Understanding Anxiety & Why Natural Support Matters
If you’ve ever found yourself lying awake at night with racing thoughts, feeling tense for no clear reason, or dreading everyday situations, you’re not alone. These are just a few common signs that may be related to anxiety, though symptoms can show up differently for everyone. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health struggles in the U.S., and it’s something many people deal with quietly—often feeling like there’s no good solution outside of medication.
But what if anxiety isn’t just “in your head”? What if it’s your body’s way of telling you something is out of balance?
At Michigan Health and Wellness Center, we see anxiety differently. Through a functional medicine approach, we aim to understand the full picture of what’s going on in your body—from your nervous system to your gut health to your stress hormones. Our goal is to not only focus on your symptoms but to support your body’s ability to regulate itself—naturally.
In this blog, we will explore how functional medicine looks at anxiety through a whole-body lens, examining the roles that your brain, gut, and stress response systems play. We’ll also highlight natural, research-backed tools that can help support your mental well-being, including one you may not have heard much about: biofeedback therapy.
Whether you’ve tried medication and want something more holistic or you are just starting to explore natural options, this article will give you a clearer understanding of how functional medicine for anxiety can support your mental health—without relying solely on prescriptions.
It’s important to note: For some people, medication is a necessary and even life-saving part of managing anxiety. There is no shame in using the tools that work best for you. Our goal here is simply to share how functional medicine can be an effective, complementary—or in some cases, alternative—path for those looking for natural support.
What Makes Functional Medicine Different When It Comes to Anxiety
If you’ve ever felt like your anxiety is being treated with a one-size-fits-all approach, you’re not alone. Many people are given a prescription drug and sent on their way with little conversation about what might be causing those anxious thoughts or feelings in the first place.
Functional medicine takes a very different approach.
Instead of viewing anxiety as just a brain-based disorder, functional medicine sees it as a signal—your body’s way of saying something’s out of balance. It looks beyond symptoms to understand why they’re happening, and what deeper imbalances might be at play.
That means looking at the full picture of your health, including:
- Your nervous system and how it responds to stress
- Your gut health and how it communicates with your brain
- Your hormones, sleep, nutrition, and even your environment
No two people experience anxiety the same way. That’s why functional medicine is personalized. It’s about finding your unique root causes and supporting your body’s ability to heal—naturally.
Rather than relying solely on medication to manage anxiety symptoms, a functional medicine care plan may incorporate tools such as:
- Nutrition and lifestyle changes
- Targeted supplementation
- Mindfulness practices and nervous system support
- Therapies like biofeedback, which can help regulate your body’s stress response
Anxiety is complex—and so are you. Functional medicine meets that complexity with curiosity, compassion, and a strategy that’s tailored to you.
The Nervous System and Anxiety: A Two-Way Street
Have you ever felt your heart race or your stomach tighten before a stressful event? That’s your nervous system at work—specifically, the part that responds to stress and keeps you safe. But when that system gets stuck in high alert, it can lead to chronic anxiety, even when there is no immediate danger.
Your nervous system has two main parts that work like a gas pedal and a brake:
- Sympathetic Nervous System (Fight or Flight): This is your body’s stress response.
- Parasympathetic Nervous System (Rest and Digest): This is your calm state—where healing, digestion, and relaxation happen.
In people with chronic anxiety, the “gas pedal” is often stuck down. Over time, this can lead to sleep issues, digestive problems, fatigue, and even more anxiety. Functional medicine aims to restore balance to the nervous system. Of course, the nervous system doesn’t work in isolation. Another major player in how we experience anxiety lies in an unexpected place—your gut.
The Gut-Brain Connection: How Your Digestion Affects Your Mood
It might sound surprising, but the way you feel emotionally can be deeply connected to what is happening in your gut.
Your digestive system isn’t just responsible for breaking down food. It also plays a key role in how your brain functions. This is thanks to something called the gut-brain axis, a two-way communication system between your gut and your brain.
Your gut is often called your “second brain” because it produces many of the same neurotransmitters—chemical messengers like serotonin and dopamine that help regulate your mood, sleep, and overall emotional well-being.
When your gut is healthy, it can support a more balanced, resilient mood. But when it’s out of balance due to poor diet, chronic stress, infections, or a disrupted microbiome, it can contribute to anxiety.
Here’s how:
- The gut microbiome (the trillions of bacteria in your digestive tract) helps regulate inflammation, hormone levels, and neurotransmitter production.
- If these microbes become imbalanced, it can increase inflammation and disrupt the chemical signals that help keep you calm and focused.
