Biological Factors That Contribute to Depression

Many people are pre-disposed to depression because of their own biological makeup making their risk of suffering from this condition much greater then those who do not share these risk factors. There are four main biological factors that can increase a persons risk for depression and these include (1) genetic factors, (2) biochemical factors, (3) alterations in hormonal regulation and, (4) sleep abnormalities.

Genetic Factors

Studies done with twins have shown that genetic factors play a role in the development of depressive disorders. There have been a number of studies done that show that the average rate of shared mood disorders among identical twins is 45% to 60%. This means if one twin suffers from depression, or any other mood disorder, there is a 45% to 60% chance that the other twin will also be affected. Contrast this with fraternal twins where the percentage falls of drastically to only 12%.

Moods disorders are inheritable for some people. This also means that those who are genetically susceptible to mood disorders can have an earlier age of onset, a greater rate of suffering other disorders in addition to depression and an increased risk of recurrent illnesses. However, any genetic factors that are present must interact with environmental factors for depression to develop.

Biochemical Factors

The brain contains billions of neurons and is a highly complex organ. There is a lot of evidence that points to the idea that depression is a biological or chemical disorder where central nervous system neurotransmitter abnormalities are a probable cause of clinical depression. These neurotransmitter abnormalities may be the result of inherited or environmental factors, or even of other medical conditions, such as cerebral infarction, hypothyroidism, AIDS, or substance abuse.

Specific neurotransmitters in the brain are believed to be related to mood altered states. It was initially believed that the two main neurotransmitters involved were serotonin and norepinephrine. With new research though it is now thought that depression results from the dysregulation of a number of neurotransmitter systems in addition to serotonin and norepinephrine. The dopamine, acetylcholine, and GABA systems are also believed to be involved in the pathophysiology of major depression.

Alterations in Hormonal Regulation

Although there is still inconclusive evidence that hormones can play a role in depression. The most studied neuroendocrine characteristic that relates to depression has been hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cortical axis. Evidence of increased cortisol secretion is apparent in 20% to 40% of depressed outpatients and 40% to 60% of depressed inpatients. Results of a dexamethasone suppression test are abnormal in about 50% of patients with depression, which indicates hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cortical axis. However, the findings of this test may also be abnormal in people with obsessive-compulsive disorders and other medical conditions. Significantly, patients with psychotic major depression are among those with the highest rates of nonsuppression of cortisol on the dexamethasone suppression test.

Sleep Abnormalities

Sleep electroencephalogram abnormalities may be evident in 40% to 60% of outpatients and up to 90% of inpatients during a major depressive episode. People prone to depression tend to have a pre-mature loss of sleep, slow delta wave sleep and altered rapid eye movement (REM) latency. The phase of REM sleep associated with dreaming occurs earlier in two thirds of people with bipolar and major depressive illnesses. This sign is referred to as reduced REM latency and is consistent with the expected manifestation of an inherited trait. Reduced REM latency and deficits in slow-wave sleep typical persist following recovery from a depressed episode. Data also suggests that depressed patients without this sign are not likely to respond to treatment with tricyclic antidepressants, which suppress early REM sleep.

There are many factors that contribute to depression, many of which are biochemical in nature. Those that are biologically induced can be treated with different prescription drugs but as with anything relating to human emotion and chemical makeup answering one question as to why brings up more questions that remain unanswered.

The Empowerment of Self Esteem, Motivation, and Determination

There are three factors that together empower you to create your dreams: motivation, self esteem, and determination. You need to have self esteem to believe that you can achieve you dreams. It will provide you with the strength to believe in you throughout your path of achieving your goals. Sometimes in life we go through things that take away from your confidence and self esteem. When this does happen, you find yourself facing an endless struggle on the path to your dreams. There are necessary steps to take to improve your self confidence before you can fully realize your potential. Taking time for yourself, visualizing and daily affirmations are great ways to increase your self esteem.

When you develop your self confidence, it allows for you to have the motivation to get things started. As mentioned, the three factors motivation, self esteem and determination work together. If you are lacking in one, you may find yourself struggling and tired. Once you take the steps to increase your self confidence, you then need to work on the motivation. While watching your progress, take notes and pay attention to what robs you of your focus. When you have your list of goals you've set, it takes a lot of energy and motivation to complete them. Don't surround yourself with negative people as they will drain you of your motivation and you will fail to create your dreams. Not meeting what others expect of you and constantly hearing negative words will eventually drain you of your determination and motivation.

This can be detrimental and can lead to depression. It is key that you reduce all forces of negative influences surround you so that you stay focused and have the energy needed to accomplish your plans. Keep a strong mind and stay focused and you will see that motivation, self esteem and determination will favor you and you will end up with what you have striven for.

