Natural Cures for Anxiety and Depression: Real Solutions

Depression and Anxiety are the leading causes of disability worldwide! Hmmm, why is that? 🤔

Some Psychologists and Physicians are unaware that in examining the role of one’s genetics in Depression, we also need to assess our Mental & Food Diet, Toxic Exposure, Acute and Chronic Stress, Endocrine and Autoimmune Imbalance, Vaccine and Medication side effects and Special Synergistic combinations of these contributors that uncover a direct role in Depression and Disease.

Neither humans or animals are a one-size fits all diagnoses and treatment machine, we are individuals that respond well to natural cures that do not necessarily involve pharmaceutical drugs!

It is critical that Health Care providers understand that Humans and Animals are not interchangeable subjects in some randomized trial, we are not only our physical bodies, we are also impacted by our Beliefs, our Friends, our Joy, our Environment and our Stressors.

Every thought and every action that we repeat to ourselves and/or experience while awake or asleep impacts our health and well being.

These stressors can include not having someone positive to talk to, having a heavy or negative negative outlook about life, a stressful home, a stressful career, poverty, illness, a lack of contact with Nature, a lack of Real Sunlight, Air Pollution, too many Processed Foods, Constipation, a Nutrient-Depleted Diet, poor sleep and exposure to Chemicals, Pesticides, Plastics and Antibiotics.

We are our Microbiome, our Mitochondrial functioning and our own Personal Epigenetic Expression and we are our self talk. We each have a unique story, unique stressors and unique genetics that impacts our health.

Gut-brain communications are mediated by the immune system, endocrine connections such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and neural pathways involving the enteric nervous system. The gut microbiota is now known to play a pivotal role in gut-brain communications.”

What this means is, if you want your brain to feel better and think happier thoughts, you HAVE TO HEAL YOUR GUT AND HEAL YOUR THOUGHTS!

Again, EVERY positive or negative thought, every food and drink that goes in your stomach, on your skin, in your eyes, in your nose, impacts our mental health.

If you want to improve your overall mood and motivation then heal your self talk and heal your gut/stomach/brain relationship… this will lower your likelihood of mood disorders and diseases in general.

ALL DISEASES START IN THE GUT!

“Depression and Anxiety is not a broken brain, it is a response to your perceived stress – be it physical, emotional, or psychological.”

Our body can attempt to cope with unhealthy thoughts and an unhealthy diet and toxic chemicals by developing Inflammation which can result in the mind reflecting Depression and other Diseases!

We do not have to own the thoughts or foods or experiences that do not serve us. If you are experiencing inflammation, then pay attention to it! Inflammation is your body communicating to you that something needs to be healed, typically these are your thoughts and your gut!

Regardless of whether you have regular bowel movements, gut issues may still be present. Do you have mood swings, PMS, foul gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, stomach aches, continuously growing food allergies, eczema, psoriasis, acne, unhealthy cravings? All of these impact your mood and sleep.

Humans have evolved with plants, microbes and animal species to form a delicate web called “Life”.

Again, if you are experiencing Inflammation and a mood disorder such as, Depression/Anxiety, speak with a Functional Nutritionist AND a Psychologist about healing your gut & brain relationship with the following:

1. Vegan & Raw foods.

2. Anti-inflammatory 64oz /day Green Drinks/Smoothies & Supplements.

3. Quality oils, fats, real Sunshine! (Avocado & Coconut Oil)

4. Dairy & Gluten Free Probiotics & Digestive Enzymes that target brain health.

5. Create a Positive Self Statement to repeat daily. (“I am Happy, Healthy, Beautiful & Loved”)

6. Exercise a minimum 4 X a week.

7. Assess whether the Gluten and Dairy are helping or hurting your health… Start eating foods/drinks/supplements that reduce Inflammation.

8. Detox your Mind & Body & drink at least half your weight in High Ph Water (Daily).

These 8 simple changes in your life will drastically improve your chances of dramatically improving all areas of your Physical Health and Psychological Health, especially Depression, Anxiety and Mood Swings!

Depression and other mood disorders are not cured by magical purple pills… Our moods are improved by changing how we think, how we eat, how we drink, how we live and what environmental stressors we are exposed to!

So now that you have a real list of how to improve your mood and health, how are you going to implement it?

