“5 Things Anyone Can Do To Optimize Their Mental Wellness”, with Dr. Eileen Hamsa Henry by Beau Henderson
Minimize your exposure to substances that are known to be toxic to your nervous system. Most notable among these compounds are heavy metals and pesticides. Each year the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) publishes a list of foods that are most likely to be sprayed with pesticides and those that are least likely. I recommend purchasing organic versions of those foods that have been identified to be most heavily sprayed.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Eileen Hamsa Henry. New Orleans-born and Los Angeles-based, Dr. Henry is an empathetic and thorough provider who strives to identify the triggers that underlie chronic illness, pain, inflammation and premature aging — be they genetic, nutritional, hormonal, environmental or emotional. Through her practice at Brentwood Center for Wellness in Los Angeles, she offers longstanding evidence-based practices such as Acupuncture, Clinical Nutrition, Electronic Muscle Stimulation, Brain Mapping and Neurofeedback, and Meridian Stress Assessment, to a wide array of emerging modalities. Having studied both Traditional Chinese and complementary energy medicine, Dr. Henry is attuned to the power of energy to heal the body as well as the mind. With more than 35 years of practice under her belt, Dr. Henry has the tools to identify and treat triggering imbalances using natural and nontoxic methods. Dr. Henry is well-versed in conventional Western medicine diagnostics and incorporates those practices in her approach and application of naturopathic medicine. With a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Homeopathy from Curentur University, a master’s degree in Oriental Medicine from Emperor’s College and an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Organizational Studies from Pitzer College, she is constantly educating herself to improve her practice and help her patients. A highly respected integrative medicine provider and leading authority of complementary medicine who has placed holistic healthcare at the center of her life’s work, she is known for her cutting-edge approach and commitment to her patients. Dr. Henry has created a unique practice that combines complementary and alternative medicine with modern approaches to transform the state of health and vitality of each of her patients. She is a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, homeopath and certified gluten coach. She is a Diplomate of the National Board of Acupuncture Orthopedics. She has lectured throughout Southern California on various subjects within holistic healthcare. She also has been a featured lecturer at UCLA’s Neuropsychiatric Institute and in its Department of African-American Studies, as well as at the University of Southern California’s School of Nursing and at Antioch University.
Thank you so much for joining us! Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
Anadolescent bout with depression resulted in a desire to pursue undergraduate studies in psychology. During my freshman year in college I experienced what is perhaps the most life altering and devastating event, the loss of my father to medical malpractice. While the details are long and compelling, I will give you a few takeaways. I learned to use my anger and sense of betrayal to fuel a deep commitment to understand and pursue healing and to offer my skill set to others. All of this is in homage to my father.
Nearing the completion of my undergraduate studies in psychology, I was introduced to Hatha yoga and tai chi ch’chaun. I noticed a flexibility, strength, and calmness amongst those who practiced these respective disciplines. It was fascinating to me that their efforts were without motive for trophies or other accolades. I wondered, what is this all about? I began my simultaneous quest to practice Kundalini yoga and Tai Chi, and to understand the philosophical basis behind them.
Through these practices I began to feel at home and peaceful in a way that I had not known understood to be a possibility. Any inkling of the depression that I experienced in my adolescence had faded. From within was awakened the ability to sense pain in others, both physical and emotional. Somehow I just know how and where to touch my friends and family to shift their suffering. While all of this sounds awesome, it was also terrifying given that I had no knowledge of anatomy or medicine. I was experiencing a kind of “spontaneous” phenomenon.
I was stunned by the profound effects of body upon mind and mind upon body. I reflected upon my college studies of Gestalt psychology and now all of this is becoming deeply resonant.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
I guess the most interesting thing is what I have seen hundreds of times in my career. That is that we possess such capacity for positive transformation that in time we don’t recognize our original selves. Growth and transformation is a blast!
Can you share a story with us about the most humorous mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson or take-away did you learn from that?
I used to teach a kind of holistic body-mind/massage therapy. In those years I was simultaneously a full-time student studying Chinese Medicine and among the owners of the Institute where I taught. I was a student and administrator during the week and an instructor on certain evenings and weekends. Invariably, the days in which I thought I was least coherent and had nothing useful to offer my students were always the days that I received the most expressions of appreciation from my students. “That was an amazing class today,” they would say. I thought to myself, “How can I be so amazing when I feel so terrible?” The lesson is this: that when you have done your work and put in sincere effort, there is something deeper that animates and is exchanged. One word might be embodiment.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I have been fortunate to have had so many amazing teachers in my life. I have learned many techniques, philosophies and disciplines and received subtle energy awakenings but as to business, I owe my sense of empowerment to my mother. Since the time of my birth, my mother was an entrepreneur running a bar, restaurant, and ultimately a very successful motel. It has never occurred to me that I am limited by my gender.
What advice would you suggest to your colleagues in your industry to thrive and avoid burnout?
