How can we support our mental health?

Mental health is a topic we talk about more and more, and one for which awareness days are now organized. We need to demystify what mental health is so that we can assess our own, but also so that we can stay alert when a loved one seems to be struggling, in order to support them on the road to recovery.

What is mental health?

According to the AQPAMM, the Association québécoise des parents et amis de la personne atteinte de maladie mentale (Québec association of parents and friends of people with mental illness), mental health is:

A state of well-being in which an individual can realize their own potential and cope with the normal situations of life and the stress they generate. A person in good mental health can:

• Work productively.


• Have positive and meaningful relationships with other people.


• Make (meaningful) contributions to their communities.


• Reach their full potential.


• Manage their stress and anxiety by having developed coping and emotional management skills.


• Seek professional help when needed.

It goes without saying that happiness, good spirits and positive thoughts can fluctuate over the course of our lives. However, when a state of unease becomes chronic, that is, present every day and over a long period of time, mental health can be affected.

How can we help ourselves maintain good mental health?

Feeling useful and appreciated, being surrounded by people who share our values, staying active, eating well, sleeping well and enjoying pleasant pastimes are certainly essential to healthy mental health. There are also other important elements intrinsic to balanced mental health, including our internal chemistry.

What is our internal chemistry, you ask? Our brain and central nervous system produce several chemical substances that help regulate every function of our body, such as sleep, appetite, libido, pain and mood.

The main chemical substance that regulates our mood is called serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in the transmission of our nerve impulses. Serotonin’s job is to create a feeling of well-being that our brain can detect. Its job is also to control depression and anxiety. Serotonin is made in our intestines, hence the importance of having healthy bowel transit and a healthy intestinal system. Amino acids, including tryptophan, take part in making this neurotransmitter. Our diet can meet our amino acid needs, but we still have to digest proteins, the sources of amino acids, properly so that the body can use them adequately.

How can we increase serotonin levels in our body?

According to several studies, the serotonin produced by the body can be increased chemically or naturally. That is what antidepressants are for: they act on serotonin receptor sites to compensate for inadequate serotonin levels. However, antidepressants also come with their share of side effects: dizziness, photosensitivity, nausea, hot flashes, difficult withdrawal, etc.

In natural medicine, there are alternatives without side effects that act not only on the level of serotonin present in the body, but also on strengthening the body’s defences against mood disorders by calming the central nervous system. These solutions involve diet and supplementation. Nature had already planned for everything, even before these conditions became omnipresent in our modern societies. Why go without?

List of supplements for natural support of mental health and mood:

Stress Formula is used as nutritional support for the nervous system. This formula, containing B vitamins, vitamin C and calming herbs such as passionflower, hops and valerian, is ideal for prevention during periods of stress.

Stress Pak is a formula made up of nutritional supplements such as vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, targeted extracts and adaptogenic plants. This combination supports cognitive function, relieves nervous tension and reduces mental fatigue. It is ideal to take during periods of acute or chronic stress.

HTP Power, in which HTP is the abbreviation for hydroxytryptophan, a precursor of serotonin, the “happiness” hormone, is a formula that promotes the production of this neurotransmitter, serotonin. At the same time, since serotonin is the precursor of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep and wake cycles, this formula helps mood, but also restorative sleep.

STR-J is a blend of calming plants (chamomile and passionflower) that relieves restlessness, nervous tension and mental stress. Ideally taken as a herbal tea, this blend contributes to sleep.

Focus ATN is a formula that supports and improves brain function and protects the brain from free radical damage. It is made with herbal extracts, amino acids and antioxidants. One of its main ingredients is lemon balm, a herb used to maximize the brain’s cognitive faculties.

Energ-V is a blend that not only supports the thyroid gland, but also helps with the temporary relief of stress symptoms such as mental fatigue and lack of energy. This blend contains bee pollen, ginkgo biloba, licorice root, Siberian ginseng, dock, barley grass, rose hips, schisandra and red pepper fruit.

This document is provided for educational purposes and does not replace the care of a health professional. You must not stop any medication that has been prescribed to you. As a precaution, always take chemical medications at least 2 hours apart from natural herbs.  

The benefits of massage

Massage therapy and its many benefits are well known today. Here is what a therapeutic massage will do for you:

• Reduces stress and anxiety and helps fight depression.


• Improves sleep.


• Relieves pain.


• Improves the suppleness of the skin, muscles and connective tissue.


• Improves blood and lymphatic circulation.


• Stimulates the immune system.


• Improves digestion and reduces constipation.

It’s WONDERFUL, everything a therapeutic massage can do for you. When was your last one?

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