Depression: Knowing When It's Not A Sad Spell

It's easy to say after a hard day, "I'm depressed", but when you think of it, most of us will have forgotten that we even said that by the next day or at least within a few days. Any normal human being will go through a rough time when they lose a loved one to death or separation, when they can't figure out how to pay the next bill, when they haven't slept in months due to a new baby or when the sun hasn't shone in three weeks. So, even though at that moment it does seem serious, when do you know if it's the real thing? When does it become a clinical depression?

Any item in the list of the most common symptoms of depression can be due to other causes, like a physical disorder or illness. And anybody can be feeling at least one symptom at any given time. So before you go and diagnose yourself with clinical depression, make sure you're suffering from more that one symptom and talk to your doctor.

A person suffering from a clinical depression will usually experience these symptoms:

- A difficulty falling asleep and/or sleeping through the night. They may also wake up early and be unable to go back to sleep. Many feel that they dream all night, the dreams often being of a very disturbing nature.

- A feeling of complete exhaustion with not even enough energy to carry out daily tasks.

- A constant feeling of sadness and misery. Not even the things that usually bring them joy have any effect. They will start crying for no specific reason.

- Feeling that they are a failure in every aspect. They may ponder on the past and the mistakes they have made in the past, are making in the present and will make in the future. This all brings on a feeling of hopelessness, as if life will not get any better and is ultimately not even worth living. Though a depressive person might not be suicidal, in many cases thought of death and suicide are constantly in the back of their mind.

- A person suffering from a depression will either not want to see anyone at all or be terrified of being left alone.

- They have no interest and joy in things that they used to love, such as hobbies. In most cases, interest in sex will disappear completely. Though they may not have an appetite, they might stuff themselves with food to find comfort.

- Though depressed people often seem subdued, they might become irritable and angry for little or no reason.

- Low self-esteem and lack of confidence.

- A feeling that life is unfair.

- Though they might spend the day not doing anything and without the will to do anything, they still feel that life is passing them by.

Depression not only causes emotional pain, in many cases it also brings on physical pain, such as back pain and headaches. These usually cannot be explained by the medical profession and will not go away through treatment such as therapeutic massages or medication. Other physical symptoms of depression are constipation or other digestive problems, chest pain and dizziness. Any of these conditions could imply something else and should be checked out by a doctor. If the patient has a tendency to suffer depression, it should be mentioned to the physician.

Coping Up With Depression During Menopause

If there were one disease caused by biological factors that is very hard to deal with, it would be depression. Depression or the condition of feeling sad or despondent-characterized by an inability to concentrate, insomnia, and feelings of extreme sadness, dejection, melancholy, and hopelessness-is one of the visible symptoms of menopause especially for women.

Caused by the dropping of serotonin-a hormone in the brain that regulates a person's mood-levels, depression has been linked to menopause because it has been observed that women who are on the verge of this phase experience intense mood fluctuations and severe episodes of sadness and confusion.

Experts say that depression is normal for menopausal women but it should be addressed properly so it wouldn't lead to more serious health, emotional, and behavioral problems.

UNDERSTANDING DEPRESSION DURING MENOPAUSE

Studies show that 8 to 15 percent of menopausal women experience depression. Experts say that the end of menstruation or menopause triggers episodes of depression and sadness in most women because of drastic hormonal changes that are left unsettled or not addressed.

Various researches prove that women who have a history of mood disorders, those who have been depressed before-especially during 20s, those who have underwent surgical or operational procedures, those who are smoking, dealing with so many children, or those who have work that causes a lot of stress are more likely to develop depression during menopause.

Symptoms of depression during menopause include sleeping disorders, hot flushes, loss of energy or fatigue, irritability, anxiety, excessive feeling of guilt or worthlessness, difficulty in concentrating or confusion, decreased interest or pleasure in activities, drastic change in appetite, and two or more weeks of depressed mood that may lead to extreme restlessness and suicidal tendencies.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Although depression is a natural occurrence during menopausal years, experts say that this should not be neglected because it can lead to more episodes of fluctuating moods and physical implications.

Although it is hard to deal with because it involves emotional and hormonal factors, medical authorities agree that depression is treatable when addressed properly. Here are some suggestions and treatment options that can help you cope up with depression during menopause:

1. Consider depression treatments and medications. Seeking help if you are suffering from depression during menopausal years is the first step in curing the "disease." Today, there are actually many effective and well-tolerated medications available depending on your need. Being an essential part of treating depression, antidepressant medications such as Selected Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) help to increase the amount of serotonin in the brain.

