Nurturing Calm: A Naturopathic Perspective on Easing Anxiety
Scottsdale Naturopathic Doctor

Beyond the Mind: A Naturopathic Path to Understanding and Easing Anxiety

Life can feel overwhelming at times, even though our body is equipped to balance after experiencing occasional, mild stressors.  Issues arise when life’s stressors become more frequent and intense or aren’t resolved efficiently in a healthy way.   Anxiety is pervasive in our society, although people may use different words to describe how they feel such as overwhelmed, stressed, high strung, frazzled, revved, nervous, or scared.  Regardless of the term used, it’s important to address the underlying causes of WHY the body feels anything but calm and content, so you can balance and prevent more debilitating symptoms.

Anxiety Symptoms Beyond the Surface:

Stereotypical symptoms of anxiety may include clammy palms and a fast heart rate, but anxiety can involve disruptive  symptoms that are much more widespread including:

Brain

Cognitive Chaos

~80% of our nervous system is within our cranium, so it makes sense that when our cranial bones or nervous system are out of balance, we can struggle.  This may involve difficulty making decisions, being unable to focus or concentrate, or having racing or intrusive thoughts, all of which can negatively impact work, relationships, and our overall quality of life.

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Physical Problems

When we’re stressed or anxious, it’s common to hold our breath, clench our jaw or shoulders, and feel more muscle tension, headaches, digestive distress, perspiration, or palpitations.  When we aren’t getting the proper blood flow and oxygenation to our brain and body, any and all systems (cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, etc.) can suffer with detrimental consequences.

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Emotional Eruption

When our “stress bucket” is overflowing, people experience mood swings, irritability, and are more likely to cry or be easily triggered.  When we are emotionally reactive, we can be hard on ourselves or others, which can create a negative cycle, making it challenging to feel stable and hopeful.

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Gut Gridlock

Our digestive tract is so interconnected with our brain that is has been referred to as our “second brain” and is highly sensitive to our emotional health.  Many patients struggle with digestive issues, including indigestion, abdominal pain, gas, nausea, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), etc.  Although diet is a key factor, emotional turbulence can also play a major role in causing digestive disturbances. Anxiety can impair our body’s natural digestive processes and affect intestinal motility, alter the production of enzymes and stomach acid, and disrupt the gut microbiome.  If you’ve experienced gas or loose stool away from home, you can relate to how digestive symptoms can also lead to more anxiety and perpetuate this cycle.

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Social Shutdown

Some people need to be with others when they are anxious, yet many can isolate and shut down when they feel anxious.  Anticipatory anxiety about upcoming events can lead to worry or dread.  It can also prevent people from making plans or contribute to cancelling plans at the last minute.  Anxiety can rob us of the freedom and ability to feel present and peaceful in social environments leading to more isolation and negative mental chatter.

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Sleep Struggles

When our nervous system is on high alert, it’s hard to relax the body, calm the mind, and sleep peacefully.  Elevated cortisol levels from stress or anxiety can negatively impact our ability to fall or stay asleep, just as lack of sleep can alter our cortisol rhythms. Once people fall asleep, they may notice restless nights, frequent waking during the night, or vivid dreams/nightmares leaving them feeling fatigued and drained.  Patterns of insomnia can lead to even more anxiety during the day, and of course at night, if worry about potentially elusive sleep begins.

Skin Stress

The skin, being the body's largest organ, alerts us to internal imbalances. Anxiety triggers various inflammatory pathways and can create or exacerbate acne, eczema, psoriasis, hives, itchy skin, and skin rashes.  Skin concerns are the body’s way of trying to get your attention that something is out of balance, just as a fire alarm is alerting you to danger.  It’s important to address the cause (find and eliminate the fire), versus solely suppressing symptoms (taking the batteries out) otherwise issues can be buried deeper and have more severe health consequences in the future.

Hormonal Hell

Chronic stress can disrupt the delicate balance of hormones, leading to irregular or painful menstrual cycles, hot flashes, weight gain, fatigue, hair loss, decreased libido, insomnia, etc.  Hormones include melatonin, testosterone, insulin, thyroid stimulating hormone, cortisol, etc., and are impacted by various factors including diet, stress, age, activity level, detoxification abilities, and much more.

