Last weekend I was thrilled to attend an intensive training with Julia Ross MA of the Recovery Systems Clinic in Santa Rosa, CA. A psychotherapist and nutritionist, Julia has pioneered the field of neuronutrient therapy for the natural treatment of depression, anxiety, ADD, addiction, eating disorders and much more. Her book, The Mood Cure, was published in 2003 and describes her clinical experience using amino acid therapy to effectively treat the core chemical imbalances behind mood disorders and addiction. In 2012, she published The Diet Cure, which elucidates the problem of addictive foods in the Standard American Diet – sugar, refined flours and wheat, high-fructose corn syrup, caffeine – and provides an alternative ‘good mood’ diet to repair the neurological damage caused by dependence on toxic foods. My own practice has been informed by Julia’s work since I read her book as a naturopathic medical student and she delivered a Grand Rounds lecture for upper class students. I’ve seen first-hand the benefit of incorporating neuronutrients in a comprehensive plan alongside traditional diet and herbal medicine, in a wide variety of patients I’ve worked with over the years. As my practice evolves toward a greater emphasis on emotional wellness and holistic support for the mind, body and spirit, I felt called to deepen my understanding of neuronutritional medicine. The weekend intensive was the first step in a year-long certification training through Julia’s NeuroNutrient Therapy Institute, an enterprise dedicated to training practitioners around the country to apply these therapies clinically. As an apprentice to Julia, I will have the opportunity to work closely with her and other mentors from the Institute to review cases from my clinic and get feedback from the expert herself. I’m very excited about pursuing this training to hone the use of neuronutritional therapy in my practice. On a personal level, I had the opportunity while working with Julia to do a self-assessment and trial the amino acids to replenish my own deficits, and experienced profound results within minutes. If I wasn’t already a believer in nutritional therapy to restore neurotransmitter balance, I sure am now! I’d like to offer a one-hour neuronutritional evaluation intake to the community at a reduced rate to encourage others to experience the benefit of simple amino acid therapy to correct the nutritional imbalances connected to many of our every-day sufferings. For example, dependence on caffeine to improve concentration and combat fatigue; insomnia with racing thoughts or frequent nighttime waking; low level depression that presents as irritability; anxiety with the inability to fully relax; the feeling of being ‘on the outside’ and inability to fully engage with life confidently; cravings for alcohol, sweets or other drugs to relax or ‘take the edge off’…. The naturopathic precept of ‘Identify and Treat the Cause’ asks us to locate the source of the imbalance contributing to the symptoms of dis-ease, and I have found neuronutrient therapy to be a profoundly effective, safe and non-invasive way to achieve both the relief of symptoms and addressing the causal imbalances that underlie them. A neuronutrient evaluation and recovery plan can help you with:
- Mood enhancement
- Psychological healing
- Alternatives to antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication
- Relief from insomnia
- Improved energy
- Greater attention, focus and clarity
- Addiction recovery
- Cessation of cravings for foods and other substances
Until August 1st, Dr. Quinn will be offering one-hour neuronutrient assessments for $98. These consultations can take place in person, or via phone or Skype for long-distance clients. Please schedule by calling (734) 769-6100 or emailing welcome@hygeiacenter.org.
Diana Quinn ND 