Aside from antidepressants, therapies such as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Estrogen Therapy can help in especially in early menopausal stages. Before taking in any of these, make sure that you have consulted your physician first so you can discuss the risks and benefits of such treatments and medications. Psychotherapy is also one effective way to combat menopausal depression.

With the help of trained social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists, you can learn how to cope up with the negative feelings over menopausal years. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT that teaches better ways of thinking and behaving and Interpersonal Therapy or IPT that helps the person communicate more effectively are available for you.

2. Schedule for a physical examination. As women grown older, physical changes emerge that lead to physical health problems. Getting a thorough physical examination is one way to know if you are about to experience any physical ailments caused by depressive symptoms.

3. Try out alternative medicines, herbal therapies or remedies, and dietary supplements. Organic and herbal medications have grown popular the years for its healing properties. Today, the most popular herb used to cure depression is St John's Wort because it can help reduce effects of estrogen fluctuations.

Although many people attest to its effects, there have been no scientific studies that support the effectivity and safety of this alternative medicine. Before trying any of these herbal or organic products, make sure you inform your physician so further damage can be avoided especially if you are under any monitored medication.

4. Engage in physical activities or regular exercise. Experts agree that exercise helps treat depression by releasing your body's mood-elevating hormones that leads to a feeling of accomplishment and enhanced self-esteem.

5. Start changing your diet. Dietary changes like eating a well balanced diet and regularly scheduled meals are known to help a lot in managing depression.

How to Become Happy Again!

This is not a treatment for depression. I am not qualified to give that. It is simply a series of techniques that I researched from many areas and disciplines, put together into a program, and utilised to overcome depression in my life. The program worked for me. It may not work for you, and is offered as information only.

Depression is sometimes a temporary condition, brought about by some event in life, and can often be relieved by some of the techniques I will mention. If it is deeper or longer lasting, it may be clinical depression or some other more serious form of depression, and while benefiting from the same techniques, may need to be treated by a medical professional or psychologist.

Depression is defined by a standard set of symptoms described in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. They are:

poor appetite and significant weight loss, or increased appetite and significant weight gain;

insomnia, or increased sleep;

agitation, or retardation, of movement and thought;

loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities or decrease in sexual drive;

fatigue and loss of energy;

feelings of worthlessness, self-reproach, or excessive or inappropriate guilt;

diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness;

recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts.

Not many people will have all of these symptoms, but if some exist, then there could be a degree of depression which needs to be addressed. One thing that depression does is rob you of a lot of energy, and as this is an extract from a book about gaining energy, I will discuss some methods to combat depression and thereby gain more energy.

Depression gets worse when you do nothing. When you just sit and think about whatever it is that is bothering you, you will probably end up feeling more depressed and very low in energy.

Sitting in bad feelings just makes the feelings worse. The thing to realize is that feelings do not create actions. It is actions that create feelings. And good, positive actions create good, positive feelings and lift your mood. So the first step out of depression is to do something, to move forward in life taking action, no matter how small to start with. Don't wait till you feel like taking action, or until you feel more confident, because you may never feel that way UNTIL you starting DOING something.

Physiology is very important. This means the way you move, the way you stand and sit. If you are finding yourself looking down, with shoulders hunched over, and breathing very shallow breaths, and thinking "poor me" thoughts, you can make an almost immediate change by changing your physiology. Stand or sit up straight, pull your shoulders back, look up, smile and start thinking about a time you felt good, or a time when you felt most loved and cared for. You should experience a lightening of your mood very quickly. If you then start moving around, at a brisk pace, and DO something (even household chores), you can quickly move out of the darkness of the mood and feel happier within yourself. Try it, and if you want more information on this technique, get a copy of Unlimited Power by Anthony Robbins, who discusses physiology in great detail.

The next step is to look at what you are eating and drinking. Eating a lot of junk food, caffeine, sugar etc will make you feel worse due to its fat and sugar content and lowered nutritional value, so eat healthy, nutritious food, lots of fresh fruit, fish, vegetables and grains and drink lots of filtered water (2-3 litres a day). Give much more focus to these fresh foods than to processed food. This will help to stabilise your brain chemistry along with the positive self-talk, exercise and mediation, and as it is unbalanced brain chemistry that is a main causative effect of depression, addressing it through diet is critical.

Alcohol itself is a depressant and will not help your mood at all, so try to avoid it when depressed. Long term, it will aggravate your depression and lower your mood further while affecting your health and fitness in a negative way. Moderate social drinking with friends occasionally is fine. What I am talking about is daily drinking alone in an attempt to combat the depression and make the problems go away. It just doesn't work.