Naturopathic Solutions for Anxiety

Hope & Healing Naturopathic Doctor Scottsdale

Our naturopathic approach to easing anxiety goes beyond symptom suppression or cookie cutter treatments and may include:

  • Comprehensive Assessments
  • Mind-Body Techniques
  • Nutritional Support
  • Herbal, Homeopathic, or Supplemental Options
  • Lifestyle Modifications
  • Manual Treatments
  • Parasympathetic Nervous System/Vagus Nerve Support
Learn About Health Transformation Programs Here

How Can Our Naturopathic Doctors Help with Anxiety in Scottsdale?

Comprehensive Assessments

We go deeper than traditional blood work with evaluations like urinary indican to assess the severity of “leaky gut” and the food intolerance method to identify what foods a patient is unable to digest due to genetic enzymatic insufficiencies.  When we combine information gathered from physical exams, timelines, symptoms, lifestyle, lab or imaging results, patient observations, genetics, and applied kinesiology methods, we are able to identify and resolve the root causes of anxiety, with a side effect of improving overall health!

Scottsdale Naturopathic Doctor to help with Anxiety.

Nutritional Support

We help patients learn how to fuel their body and feel empowered to eat for health.  We are able to help heal the digestive tract, address nutritional deficiencies, and balance the “gut-brain axis” so that eating no longer triggers anxiety.  Everything we do is customized for each patient, therefore, we consider your personal preferences, lifestyle, culture, genetics, and dietary concerns.  One way we guide patients is based on their dietary intolerances, which can be an effective way to heal the gut, improve overall health, and minimize anxiety.

holistic medicine doctor Scottsdale.

Mind-Body Techniques

It is nearly impossible to truly resolve anxiety by solely focusing on the physical body.  Our mind, body, and soul are interconnected, which is apparent when you feel that ‘gut punch’ after hearing bad news or feel like all is well in the world when falling in love.

Our subconscious mind is constantly vigilant to protect us and keep us safe.  When we go through hard times, without fully processing our emotions, our body holds onto it.  As we experience more trauma, or don’t allow ourselves to feel or process emotion, the more the body holds onto.  This emotional baggage can become heavy; therefore, the body will try to get your attention with symptoms of anxiety.

If we listen to our body’s cry for help, it’s possible to peel off the layers quickly with techniques like Quantum Neuro Reset Therapy or Neuro Emotional Technique, which therapists themselves have said that each session can be as effective as 10 years of talk therapy!

Learning how to be mindful, in tune with our emotions and body, and decreasing internal judgment can be a powerful part of the healing process as well.  It’s possible to balance the balance the nervous system and decrease or eliminate anxiety through the above techniques, as well as finding the indicated homeopathic remedy, and/or teaching patients specific somatic or breathing exercises.

It’s beautiful when people no longer suffer or white knuckle their way through life’s challenging times.  This sense of calm can happen when the body is able to be heard, supported, and balanced from within using a variety of safe and effective techniques.

Herbal, Homeopathic, or Supplement Options

We don’t use products to suppress anxiety as that isn’t the addressing the cause and “green allopathy” doesn’t work, especially long term.  What we do instead is use safe and effective products to boost nutritional deficiencies, support weakened pathways, balance from within, and support your body to do what it was brilliantly designed to do – heal itself!  We have a large dispensary of options, but often find that supplements aren’t the only answer, especially considering people have already tried the lavender, CBD, or magnesium, without drastic, long-term relief.

There is no need to struggle, so if medication or supplemental options have more benefit than risk to the patient, we will do what is best to meet the patient where they are at.  Every person is different and sometimes people need a bit more support with meds or supplements temporarily, then as they heal and peel off the underlying causes, they can wean or discontinue items while still maintaining balance.

Dr Lilli Nester naturopathic doctor in Scottsdale.

Manual Treatments

If the digestive tract isn’t getting the proper signals from the Vagus nerve to produce stomach acid and enzymes, or if there is a hiatal hernia, which is when the stomach intrudes into the chest cavity, we are more likely to have anxiety.  Most hiatal hernias can be evaluated and corrected in the office quickly, resulting in often immediate relief.

If vertebrae are misaligned, we may have pain, or our nerves and muscles aren’t able to function optimally, therefore, bringing the body into alignment is indicated.

When people have had head trauma, which can be from birth, or after concussions, falls, auto accidents, or even braces, their nervous system automatically suffers.  Considering 80% of our nervous system is above our spine in our cranium, it’s essential to balance the cranial bones, so your body has a chance to function and heal.  Bio Craniopathy can produce immediate calming effects and address the cause of anxiety for those who have had past physical trauma.

