Suruchi Chandra MD, Integrative Psychiatry & Medicine

“Cookies” and “healthy” aren’t usually found in the same sentence, but one of the lessons that I try to teach my patients is that it’s possible to eat healthy and delicious foods all year-round - even during the holiday season.
Enjoy the delicacies of the season along with the health benefits of ingredients like cocoa powder, peppermint, and warm winter spices in these gluten-free cookies and treats.

Healthy Christmas Cookies & Treats - SURUCHI CHANDRA M.D. This Christmas, try your hand at these gluten-free cookies filled with yummy ingredients that will treat your brain and body as much as your taste buds.

If you want to prepare a Thanksgiving feast that's equally delicious and healthy, try these colorful gluten-free recipes.
We've also created a new downloadable pantry guide to help you get all the right ingredients for a meal that nourishes your mind and body.

Delicious & Healthy Gluten-free Thanksgiving Recipes - SURUCHI CHANDRA M.D. While many people are excited to celebrate the holidays, this season can be quite stressful for those on more restricted diets or who just want to eat healthy.

If you struggle with depression and haven't responded to conventional treatments, you may have felt hopeless or confused. Fortunately, advances in neuroscience have provided us with new insights into depression and avenues for treatment. Transcranial stimulation is one new treatment approach that supports the brain's natural electrical wiring and may bring relief to people with treatment-resistant depression.

Patients in our practice often describe feeling “lighter” or a “lifting” of their depression after transcranial stimulation therapy. Patients have also reported:

- “Since starting neurostim treatment, I’ve noticed that I can be more present for experiences in my life.”

- “I’ve had noticeably deeper sleep.”

- “Transcranial stimulation therapy has helped me become more resilient, allowing me to manage stress better.”

To learn more about this novel treatment approach, read our newest article at our website.

https://bit.ly/chandramd-tdcs-depression-blog

Transcranial Direct Stimulation (tDCS) for Depression | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Learn all about transcranial stimulation, a new treatment approach to depression and other brain-based conditions.

“Cookies” and “healthy” aren’t usually found in the same sentence, but one of the lessons that I try to teach my patients is that it’s possible to eat healthy and delicious foods all year-round - even during the holiday season.

Enjoy the delicacies of the season along with the health benefits of ingredients like cocoa powder, peppermint, and warm winter spices in these gluten-free cookies and treats.

http://bit.ly/chandramd-christmas-cookies

Healthy Christmas Cookies & Treats | Suruchi Chandra M. D. This Christmas, try your hand at these gluten-free cookies filled with yummy ingredients that will treat your brain and body as much as your taste buds. Enjoy the delicacies of this season along with the health benefits of ingredients like cocoa powder, peppermint, and warm winter spices.

As a psychiatrist, I know how valuable a good night's sleep is for better mental health. If you're looking to invest in a healthy bedroom to help improve your sleep quality, we've compiled a list of sleep products to keep an eye out for this Black Friday.

https://bit.ly/chandramd-sleep-products-healthy-bedroom

Best Sleep Products for a Healthy Bedroom | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Sometimes the source of our sleep issues can be in our environment. Learn about five factors that can actually have a big impact on our sleep quality.

If you want to prepare a Thanksgiving feast that's equally delicious and healthy, try these colorful gluten-free recipes.

We've also created a new downloadable pantry guide to help you get all the right ingredients for a meal that nourishes your mind and body.

https://bit.ly/chandramd-thanksgiving

Delicious & Healthy Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Even if you’re trying to reduce your intake of sugars, processed carbs, or gluten this holiday season, these recipes can help you indulge in delicious food and still feel great after your Thanksgiving feast.

If you take care of children who suffer from OCD or eating disorders, you may be seeing PANS & PANDAS conditions and not realize it. For some children, biomedical issues can lead to psychiatric symptoms, which is why they may not fully respond to talk therapy or medications. In PANS & PANDAS, infections like strep, Lyme disease, or the seasonal flu can result in anxiety, mood swings, irritability, and more.

Learn more about this condition so that you can better understand and support the children that you care for. In our updated blog, we discuss questions including:
- What are PANS & PANDAS?
- Is there a symptom checklist for PANS & PANDAS?
- What causes PANS & PANDAS?
- How do you diagnose and test for PANS & PANDAS?
- How do you treat PANS & PANDAS?

https://bit.ly/chandramd-pans-pandas-guide

A Psychiatrist's Guide to PANS & PANDAS Part 1: Diagnosis & Testing | Suruchi Chandra M. D. If your child has OCD, tics, or an eating disorder, it may not just be a psychological condition. An often overlooked cause of these symptoms is PANS & PANDAS. Unfortunately, because many doctors are unaware of this condition, it can take months and years to get a proper diagnosis. Learn more ab

Anxiety, sleep problems, fatigue, and headaches can all share the same root cause: magnesium deficiency. More than 50% of the United States population doesn't get the recommended daily amount of magnesium, but deficiency is unfortunately underdiagnosed, leaving many people without the treatment they need.