The way to thrive is to pursue that which has the deepest meaning to you. Recognize that you are likely running a marathon so pace yourself accordingly.
What advice would you give to other leaders about how to create a fantastic work culture?
No doubt leaders are responsible for setting the tone in a work environment. I would say walk your talk. Lead by example. You will earn respect when you respect others. Allow your company to be a fertile environment where the unique talents and abilities of your team become cultivated.
Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. Mental health is often looked at in binary terms; those who are healthy and those who have mental illness. The truth, however, is that mental wellness is a huge spectrum. Even those who are “mentally healthy” can still improve their mental wellness. From your experience or research, what are five steps that each of us can take to improve or optimize our mental wellness. Can you please share a story or example for each.
Optimized brain and mental health is like any other aspect of wellness. It involves self-effort and focused intention that will pay off. Here are five tips that I encourage everyone to practice.
Minimize your exposure to substances that are known to be toxic to your nervous system. Most notable among these compounds are heavy metals and pesticides. Each year the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) publishes a list of foods that are most likely to be sprayed with pesticides and those that are least likely. I recommend purchasing organic versions of those foods that have been identified to be most heavily sprayed.
Food influences mood.Eat a diet that consists mostly of whole foods vs processed foods. The brain is 60 percent fat. It requires heathy fats to maintain cellular integrity. Fish, olive oil, nuts and seeds such as that of a Mediterranean Diet are great sources of healthy fats. Some biohackers enjoy medium chain triglyceride oil derived from coconut and palm oil. I have tried this and find that in moderation it is effective. Adequate protein is needed as it is the building block for those all important mood regulating neurotransmitters such as serotonin, gaba, dopamine and acetylcholine.
The brain is also a massive consumer of oxygen. Up to 25 percent of your oxygen intake goes to drive your to brain. I have found that taking the time to engage in slow, deep breathing throughout the day will result in an immediate benefit as it applies to mood and cognition. There are numerous practices that support this including: tai chi, yoga, qi gong. If you live in an area with poor air quality consider investing in a home air purifier.
Sleep is a critical element in mental wellness, both mood and cognition. It is important that the duration of sleep be adequate, seven to eight hours for adults. It is equally important that you spend adequate time in the deeper stages of sleep. This is necessary for the body’s hormonal and regulatory systems to repair and replenish themselves. How can you determine the depth and quality of your sleep. Here are a few questions to ask yourself. Are you tired upon waking? Do you awaken often throughout the night? Do you consider yourself to be a “light sleeper.” Those with poor sleep quality may also become increasingly anxious, impatient, unable to cope with stress or then feel depressed. If you are concerned about your sleep quality consider using a sleep app. There are numerous ones available through your smart phones or wearable devices.
Heart rate variability training is an important type of biofeedback that assists in balancing the sympathetic (fight and flight) nervous system with the parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system. This is a great tool for managing anxiety while getting real time feedback.
Much of my expertise focuses on helping people to plan for after retirement. Retirement is a dramatic ‘life course transition’ that can impact one’s health. In addition to the ideas you mentioned earlier, are there things that one should do to optimize mental wellness after retirement? Please share a story or an example for each.
I suggest that those nearing retirement engage a plan for purposeful living into retirement. Now is the time to pursue all of the things that you felt you could not accommodate during your working years. Purpose and community are so important throughout every stage of life. Retirement is no exception.
How about teens and pre teens. Are there any specific new ideas you would suggest for teens and pre teens to optimize their mental wellness?
Get adequate sleep. It turns out that teens need about nine to nine and a half hours of sleep per night. This is necessary to enable further cognitive development. Teens and pre-teens should limit nighttime use of electronics as it stimulates the brain in a way that blocks the release of melatonin and hence inhibits quality sleep.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story?
Tao Te Ching
The philosophy of Taoism is the great unifier. “All things exist under the Tao.” It embraces duality and paradox and offers a path to freedom from guilt while inviting a profound sense of peace. I believe that the principles and practices detailed in this book can result in a life of expansiveness and acceptance and set one on a path of deepened appreciation for the life that each of us is living.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I feel that we are losing the capacity for critical thinking. I am in favor of beginning a movement to restore human capacity for objectivity and independent fact gathering.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?
“If you want to find the secrets of the universe think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” -Nicola Tesla
I came about this quote only in the last couple of years, but it brought together and synthesized 30 years of study. I didn’t realize in all of those years that I was seeking and implementing methodologies that were essentially about altering cellular electrical output (cells) and the use of targeted frequencies that alter health outcomes favorably. (That that is so important to restoring health, mitigating symptoms, and diseases.) Sick people have weakened cellular electrical potential.
Nature is exquisitely repetitious. Therefore, it is the case that as above so below. My life lesson involves the discovery that the deepest and most transformative healing occurs through subtle shifts in human energy, frequency and vibration. I am referring to atomic and subatomic shifts that can be directed through a variety of stimuli.
Thank you for all of these great insights!