Daniel Davis, LMFT

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Why is Primary Food so Important?

January 19, 2016 By Daniel Davis, LMFT Leave a Comment

“Food is the most powerful drug you will ever take,” writes Barry Sears.

We are effected greatly by the food we eat. I think there are many variations in how each person’s body metabolizes food. Learning which foods specifically work well with your body is essential. Every cell in your body makes themselves new every 5 months, including your brain cells. When we eat a healthful food, our body is able to function better. What we eat makes a big difference in how we feel.

Our cells are not determined by their genes, because genes are only a blueprint. What directs the cellular development are the signals sent to our cells with what we drink, eat, think, and feel. The science of Epigenetics researches how our genes are influenced by our choices.

Anxiety, depression, impulsiveness, poor attention, and worry can be effected by food. Many people who are depressed overeat or eat too little. Skipping breakfast can lead to low energy in the morning. Eating a big meal can make one tired, ready for a nap.

Sugar can give one a temporary high with an increase in blood sugar, but then can lead to a drop in blood sugar. This crash in blood sugar can leave one feeling tired. Research indicates that foods high in sugar have the same effects as addictive drugs, like cocaine or heroin.

Inflammation is a physical condition that can lead to heart disease and complications from aging. Foods high in sugar, refined flour, processed foods, trans fats and saturated fats can lead to inflammation. “To treat depression, we must learn how to get rid of causes of inflammation and restore the normal immune balance through our food and nutrients, as well as our exercise, sleep, and stress management habits,” writes Dr. Hyman.

Do you know that you have a gut-brain with more neurotransmitters and serotonin than in the brain located in your head? “Over the years I have seen emotional, psychiatric, and behavioral symptoms triggered by problems in the gut,” writes Dr. Mark Hyman. Our gut-brain is the enteric nervous system (ENS). The bugs who live in your gut are more important in determining your health than your DNA fingerprint, writes Dr. David Relman. Foods low in fiber, high in sugar, processed, and lacking nutrients as well as a high calorie diet cause all the wrong bacteria to grow in our gut. Resolving these issues can have a profound effect on your mental and physical health.

Many of us suffer quietly with anxiety and depression. These mental health problems touch many of our family or friends. Dr. Mark Hyman writes, “Our broken brains cause many problems – anxiety, depression, bipolar disease, personality disorders, eating disorders, addictions, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder, (autistic disorders) … learning difficulties, and dyslexia. Many psychiatrists and neurologists wouldn’t qualify these problems as treatable diseases.”

Daniel Amen writes that “a therapist told us this story at a recent lecture:

‘I’m glad you mentioned sugar. I used to be a very angry person; sometimes I would even scare my family. It made me feel terrible. I took anger management classes, but they didn’t even seem to help. When I eliminated sugar from my diet, I noticed an almost immediate reduction in outbursts, plus I had better energy, lost weight, and was much more focused.’”

There is hope. We can change a great deal with good information and our willingness to do what it takes to be healthy and whole. Please watch this video with Elizabeth Schindler and learn about Primary Food:

Blog 39

Filed Under: Blog, Food Tagged With: addictions, addictive, anxiety, attention deficit disorder, autistic disorders, Barry Sears, bipolar disease, cell regeneration, cocaine, Daniel Amen, David Relman, depression, diet, diseases, drugs, dyslexia, eating disorders, Elizabeth Schindler, energy increase, ENS, enteric nervous system, Epigenetics, food and mental health, gut-brain, heroin, high calorie, high in sugar, impulsiveness, lacking nutrients, learning difficulties, low in fiber, Mark Hyman, neurologists, obsessive-compulsive disorder, outbursts, personality disorders, poor attention, Primary Food, processed foods, psychiatrists, sugar, treatable, weight loss, Worry

Would You Like to Be Free of Worry?

April 28, 2015 By Daniel Davis, LMFT 4 Comments

Do upsetting memories or trauma affect your concentration? We may lie awake at night with our mind filled with worries about money. A memory of an argument with our child or partner may distract our concentration the next day while trying to concentrate on school or work.

Containing these intrusive worries is an important thing to learn. “Affect Centered Therapy” is a remedy for problems controlling our thoughts and emotions. As a baby, we learn to soothe or calm ourselves from our mother’s love as she holds and caresses us. We then learn to comfort ourselves by sucking our thumb or snuggling with our blanket.

Sometimes, we may have upsetting or distracting memories of which we may or may not be aware. All the time, all our experiences are present in our minds, research confirms.

We can learn the “Container Skill.” By using our imagination as well as valuable techniques to balance the hemispheres of our right and left brain, we can feel calmer and focus on work or those whom we love.

John Omaha, Ph.D., MFT, the creator of Affect Centered Therapy and author of the book, “Psychotherapeutic Interventions for Emotional Regulation: EMDR and Bilateral Stimulation for Affect Management,” is in private practice in Santa Rosa, California in the United States of America.  In this video, John demonstrates the important skill of containment.

Keywords:
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Would You Like to Be Free of Worry?
“Psychotherapeutic Interventions for Emotional Regulation: EMDR and Bilateral Stimulation for Affect Management”

Filed Under: AMST (Affect Management Skills Training), Blog Tagged With: Affect Management Skills Training, AMST, Bilateral Stimulation, Container Skill, Emotional Regulation, John Omaha, Worry

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About Daniel Davis, LMFT

I create an environment where clients experience their unique significance, authentic empowerment, and profound acceptance and collaborate with clients to identify solutions to their current crises. For more information on how I can help you, contact me today by calling 408-249-0014 or emailing info@danieldavislmft.com. I look forward to speaking with you! Read More…

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Daniel Davis, M.A., LMFT
Counselor in Santa Clara, CA
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