Do Natural Medicines for Mental Health Really Work?
About this episode
The episode explores the role of natural medicines in mental health, focusing on root causes rather than just symptoms.
In our latest episode, we ask a different question about mental health: What if anxiety and depression are signals, not just diagnoses? I'm joined by Dr. Peter Bongiorno, naturopathic doctor and functional medicine expert specializing in integrative mental health, to explore how inflammation, nutrient status, mitochondrial function, and gut health shape mood and behavior. We move beyond symptom suppression and into root cause investigation. Why are so many patients still struggling despite conventional care? What role do inflammation and blood-brain barrier integrity play? How does the gut-brain axis influence anxiety and depression? And why is sleep non-negotiable for mitochondrial repair and emotional resilience? Dr. Bongiorno breaks down the biological drivers of mental health, from nutrient deficiencies and hormonal shifts to neuroinflammation and vagal tone. We also discuss why lifestyle interventions often need to come before supplementation, and how functional psychology integrates physiology with emotional well-being. If you want a deeper understanding of how to approach mental health through the lens of systems biology, this conversation delivers clarity, practicality…
More episodes of Proven Health Alternatives
- Mold Exposure and Chronic Illness: The Missing Link
- Sieving Through Nutrition Claims: Improving Our Life with Simple Nutrition Changes
- The Gut–Thyroid Axis: What Most Clinicians Miss
- Women Who Are Over-Supplementing and Undernourished
- The Integrative Advantage: The Chiropractic–Functional Medicine Model for Longevity
- Managing ME/CFS and Post-COVID Symptoms with Oxaloacetate
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Proven Health Alternatives podcast page.