Lifestyle Modifications

Most of our patients are informed that the foundations of health including regular movement, hydration, and sleep are important, yet we help educate patients on additional factors that may be contributing to anxiety.  Some lifestyle factors that are often missed when discussing anxiety include sources of toxicity, relationships, spirituality, and how we view and think about ourselves.  We not only educate and empower patients to create healthier habits, but we can help make life easier and more natural by resolving subconscious beliefs that may be holding them back even if their conscious mind knows what they ‘should’ be doing.

digestive gut health naturopathic doctor in Scottsdale.

Parasympathetic Nervous System/Vagus Nerve Support

On a simplistic level, anxiety happens when our sympathetic nervous system, which contributes to the “fight or flight” feelings, dominates over our parasympathetic nervous system, which helps us “rest and digest.”  There is no one-size-fits all solution to shift this imbalance, but there are many solutions that can help support your parasympathetic nervous system, and the very important Vagus nerve.

The Vagus nerve plays a crucial role in regulating our body’s responses to stress and anxiety and sends signals to alter heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin, and much more!  Everything in the body has a purpose and isn’t to be labeled as “good” or “bad”, yet when things are out of balance, issues occur.

A healthy nervous system with a healthy vagal tone has the ability to transition between arousal/stress and recovery/relaxation.  Chronic stress can lead to imbalances and symptoms of anxiety, POTS syndrome, panic, bloating, belching, gas, palpitations, anger, etc.

Depending on the patient, we may use techniques or devices such as:

  • QNRT/Quantum Neuro Reset Therapy to balance cranial nerves, resolve stuck emotion, and promote parasympathetic tone
  • NET/Neuro Emotional Technique to reduce stress, promote vagal tone, and resolve stored trauma in the nervous system.
  • Bio Craniopathy to shift cranial bones towards proper alignment, activate the Vagus nerve, and increase the body’s natural ability to produce mood boosting neurotransmitters like serotonin.
  • Acupuncture can be done to reduce symptoms, while also balancing the body’s systems, and reducing the overactivation of the sympathetic nervous system while promoting parasympathetic nervous activation.
  • Somatic or breathwork exercises naturally activate the Vagus nerve and help move stuck energy.
  • BioModulator and BioTransducer devices which have options for microcurrent, frequency medicine, electromagnetic and scalar energy to help support parasympathetic tone, while reducing anxiety, pain, and adding beneficial voltage to the body painlessly.  These devices can be added to any in-office treatment for added results.

Real Patients in Scottsdale We've Helped Overcome Anxiety

"Dr. Nicole and Dr. E have helped me immensely over the past four month! I came to them hoping to receive any sort of help for dealing and managing with my anxiety as well as helping with PMS symptoms. Since starting my journey here I have immensely improved in all areas!! The homeopathic remedies and supplements have truly allowed me to be my healthiest self and allowing me to continue to grow. I can not recommend Dr. E enough for anyone struggling or just wanting to help improve their every day life."

Bella F.

"I just did a session of NET and QRNT with Dr. E and had an incredible experience! We got to the root of my grief/anxiety and treated it to the point where I got immediate relief and lightness. Dr. E is patient and knowledgeable and wonderful to work with. Highly recommend a session with her!"

Matthew L.

"I cannot say enough positive things about Hope and Healing Naturopathic and Dr. Shawna Eischens!! I have been a patient for about a month and a half and in that time Dr. Eischens has quite literally changed my life!! She has helped me more than any other doctor I have ever seen to help regulate my digestive system, to help relieve anxiety that I had been carrying and to help me to feel hopeful again. I have struggled with digestive problems my entire life. Now at age 67 I finally have relief. Dr. Eischens is a very warm, kind and knowledgeable physician. If you are at all thinking about seeking help from Dr. Eischens, I highly recommend that you make the call!!"

T. Neuman

Anxiety Reduction Strategies To Consider Until Your Appointment

Customized, professional guidance is priceless, yet here are some things you can do to manage anxiety at home:

Breathwork

The power of our breath is incredible, free, and available to you at any time.  Relax your jaw, drop your shoulders, take a deep breath expanding your belly, and release, then repeat.  Here are just a few options to help move energy and decrease anxiety using your breath.

