Episode 478: Self-care series: Anxiety, Insomnia, and Depression with Dr. Ellen Vora

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dr. Ellen Vora is on the show this week to share several holistic approaches to the treatment of anxiety. Ellen is a holistic psychiatrist, acupuncturist, and yoga teacher. She takes a functional medicine approach to mental health—considering the whole person and addressing imbalance at the root.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode, we talk about whether or not we are experiencing an anxiety epidemic, strategies for addressing anxiety, the difference between “false” and “true” anxiety, and so much more.  I am beyond excited to introduce you to her. She is so smart and has a wealth of information. I had so many questions for her. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! </span></p> <p><strong>Some other topics we explore:</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">The cause of the anxiety epidemic (10:15)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Ellen talks about her approach to defining anxiety, “false anxiety” and some strategies for addressing it (13:43)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">The connection between hormones, birth control, and mood regulation (18:06)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">The role of psychedelics in treating anxiety and the mystical experience hypothesis (23:14)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Ellen shares her controversial views on sunshine, why our bodies benefit from the sun, and some healthy ways to get sun exposure (31:00)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">How we can realistically improve our sleep and why is scrolling on our phones at night relevant to anxiety (42:42)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Ellen’s hot-take on the effects of nutrient-dense diets on post-p