Before you do anything drastic, please read this .....
Information provided here is for general awareness and educational in purpose. It is not medical advice. Consult qualified health care professionals before trying anything discussed here
So you tell your doctor you've depression and anxiety. Before prescribing Prozac, Zoloft, Luvox, Paxil, Aeropax or other SSRI types, how many bother to ask about your diet? Sure antidepressants "work" , well sort of, but in many cases, you get hooked on them. All have side effects, especially when you stop taking them suddenly (which is highly inadvisable). Despite receiving extensive education, psychiatrists and modern doctors (ie. those who are not holistically trained) rarely stop to consider using food as medicine. Can't blame them, they were not taught that in Med school .. but are ALL conditioned to treat all illness with drugs. When your only tool is a hammer, doesn't everything start looking like nails? How common is depression? One source suggest 1 in 5 Australian teenager suffers from adolescent depression.
An enlightened school of thought suggests 70% of depression and anxiety related cases are caused by nutritional deficiencies or hypoglycemia and therefore fixable, albeit not a quickly. There's even some discussion about the nutritional links to Bipolar Disorder. Mineral deficiencies have a serious impact on Bipolar disorders. The remaining 30% are situational (bereavement etc) or are not nutritionally related and can only be help with pharmaceutical medication. Strangely enough before modern pharmaceutical industry was developed ( since 1950s), most doctors did treat illnesses with food. Now is that food for thought ?
More here . <<
Is it surprising people who have depression also have sleep problems, anxiety, panic attacks and many have digestion / nutrient absorption issues. These cluster symptoms may easily be explained. Optimum levels of Serotonin in the day time keeps you calm (relaxed) and in good mood (ie. not depressed ). Optimum levels of Melatonin at night ensures you fall asleep easily and enjoy deep and restful sleep with REM. Serotonin converts to Melatonin at night.
If you lack one, you also likely lack the other !
An enlightened school of thought suggests 70% of depression and anxiety related cases are caused by nutritional deficiencies or hypoglycemia and therefore fixable, albeit not a quickly. There's even some discussion about the nutritional links to Bipolar Disorder. Mineral deficiencies have a serious impact on Bipolar disorders. The remaining 30% are situational (bereavement etc) or are not nutritionally related and can only be help with pharmaceutical medication. Strangely enough before modern pharmaceutical industry was developed ( since 1950s), most doctors did treat illnesses with food. Now is that food for thought ?
More here . <<
Many types of depression may be due to nutritional deficiencies … and these are the types that Meditation, Medication or Exercise have limited effect.
If you are thirsty,
can you meditate or medicate thirst away ?
Is it surprising people who have depression also have sleep problems, anxiety, panic attacks and many have digestion / nutrient absorption issues. These cluster symptoms may easily be explained. Optimum levels of Serotonin in the day time keeps you calm (relaxed) and in good mood (ie. not depressed ). Optimum levels of Melatonin at night ensures you fall asleep easily and enjoy deep and restful sleep with REM. Serotonin converts to Melatonin at night.
If you lack one, you also likely lack the other !
Depression and anxiety is not a deficiency of Prozac !
This is the the battle-cry of holistically trained doctors, who unlike the majority, strive to use food as medicine. Depression and Anxiety may occur as a result of a deficiency in 1 or several critical minerals and vitamins.
You are likely to be suffering depression and / or anxiety attacks if you are deficient in one or more of the following:
2. Zinc (common among Vegetarians and those w Digestion disorders)
3. Iron (common among Vegetarians and those w Digestion disorders)
4. B complex vitamins : B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12 , Biotin / B7 & Folic Acid / B9
esp Vit-B12
esp Vit-B12
5. Vitamin D
6. Omega 3 fatty acids
7. Low or unstable blood sugar ( Hypoglycemia )
7. Low or unstable blood sugar ( Hypoglycemia )
8. Deep, restful uninterrupted sleep ( shift work is very bad for this )
9. Poor gut health: IBS, Leaky gut, Biome imbalance etc
Remember, No ( Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin B & D ) = No Sleep, No happiness.......
More discussion about Depression and Magnesium >>> here <<<
9. Poor gut health: IBS, Leaky gut, Biome imbalance etc
Remember, No ( Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin B & D ) = No Sleep, No happiness.......
Rapid recovery from major depression using magnesium treatment. >> here
More discussion about Depression and Magnesium >>> here <<<
Deficiency in such vitamins & minerals is strongly linked to depression & anxiety
But how do mineral and vitamin deficiencies arise?
Vegetarians inadvertently omit foods containing vital minerals & vitamins
If you are vegetarian or vegan, you're probably missing some critical nutrients in your diet such as Zinc, Iron and Vitamin B12 & Vitamin D which are primarily found in meat / fish. Vegetable sources are often unsatisfactory due to low digestibility and bio-unavailability.
Many vegetarians, especially if you have been eating meat for many years and suddenly switch to vegetarianism, suffer depression and anxiety for these reasons alone.
