ANXIETY: A CASE STUDY by Dr. Sharon Hunter
 
Geri came to see me in October of 2008. She was under a lot of stress due to 2 recent deaths in the family, a recent move to a much smaller home, a husband with a recurring illness husband, and concerns about losing her job in this slow economy.
 
In response to stress, Geri would experience chronic anxiety and intermittent panic attacks. She would also experience her stress in her digestive tract and would frequently vomit in response. She would vomit 4-6 times daily for a week at a time.
 
She also had high blood pressure, depression and constipation.
 
One of the first things we did was dietary counseling to help avoid ups and downs in blood sugar which could trigger anxiety symptoms. We also used tiny amounts (10 drops 3 times daily) of an herbal formula to improve digestion.
 
At a 2 week follow-up, her bowel movements were regular and the vomiting had stopped. The anxiety continued. We discussed stress reduction techniques, reviewed the dietary recommendations, added exercise, and added the supplement chromium to help balance blood sugar.
 
By the next month, Geri’s anxiety had reduced considerably, including during her major stressors such as driving at night and in the dark. The vomiting and constipation continued to be gone. Her blood pressure was well-controlled and her response to stressors was improved.
 
This case illustrates how minimal interventions, based mainly on diet, lifestyle, and some minimal supplement support can bring about dramatic improvement in a person’s well-being and quality of life.