My story as a Downtown San Diego CA chiropractor: I was lying on the couch feeling the ache in my head and heart. I was so anxious and low and overwhelmed! I didn’t know what to do. It had been several weeks since my grandmother had passed...I was devastated she had always been like a mother to me. Cared for me. Loved me. I had developed severe insomnia, anxiety, and depression. I couldn’t understand why this was affecting me to such a great degree. I couldn’t care for my small children the way I used too. My husband was starting to worry...he couldn’t understand why I couldn’t get it together.

I didn’t feel well...that was a given. I went to my doctor, and they just wanted to give me pills. I knew that wasn’t the road for me. I wanted my life back, but I didn’t know how to get there. I had heard about a neurotransmitter and stress hormone test. This intrigued me. I figured I should give it a try. What did I have to lose?
Taking a neurotransmitter and stress hormone test changed my life! It gave my functional medicine practitioner real information that changed everything about how I felt. I started my personalized supplement protocol and within a few days I started sleeping better! Oh...it was remarkable. Then my anxiety started improving and my depression and my fatigue. I started to feel joy again. This test saved my life!

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What Is Neurotransmitter and Stress Hormone Testing?

Neurotransmitters are often referred to as the body’s chemical messengers. They are the molecules used by the nervous system to transmit messages between neurons or from neurons to muscles. The brain makes over 60 neurotransmitters. Of the 60 we have 8 neurotransmitters that do the heavy lifting in our body. They are:

• Acetylcholine
• Dopamine
• Epinephrine
• Gamma-aminobutyric Acid ( GABA)
• Glutamate
• Histamine
• Norepinephrine Serotonin

The stress hormones that are involved are cortisol and DHEA. All of these neurotransmitters and stress hormones come together in a balanced way so that we can live our best life. So that we can sleep well, have energy to carry out normal activities and to be able to focus and concentrate and most importantly feel joy in what we do.

Fortunately, neurotransmitter and stress hormone testing is accessible and affordable. It is completed with a urine and saliva sample.

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Why Most Doctors Aren't Talking About It In Downtown San Diego CA?

Most conventional doctors that we see have not been trained in neurotransmitter and stress hormone testing. These innovative test options are newer, and most doctors don’t know how to order or read these types of tests.

However, neurotransmitter and stress hormone tests can be the ticket to symptoms such as fatigue, depression, anxiety, and brain fog! Conventional testing does not look at brain health markers. In fact, most doctors miss the boat when they are assessing patients with mental health issues. The standard of care is normally trial and error. Let’s try this pharmaceutical approach with no data to substantiate that decision.

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Signs and Symptoms You Have A NeuroChemical Imbalance

Mental health issues are pervasive in the US today. Over 51 million Americans are suffering from some kind of mental health issue, mostly anxiety. How do you know you have a neurochemical imbalance? The signs and symptoms are below:

• Low Mood
• Anxiousness
• Overwhelm with daily activity
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Negative Thought Patterns
• Brain Fog
• Inability to focus and concentrate
• Inability to recall memories/words

These symptoms are common among people and yet we don’t talk about them. We are scared to mention to our loved ones that we don’t feel quite right. These symptoms basically tell us that the neurotransmitters and stress hormones are not in balance in the body resulting in the way that you feel.

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How to Test For A NeuroChemical Imbalance?

Historically, practitioners have used subjective questionnaires in order to make a mental health assessment. These questionnaires, although helpful, don’t give us data on chemical imbalances in the brain and body. This is why lab testing is so important. It gives us a snapshot of what your biochemistry looks like.

Neurotransmitter and stress hormone testing is affordable and accessible. It is performed with one urine sample in the morning and with several saliva samples taken throughout the day.

This data is unique to you! This allows us to develop a treatment protocol that works for your neurochemical imbalance.

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What To Do Next If You Think You Have Neurochemical Imbalance?

I was able to regain my life back because I looked for something outside conventional medicine that would help me to understand my neurochemical imbalance better. If you feel low, anxious, fatigued and can’t concentrate and this is affecting your life and your loved ones then getting a neurotransmitter and stress hormone test is essential!

The body is always looking to be in balance, when the chemicals in our brain are out of balance it can lead to havoc! It makes us feel awful. If you are experiencing symptoms of a neurochemical imbalance I highly recommend that you get a neurotransmitter and stress hormone test. This could be the missing piece for you and for getting your life back on track.

If you need neurotransmitter and stress hormone testing you can book a 15 minutes free consultation with me where I can outline the best test options for you.

In Good Health,
Dr. Shaffana