DEPRESSION
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facts A to Z menu)
What is Depression?
Nearly
one in four individuals experience some degree of clinical depression or mood
disorder in their lifetime. As with
most diseases, a general approach to the whole individual must be undertaken,
and this is obviously beyond the scope of this page.
However, organic factors which may contribute to depression might include
nutrient deficiency or excess, medication, recreational or other drugs, solvents
including those in the workplace, candidiasis, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine,
hypoglycaemia, hormonal imbalance, allergy, heavy metal toxicity, other
toxicity.
Some
people become more depressed in the winter months, when the days are shorter and
darker. This type of disorder is
known as ‘seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Special light boxes and full spectrum light bulbs are available to help
with this condition.
Nutrition Facts & Diet
Advice for Depression
-
Foods
greatly influence the brain’s behaviour.
Poor diet, especially constant snacking on junk foods, is a common
cause of depression, as the brain chemicals called neurotransmitters which
are influenced by what we eat, are linked to our mood.
-
Many
nutrients are involved in brain function, and hormone function which also
influences how we feel. Therefore
a generally healthy diet, plus extra supplementation, will be helpful for
many people suffering from depression.
-
Generally,
eat plenty of vegetables, raw and lightly cooked, some fruit, brown rice,
millet, beans, lentils, soya, skinless chicken and especially turkey.
Salmon is also particularly beneficial.
-
Avoid
sugar and alcohol as much as possible, and also white flour and white
rice. These use up about 15
of your vitamins and minerals which you need to keep your mood balanced,
and they give you no nutrients to speak of, so very soon you’ll be in a
situation of nutrient-deficit.
They
also give you a quick ‘high’, followed by a low when you feel even
more tired and depressed.
Other
Suggestions for depression
-
Investigate
food allergies and sensitivities.
-
Have
a hair mineral analysis carried out to rule out heavy metal toxicity.
A nutritional consultant can organise this for you.
-
Also
check for under-active thyroid gland.
If a blood test comes back ‘normal’, consult a qualified
nutritional therapist.
There are other ways of checking for thyroid function (see
thyroid functions)
-
Get
plenty of light and do some form of vigorous exercise most days.
If you don’t have a gym available, you can get some exercise
videos or just dance wildly
in your living room
to some Rock and Roll music.
During exercise, the brain produces painkilling chemicals called
endorphins and enkephalins. These,
when released in response to exercise also produce a natural ‘high’.
Most people who exercise regularly say that they feel really good
afterwards, so exercise may be the best way to get rid of depression for
many people.
-
Consider
the possibility of some ‘coaching’ or NLP (neuro-linguistic-programming).
If there is no-one available locally,
contact a Professional Life Coach,
edna@temenoscoaching.com
who will speak with you on the
telephone wherever you are, or even via e-mail.
Health Supplements -r Depression
Often, a
combination of supplements may help in
alleviating this condition. You may wish to
consult a nutritional therapist for personal
advice. Supplements that may be helpful in
alleviating symptoms are shown below:
Recommended
Health Books
see also
allergies
and food intolerance
candidiasis |