Vitamins and minerals will further strengthen your system and a good daily multivitamin together with a strong anti-oxidant supplement is a minimum to start with. Learn more about health supplements, read articles, talk to people and implement a supplement program in your diet. It is essential in today's world.

Exercise is essential as the body will produce hormones called endorphins when you exercise properly and the hormones will make you feel quite good. The increased fitness level will make you more able to cope with life's problems as well. As mentioned before, the better tuned your physical body is, the better your psychological state of mind becomes. It's when you are depressed that it's hardest to take action and exercise, but this is probably when it is most important.

Anti-depressant medication should be only be taken if necessary and on the advice of a medical professional, but sometimes is required before other techniques can work. As a natural alternative to perhaps try first, there is a herb call St. John's Wort (available from health food stores) that has been reported to be effective against light depression in many people and is a safe and natural substance. Wort usually needs to be taken for at least a month before seeing results.

Self Talk is one of the most critical techniques to combat depression and can be very effective in lifting mood. What you say to yourself all day long controls your reactions to whatever life offers you and indeed whether you see the world and its people as a dark place or a friendly place. (See separate section below).

Visualisation is also very effective. Take some time each day and while sitting and listening to some "feel good" music, relive some great times in your life, see yourself succeeding again in the future and really get into the good feelings. Think about what you can do to make life better, and see yourself doing it, and feel the great feelings that come with the accomplishment. And when any bad thoughts from the past come, acknowledge them and replace them with good thoughts about what you can do today and in the future to make your life what you want it to be. Do this every day as part of your routine.

Meditation is also part of the treatment and though you may not feel like meditating to start with, it will quickly become an effective part of your treatment. It also has many other health and psychological benefits as well that may amaze you after you have been practising it for a while. (See separate section below).

Breathing - Most people breathe in a shallow fashion and therefore do not get enough oxygen. Ten deep breaths taken 2-3 times a day will get more oxygen into your blood and your brain, and this will have a positive effect on mood and relaxation.

Self Talk

Of all the things in your life that influence your attitude, the one you have the most control over is your self talk. Negative self talk will give you a negative attitude which will give you poor results. Positive self talk will give you a more positive attitude which will give you great results. The key to controlling your self talk is awareness of what you are saying to yourself on a consistent basis.

To say things like, "I can't, this never works for me, I am no good at this, why do I always feel tired, I've never had energy" etc program your mind for more of the same. To program your mind positively, you need to become aware of the negative firstly, and then replace them with supporting statements. A technique that I have used successfully is based on Cognitive Therapy and is described next.

Cognitive Therapy has helped me in the past to claw my way out negative thinking and to start making positive changes. The technique I used was to carry a mini tape recorder around for three days (a notepad would be nearly as effective). I recorded every negative thought as they occurred.

After 3 days, I sat down and transcribed all the negative thoughts into a list. It made a hell of a horrible list, and when I realised what had been running round inside my head, I knew what had been causing my problems. Like many others, I had been talking to myself in a very negative and non supportive way.

I went through every statement and wrote it in reverse. i.e. "I am a loser" became "I am a winner". "I don't know what I'm doing" became "I know exactly what I'm doing". "I can't do this" became "I can easily do this" etc.... You get the idea.

I ended up with a list of 32 positive statements, which were the exact opposite of what I was saying to myself all the time. This was the important part because the statements related to MY thinking. They were not someone else's list of affirmations. I realised that I had dirty water (negative thoughts) circulating in my mind, and the only way to make it clean was to gradually replace it with pure water (the positive statements that were the EXACT opposite of the negative thoughts).

I put the list up on my bathroom mirror and started saying them aloud a couple of times morning and night. It took about three days to start to notice the difference and I continued reading them for a month. Now I am rarely have those negative thoughts, and am when I do, I am able to catch and replace them quickly and easily.

Meditation and Relaxation

Meditation is a simple, natural, mental technique that is practiced twice daily for 15-20 minutes while seated comfortably. Because it is effortless and natural, it requires no special abilities and can be practiced by anyone -- anyone who can think can meditate! More than one million people of all ages, nationalities, religions, and walks of life are already enjoying the great benefits of this technique, which include:

deep rest (deeper than the deepest point of sleep) and relaxation

increased energy and vitality

improved health

greater alertness and clarity of mind

improved memory

increased intelligence and creativity

greater happiness

improved interpersonal relationships

ability to accomplish more with less effort

less problems in life

Studies of meditation indicate that it tends to produce normalisation in all areas of life. It reduces stress, improves health, enriches mental functioning, enhances personal relationships, and increases job productivity and job satisfaction.

