Welcome to the Alternative to Meds Center podcast, where we dive deep into conversations concerning mental health, addiction, and the power of holistic approaches. Today, we are joined by Christina Veselak, who is the Lead Instructor, Founder, and Director of the Academy for Addiction and Mental Health Nutrition.
Our own Debbie Nelson is excited to present our viewers with insight from her friend and mentor. Debbie herself once struggled with addiction and found lasting healing and support through the Academy for Addiction and Mental Health Nutrition. Debbie and Christina’s long history and deep connection provide an insightful conversation that explores alternative ways of seeking balance in the body, mind, and spirit.
Nutritional Choices and Mental Health
There is a certain power that food has over humans on scientific, personal, and cultural levels. For example, we know that food is meant to fuel our bodies. However, in today’s world, it can feel almost impossible to properly fuel your body because we are bombarded with highly processed foods, fast food options, and even home delivery of fast foods. These poor food choices can impact much more than the waistline. Certain foods can leave us feeling weighed down, bloated, or worse.
In addition, we also use food as a way to connect with others and a way to satiate our taste for something delicious. Still, our choices can affect the way we live our lives on a personal and social level. While food and its impact on the physical body is well known, nutrition can also impact your mental health and the ways in which you live your life.
For example, an improper diet can negatively impact your quality of life and prevent you from interacting with others. When you eat a heavy meal, you may find yourself feeling lethargic and lazy. If you are lacking the nutritional support you need, you could find yourself more prone to anger, also known as being “hangry.” This concept can be extended further to encompass more serious mental health concerns.
In today’s mainstream medical world, nutrition isn’t often addressed unless a person is underweight or overweight, and it can be downright overlooked when seeing a doctor for mental health issues. This podcast discusses the current lack of attention to nutrition when many professionals address addiction and mental health. Instead of an array of prescription medications that could ultimately be more harmful, consistent attention to nutrition can help alleviate or prevent mental health symptoms. This can drastically improve the quality of life naturally.
Who Is Christina Veselak?
Christina’s story is one of personal discoveries that would later inspire her career. As a young college student, she started to become more aware of how the foods she would put into her body could affect her mood. She realized that something as simple as eating eggs would heighten feelings of depression. This led her to realize that not all depression stems directly from trauma. She began to explore the biochemical aspect of mental health and realized through orthomolecular psychiatry, nutrition, and biochemistry that individuals with various mental health conditions could finally find relief.
She has dedicated over 40 years of her career to integrating mental health nutrition into her practice, as well as educating and training other medical professionals regarding her experiences and knowledge. She has spoken at various conferences, sharing her experiences and insight into the world of mental health and the biochemical aspects of addiction and mood disorders.
Breaking Free of Medication
Debbie and Christina continue to explore what the Academy for Addiction and Mental Health Nutrition aims to do. Their goal - to help individuals find relief without dependency on medications - aligns with the philosophies of Alternative to Meds Center. Both centers are committed to providing education and implementing therapies and treatment options that use holistic, natural approaches designed to heal both body and mind. These approaches have proven especially beneficial for those struggling with addiction.
If you or someone you love is struggling with a substance use disorder or a mental health condition, it’s important to gain insight into the nutritional alternatives that are available. For many, lasting relief from symptoms like depression or anxiety can be found through the understanding of nutrition and the practice of giving the brain the fuel it needs. You can pursue deeper insight regarding the relationship between nutrition and recovery with Alternative to Meds Center.
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