Have you ever wondered if your mood swings and anxiety might be something other than depression? Today, we uncover the often-overlooked symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, which are frequently mistaken for mental health issues. Dr. Achina Stein, a renowned Psychiatrist and Author, joins me to challenge conventional medical wisdom with her functional medicine approach. This episode is packed with knowledge that will transform your understanding of menopause and mental health.   Dr. Achina shares her journey into functional medicine, sparked by her son's health struggles, and offers practical advice on managing menopausal symptoms. Learn about the connection between blood sugar levels and mood swings, and why dietary changes can significantly impact your health. We delve into real-life cases and discuss how eliminating gluten and dairy can reduce inflammation and balance your immune system.   Explore the limitations of traditional psychiatry and discover holistic solutions for chronic conditions. Understand the root causes of depression, including stress and hormonal imbalances, and how to address them effectively. Plus, get a sneak peek at Dr. Achina's transformative Healing Depression Project and enjoy free chapters from her book.    Ready to get to the bottom of your symptoms? Take my FREE hormone imbalance quiz to find out what’s really going on and start feeling like yourself again. Visit https://bit.ly/3wNJOec to take the quiz now!     Key Takeaways:   [06:01] Advocates for functional medicine approach. [07:17] Menopausal women are at higher risk for anxiety. [13:34] Language and mindset impact on food habits. [15:01] Depression and anxiety often coexist, causing distress. [17:36] 30% population has inflammatory subtype depression.  [22:52] Stress, trauma, and childhood events impact menopause experience. [24:40] Cholesterol levels above 150 are crucial. [29:42] Connecting dots, educating patients for positive change. [31:31] Identify actions that make you feel good. [37:09] Healing Depression Project offers a 4-week retreat.     Memorable Quotes:   "I say that depression and anxiety really reside in the body. That affects the brain, right? And that could be also mania and psychosis as well. And so we spend so much time treating a head and not connecting it to the body, and I treat the body, and that then affects the brain. And so the understanding that I have is that inflammation is the driver of depression and anxiety, and we want to reduce inflammation."  – Dr. Achina Stein   "If you really look at the whole body holistically, sometimes there are a couple of things that you can do that can improve systems across the board, you know? And you can do so much to have someone feel better just by changing the diet, by looking at the gut, you know, the gut-brain connection that's another theory with increased gut permeability." – Dr. Achina Stein     Links Mentioned:   FREE Quiz: https://bit.ly/3wNJOec   FREE First Three Chapters Of ‘What If It's NOT Depression?’ Book: https://achinasteindo.com/book/   Healing Depression Project: https://www.healingdepressionproject.com/     Connect with Dr. Achina Stein:   Website: https://achinasteindo.com/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.achinastein/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AchinaSteinDO     Connect with Betty Murray:   Living Well Dallas Website: https://www.livingwelldallas.com/   Hormone Reset Website: https://hormonereset.net/   Betty Murray Website: https://www.bettymurray.com/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BettyAMurrayCN/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bettymurray_phd/