Listed below are some of the findings of the effects of meditation.

Improved Mental Abilities: Increased intelligence, increased creativity, improved learning ability, improved memory, improved reaction time, higher levels of moral reasoning, improved academic achievement, greater orderliness of brain functioning, increased self-actualisation.

Improved Health: Reduced stress and anxiety, reduced hospitalisation, reduced incidence of disease, reduced need for out-patient medical care, reduced health care costs, reduced use of alcohol and drugs, improved cardiovascular health, reduced physical complaints, increased longevity.

Improved Social Behaviour: Improved self-confidence, reduced anxiety, improved family life, improved relationships at home and at work, increased tolerance, improved job performance, increased job satisfaction.

Meditation Technique

Aside from generating groundbreaking research, it may be that Herbert Benson's most lasting contribution is the development and popularisation of a meditative technique with no religious overlay. This approach allows those who are not religious, or whose beliefs may appear to conflict with the teachings connected to a particular meditation system, to nonetheless participate fully in this worthwhile, health-giving activity.

According to Benson, the relaxation response technique produces the same physiological changes as does the most popular meditation technique, the method which has been most fully researched in scientific settings.

Here is a slight adaptation of Benson's directions for evoking the relaxation response and entering a meditation state.

(1) Sit quietly in a comfortable position with your back straight. (Do not lie down).

(2) Take a few deep breaths, and as you are expelling each breath, say out loud "relaxing now" and gradually close your eyes.

(3) Deeply relax all your muscles one by one, beginning at your feet, focusing on each part of the body, and progressing up to your face and the little muscles behind your eyes. Keep them relaxed.

(4) Breathe through your nose. Become aware of your breathing. As you breathe out, say the word "ONE," silently to yourself. For one example, breathe IN... OUT, "ONE"; IN... OUT, "ONE,": etc. Breathe easily and naturally.

(5) Continue for 10 to 20 minutes. You may open your eyes if necessary to check the time, or you may use a timer with a quiet alarm function. When you finish, sit quietly for several minutes, at first with your eyes closed and later with your eyes opened. Stretch your arms, then the rest of your body and take a few deep breaths again. Do not stand up for a few minutes.

(6) Do not worry about whether you are successful in achieving a deep level of relaxation. Maintain a passive attitude and permit relaxation to occur at its own pace. When distracting thoughts occur, try to ignore them by not dwelling upon them and return to repeating "ONE." With practice, the response should come with little effort. Practice the technique once or twice daily, but not within two hours after any meal, since the digestive processes seem to interfere with the elicitation of the relaxation response.

The word "ONE" may be replaced by a mantra if preferred. Some possible mantras from various traditions are:

Om So Hum Om Mani Padme Hum Om Nima Shivaya Hari Om Tat twam asi

The sounds used for these mantras, which are derived from Sanskrit, are not intended to engage the cognitive mind.

It is common for beginners at meditation (of all types) to experience a great deal of mental chatter and clutter. If this happens to you, it does not mean that you are doing anything wrong. Just notice each thought as it comes, and then let it pass on by, using the mantra to, as it were, break the spell.

Most of the information presented here on meditation is drawn from articles published on the Internet by Daniel Redwood, Herbert Benson and other highly qualified researchers.

Summary

These are a few techniques that people have found effective, so if depressed or even if you just have the blues for whatever reason, try the combination of techniques presented here for at least a month. Results with different people can and will vary, and the time to achieve results must obviously vary as well.

The important thing to remember is that these techniques will give you a greater degree of control over the way you feel. Dealing with depression is a matter of doing all the small things mentioned on a daily basis, and the results you achieve will be in direct proportion to how consistent and how disciplined you are in doing the techniques every day. You can choose to be happy anytime you want, and you don't need anyone to make you happy. All you need to do is choose, and the funny thing is that when you become happy all the time, no matter what your circumstances, nice people will just start coming into your life, because you are a happy person and happy people are attracted to other happy people. And with the happy people that come into you life, will also come the opportunities that will allow you to be successful in every area of your life.

It's all your choice...anytime you want....

Just remember the key - Actions create feelings. Feelings do not create actions. So take action, and you can start to enjoy life again.

Disclaimer

The information and advice contained in this article is based on the research and personal experiences of the author. They are intended as information only and not as a substitute for consulting with your doctor or health care professional. The author is not responsible in any way for any adverse effect or consequences resulting from any suggestions or use of any other information contained herein. All matters pertaining to your physical, mental and emotional health should be supervised by your health care professional.