Mineral blockers you may be unwittingly taking
Drinking TOO much black tea or Soy milk, or have indigestion ( regular stomach ache, diarhea, IBS) may contribute to depression and anxiety for some people. Soy phytates and tea tannins BLOCK absorption of these magnesium, iron, zinc in your digestive system. Black tea taken in the same meal as a Iron rich steak inhibits Iron absorption. Is this the reason why many British people suffer from Iron deficiency? Phytates in Soya beans are considered heat resistant anti nutrients. Google this yourself if you find it incredulous.
Dietary deficiencies - not eating enough of the right stuff
So you are not vegetarian, but if you don't eat enough dark green leafy ( Silver beet, spinach, kale, Choy Sum, Bok Choy) you are not eating Magnesium rich veggies. Good vegetables like carrots, cabbage, pumpkin, tomatoes, potatoes and lettuce do not contain enough Magnesium. Also if you don't eat bean, legumes and lentils, you are missing out on magnesium.
Meat is a very good source of Vitamin B complex, in particular vitamin B12 which is found mostly in meat.
The B12 in non meat source are too little and often occurs in bio-unavailable form.
Many beans, lentils and wheat products contain the rest of the B vitamins, so if you miss out eating these as a vegetarian, you are putting yourself at great risk of depression and anxiety attacks.
Most vegetarians are deficient in Vitamin B12, Zinc and Iron despite all their good organic intentions .
Many people ( with known digestion or stomach / gut issues or older than 50 ) are unable to absorb dietary vitamin B12. In this case they opt for B12 injections or high dose oral or high does sub lingual pills. Consult only a nutritionally educated doctor about this.
Note: Not all doctors are nutritionally minded. And the most absorbable type of Vit B12 = sublingual type ( placed under tongue, not swallowed ) or Methyl Cobalamin.
An excellent pill supplement is Blackmores Vitamin B complex, which, unlike Berrocca, does not contain artificial sweetener Aspartame. I also suggest avoiding yeast based sources of Vitamin B complex such as Vegemite or Marmite to avoid potential complications if you happen to have Candida in your gut.
Gut disorders prevent mineral absorption
Which then begs the question " But I eat lots of meat and mineral rich veggies, how could I possibly be mineral deficient ? " The answer lies in the weakest link- your body's inability to absorb minerals like iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium and perhaps selenium and manganese. Mineral deficiency caused by poor digestion / absorption is more common than you think!
If you frequently experience symptoms such as regular stomach aches, diarrhea, constipation, stomach bloating, burping, farting, feeling the food sits in the tummy for a long time after a meal, you probably have a digestion related issue which must be fixed first before you can fix any mineral absorption problems. Gas / wind is a CLEAR indicator of indigestion as poorly digested food reacts badly with gut bacteria to produce gas. If you can't digest well, you can't absorb mineral well.
For some, they simply cannot absorb Vitamin B12 due low levels of (gastric) Intrinsic Factor, stomach acid or after effects of Gastric ulcers ( especially Heliobacter Pylori bacteria). In fact if you suspect B12 deficiency, do check if you previously suffered gastritis / gastic ulcers ....
In this case oral supplementation may not be effective unless higher doses are used, or sub-lingual ( under tongue) supplementation or B12 injections --- a common occurrence in older folks. Please seek the advice of a health professional ( medical doctor or nutritionist) before you do this.
As well if you have gut disorders such as chronic indigestion, Crohn's disease, IBS ( Irritable Bowel Sydrome), Leaky gut syndrome, Candida fungus in gut, your depression /anxiety may be caused by insufficient Serotonin - the neurotransmitter that keeps you in good mood and happy.
Does it surprise you that Serotonin is mostly made in the gut/ intestines? ... and not the brain ?
It stands to reason that when you have intestinal problems, you may be depressed.
Why hasn't your doctor explained this to you?
Foods that flush minerals from your liver
Alcohol flushes away Magnesium, Zinc, B complex vitamins, Selenium and Manganese from your liver, causing an immediate mineral deficiency ... this may explain why you have zinc and magnesium induced depression DESPITE having a healthy diet full of Zinc and Magnesium.
Phosphoric acids in most soft fizzy drinks binds Magnesium and making it bio unavailable. It is no surprise that weekend binge drinkers, alcoholics and daily consumers of alcohol suffer from depression and anxiety caused by artificially induced loss of minerals and vitamins. As well, this might explain why so many coke loving teenage fizzy drinks loving teens suffer depression !
Phosphoric acids in most soft fizzy drinks binds Magnesium and making it bio unavailable. It is no surprise that weekend binge drinkers, alcoholics and daily consumers of alcohol suffer from depression and anxiety caused by artificially induced loss of minerals and vitamins. As well, this might explain why so many coke loving teenage fizzy drinks loving teens suffer depression !
If you lack these vitamin and mineral nutrients, your body cannot manufacture sufficient serotonin and melatonin, which then affect you mood and sleep.