Movement

Engage in daily movement, even if it’s stretching, a walk around the block, or jumping on a rebounder while you watch TV.  Avoid anything too strenuous such as an hour of hot yoga or long hikes or runs as these can increase cortisol levels.

Nature

Get outside, away from the artificial lights and EMF, and get out in nature’s playground.  Step in the water, walk barefoot on the grass, play in the snow or leaves, look at the sky, breathe, and listen to the birds.  Nature has an incredible ability to heal and just like our breath, is all too often underestimated.

Nourish

Support yourself with organic, whole foods when possible and avoid caffeine, sugar, alcohol, or processed foods to give your body the best chance to heal.  Focus on healthy fats and protein sources to support your energy and mood.  Sufficient, clean hydration is essential, and we recommend avoiding water from the tap or in plastic containers to reduce toxicity.

Routine

Create a daily routine that works for you, ideally including 7-9 hours of sleep in a dark room, 2-3 nutritious meals, and time for what brings you the most peace, joy, or relaxation.  Moms especially tend to put themselves last, making self-care seem elusive and selfish, but prioritizing yourself and your health is selfless as you will have more to give and be the best version of yourself for everyone around you when you prioritize your health.

Be Your Own Friend

If you were sharing your struggles and worries with a friend, what may they say?  If a friend were sharing similar sources of anxiety, how would you respond? There is a good chance, it wouldn’t be with shame, judgment, and criticism, yet all too often we can talk to ourselves with unkind and harsh words.  What if you spoke to yourself in times of struggle or angst like you would a friend?  Give it a try. 💚

Release

If you know the triggers of your anxiety, find ways to help yourself whether it’s eliminating toxic relationships, spending less time scrolling on your phone, or avoiding saying “yes” to everyone and everything which can contribute to feeling overwhelmed.

If you are an expert at criticizing yourself, have a gentle awareness of when it happens and ask yourself “Did I do my best?”  Even if your best wasn’t perfect or what you wanted, it was likely your best which is more than enough!

If you find yourself minimizing, avoiding, or suppressing your feelings, do your best to FEEL without judgment.  Feelings aren’t right or wrong, and you get to feel how you feel.  When we avoid feeling, or try to think more than feel, we can make issues worse.

An easy, fast way to release stored emotion is through EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique...

We Are Here, When You’re Ready to Feel Better

Are you ready to break free of limiting beliefs, bothersome symptoms, and overwhelming anxiety?  If so, we’re ready to listen to you and your body so we can find the reasons why you may be struggling.

You and your body deserve better and were designed to work in your favor. You don’t have to figure it all out on your own. You don’t have to struggle, and you don’t have to rely on medications or a basket full of supplements just to get through the day.

When you’re ready to heal from within and overcome anxiety, we can help.  Together, we can create a personalized treatment plan that aligns with your unique needs and goals and help you reclaim the life that you deserve!

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My Commitment as your Naturopathic Doctor

My commitment is to listen to you and your body and find the causes that are holding you back from living the life you deserve.  I don’t treat symptoms, nor do I limit my focus to one aspect or treatment as you deserve so much more than that.  I take into consideration ALL contributing factors and teach and empower you how to heal on all levels.

Learn About Health Transformation Programs Here
naturopathic doctor Scottsdale.

Dr. E

Dr. Shawna Eischens (Dr. "E."), a Naturopathic Doctor in Scottsdale, AZ, and owner of Hope and Healing Naturopathic is an expert in finding the cause of your concerns so you can live a life free of pain, anxiety, fatigue, or other symptoms that are holding you back from enjoying the life you deserve!

Dr. E attracts motivated patients who are ready for a health advocate who is non-judgmental, passionate, experienced, and determined to help you THRIVE instead of just survive! Dr. E is a graduate of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, a mentor through Big Brothers/Big Sisters, a volunteer for Naturopathic Medicine Institute, and nature-loving outdoor enthusiast.

Dr. Eischens is a licensed Naturopathic Physician in Arizona and Minnesota.

She has received additional training and is certified in:

Dr. Eischens is a member of:

Hope and Healing Naturopathic was awarded "BEST OF THE VALLEY" in 2024 for the "Naturopathic Medicine" category.

Other Common Conditions We Help People Overcome

Weight Gain
Digestive Issues
Insomnia
Chronic Pain
Menstrual / Hormonal Concerns
Thyroid Concerns
Fatigue