1) Either join a gym or start walking, dancing, yoga or your exercise of choice.

2) Consult a Certified Nutritionist or explore the internet for more green Smoothie ideas & Whole Food Recipes from a Certified Functional Nutritionist.

3) Build your immune system and elevate your mood with Daily Sunshine, Healthy food, Herbs, Supplements, Therapy (which may eliminate Big pharma meds)!

4) Buy quality water with a high Ph!

5) Start a garden or a container garden indoors or on your roof.

6) Join a group, a club or anything that gets you around positive people.

7) Follow me on Instagram @ Healthy.Desiree and my blog: YummyYummyBaby.com

8) Cleanse your body of chemicals & toxins!

All this means one thing:

Unless you get your body moving, your body can not transform into energy, the 135,000+ of calories the average person stores as fat!

You become a metabolic zombie: NO energy to think. NO energy to move. NO energy to motivate.

So do it… get moving today!

Wishing you health & wellness,

Dr. Desiree


Benefits of Lemon Water

As a child & teen, I would eat a lemon on a daily basis, then as an adult, I discovered lemons have tons of health benefits!

My 3 Favorite Things About Lemons:

– Lemons support weight loss!

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition showed that polyphenol antioxidants found in lemons significantly reduced weight gain caused by a high-fat diet. In addition, insulin resistance was improved!

– Lemons help digestion!

Studies suggest that drinking warm lemon water when you wake up may help get rid of toxins, prevents constipation and gets your digestive system moving!

– Lemons prevent kidney stones!

Health studies suggest that the citric acid in lemons may help prevent calcium kidney stones.

Lemon water is a great way to increase your citric acid intake and may decrease your risk of getting new calcium stones.

In fact, having 1/2 cup of Organic Fresh Squeezed Lemon juice provides the same amount of citric acid you’d find in prescription forms.

How to Drink Lemon Water!

In order to get any health benefits of lemon water, drink it consistently and in therapeutic doses.

Always use real lemon juice from fresh Organic Lemons.

To make lemon water, squeeze half a lemon into 8 ounces of warm or room temp filtered water.

For best wellness results, drink lemon water warm or room temperature first thing in the morning at lunch and before sleep…

You can infuse your lemon water with other tasty fruits and herbs and drink it throughout the day…

A few springs of mint, a teaspoon of coconut nectar, or a fresh ginger slice or a dash of cinnamon are all good options.

You can also add slices of other fresh citrus fruits such as limes and oranges, or cucumber slices.

Visit my blog for infused water recipes:

https://yummyyummybaby.com/2015/01/20/are-kids-drinking-enough-water-8-tips-to-help-kids-stay-hydrated-yummy-infused-water-recipe/

Although lemon water is generally safe to drink, there are a few potential side effects.

1) Lemon contains citric acid, which can erode tooth enamel (this happened to me because of my childhood lemon addiction).

To limit the risk, drink lemon water through a straw, and rinse your mouth afterwards.

2) Lemons become alkaline in the digestive tract, so many people experience heartburn relief, but others get increased heartburn…

3) Some people are allergic to lemons, so be aware of any changes, such as itching, bruising or breakouts.

According to the Food and Nutrition Board, the dietary reference intake for water is 91 to 125 ounces. This includes water from food and drinks.

Pure Water is the best beverage for hydration, but if you like a little flavor enhancement, adding lemon enhances water’s flavor, helps your digestion, can help kidney stones and help you lose weight!

So get your straws out and drink up!


Kale-Conut Juice! 🌱

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Mmmm Yummy Yummy Baby! 🌞

I’m so excited to share my latest obsession…  Kale-Conut Juice!

🌱 A couple of handfuls of Kale
🌱 Meat of one young Coconut
🌱 Water from the same Coconut
🌱 (Approximately 1-2 cups)
🌱 2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon
🌱 1 Medium or Large Banana
🌱 2 Teaspoons of Coconut Nectar
🌱 One half cup of Ice

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Blend all ingredients together in your Nutribullet or favorite blender and enjoy this yummy, healthy, anti-inflammatory drink!  🌞

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8 Reasons to do a Juice Cleanse! 5 Kid-friendly Detox Recipes!

