What If It's NOT Depression? with Dr. Achina Stein

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What If It's NOT Depression? with Dr. Achina Stein

Discover all the root causes of your depression-like symptoms and address them with dietary and lifestyle changes without unnecessary medications.

DISCLAIMER: THIS PAGE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE: The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only. ACHINA STEIN DO makes no representation and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of information contained on or available through this web site, and such information is subject to change without notice. You are encouraged to confirm any information obtained from or through this web site with other sources, and review all information regarding any medical condition or treatment with your physician. NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS PAGE. Achina Stein DO does not recommend, endorse or make any representation about the efficacy, appropriateness or suitability of any specific tests, products, procedures, treatments, services, opinions, health care providers or other information that may be contained on or available through this web page. ACHINA STEIN DO IS NOT RESPONSIBLE NOR LIABLE FOR ANY ADVICE, COURSE OF TREATMENT, DIAGNOSIS OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION, SERVICES OR PRODUCTS THAT YOU OBTAIN THROUGH THIS PAGE.

11/21/2025

What if your depression isn’t actually depression… at least not in the way you’ve been taught to think about it? 🤔

I recently sat down for a powerful podcast conversation where I unpack the real, often overlooked physical causes of chronic mental distress, and why so many people stay stuck for years despite therapy, medications, or doing “all the right things.”

In this episode, I share my SHIFT approach, the framework I use with patients to uncover the biological imbalances that silently shape your mood, energy, and emotional patterns.

🧠 Here’s what I dive into:
✅ How gut health and inflammation can silently fuel mood swings.
✅The surprising ways certain foods trigger anxiety, burnout, and emotional instability.
✅ Simple, effective practices to process emotions and break out of traumatic loops.

I truly believe that addressing the “hardware” of the brain, the biology beneath your emotions, is the key to unlocking emotional freedom, improving resilience, and rediscovering genuine happiness. When we heal the body, the mind finally has room to heal as well.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/38ogZsjAWSnrvUQTFg8cTi?si=9Zsx59CoTe6lTOVmdxyzvw

If you’ve ever wondered, “What if it’s not depression?” … this episode is for you.

11/13/2025

You probably think of brushing your teeth as just a way to keep your smile bright. However, science is showing that oral health extends far beyond your mouth; it also affects your brain.

Recent research from Yale found that people with poor oral health or a genetic predisposition to it experienced more damage to their brain’s white matter after a stroke. White matter is the network of nerve fibers that allows different parts of your brain to communicate. It’s essential for thinking, memory, focus, and even regulating your mood.

So how does poor oral health impact the brain? Harmful bacteria in the mouth can overgrow when we skip good oral care. These bacteria can enter the bloodstream, travel to the brain, and trigger inflammation, which may damage brain cells, disrupt communication in white matter, and increase the risk of cognitive decline or stroke.

Hidden oral infections can also play a role. The best way to look for hidden infections in cavitations, abscesses, or root canals is by completing a CBCT scan of the mouth. This imaging is different from typical dental X-rays and can reveal infections that might otherwise go unnoticed. Additionally, having two types of metals in the mouth or multiple silver amalgams can increase the risk of chronic infections and inflammation, both of which may affect brain health.

You can take action to protect both your mouth and mind:
✅ Brush & floss daily- a small habit with big impact
✅ Limit sugar & processed foods - sugar fuels harmful bacteria
✅ Stay hydrated - saliva protects your teeth and gums
✅ Eat nutrient-rich foods - support both oral and brain health

A healthy mouth isn’t just about preventing cavities — it’s a key part of maintaining memory, mental clarity, and emotional well-being.

Your daily oral care routine is one of the simplest ways to support your brain for years to come.

11/07/2025

Dr. Trupti Gokani is an award-winning, board-certified neurologist, Ayurvedic expert, and mindset coach who blends ancient wisdom with modern science to help people transform stress and live in alignment. She’s best known for her integrative approach to migraine and for creating the Three Brain Optimization Program™, which helps high performers shift from survival mode to thriving.

Her new book, The StressRx, draws on both neuroscience and Ayurveda to guide readers toward authentic health and purpose. Dr. Gokani has been featured on The Dr. Oz Show, Huffington Post, and has served as faculty for The Shift Network and Metagenics.

Here is the link: https://youtu.be/sqSJFkR7i48

We discussed:
✅ Why she turned to Ayurveda after a successful career in neurology
✅ What stress really is—from an Ayurvedic and neuroscience perspective
✅ How the Three Brain Model helps people break unconscious patterns
✅ The core message behind The StressRx
✅ Practical ways to move from survival to thriving

Dr. Trupti also shared her free cookbook: https://tinyurl.com/4n5nyvy4

You can find her at
✅ Website: www.truptigokanimd.com;
✅ Instagram: ;
✅ Facebook: Trupti Gokani MD

10/30/2025

Did you know your heart doesn’t beat perfectly evenly? 💫
That little variation between heartbeats — called Heart Rate Variability (HRV) — is one of the best clues about how your body is really handling stress.