Excessive sweating makes you lose minerals
If you sweat a lot ( excessive endurance sports) you are sweating out Magnesium ...which explains why you may have magnesium-deficiency-induced cramps at the end of a triathlon, long endurance or cardio work out session, regular sauna or steam baths, long hot bath/ shower etc
*A heart attack is often a cramp of the heart muscle....in many hospitals, a magnesium injection is often one of the first things they may give you if you arrive in an ambulance at the A & E ward.
Stress makes you excrete more Magnesium
..and sadly perpetuates a negatively reinforced vicious cycle
Calcium, Vitamin D and depression:
A warning here. Calcium and Magnesium work together. Too much of one affects absorption of the other. For too many years ignorant doctors have been advising people to take more calcium to alleviate Osteoporosis....yet data shows little improvement in many cases. This is because Calcium only explained half the picture. Calcium works best when the Calcium - Magnesium balance is correct. Also the presence of sufficient Vitamin D (sunlight or pills) is critical to Calcium absorption. If you don't eat enough oily fish (Salmon, sardines, Anchovies) or expose self to sunlight for at least 10-15mins a day... you are a strong candidate for Vitamin D deficiency... itself recently linked to Depression. Get tested fpr Vit D levels
Simply put, if you take Calcium supplements, make sure you also take Magnesium (separately, several hours apart for optimal absorption). Calcium is found mostly in meat, dairy and green veggies like Kale, Buk Choy, Broccoli, Spinach and certain brands of expensive mineral water ( check the label). Beans contain Magnesium too, but some people have trouble getting dietary Magnesium from beans due to the digestability of undercooked beans. Nuts have Magnesium too, but again hard to dgest / absorb minerals.
If years of Calcium intake has not made your Osteoporosis better, perhaps consider a non diary source and adding Magnesium supplementation to your diet.
Low blood sugar ( Hypoglycemia )
Chronically low blood sugar may trigger the fight/ flight response of your Sympathetic Nervous System which in turns triggers more adrenalin release, making you anxious .
If you suspect a hypoglycemia link, try this.
The next time you feel depressed or get an anxiety attack, eat a banana or drink a glass unsweetened orange juice on an empty stomach, to raise your blood sugar level quickly. Observe if the depression/ anxiety decreases ( feel better ) significantly within 20-30mins and then increase ( feel worse) after that. If that happens, it suggests a low blood sugar link. The next thing to do is to get proper blood test done at a doctor's office to ascertain if you are hypoglycemic.
From then on AVOID eating high GI carbohydrates like sugar, potatoes, bananas, soft drinks, fruit juices.
Try lower GI carbs like rice, apples pears, peaches and others - research this on the internet yourself.
A low GI diet ensures you don't have a roller coaster blood sugar level, which in turn affect mood & anxiety.
Low blood sugar ( Hypoglycemia )
Chronically low blood sugar may trigger the fight/ flight response of your Sympathetic Nervous System which in turns triggers more adrenalin release, making you anxious .
If you suspect a hypoglycemia link, try this.
The next time you feel depressed or get an anxiety attack, eat a banana or drink a glass unsweetened orange juice on an empty stomach, to raise your blood sugar level quickly. Observe if the depression/ anxiety decreases ( feel better ) significantly within 20-30mins and then increase ( feel worse) after that. If that happens, it suggests a low blood sugar link. The next thing to do is to get proper blood test done at a doctor's office to ascertain if you are hypoglycemic.
From then on AVOID eating high GI carbohydrates like sugar, potatoes, bananas, soft drinks, fruit juices.
Try lower GI carbs like rice, apples pears, peaches and others - research this on the internet yourself.
A low GI diet ensures you don't have a roller coaster blood sugar level, which in turn affect mood & anxiety.
Nutrients and its effect on sleep disorders & depression
If you don't have enough Magnesium, Zinc Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, you may experience depression due to lack of Serotonin ( the natural brain chemical that keep you in a good mood) in your waking hours.
If you don't have enough Magnesium, Zinc Vitamin B6, Vitamin C you may have Insomnia due to lack of Melatonin ( the natural brain chemical that helps you sleep ), at night.
Depression, Anxiety, Panic attacks, sleep disorders and insomnia, neck pains, stiff back are often cluster symptoms. Meaning, if you have one, you are likely to have the some of the others. If this fits your condition, you might like to seriously consider looking at your condition from a nutritional point of view. Consult a Naturopath or a medical doctor who is holistic ( integrative medicine) ie. He/she usually will have a 2nd degree in nutritional science / naturopathy in addition to a first degree in medicine. Sadly 95% of modern medical doctors are NOT WHOLISTICALLY trained.
Dr. Carolyn Dean (Magnesium Miracle book), Dr. Sandra Cabot (in Sydney), Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Don Colbert are 4 such examples of enlightened wholistic doctors and their books are available at Amazon.com .
http://www.nutritionalmagnesium.org/ <<<<<<<
http://www.nutritionalmagnesium.org/ <<<<<<<
References
- The scary truth about Sugar - Dr Carolyn Dean