🌱Hello and welcome back amigos! Many people have requested Juice Cleansing Recipes that taste good and are Kid-Friendly. The following recipes are Yummy, Vegan and Easy to make!

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What is Detox?

Detoxification basically means to cleanse the blood by removing impurities from the blood in your liver. The body also eliminates toxins through the kidneys, colon, gall bladder, intestines, lungs, lymphatic system and skin.

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A Beet-a-ful Day! 🌱🍋🍏🌱 (12 years old +)

  • 1 Medium Beet Cut into Cubes
  • 1 Medium Green Apple
  • 1 Medium Lemon (peel or unpeeled)
  • 1 Large Handful of Fresh Cilantro
  • 1 Cup of Chilled Coconut Water
  • 1 Inch peeled Ginger
  • It is critical that you use all Organic Ingredients
  • Place all ingredients in your high-speed blender for about 45-60 seconds!
  • Beets are high in Iron, so please only use Beet cleanses 1-2 times per week.

Why is Detoxification important?

Toxic chemicals in our drinks, in our food, in our vitamins, vaccinations, medications, the smoggy air we breathe, in the lotions, pesticides and beauty products, all result in a major over-load on our organs.

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By cleansing our blood, we can improve the functioning of our metabolism, digestive enzymes, our main organs, especially our liver, kidneys, pancreas and gall bladder.

Ginger Snap Detox: (8 years old +)

  • ½ Cup of Coconut Water
  • 1 inch piece of Ginger
  • 1 Small Lemon peeled
  • 1 Medium Cucumber
  • 1 Handful of Cilantro
  • 3 Stalks of Celery
  • Blend together in a high-speed blender, enjoy!
  • 12 + yrs. old, you may use as a meal replacement 1-2 times a day.
  • DO NOT DO MORE THAN 3 DAYS WITH OUT CONSULTING A NUTRITIONIST!
  • *Optional (1 Green Apple or 2 Kiwi)

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*Kid-Friendly Ginger-Snap (2 years old +)

  • ½ Cup of Ice
  • 2 Medium Kiwi
  • ¼ inch of Ginger
  • 2 Stalks of Celery
  • ½ of Peeled Lemon
  • 1 Small Green Apple
  • 1 Medium Cucumber
  • 1 Cup of Chilled Coconut Water
  • Blend together in a high-speed blender.
  • Do not use as a meal replacement if younger than 12 years old,
  • Divide the juice in 2 or 3 portions and use this in place of their morning drink.
  • It is best to drink 30 minutes before your child eats their breakfast, lunch or dinner.
  • It is Critical that you are certain your child has No Allergies to ANY Ingredients.

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8 Reasons to Consider a Juice Cleanse:

1) Unpleasant Noises:

  • Is your stomach OR your child’s tummy making strange sounds?
  • Are you or your child retaining fluid, have congested sinuses?
  • Are you or your child often full of gas, bloated, distended?
  • Are you or your child getting constant unhealthy cravings?
  • Consider doing and Elimination Diet and a Juice Cleanse!

2) Color:

  • The color of the tongue should be a pretty pinkish color.
  • Is your tongue or your child’s tongue White or yellow-coated?
  • Do you or your child have bad breath even after brushing teeth?

3) Major Red Flags:

  • Are you diagnosed with some type of a disease, like an auto-immune disease?
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Lupus, Reflux, Celiac?
  • Do you have Acne, Rosacea, Eczema, Itchy skin, Psoriasis, Mood swings?
  • Have you had issues with your gallbladder or had it removed?
  • Are you having trouble with Fertility, PMS, Hormones?

4) Sluggish Body:

  • Do you or your child have Early Morning Insomnia?
  • Do you or child feel fatigued, even after sleeping a long time?
  • Is your body or your child’s body really sluggish about losing excess weight?
  • Do you or your child sometimes feel you get overheated and sweaty really easily?

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The Incredible Hulk: (12 years old +)

  • ½ Cup of Ice
  • ¼ Cup of Kale
  • ¼ Cup of Spinach
  • 2 ½ Stalks of Celery
  • 1 Small Lemon Peeled
  • 1 Organic Chlorella Tablet
  • 1 ½ Cups of Coconut Water
  • Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender and enjoy!

5) Chemical sensitivity:

  • Is your body sensitive to drinking alcohol?
  • Are you easily affected by medicine and/or vitamins?
  • Do fragrances and/or chemicals give you a headache, nausea, anxiety?