In our latest article, we discuss this common mineral deficiency and how certain groups may benefit from increasing their intake of magnesium. Learn more about:

- What is magnesium good for?
- What are the signs and symptoms of magnesium deficiency?
- What causes magnesium deficiency?
- How much magnesium do we need?
- Is there a magnesium deficiency test?
- What foods have magnesium?
- Will magnesium supplements help me?

https://bit.ly/chandramd-magnesium-deficiency

Signs & Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency: A Doctor's Perspective | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Learn about how anxiety, sleep problems, fatigue, and more can be a result of this common deficiency.

If you're having trouble managing stress, you may be wondering what supplements could be helpful for you. Vitamin B6 has several anti-stress properties that should be better recognized, as it helps protect us from the effects of day-to-day stress, as well as biological stressors like inflammation and high blood sugar. Due to underlying factors, however, some people don't get enough B6 to handle the challenges that they face.

Read more to learn about who may be vulnerable to low levels of B6 and how B6 may help you. In this article, we also address questions including:

- What is vitamin B6, and what does it do?
- Is vitamin B6 deficiency common?
- What are vitamin B6 benefits? What conditions is it helpful for?
- What foods have vitamin B6?
- How much vitamin B6 do I need?
- What are the best vitamin B6 supplements?
- Are vitamin B6 supplements safe?

https://bit.ly/chandramd-vitamin-b6-benefits

Vitamin B6 Benefits: A Doctor's Review | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Vitamin B6 has several anti-stress benefits, but some individuals are more vulnerable to suboptimal levels than others.

Neurofeedback (also known as EEG biofeedback) has been gaining popularity as a treatment for many brain-based conditions, including depression, ADHD, and even autism. Many doctors and researchers recognize neurofeedback's unique ability to heal the brain in new ways. Still, many people wonder, "Does it really work?"

In this comprehensive article, we answer several questions about neurofeedback that we frequently get asked as an integrative psychiatry clinic, including:

- What is neurofeedback therapy?
- How does it work?
- What conditions is it useful for?
- What are the different types of neurofeedback?
- Does neurofeedback work?
- Is it safe? Are there side-effects?
- What should I expect from treatment?
- Is treatment covered by insurance?
- How do I find a neurofeedback center near me?

https://bit.ly/chandramd-what-is-neurofeedback

What is Neurofeedback? A Psychiatrist’s Perspective | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Learn all about neurofeedback in this comprehensive article about its clinical use and benefits for a wide variety of brain-based conditions.

If you're still struggling with sleep issues even after taking supplements or improving your bedtime routine, the source of your problems may be in your bedroom.

In this article, we discuss five environmental factors that can actually have a big impact on our sleep quality. For each category, we'll review the science and our favorite non-toxic products to help you create your ideal sleep sanctuary.

https://bit.ly/chandramd-sleep-products-healthy-bedroom

Best Sleep Products for a Healthy Bedroom | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Sometimes the source of our sleep issues can be in our environment. Learn about five factors that can actually have a big impact on our sleep quality.

If you've ever had trouble sleeping, you might have wondered, "What's the best sleep aid?" The answer is - it depends on your unique factors, including your biology, age, and type of sleep issues that you have.

In this article, we share six evidence-based supplements to help you find a good match for your sleep needs. For each sleep aid, we discuss who might benefit, any side-effects, and our favorite brands:

- Magnesium
- Glycine
- L-theanine
- Melatonin
- Valerian root
- Passionflower

https://bit.ly/chandramd-natural-sleep-aids-supplements

How to Get Better Sleep: Natural Sleep Aids and Supplements | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Finding the best sleep aid for you depends on your unique factors, specific sleep issues, and biology and age.

You've probably heard that depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain or that it runs in the family. In reality, this doesn't capture the full complexity of depression. When we overlook other important biological causes, we leave many patients without the treatment they desperately need.

In this article, we share a new framework of depression as a whole-body condition. We discuss questions like:
- Is depression caused by a chemical imbalance?
- Is depression genetic?
- Does stress cause depression?
- What are the overlooked biological causes of depression?

https://bit.ly/chandramd-what-causes-depression

Causes of Depression: Beyond Chemical Imbalances and Genetics | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Learn about a new framework for understanding depression as a whole-body condition and its overlooked biological causes.

You've probably heard about white noise, but did you know that pink is the new white? Pink is a new "color" of noise that has promising benefits for sleep, memory, and more. For those who struggle with sleep or memory issues even after trying medication, pink noise sound and brain stimulation therapies offer hope through new solutions.