Depression Don't Deny It - Accepting Depression is the Start of Your Healing

If you had back pain you would see a pain therapist. If you broke your arm you would want a doctor to set it for you. If you had liver pain you would want to have it examined right! Then why do so many people avoid the issue of depression and just hope it will go away.

Confusing Definitions

The term depression itself is confusing, how can a word we commonly use to describe feeling upset of worn out also be the word that describes a severe or even life threatening medical condition. Simple in the first instance we misuse the word depression.

When many people mean when they say they are depressed, is that they are feeling low, they may be tired, stressed, overloaded, anxious, frustrated with life or overwhelmed. They are not depressed.

This definition confusion is common. Take asthma for example. It kills some people and other sufferers become Olympic champions.

You need to be professionally diagnosed

The symptoms can be confusing so a proper diagnosis is required. If you suffering from any of the following? Aches, pains, fatigue, low self esteem, lack of sleeping through the night, sleeping excessively, poor appetite, or eating to manage stress. If these symptoms have persisted over a few months then it is possible you are suffering from depression.

Discard the stigma

A major reason for denying the possibility of depression is the unfortunate negative and ignorant social stigma attached to mental illness. Crazy, looney, nutcase etc have long been popular expressions; these do nothing to encourage sufferers of depression to seek help.

Acknowledge the reality

If you think you may be depressed, take courage and seek help. It is not your fault, it is not a failing on your part, you are not weak. You are just a person who has a chemical imbalance and it happens to be in your. Brain

Medical treatments.

The most common western medical treatments include serotonin re-uptake inhibitors-SSRIs this group of medications spare the available serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter. Think of it as a chemical which allows connections to occur.

When you have enough of this chemical you r connections are firing correctly and you feel emotionally stable. If there is a deficiency you will feel the flat mental symptoms of depression. So remember depression is a chemical imbalance condition.

The other main therapy is CBT, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This is a one on one process where the client is assisted to see and respond to their situation from a new healthy perspective.

Natural therapies have a great deal to offer and will be discussed in the next article.

How Does Depression Affect Your Chemical Balance And Your Brain?

Experts have found a link between brain chemicals and depression. Accordingly, abnormal levels of certain brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) influence brain activity (particularly in the limbic system and cortex) trigger bouts of depression. Neurotransmitters, by the way, are chemicals that enable the transmission of signals or information throughout the body. Neurotransmitters are what move the different parts or organs of the body to do what they are supposed to do. They send signals to your heart (the reason why it beats), to your lungs (the reason why you breathe), and so on. They influence mood and concentration, as well. But you can't have these neurotransmitters in normal levels all the time. Genetics, stress, diet, substance and alcohol abuse can throw these brain chemicals off-balance.

Glutamate and Depression Prevention

There are different brain chemicals that can prevent depression, and glutamate is one of them. An amino acid, glutamate is mainly involved in the production of proteins but it is believed to prevent depression, if not, reduce depression symptoms, by inhibiting brain activity in some areas.

The Role of Monoamines in Depression

The more popular lot of neurotransmitters is the class of monoamines that includes serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. Rarely can you stumble on an article about depression that does not talk about these three particular brain chemicals!

Serotonin is a brain chemical that stabilizes mood. Its function is inhibitory in nature, it balances the effects of other neurotransmitters that excite the brain. Serotonin also helps prevent sleeping disturbances and keeps one from turning to destructive way of dealing with depression. Serotonin levels can become abnormal with excessive use of stimulants and too much caffeine intake.

Norepinephrine excites rather than inhibits. Too much norepinephrine can cause anxiety while low levels of this neurotransmitter can dampen mood and cause sleeping problems and low energy.

Dopamine, meanwhile, is linked to memory, focus and concentration. It pushes you to get things done. It goes to say that when you have either high or low levels of this neurotransmitter, it can manifest in forgetfulness and inability to concentrate on one task alone.

Medications To Treat Depression
Based on the foregoing, drug options for depression will typically include:

• Tricyclics. Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), such as Anafranil, Adapin, Aventyl, Elavil, Norpramin


• Pamelor, Pertofrane, Sinequan, and Surmontil, Tofranil, and Vivactil, are prescribed primarily to increase the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. While often regarded as an effective depression treatment, TCAs come with many undesirable side effects, among them, blurred vision, tremors, dry mouth, drowsiness during daytime, constipation and bladder problems, sexual problems, weight gain, fatigue, and increased heart rate.


• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors. Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs), like Parnate, Nardil, and Marplan, are usually recommended when "all else fails". This is because prescription for MAOIs comes with special considerations and restrictions. For one thing, they can cause adverse reactions when taken with other drugs, cheese and alcoholic beverages, so avoidance of these substances is emphasized when on MAOI. These drugs can also cause potentially life-threatening side effects just like chest pain, stiffed neck, abnormally fast heart rate, and nausea and vomiting.


• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. SSRIs, such as Celexa, Lexapro, Luvoc, Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft, are among the more popular antidepressants prescribed by doctors. They help one deal with depression by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain. Like other depressants, SSRIs come with many side effects, too, such as reversible, sexual problems, dizziness, nausea, and difficulty sleeping.


• Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors. SNRIs are another class of antidepressants. They work by increasing not just serotonin but also norepinephrine levels in the brain.

As you may have noted, however, all of these drug options come with side effects. Thus, it may be wise to include preventing depression in the treatment plan as well.

How to Have Daily Inspirational Quotes Sent to Your Phone

Having daily inspirational quotes sent to your phone helps in many ways to keep people motivated. There are so many to choose from that exist. Most however, don't know where to go.

N'deav[r]'s one of the many services that carries access to daily inspirational quotes. These are quotes aimed in making your life better and more fulfilling. They cost about a 1.92 per week.

If you are not the type that wants something inspiring for the day, but rather for a purpose, they have that too. The same company can provide people who are in the process of quitting smoking, inspirational quotes aimed at helping with that. They made a specific set which is supposed to inspire and motivate those who are quitting to resist the urge.

With any of the paid services, you usually have the choice to choose when you are to receive the message. This especially comes in handy for those who know they have cravings to smoke at certain times throughout the day. This way they receive a message with inspiration at that time and then have their attention shifted from the craving to the quote in front of them.

Another choice for those not wanting pay for a service to send them daily inspirational quotes to your phone, is Zedge. They actually have a free service where you are able to download videos of quotes. This way you have access to the quotes on demand, rather than only when a company sends you a quote.

The three mentioned are a few of many. Doing a simple search on the Internet will give access to the numerous services available. Those who need a little courage, motivation, or inspiration, find these kinds of services a great way to give them what they need. Many enjoy the motivation received from these kinds of quotes and you can too.

Bipolar and Depression - The Facts You Need To Know

It 's sometimes difficult to distinguish between bipolar and depression. Both illnesses display similar symptoms, but there are major differences between bipolar and depression that you need to look out for. Read on to find out the main differences between bipolar and depression and their symptoms.

• 1) How do I recognise the differences? The types of bipolar and depression... Postnatal: this is a very serious from of depression some women may experience after child birth. SAD: Seasonal Affective Disorder is caused by the lack of exposure to sunlight in the winter months. Chronic/Clinical: this is a ongoing depression that is commonly caused by chemical imbalances in the brain and traumatic childhood events. Reactive: this is caused by a particular stressful event, common causes are death, divorce, serious illness etc. Bipolar: sufferers experience extreme and intense mood swings, feeling really happy one moment and utterly depressed the next. The main differences between bipolar and depression are... Bipolar = felling intense highs and low moods. Depression = no experience of the extreme highs that bipolar suffers do, but instead experiences extended periods of lows.
  


• 2) What help is on offer? The first thing you need to do if you think you may be suffering from either bipolar or depression, is to get some professional help. Depression is relativity easy to diagnose, but bipolar is often misdiagnosed and goes unnoticed. A great way to help a doctor or psychiatrist with their diagnosis or treatment plan is to keep a journal of your moods. A journal will also go along way to help you workout a pattern to the way you feel, help you identify the triggers and give you a better understanding of you illness.
  


• 3) What options do you have? Bipolar and depression both need to be treated. This doesn't necessarily mean having to take antidepressant pills, some of the best results are often seen by using talking cures such Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and counselling. Suffers who use these treatments often remark that talking to someone about their problems can feels like a weigh has been lifted and improves their outlook and mood. Building a support group from your family and friends is a great way to deal with bipolar and depression. You have to be honest with them about your condition and tell them that you will need their help to get you through the low times. Knowing that there are people there for you and looking out for you will make your condition easier to deal with.

Remember... don't try and go it alone. There are now so many options and treatments available for Bipolar and Depression that you should have no trouble leading a happy normal life. If you would like even more information on treatments available for bipolar and depression click on the links below.

What to Do When Your Husband Is Depressed (Top 5 Ways to Deal With His Depression)

If you don't know what to do when your husband is depressed, things can get out of your power rapidly, because, according to researchers, depression impact men differently than it does women. Men who are depressed go through a series of physical and emotional alterations. They start ignoring responsibilities and hardly find pleasure in any pursuit.