6) Do you or your child have a lot of allergies?

  • Nasal allergies
  • Skin allergies
  • Food allergies

7) Have you or your child been recently vaccinated?

  • Most vaccines are live viruses that contain a lot of toxic additives and preservatives!
  • Many Vaccines contain Aluminum & Genetically Modified DNA from aborted Fetus & Chickens.
  • It is very hard for our bodies to remove Toxins from our kidneys and liver without a Cleanse.

8) Have you or your child been diagnosed with Cancer?

  • Have any of you been taking chemotherapy?
  • Have any of you been given Radiation treatment?
  • Are you taking Pharmaceutical Drugs, Antibiotics?

Fresh Detox Juices

Cool Cucumber-Carrot Detox (8 years +)

  • ½ Medium Beet
  • 1 Large Cucumber
  • 3-4 Medium Carrots
  • 1 inch of Fresh Ginger
  • ½ Medium peeled Lemon
  • 1 Cooled Cup of Dandelion Tea
  • Blend all together in a high-speed blender such as Nutribullet.
  • Beets are high in Iron so restrict for 1-2 times a week max.

According to Harvard-educated physician, Sara Gottfried, M.D., if you have 4 or more of these signs, you most likely have a Congested Liver that needs Cleansing and Detoxification.

It is best to have a mentor help support you and your child with your cleanse. Please strongly consider seeing a Functional Medicine MD, Homeopath, Holistic Nutritionist or someone who is considered a true expert in Juice Cleansing and Nutrition.

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MORE TIPS FOR A COMPLETE CLEANSE:

  1. Do stretching or yoga or prayer and/or mind relaxation when doing a Juice Cleanse!
  2. Relaxation will make sure you are Detoxing your toxic emotions while Cleansing!
  3. It is important that you sweat while you are doing a Juice Cleanse Program!
  4. Your sweat will help the toxins excrete through your skins and pores.
  5. Walking, Jogging, Weight Training, Swimming, Hot Yoga, Piyo, etc…
  6. Consult a nutritionist or health professional to cleanse for more than 3 days.

It’s time to go shopping for some fruits & veggies and let go of all those yucky toxins!

🌱🍋🍉🍏🌱 Sending you Love & Light ~ Dr. Dee (Healthy.Desy)


What is Detoxing? Why is it important? Detox Smoothie Recipe!

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Do you think it is important to change the oil in your car’s engine?

Detoxing our body on a regular basis is as critical as changing the oil in our car regularly!  Strive to be a finely tuned machine that is cleaned, lubed and given great fuel!

What is Detox?

According to Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary & Thesaurus, Detox is a process or period of time in which one stops taking unhealthy or harmful foods, drinks, and other substances into the body for a period of time, in order to improve health. Basically, detoxification means cleansing the blood by removing impurities from the blood in the liver. The body also eliminates toxins through the kidneys, colon, gall bladder, intestines, lungs, lymphatic system and skin.

Why is Detoxification important?

A typical car needs to have the oil changed about every 3000 miles. The accumulation of miles on an engine results in more unburned fuel to be dumped into the crankcase, which causes the oil to degrade. Over time, this can bring about rapid and undue engine wear and all the problems that come with it, such as loss of performance and fuel economy, and increased emissions and oil consumption.

Blood Detox is very important because our body is constantly being bombarded with toxins from every aspect of our lives.  Un-natural chemicals in your drinks, in your food, in your vitamins, medication, the air you breathe, in the lotions, pesticides, and beauty products, all result in a blow by blow degradation that cause undue wear and tear and major over-load on your organs.  Mucked up and dirty blood causes a loss of body performance and poor food fuel efficiency.

Changing your oil is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to make sure that your engine and car stays in good shape. This is such simple maintenance, but people often let it go for thousands and thousands more miles than is safe.

This is also true for clearing out the dirty blood and toxins in our body.  Cleansing our blood is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to make sure that our system stays in good efficient shape. By detoxing your blood, you can improve the functioning of all your main organs, especially your liver, your kidneys, your pancreas and gall bladder.