Learn more about pink noise in our most recent article, where we explore topics like:
- What is pink noise?
- What’s the difference between white noise and pink noise?
- Is pink noise better than white noise?
- Does pink noise help with sleep?
- What conditions is pink noise helpful for?

https://bit.ly/chandramd-pink-noise-benefits-sleep

Pink Noise for Better Sleep, Memory, and More | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Pink is the new white: learn more about how pink noise may help support brain health through sound therapy and brain stimulation.

If you've ever cared for someone with an eating disorder, you've seen firsthand how difficult it can be for them to get well. Even when they're working hard in therapy, they might feel stuck in a cycle of unhealthy behaviors. However, it may not be their mindset that is treatment-resistant: it could be their biology. New research shows that some patients with eating disorders may have underlying infections that make it hard for them to heal and recover.

In this article, we discuss the following questions:
- What causes anorexia and other eating disorders?
- What is the link between eating disorders and infections?
- How can inflammation and infections cause an eating disorder?
- How are eating disorders and PANS & PANDAS related?
- How do you treat anorexia and other eating disorders?

http://bit.ly/chandramd-eating-disorders-infection-causes

Overlooked Causes of Eating Disorders: Inflammation & Infections | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Treating biological root causes can make all the difference in recovery for some patients with eating disorders. Learn more about the role of inflammation and infections in eating disorders.

If you've had anxiety or stress, you may have wondered if there are any non-pharmaceutical options for managing your symptoms. Fortunately, the answer is yes. There are many natural vitamins, minerals, and herbs that can be beneficial for anxiety, some of which have been used for centuries and are now finally gaining attention from doctors and researchers.

In this article, I share the top seven supplements that have been the most helpful for my patients who are struggling with anxiety. Read more about the science and practical tips for these supplements as we review:
- What each supplement is
- The benefits and evidence
- Any side-effects or concerns
- Dosing and brands that we like

http://bit.ly/chandramd-anxiety-supplements

Best Supplements for Anxiety: Psychiatrist's Perspective | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Anxiety is often a result of biological imbalances that these safe and well tolerated supplements can help address.

You may have read about COVID-19's effects on mental health and wondered about their connection. This relationship has become more pronounced, as new research revealed that 1 in 3 patients with COVID-19 received a diagnosis for a brain-based disorder in the 6 months following their illness.

In this article, we explore questions including:
- Why do some COVID long-haulers develop anxiety or depression?
- What is the connection between our immune system and our brain?
- How can we protect our brain and body during this pandemic?

http://bit.ly/chandramd-covid-mental-health

COVID-19 and Mental Health: The Biological Link | Suruchi Chandra M. D. In addition to the stress of living through a pandemic, COVID-19 can have biological effects on the brain that can cause long-hauler syndrome, including mental health concerns such as anxiety or depression.

Patients with PTSD and trauma who haven’t recovered with talk therapy shouldn’t feel alone. Recovering from trauma requires healing the brain and body’s biology, not just our thoughts. Neurofeedback is one of the new promising, evidence-based therapies that can help address these deeper, underlying biological changes that result from trauma and PTSD. In this article, we address questions like:

- How does trauma affect the brain and body?
- What is neurofeedback treatment?
- Does neurofeedback help with trauma?
- What types of neurofeedback are helpful for trauma or PTSD?

http://bit.ly/chandramd-neurofeedback-trauma-ptsd

Neurofeedback for Trauma and PTSD | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Neurofeedback is one of the new promising, evidence-based therapies that can help address the deeper, underlying biological changes that result from trauma and PTSD.

Lithium is the one supplement that I wish more people interested in mental health knew about. When taken at low doses, it can be especially helpful for depression and suicidal thoughts with few side-effects. In this new blog, I share my experience as an integrative psychiatrist with using low-dose lithium supplements for a variety of mental health conditions and address questions including:

- What is the difference between lithium medication and supplements?
- Can lithium help treat conditions other than bipolar disorder?
- What type of lithium supplements are available?
- What is the typical dosing for lithium supplements?
- What are the side-effects of low-dose lithium? Is it safe to take?

http://bit.ly/chandramd-lithium-supplements

Low-Dose Lithium Supplements for Mental Health | Suruchi Chandra M. D. When taken at low doses, lithium can be especially helpful for depression and suicidal thoughts with few side-effects.

Not getting enough lithium may make us prone to feeling down, impulsive, agitated, and forgetful. While many people think of lithium as a heavy-duty medication with serious side effects, low-dose lithium appears to be beneficial and perhaps even essential for mental and brain health. Read more to learn about this overlooked and misunderstood mineral.

http://bit.ly/chandramd-lithium-mental-health

Is Lithium an Essential Mineral for Your Mental Health? | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Too little lithium may make us prone to feeling down, agitated, and forgetful. Learn about this misunderstood mineral that could be beneficial for mental health.