- This imbalance can lead to symptoms like brain fog, irritability, low mood, and anxiety.
Research backs this up. A 2025 meta-analysis found that therapies aimed at improving the gut microbiota—like probiotics and prebiotics—may significantly reduce anxiety symptoms in adults. Another clinical trial showed that a targeted prebiotic formulation improved mental health in people with moderate depression and anxiety.
In functional medicine, supporting gut health is often the first step in addressing anxiety. This might include:
- Removing inflammatory foods
- Rebuilding the microbiome with prebiotics, probiotics, and nutrient-dense meals
- Supporting digestion with enzymes or gut-healing supplements
When your gut is healthy, your brain has a much better chance of feeling calm and balanced, too.
HPA Axis and Cortisol: Your Body’s Stress Engine
Have you ever felt “wired but tired”—like you’re exhausted, but your body won’t calm down? That could be a sign your HPA axis is out of balance.
The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis is a critical communication loop between your brain and adrenal glands. It helps regulate your body’s stress response—especially the release of cortisol, your primary stress hormone.
How does this work? When your brain senses stress, it signals your adrenal glands to release cortisol. Cortisol helps you respond to short-term stress. But when stress becomes chronic, the HPA axis can get overworked, leading to imbalanced cortisol levels.
Too much or too little cortisol can result in:
- Feeling anxious or overwhelmed
- Poor sleep
- Low energy with a “second wind” at night
- Brain fog or mood swings
Functional medicine takes a close look at HPA axis function when evaluating anxiety. The goal is to support balance naturally by incorporating modalities such as:
- Mindfulness and breathwork
- Consistent, high-quality sleep
- Blood sugar balancing meals
- Adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha (when appropriate)
- Therapies like biofeedback
A 2024 review found that mindfulness practices significantly lowered cortisol levels, helping to calm the HPA axis and reduce anxiety symptoms.
While supporting the HPA axis is essential, learning to regulate stress in real time can also make a major difference. That’s where biofeedback therapy comes in.
Spotlight on Biofeedback Therapy: A Natural Way to Rewire Stress
When anxiety takes over, it can feel like your body has a mind of its own. Your heart races, muscles tense, and thoughts spiral. But what if you could learn how to train your body to respond to stress more calmly?
That’s exactly what biofeedback therapy is designed to do.
What is Biofeedback?
Biofeedback is a non-invasive therapy that helps you become more aware of your body’s internal signals (heart rate, breathing, or muscle tension) and teaches you how to change those signals to promote relaxation and balance.
With guidance, you learn calming techniques such as breathing or visualization while watching your body’s response in real time on a screen.
Over time, this process may help:
- Lower heart rate and blood pressure
- Improve heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of stress resilience
- Shift from fight-or-flight into rest-and-digest mode
- Reduce physical symptoms like headaches, tension, and digestive upset
Does It Really Work?
Yes—and research supports it. A 2017 meta-analysis found that HRV biofeedback significantly reduced anxiety and stress symptoms across multiple studies. It’s a safe, drug-free way to help support nervous system regulation.
What a Session Looks Like at Michigan Health and Wellness Center
At Michigan Health and Wellness Center, biofeedback therapy sessions are personalized. You’ll be seated comfortably and connected to non-invasive sensors that monitor how your body responds to stress. Our trained practitioners guide you through techniques that help calm the system, while you watch the changes in real time.
Most people find sessions relaxing, educational, and empowering. Over time, many clients report better sleep, fewer anxiety symptoms, and a stronger sense of control over how their body reacts to stress.
Biofeedback offers more than symptom management—it helps many people build the skill of calm, giving you tools that stay with you long after your session ends.
Other Natural Tools Functional Medicine Uses to Support Anxiety
While biofeedback therapy is a powerful tool, it’s just one part of the bigger picture in functional medicine. Anxiety doesn’t come from a single source, so healing often requires a multi-layered approach—targeting the nervous system, lifestyle habits, gut health, and nutrient levels.
Here are several evidence-based tools commonly used in functional medicine for anxiety support:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Found in fatty fish like salmon or in high-quality supplements, omega-3s support brain health and help reduce inflammation—both of which are closely tied to mood and anxiety. A 2024 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that omega-3 supplementation significantly reduced anxiety symptoms, especially at higher doses.
Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness-based practices can calm the nervous system and reduce stress hormone levels. A 2022 study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was as effective as escitalopram, a commonly prescribed anxiety medication, in reducing anxiety symptoms.
Physical Activity
Exercise supports the production of feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin and endorphins. A 2023 review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine confirmed that physical activity is an effective treatment for both anxiety and depression, often outperforming medication in some cases.