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5 Signs Your Body Needs a Detox:

1) Unpleasant Noises:  Are you constantly full of gas, bloated, retaining fluid, have congested sinuses? Is your stomach constantly making weird knocking and pinging sounds? Do you get constant cravings? It’s time to examine the fuel you are putting in your body and consider a Detox!

2) Color: The color of your tongue should be a pretty pinkish color. If your tongue is White or yellow-coated, and/or you have bad breath, then consider a Detox!

3) Red Flags: Trouble with fertility? Have you had issues with your gallbladder or had it removed? Are you diagnosed with an auto-immune disease like Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Lupus,Celiac? Do you have Acne, Rosacea, Itchy skin, mood swings?

4) Sluggish Body:  Do you have early morning Insomnia? Are you always feeling fatigued, even after sleeping a long time? Is your body really sluggish about losing weight even though you exercise and diet regularly?  Do you get overheated and sweaty really easily?

5) Chemical sensitivity: Is your body sensitive when drinking alcohol? Are you easily affected during and after having alcohol, medicine, vitamins? Does the smell of fragrances and chemicals leave you feeling really sick and/or anxious?

According to Harvard-educated physician, Sara Gottfried, M.D., author of The Hormone Cure (Simon & Schuster, 2013), there are many signs that tell us that it is time to Detoxify our body.  She goes on to say that if you have 4 or more of these signs listed within the examples, you may have a Congested Liver that needs Detoxing.

There are so many types of Detoxing programs out there for you to choose from. It is imperative that you do your research and figure out what works for you! It is best to have a mentor help support you with your detox. Consider seeing a Functional Medicine MD, Homeopath, Holistic Nutritionist or someone who is considered a true expert in Detox and Nutrition.

It is important to clearly understand there is not a one size fits all! Some people use Juicing, Eating Cruciferous vegetables, Extracts, Teas or Herbs… Research!

It is important that you go very very slowly at first so that you can learn what is best for your genetics and sensitivities. For example, if you are sensitive to sulfur, sulfites, sulfates… then high levels of cruciferous vegetables are something to be very careful with. Cruciferous vegetables are high in sulfur and may lead to greater pain and inflammation. What are your genetic food sensitivities?

Glasses with fresh vegetable juices isolated on white

According to Mark Hyman, M.D., regardless of the Detox program you choose, do the following while Detoxing:

  1. – Drink at least 6 -8 glasses of filtered water daily
  2. – Are you having regular bowel movements? (Consider Magnesium?)
  3. – Allow more time for sleep while Detoxing. (Consider Magnesium)
  4. – Exercise Daily! (Min of 30 minutes)
  5. – Help an upset stomach with Ginger or Peppermint Tea. (4 cups a day)

As a Holistic Nutritionist, I can tell you that juice cleanses are an absolutely wonderful way to thoroughly cleanse your entire body. Juicing helps you skip chewing and breaking down food, so your digestive system is given a big break and time to repair and heal. Juicing your food will fill your body with live enzymes and an abundance of antioxidants that help not only neutralize free radicals but also strengthen and support your immune system, lower blood pressure, and improve your sleep and memory. An added bonus is these antioxidants have anti-aging properties!  Juice cleansing is an excellent way to inundate your system with antioxidants and enzymes.  We use the Nutribullet daily!

Again, start very slowly and please remember to consult a trained health care professional before you begin!

Here are a couple of Yummy Yummy recipe ideas to discuss with your Detox mentor:

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Nice-Cream Cilantro-Lime Detox Margarita:

2-3 Frozen Bananas, 1/4 Cup Cilantro, 2 Tablespoons of Mint, 2 Cups Cold Dairy Free Milk

Detox Margarita Instructions:

Chop Bananas in chunks, Mix all ingredients in a Food Processor or High Speed Blender, Enjoy!

Green Machine Smoothie

1 handful each of Spinach, Mint, Parsley; Juice of half one Lemon; 1/2 a Cucumber, peeled; 1 large Celery stick; 1 inch piece of Fresh Ginger, peeled

Green Machine Instructions:

Blend all ingredients together in a juicer or blender until smooth. Serve over ice & enjoy!

Ask your Detox mentor how often you should detox, which depends on how toxic you are and what you are trying to achieve.

Remember to keep your car’s oil clean and your body’s blood clean and Oh the places you will go!

Stay Healthy & Happy ~ Dr. D.