👉 When your HRV is high, it means your body can relax and recover easily — you’re flexible and resilient.
😟 When it’s low, it means your body might be stuck in “stress mode,” making it harder to rest, focus, and feel calm.

Your HRV is connected to your nervous system, your vagus nerve, and even your mental health. Low HRV has been linked to anxiety, fatigue, and depression — all signs your body is asking for balance.

The good news? You can improve your HRV naturally:
🧘‍♀️ Deep breathing & mindfulness
😴 Better sleep
🥗 Eating nourishing foods
🚶‍♀️ Gentle movement
🌞 Time in nature & sunshine
💬 Meaningful connection

HRV naturally varies with age; younger adults typically have higher HRV (~60–90 ms in their 20s), while older adults often show lower values (~30–45 ms in their 60s). These ranges are approximate and depend on factors like device, posture, fitness, stress, and overall health. There’s no single “correct” HRV — what matters most is your personal baseline and trends over time.

💖 Remember: your heart isn’t just pumping blood — it’s reflecting how you live, breathe, and feel. When you care for your body, calm your mind, and nurture your nervous system, your heart rhythm will thank you.
Take a deep breath, slow down, and listen — your body already knows the way to balance. 🌿

10/24/2025

Are you stuck in modern fight/flight? If so, did you know you could make small changes in habits that can make big shifts in how you feel. It can literally take only minutes to do.

Dr. Husmillo discusses the importance of improving poor vagal tone to address a variety of symptoms in this episode.

Here is the link: https://youtu.be/EvMDiRbHfkE

We focused on:
✅ The differences between conventional neurology, functional (chiropractic) neurology, and functional medicine neurology
✅ How poor vagal tone can show up in your life
✅ Understanding the Vagus Nerve and its role in overall health
✅ The little things you can do to shift your nervous system

Dr. Michael Husmillo earned his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Life Chiropractic College West, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and holds board certification as a Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Neurology Board. A graduate of UC Berkeley in Integrative Biology with a focus on neuroanatomy, his early research explored the link between the immune system and the brain. He has advanced training in functional neurology, neurochemistry, and functional medicine, blending these disciplines to offer a comprehensive, brain-based approach to patient care.

You can find him:
✅ Website: www.drmichaelhusmillo.com
✅ IG:

Located in Troy, Michigan, he is happy to offer a free 15-minute consultation and does see patients virtually.

As he said, "Happy Vagus, Happy Life!"

10/17/2025

When we feel tired, anxious, or foggy — it’s easy to focus only on the obvious: the symptom we can see or feel.
But in truth, these symptoms are just the body’s way of communicating that something deeper needs attention.

In Functional Medicine, we see symptoms as messages, not malfunctions.
They’re the tip of the iceberg — visible signs of hidden imbalances that lie beneath the surface.

🌿 For example:
▶️Fatigue might stem from mitochondrial dysfunction or thyroid imbalance, not just “getting older.”
▶️Brain fog could be caused by gut inflammation, food sensitivities, or toxin buildup.
▶️Anxiety or depression often have roots in nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, or chronic inflammation.

When we only address the surface — through medications or quick fixes — we may temporarily quiet the symptoms, but we don’t resolve why they began in the first place.

The real transformation happens when we look beneath the surface — identifying the root cause and restoring the body’s natural balance.
That’s how true healing begins — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

✨ Don’t settle for covering up symptoms.
Dive deeper. Understand your body’s story. Heal from within.

10/10/2025

Have you ever been in years of psychotherapy and thought, "This is not working - we keep talking about the same thing over and over again"? The reason is that cognitive work does not inform the body in the way it needs to RESET. It has its own operating system, which is still largely ignored by the conventional world.

In my latest What If It’s NOT Depression podcast episode, I talk with Elisabeth Kristof, an expert in applied neurology and somatic practices, about a holistic path to nervous system retraining—beyond brain retraining and vagal nerve stimulation.

In this episode, we discuss:
✅ The role of the nervous system in mental health
✅ How trauma creates present-day patterns
✅ Practical strategies for nervous system resilience
✅ The importance of emotional processing

Episode link here: https://youtu.be/6jdfogaYy5c

About Elisabeth Kristof
Elisabeth Kristof is the founder of the Neurosomatic Intelligence (NSI) coaching certification program and Brain-Based Wellness, a membership platform for nervous system health. She specializes in trauma resolution and nervous system regulation and co-hosts the Apple Top 100 podcast Trauma Rewired.

She is generously offering two free weeks of neurosomatic training at rewiretrial.com.

You can also connect with her on Instagram (.wellness) and Facebook ().

10/03/2025

Your vagus nerve connects your brain to your heart, lungs, gut, and other organs. It regulates stress, digestion, inflammation, and mood. A balanced vagus nerve improves heart rate, digestion, immunity, and emotional stability.