Depression doesn't always fully improve with talk therapy and medications. For some people, depression can start in the gut. Recent studies show that when the gut becomes damaged, a whole cascade of events can affect the body and brain. Learn more about the link between and depression, and what you can do to protect this connection.

https://bit.ly/chandramd-leaky-gut-depression

Leaky Gut: The Connection Between Gut Health and Depression | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Depression doesn't always fully improve with talk therapy and medications. For some people, depression can start in their gut.

In this keynote presentation from the 2018 Mount Sinai LymeMIND conference (supported by the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation) Dr. Chandra discusses the challenges of diagnosing and treating neuropsychiatric Lyme disease.

http://bit.ly/chandramd-psychiatric-lyme

New Treatments for Psychiatric Lyme Disease (Webinar) | Suruchi Chandra M. D. In this keynote presentation from Mount Sinai, Dr. Chandra discusses neuropsychiatric Lyme and its challenges.

One of the most puzzling aspects of COVID-19 is how it can affect people in such different ways. Currently, there are 6 labs supported by early research that may help us understand and reduce individual risk factors for COVID-19 in a more nuanced way.

http://bit.ly/chandramd-covid-labs

6 Labs That May Help Predict the Risk of COVID-19 Illness | Suruchi Chandra M. D. These labs may help us understand the biological factors contributing to COVID-19 severity.

While many people recognize the importance of magnesium in anxiety and other mental health conditions, they might not know the best form or dosing of supplements to take. In this article, I share the strategies that I use as an integrative psychiatrist to help my patients increase their magnesium levels in safe and effective ways.

http://bit.ly/chandramd-magnesium-supplements-anxiety

How to Take Magnesium for Anxiety or Depression | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Learn about the strategies that I use as an integrative psychiatrist to help my patients increase their magnesium levels in a safe and effective way.

If you have anxiety, a common but overlooked nutritional deficiency may be contributing to your symptoms: magnesium. In this article, we shine a spotlight on magnesium and reveal its important function in psychiatry and mental health. Visit our blog to learn about the strategies that I use to help patients increase their magnesium intake in a safe and effective way.

http://bit.ly/chandramd-magnesium-anxiety

Could Magnesium Deficiency Be Contributing to Your Anxiety? | Suruchi Chandra M. D. We shine a spotlight on magnesium and reveal its important function in psychiatry and mental health.

If your child has OCD, tics, or an eating disorder, it may not just be a psychological condition. An often overlooked cause of these symptoms is PANS & PANDAS. Unfortunately, 33% of children see more than five doctors before being correctly diagnosed. Learn more about this condition so that you can better understand and support the children that you care for.

http://bit.ly/chandramd-pans-pandas-diagnosis

A Psychiatrist's Guide to PANS & PANDAS Part 1: Diagnosis & Testing | Suruchi Chandra M. D. OCD and tics are sometimes more than a psychological condition. PANS & PANDAS are debilitating and often overlooked disorders.

1 in 5 COVID-19 patients go on to receive a psychiatric diagnosis. Learn more about the biological connection between the virus and mental health.

http://bit.ly/chandramd-covid-psychiatry-fb

The Link Between COVID-19 & Psychiatry | Suruchi Chandra M. D. 1 in 5 COVID-19 patients go on to receive a psychiatric diagnosis. Learn more about the biological connection between the virus and mental health.

This Christmas, try your hand at these gluten-free cookies filled with yummy ingredients that will treat your brain and body as much as your taste buds. Enjoy the delicacies of this season along with the health benefits of ingredients like cocoa powder, peppermint, and warm winter spices.

http://bit.ly/chandramd-christmas-cookies

Healthy Christmas Cookies & Treats | Suruchi Chandra M. D. This Christmas, try your hand at these gluten-free cookies filled with yummy ingredients that will treat your brain and body as much as your taste buds.

As we enter the season of online shopping, we wanted to share our recommendations for products that can help turn your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary. Nothing is more important for brain health than a good night's sleep!

https://bit.ly/chandramd-healthy-sleep

3 Steps to Creating a Healthy Bedroom | Suruchi Chandra M. D. How do we get the most out of our time in bed? Sometimes what keeps us from a good night’s rest is actually in our environment.

Even if you’re trying to reduce your intake of sugars, processed carbs, or gluten this holiday season, these recipes can help you indulge in delicious food and still feel great after your Thanksgiving feast.

https://bit.ly/chandramd-thanksgiving

Delicious & Healthy Gluten-free Thanksgiving Recipes | Suruchi Chandra M. D. Even if you’re trying to reduce your intake of sugars, processed carbs, or gluten, these recipes can help you indulge in delicious food and still feel great afterwards.