How Ketamine Feels: A Smart Patient's Guide to Ketamine Therapy
March 2, 2022
Depression affects millions of Americans, creating a significant impact on quality of life, productivity, and overall well-being. While conventional treatments play an important role in managing depression, growing evidence suggests that incorporating lifestyle and functional medicine approaches can significantly enhance recovery outcomes.
At Transcend Health Solutions, we are known for being one of the most efficacious Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy clinics in the nation, but not too many of our patients know that we are also experts are hollistic interventions to treat mental health conditions.
Before exploring how lifestyle modification can be so important in the treatment of mental health conditions, it's essential to understand the multifaceted contributors to these disorders. Recent research has identified several biological and environmental factors that may influence the development and persistence of depression:
Chronic inflammation has emerged as a significant factor in mental health conditions. Elevated inflammatory markers are consistently observed in individuals experiencing depression, suggesting that strategies to to reduce inflamation are critical.
Depression is associated with reduced neurogenesis—the growth of new neurons in the brain. Ketamine is not the only way to induce neuroplasticity, there are actually many highly effective lifestyle interventions that can do it too.
Our internal biological clocks regulate not only sleep but also mood, energy levels, and cognitive function. When these rhythms become disrupted, mood disorders often follow. Regulating sleep-wake cycles is critical in treating every mental health contion.
Personal history, particularly adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction, can significantly increase vulnerability to depression. Trauma creates lasting neurobiological changes that affect stress response systems, emotional regulation, and cognitive processing. This is why it is critical to not just have ketamine administered without doing ketamine assisted psychotherapy. The majority of treatment resistant patients we see have significant trauma histories that have not ever been fully addressed despite having been in therapy, often for many years. Trauma focused therapy is a core aspect of our process.
Genetic predispositions play an important role in determining one's susceptibility to depression, with heritability estimated between 40-50%. While we cannot change our genetic makeup, understanding these inherited factors provides valuable insights for developing targeted lifestyle interventions. Genetic variations can affect neurotransmitter function, stress response, and inflammation pathways—all key factors in mood regulation.
Emerging research reveals the profound connection between gut health and mental well-being. The gut microbiome communicates directly with the brain through the gut-brain axis, influencing mood and emotional processing. Addressing gut health is a powerful way to reduce anxiety, and improve depression symptoms.
Exercise consistently demonstrates remarkable efficacy in alleviating depressive symptoms. Regular aerobic activity has been shown in numerous studies to greatly alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety through multiple mechanisms:
Research indicates that exercising outdoors may provide additional benefits when you're looking to fight depression naturally. The combination of physical activity, natural light exposure, and connection with nature creates a synergistic effect on mood regulation. For those unable to exercise outdoors, any form of regular movement remains beneficial. Exercises is different things to different people, but it is critical that you are getting plenty of physical attivity.
Incorporating just 30 minutes of moderate exercise 3-4 days of the week significantly helps them improve both their depression symptoms and overall physical health.
Research indicates that diet quality has profound implications for mental health. Specific dietary strategies can help reduce inflammation, suppor neurotransmitter production, and nurture a healthy gut microbiome:
Anti-inflammatory Foods
A diet rich in polyphenols—plant compounds with potent anti-inflammatory properties are known to help with mental health. Some particularly beneficial foods include:
Sugar Reduction
Excessive sugar consumption is linked to increased inflammation, mood disorders, and cognitive impairment. Limiting sugar intake, particularly from processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, may be a simple yet effective way to help improve mood.
When consumed in large amounts, sugar triggers dramatic blood glucose fluctuations that manifest as irritability, anxiety, and energy crashes—sometimes called "brain fog." These symptoms can exacerbate existing depression or trigger depressive episodes in vulnerable individuals. Stabilizing blood sugar is an essential component of any plan to fight symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Mediterranean Diet Pattern
Following a Mediterranean-style eating pattern—rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, olive oil, and nuts—has been associated with lower rates of depression.
Regular sauna use or other forms of controlled hyperthermia have demonstrated potential to reduce symptoms of depression. Research suggests that heat exposure activates mechanisms that reduce inflammation, induce relaxation, and modulate stress hormones.
Cold Exposure
Brief, controlled exposure to cold temperatures—through cold showers, cryotherapy, or cold water immersion—may help by triggering the release of norepinephrine and other neurotransmitters that regulate mood and attention.
Light Therapy
Research indicates that bright light therapy (BLT) might relieve symptoms of both seasonal and non-seasonal depression. Proper light exposure helps regulate circadian rhythms, which are often disrupted in depression. Morning bright light exposure, whether from natural sunlight or therapeutic light boxes, can be very helpful.
Functional medicine provides a personalized, systems-based approach to mental health that addresses root causes rather than merely managing symptoms. The following interventions have shown promise to help treat mood disorders:
While commonly associated with athletic performance, creatine also supports brain energetics and function. Research suggests that creatine supplementation may help by:
Creatine monohydrate at dosages of 3-5g daily may offer cognitive and mood benefits without side effects.
Folate (vitamin B9) plays a crucial role in the production of mood-regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Folate deficiencies are linked to increased depression risk.
L-methylfolate, the bioactive form of folate, has shown particular promise. Recent clinical research demonstrated that adding low-dose methylfolate (800 µg daily) to antidepressant therapy resulted in a 40.33% reduction in depression symptoms, compared to 26.43% with antidepressants alone. This suggests that optimizing folate status can help with depressionwhile potentially enhancing conventional treatments.
Essential Vitamins and Minerals
N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)
NAC supports glutathione production—the body's master antioxidant—and helps regulate glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter that can become imbalanced in depression. Research shows NAC may help with symptoms of depression by:
Clinical trials suggest NAC may help fight even in treatment-resistant cases.
At Transcend Health Solutions, most of our patients come to our clinic to undergo Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), but lifestyle interventions can significantly extend and enhance KAP's benefits. Here is why we focus so hard on helping patients with lifestyle modifications alongside the KAP journey.
Exercise before and in the days after ketamine treatments may help fight depression by prolonging ketamine's neuroplastic effects. By increasing BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), exercise creates an environment conducive to forming new neural pathways.
A brain-supportive diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and essential nutrients helps with symptoms of depression while potentially enhancing ketamine's mood stabilizing and mood boosting effects. Foods rich in these nutrients include:
Mindfulness practices help integrate insights gained during ketamine sessions while independently helping with depression and anxiety symptoms. Research shows that regular meditation:
We want you to get better, and stay better! Lifestyle modification is critical to achieve this. If you think you would benifit from working with one of our coaches we highly encourage you to reach out and book an intake with us. Call our San Antonio or Austin locations today to schedule your free consultation and learn more about our comprehensive approach.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your treatment plan.
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