The Christian Nutritionist

View Original

56: Surviving Mental Illness with Erin Kerry

Chelsea Blackbird

Struggling with anxiety? PTSD? Depression? Bipolar disorder? Listen in to this week’s interview with Erin Kerry, nutrition health coach and mental illness survivor, who shares how she overcame a debilitating diagnosis using a holistic Spirit, Mind, Body approach. She’s a preacher’s daughter, preacher’s wife and homeschooling mom of 3 who shares her struggle and solution to help other women overcome mental health issues.

EPISODE 56: Surviving Mental Illness with Erin Kerry

See this content in the original post

SHOW NOTES

(0:00) Intro

(0:44) Welcome back to the club!

  • Introducing today’s topic and welcoming today’s guest: Surviving Mental Illness with Erin Kerry

  • Her Podcast: Sparking Wholeness

(3:13) Erin’s Backstory:

  • Preacher’s daughter

  • Tragedy struck when she was 9-years-old.

    • Suffered PTSD and severe depression as a result.

  • Epigenetics

  • Tried alternative remedies for depression

    • Ended up taking antidepressants

    • Bipolar disorder

    • Bouts of hypomania

  • Senior year of college she became pregnant with her first-born Isabelle.

    • Feared the church would see her as a sinner.

    • She received so much grace.

    • Wonderful time period of healing and restoration.

    • Went off of her medication while pregnant.

  • Her health journey continued with exercise and nutrition.

    • Gut/brain connection

  • Stigmatization around bipolar

(12:30) Preacher’s Daughter Pressure

  • “Wearing masks” - the darker side

  • Feeling the call to share His story

  • Parental observation:

    • Noticing unusual symptoms

    • Knowing your kids

(18:29) How did you address it as a possible spiritual issue?

  • Situational depression vs. depression that is created by a chemical imbalance in the body.

  • Depression creating guilt.

  • Psalms: David has bouts of feeling far from God.

  • Spirit, mind, body approach

(22:30) More on Epigentics:

  • Genes load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

  • Learning what you are predisposed to.

  • Lifestyle factors that contribute and influence our genetics

  • YOUR GENETICS DON’T DEFINE YOU!

  • Achieving homeostasis

  • Stress is a big factor in epigentics

    • Accumulative effect of lifestyle

  • Genesis Prescription:

    • Covering the basics: light, fresh air, water, real food, rest, movement.

(29:30) Discernment about antibiotics

  • Gut wrecking history from childhood

  • Gut healing protocol

    • Kerry’s experience with her son’s chronic ear infections.

    • Trusting the “Mom gut”

(34:35) Various affects of prescription medications:

  • Weight gain

    • Zoloft

    • Adding to the stressors

  • Inflammation (puffiness)

  • Hunger signals

    • Cortisol, metabolism, & long-term affects

(38:50) Body image

  • Kerry’s childhood body image experience/influence.

  • Toxic thoughts & gut health

    • Importance of taking captive your thoughts

    • Breaking negative thought patterns

    • Simply doing the best that you can do

      • Showing yourself grace

      • Turning to scripture

(43:09) Overcoming resentment with God

  • Counseling

  • Celebrate Recovery

    • Restoring mindset in the right direction

  • God doesn’t waste a hurt

    • He always has a plan to restore and redeem

    • Checking in with the heart

    • Growth of compassion

(48:23) Biohacking and honoring the body:

  • Physical movement: yoga, running, strength training

  • Being outdoors & sunshine

  • Healthy sleep:

    • Blue light blocking glasses

    • Circadian rhythm

  • Unprocessed foods:

    • If it’s from the ground or has a mom 😂

    • Variety, colorful vegetables

    • Focusing on what you CAN have

      • Addition not restriction

  • Targeted supplementation

(52:39) Kerry’s Anchor Questions! ⚓️

  • Anchor meal:

    • Build your own bowl

    • Roasted red peppers

    • Egg scrambles

  • Anchor bible verse:

    • Philippians 4:11

  • Where to find Kelly

(57:37) Outro & Disclaimer


Thanks for listening! Have a healthy and blessed week!


XOXO,

Chelsea