Benefits of a well-functioning vagus nerve:
✅ Heart: lowers heart rate, balances blood pressure
✅ Lungs: regulates breathing
✅ Gut: improves digestion, nutrient absorption, gut microbiome health
✅ Brain: supports focus, memory, emotional regulation
✅ Immune system: reduces inflammation

Symptoms of vagus nerve dysfunction:
▶️ Anxiety or feeling on edge
▶️ Digestive issues: bloating, reflux, nausea, constipation
▶️ Dizziness or fainting
▶️ Fatigue and low energy
▶️ Difficulty swallowing or hoarseness
▶️ Loss of appetite or unexplained weight changes

Reset your vagus nerve:
✅ Deep belly breathing: inhale 4, exhale 6-8, lowers stress, improves digestion
✅ Humming, chanting, singing: stimulates vagus nerve, reduces anxiety
✅ Cold exposure: splash face with cold water, lowers stress
✅ Yoga twists or cat-cow stretches: improves digestion, relieves tension
✅ Grounding exercises: press feet into floor, shake or tap body, reduces fight-or-flight response

Practice these exercises 1-2 minutes daily. Strengthening your vagus nerve improves stress resilience, mood, digestion, and nervous system function.

Focus on root causes of mental health issues instead of relying only on antidepressants. Correcting underlying imbalances provides lasting results and better overall wellness.

09/26/2025

Have you heard of Carbon 60 or C60? It’s one of the most powerful antioxidants that works on a cellular level. It’s a product that I myself have been using initially for my skin, but I am noticing some results that I didn’t expect, and I wanted to share it with you.

I’ve asked Jess to join me on the podcast to discuss its wonderful effects. Jessica MacNaughton is a trailblazer in health innovation, serving as the CEO and Co-Founder of C60 Power.

Here is the link to this episode: https://youtu.be/j5H31hvXvFs

Under her visionary leadership, C60 Power has become a leading advocate for the health-enhancing properties of the Nobel Prize-winning molecule, Carbon 60. After experiencing significant personal health improvements from incorporating Carbon 60 into her daily routine in 2017, Jessica embarked on a mission to share these benefits with the world. Her company specializes in crafting anti-aging products that combat inflammation, enhance mitochondrial health, fortify immune function, and boost overall energy for both humans and pets.

With a diverse professional background spanning over 30 years, Jessica has held leadership roles in both global Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurial startups. Her experience includes an 18-year tenure in commercial real estate, a field she left to pursue her passion for holistic wellness after a transformative health crisis.

You can discover more about the revolutionary benefits of C60 at shopc60.com and at whatisc60.org.

If you are interested in ordering some for yourself, here is the link for that: https://go.shopc60.com/64M2B6/KMKS9/. Jess kindly provided a code "HEALTHYSELF" for a 10% discount.

I hope you enjoyed the episode.

09/19/2025

Pesticides aren’t just a farming concern — they’re a public health issue. Residues from pesticides can end up in your food, water, and air, and emerging research links chronic exposure to mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and brain fog.

🧠 How Pesticides Impact Your Brain and Mood:
1️⃣ Neurotoxicity: Pesticides disrupt neurotransmitters that regulate mood, focus, and memory, increasing the risk of depression and anxiety.
2️⃣ Hormone Disruption: Some chemicals mimic or block hormones, leading to hormonal imbalances that affect sleep, energy, and emotional health.
3️⃣ Oxidative Stress & Inflammation: Pesticides can trigger brain inflammation and oxidative stress, both linked to mental health disorders.
4️⃣ Child Development Risks: Early-life exposure may impair cognitive development and emotional regulation in children.

🌿 Safer Alternatives to Common Pesticides:
✅ Garden Pests: Use neem oil, diatomaceous earth, or insecticidal soap instead of chemical insecticides.
✅ W**d Control: Use vinegar sprays, boiling water, or organic mulching instead of herbicides.
✅ Household Pests: Essential oils like peppermint, eucalyptus, or citrus can naturally repel ants, flies, and mosquitoes.
✅ Food Choices: Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly and consider organic produce for high-pesticide crops.

This week, The New York Times reported on parents in Nebraska pushing back against the expanded use of pesticides. As a functional medicine physician, I see how environmental toxins like pesticides can quietly undermine mental health, contributing to fatigue, anxiety, depression, and brain fog. Protecting your family isn’t just about physical health — it’s about supporting brain health too.

09/17/2025

I had the honor of being a Speaker for the IMMH conference on the topic of Functional Psychiatry 101. There were so many wonderful talks to list, but a highlight was the amazing Gabor Mate on the topic he’s so well known for - trauma.

A couple of slides show snapshots of various topics. I had the pleasure of meeting up with so many old and new colleagues, including Matt Bernstein of Accord Metabolic Health. He is known for the treatment of mental illness with the therapeutic ketogenic diet in Boston and has had amazing results that put antidepressant medications to shame. Check out the program at Accord. Silvia Covelli of the Healing Depression Project snagged a picture with him.

Finally, I got a big hug from Ki Ki Newman, our host of the conference. She puts her heart and soul into every conference and always hits it out of the park!

If you are a patient, parent, therapist, social worker, psychologist, or physician, make this your next conference in October 2026. It will be in San Diego again. I will definitely be there! Wouldn’t miss it for the world.

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