Dr. Tara Dunne, BS, MA, ND

Never give up. Never give in. Never give up on your health, your symptoms are real and they matter. It’s not in your head. Never give in to the conventional medical system that says, Here’s your diagnosis, now go deal with it. You deserve better. You deserve optimal health. ... Today, be well. #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #braindoctor #mentalhealthmatters #health #bewell #kelowna

Lower iron levels = higher risk of ADHD This is true in both children and adults. Iron deficiency anemia has been documented in over 67% of individuals living with ADHD. This is demonstrated in both blood iron levels AND ferritin levels, which is the level of STORED iron. Up to 90+% of children with ADHD studied had low ferritin levels in one study.... The LOWER the ferritin, to MORE hyperactive, inattentive and impulsive the symptoms tend to be. Symptoms that show up when iron / ferritin deficiency is a factor include: Sleep disorders Hyperacitivity Poor impulse control Learning problems Aggressiveness Anxiety Depression Iron is IMPERATIVE in the proper metabolism of DOPAMINE! Read my earlier post on dopamine to see just how an imbalance can dramatically impact the brain. Supplementing with Iron is a simple way to treat deficiency and improve ADHD symptoms related to iron deficiency. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more information about some of the natural and alternative treatments I use for my patients with ADHD, both children and adults. Message me if you would like to book a free 15 minute consultation where we can spend some time chatting about your specific health needs. #adhd #adhdsupport #anemia #irondeficiency #hyperactive #kidshealth #naturopathicmedicine #kelowna #britishcolumbia @thehelixclinic

MAIN REQ’D! Are you in maintenance required mode? If you’re like me, you may have ignored this alarm once or twice when it comes up in your vehicle... ... Maybe it’s just a faulty wire... it will go away soon... or, I’ve got time... I see this all the time in my practice. Patients who have let maintenance required alarms go off in their body for too long... and now there is significant work that needs to be done to get back to health. The trouble with waiting too long to address your own health is that many times multiple organ systems will start to fail while you wait to help the one that was initially causing symptoms. And I get it. Time is a valuable thing. It feels like a chore to schedule time to see what’s really going on. You just don’t have time. Or maybe there’s fear of what is really going on. But the longer you wait, the further from optimal health you get, the more therapeutic intervention and time you will need to get back to balance. Are you in maintenance required mode? Have you been ignoring a symptom or signs that something is off balance in your health? Let’s talk. Telemedicine is available to ease the burden of not having time. Support is available for the underlying fears that come up with diving into your concerns. The time for maintenance is NOW! Message me. #kelowna #britishcolumbia #maintenancerequired #health #support #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor @thehelixclinic

Magnesium plays a key role in the creation of neurotransmitters in the brain - the chemicals that act as messengers carrying messages from one brain cell to another. Neurotransmitters include things like DOPAMINE - which is important when it comes to regulating attention. Or SEROTONIN - which is important when it comes to regulating mood.... Nine of out ten individuals with ADHD have magnesium deficiency! Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency in ADHD include: Poor Concentration or Focus Anxiety Sleep Problems, like Insomnia Irritability Mood Swings Facial tics Nail-biting While low levels of magnesium can be one of the genetic drivers of ADHD, magnesium deficiency is also a side effect of many ADHD drugs! Stimulant drugs (like Ritalin or Adderall) cause magnesium deficiency, which ultimately complicates the symptoms they are trying to support in the first place. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more information about some of the natural and alternative treatments I use for my patients with ADHD, both children and adults. If you or someone you love is living with ADHD, Book your FREE 15 minute phone consult with me by clicking the link in my bio. TELEMEDICINE available! Let’s work together to help achieve true wellness! #adhd #healadhd #adhdsupport #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #braindoctor #brainhealth #kelowna #britishcolumbia @thehelixclinic

GLUTAMATE GLUTAMATE is the most common neurotransmitter in the brain. Neurotransmitters are the brain chemicals that help messages travel from one brain cell to another. ... Once enough neurotransmitters buildup between the two cells, the brain cell fires and tells the other brain cell to fire, creating kind of a ripple effect of firing. This kind of communication is what happens when we experience emotions, or figure out the punch line of a joke, or figure out a good word to use for scrabble. GLUTAMATE promotes the firing other brain cells aka neurons and is involved in learning, cognition, and regulating the formation of new brain cells. Improving glutamate levels can boost mental activity, focus and mood. Too MUCH glutamate can lead to excitatory behaviours, like those seen in Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD. Balancing the levels of glutamate can help improve these enhanced behaviours. Investigating and balancing neurotransmitters is KEY to working with brain health. Ready to optimize your brain health? Message me ! #brainhealth #glutamate #adhd #autism #focus #memory #naturopathicmedicine #okanagan @thehelixclinic