digestive flow while also supporting other areas of the body as well. In most cases, these are going to be short-term aids but are great to have on hand especially with any acute cases of bloating/constipation.

1. Cascara Sagrada - I always have this on hand, an amazing supplement and can be bought most places.
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2. ​Raw Carrot Salad with coconut oil and ACV
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3. Gelatin (either can be bought in a powder to make jello or other treats or consumed by drinking bone broth or eating meat close to the bone - ie oxtail). This is my favorite brand.
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4. Consuming Saturated fats with meals - this will vastly aid in digestion if you are not already doing this.
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5. Digestive Bitters or herbs before or with meals. You can buy them fresh or buy them in a tincture to take beforehand. Here is a tincture brand I love.
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6. Peppermint Tea - a classic
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7. Coffee - a great and delicious bitter to improve digestion with many other benefits.

If you're still struggling to have solid, daily bowel movements - feel free to reach out!

Best of luck,
Lainie

Lainie Cassel is available for nutritional therapy and strength training locally in Atlanta, GA and virtually over zoom. If you want to learn how to support your body to create more energy and vibe better, set up a free time to chat with her here!