Sound Integrative Health Blog

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is defined as recurrent depressive episodes that occur yearly in the fall and/or winter seasons and remits spontaneously in the spring. Although this syndrome is now being fully recognized as a valid disease, the physiologic pathways are still not well understood. Several theories exist surrounding SAD. Most focus the absence of sunlight during the winter months (artificial indoor light is not a protective or therapeutic measure) causing hormonal imbalances in the brain, particularly the pineal secretion of melatonin. Other theories focus on SAD being associated with deficiencies in serotonin synthesis which is melatonin’s close cousin in biochemical pathways. The common unifying element is that lack of sunlight does seem to influence serotonin and melatonin regulation which in some people makes them susceptible to the symptoms of SAD. (Murray & Bongiorno, 2006) Those of us most likely to experience SAD are: those living in temperate zones...

You are not infected. SIBO is an overgrowth of normal bacteria or archaea of your gut who have migrated (north) from the Large Intestine to Small Intestine. They have moved and have found a hospitable home in a normally inhospitable location. There are many reasons that one develops Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and the most common is like due to a chronic functional bowel disorder like Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Other reasons you might develop SIBO is due to chronic intestinal problems like Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Prolonged use of Proton Pump Inhibitors, or history of bowel surgeries. Your food choices don’t cause SIBO but may have worsened it. People on really healthy diets get SIBO too….but since bacteria feeds on rapidly ferment-able  carbohydrates and starches you may have been feeding the problem. However don’t blame your food for the problem there is usually a deeper underlying cause. The standard treatment is an antibiotic called Rifaximin but herbal medici...