Herbal Support
Certain plant-based remedies may help calm the nervous system naturally. One example is Silexan, a standardized extract of lavender oil. A 2023 meta-analysis showed that Silexan significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety without the sedative side effects of medications.
Nutritional and Gut Support
As discussed earlier, supporting gut health can be foundational to improving anxiety. Functional medicine often includes:
- Prebiotics and probiotics to restore microbiome balance
- Anti-inflammatory foods and targeted supplements
- Testing to identify food sensitivities or nutrient deficiencies
These strategies are personalized to your individual needs—not just your symptoms.
Your Healing Journey: What to Expect with a Functional Medicine Approach
If anxiety is interfering with your daily life, relationships, or overall well-being, it may be time to explore support. That support might include medication, and that’s perfectly valid. But if you’re searching for something more holistic, functional medicine offers a different path.
When to Consider Functional Medicine for Anxiety
You might benefit from this approach if:
- You’ve tried conventional treatments but still don’t feel like yourself.
- You’re looking for deeper answers to what’s driving your anxiety.
- You want to reduce or avoid long-term medication use.
- You’re drawn to natural, whole-body healing.
- Your anxiety shows up with fatigue, gut issues, poor sleep, or brain fog.
What the Process Looks Like
Working with a functional medicine practitioner is different from a quick office visit. Here’s what to expect:
- In-depth assessments: A full look at your health and medical history, nutrition, lifestyle, and symptoms
- Targeted testing: Labs to explore gut health, hormones, and nutrient levels
Personalized care plans: Based on your unique biology, not a one-size-fits-all approach - Ongoing support: You’re not left to figure it out on your own
This isn’t a quick fix—but it can be a powerful long-term strategy for feeling better and more balanced.
Moving Forward: Beyond Understanding and Coping
If anxiety has been part of your life for a while, you might feel like you’ve tried everything—or that your only options are to manage or suppress it. But healing begins with understanding, and understanding can lead to new possibilities.
Functional medicine gives you more than temporary relief. It offers a framework for finding the deeper patterns behind anxiety—and supporting your body through gentle, natural strategies that can make a real difference over time. Whether it’s biofeedback therapy, gut support, hormone balance, or lifestyle changes, this approach puts you at the center of your care.
Anxiety isn’t just a mental issue—it’s a whole-body experience. And when you support the body, the mind often follows.
If you’re curious about how functional medicine or biofeedback therapy might support you or a loved one, Michigan Health and Wellness is here to help you explore your options. Our team is happy to answer questions, share more about our approach, and help you take the next step—whenever you’re ready.
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Resources
Asad, A., Mitchell, E. S., & Cryan, J. F. (2025). Gut microbiota–modulating therapies as adjuvant treatment for depression and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuae058
Bafkar, N., Ghaedi, E., Jafarian, K., & Roshanravan, N. (2024). Efficacy and safety of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation for anxiety symptoms: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Psychiatry, 24, 702. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-05846-9
Dold, M., Bartova, L., Volz, H.-P., Seifritz, E., Möller, H.-J., Schläfke, S., & Kasper, S. (2023). Efficacy of Silexan in patients with anxiety disorders: A meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 273(7), 1615–1628. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-022-01547-w
Freijy, F. F., Salim, A., Khalil, H., Skouteris, H., Teede, H., Hill, B., … & Moran, L. J. (2023). A randomized controlled trial to assess the effect of a prebiotic formulation on mental health in adults with moderate depression and anxiety. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 116, 109322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2023.109322
Goessl, V. C., Curtiss, J. E., & Hofmann, S. G. (2017). The effect of heart rate variability biofeedback training on stress and anxiety: A meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, 47(15), 2578–2586. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291717001003
Hoge, E. A., Bui, E., Marques, L., Metcalf, C. A., Morris, L. K., Robinaugh, D. J., … & Simon, N. M. (2022). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction vs escitalopram for the treatment of anxiety disorders: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 80(1), 13–21. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.3679
Singh, B., Olds, T., Curtis, R., Dumuid, D., Virgara, R., Watson, A., … & Maher, C. (2023). Effectiveness of physical activity interventions for improving depression, anxiety and distress: An overview of systematic reviews. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57(18), 1203–1209. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2022-106195
Vargas-Uricoechea, H., Sagastume, J., & Vargas-Uricoechea, N. (2024). Mindfulness and its effect on cortisol levels: Systematic review of randomized trials. Neurology International, 16(2), 304–320. https://doi.org/10.3390/neurolint16020024