How Trauma Damages Your Physical Health & What You Can Do To Heal | Dr. Mark Hyman

Mark Hyman

Sep 6, 2024

Episode description

We often think of trauma as those big, life-shattering events, but did you know that everyday stress can have the same lasting impact on your health? In this episode, I break down how both major and minor traumas affect your body at the deepest level—from your gut to your brain—and what you can do to heal. We’ll dive into the science of how trauma shapes your biology and explore the functional medicine strategies that go beyond traditional talk therapy. Whether you’ve been through a major event or are feeling the weight of everyday stress, this episode offers powerful tools to help you not just survive, but thrive.

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Mindsip insights from this episode:

Avoid ultra-processed food to protect mental health

Studies show ultra-processed food is linked not just to obesity but also to mental health crises, anxiety, depression, and aggression.

#mental-health

#processed-food

Recognize genetic transmission of trauma across generations

Research on Holocaust survivors found their trauma was passed down to their children epigenetically, altering their stress and immune responses.

#epigenetics

#trauma

Reevaluate antidepressants: focus on brain inflammation, not serotonin

A major 2022 study in Nature found little evidence for the serotonin theory of depression, suggesting SSRIs may work by reducing brain inflammation.

#antidepressants

#depression

Utilize ketogenic diet to support mental health recovery

A ketogenic diet is showing promise in treating severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia by providing the brain with a cleaner fuel source, ketones.

#keto

#mental-health

Utilize astaxanthin to enhance lifespan and cellular health

The supplement Astaxanthin was proven to extend lifespan in the NIH Interventions Testing Program by protecting cells and boosting mitochondrial function.

#longevity

#supplement

Utilize psychobiotics to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms

A class of probiotics called 'psychobiotics' can produce beneficial compounds that have been shown to reduce cortisol and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

#anxiety

#probiotics

Balance copper with zinc to improve mental health

An excess of copper, which can be balanced by taking zinc, is linked to mental health issues like depression, anxiety, psychosis, and ADHD.

#mental-health

#zinc

Utilize psychedelics to quiet the ego and foster connection

Psychedelics can be therapeutic by decreasing activity in the brain's 'default mode network,' the neurological basis of the ego, leading to feelings of unity and connection.