Men hardly indicate the signs of depression; In fact, they keep their inner depressed feelings hidden instead of revealing them. If you want to be an elite wife, then you should know what to do when your husband is depressed. Here are the top 5 ways for you to deal with his depression.

1. Let Him Stay Alone.

A man's silence can easily baffle a woman, because silence is a woman's cry. When she finds her man in silence, she tries to draw his feelings out through verbal contact, but this try depresses his husband even more and turns the discussions into painful fights.

There are two things which you need to remember always if you want to deal with his depression.

(a) When a man is depressed, you can't expect him to share things with you immediately. It's in his nature to be alone in silence and solve things in his own mind.

(b) If you ask him direct questions while he's in depression, you will turn the discussion into a painful argument. So, it's always better for you to let him spend some time in silence and alone.

2. Focus On Creating a Solution.

Many studies have revealed that men's brain always focus on creating solutions. That's why, solution oriented approach is mainly used by men in every discussion. It's in their nature to work out the issues, calculate the next step, and make decisions.

Deborah Tannen, author of "You Just Don't Understand", said that a man communicates to provide information, create solutions, and show mastery. So, during his depression, a woman should talk according to his ways of thinking of keeping the conversation solution-oriented.

3. Ask For His Opinion.

You can deliberately use this powerful trick to refrain his depression during discussion. This trick can instantly end his heaps of worries and make him think about the solutions more clearly.

(a) Always ask him about his opinion before you tell him your opinion.

(b) Add an example which illustrates his opinion and supports it.

(c) Through opinions, "Talk about quick solutions and set achievable goals."

This strategy allows you to win his mind completely and builds a strong rapport with him. He not only gets clear about what he wants but also feels that you are the only person on this earth who understands him completely. Most importantly, when you understand his psychology and give him what he wants, he does almost anything to keep you happy forever.

4. Creative Ways to Cheer Him Up.

There are many creative ways to cheer your husband up if he's depressed. Just understand his source of depression and make him feel special by shifting his thinking on something worthy. Here are two creative and powerful cheer-ups that are very effective - and easy to implement - for men.

(a) Give him a long hug, rubs his backbone, or give him a massage. Your touch is the most powerful way to lower his anxiety level.

(b) Despite pointing out the negative issues, motivate him for the future rewards, because men love being around those who motivate them.

5. Make The Food and Mood Connection.

Make the food and mood connection in order to reduce his depression. The positive energies of food develop euphoric feelings that enhances the complete inner state of body. Here are 3 foods that will provide the needed fuel to spark the pleasant effect while he's depressed.

(a) Eggs: Although eggs are not the most sensual of foods, but they are very nutritious. They are the nature's golden food that maximize energy levels and fight stress.

However, it's necessary to mention that, according to experts, one should not nosh more than two eggs a day when it comes to dieting.

(b) Bananas: Bananas are great stress relievers. If your partner usually stays upset, try adding bananas to your daily routine, since they create a direct positive impact on our mood and brain.

(c) Pasta: Pasta should always give your husband the boost he needs. It actually reduces depress hormones and improves the mood.

Do People Who Commit Suicide Go to Heaven?

I suppose it is safe to say that most people have had suicidal thoughts at some time in their life. In fact, if you live in the United States you are more likely to kill yourself than you are to be killed by someone else. There were 1.7 times as many suicides as homicides nationwide in 2000. Those statistics do not include the suicide attempts that did not result in death.

Experts say that suicide is usually the result of untreated clinical depression or mental illness. Stress on the job, social pressures, financial concerns, unresolved emotional issues, relationship woes, parenthood tension, midlife crisis, divorce, peer pressure, physical health problems, drug abuse and co-dependency are just some of the factors contributing to depression. A person may feel that their situation is overwhelming and that they have no power to change their lives. They may feel they have no purpose in life, or reason to live. With severe personal problems, suicide may seem like a reasonable solution to end or avoid emotional pain. It releases the soul from the body, but it also leaves confusion, guilt and grief for those left behind.

Coping with the death of a loved one is saddening enough, but the grief associated with death by suicide is often compounded by shock, guilt and confusion. The stigma associated with suicide may cause people to fear that their loved one may be punished in the afterlife, Some Fundamentalists preach that suicide is an "unforgivable sin leading to damnation." Others believe that those who commit suicide will come back as a severely handicapped person in another lifetime. Some believe it is an act of cowardice or weakness but none of this is true.

It can be very difficult for a survivor to cope with their loss when suicide is shunned by society in this way. The loved ones that are left behind typically blame themselves, thinking that they were somehow responsible. Personally, I believe, when someone commits suicide, it's like dropping out of a class and having to start over next semester by repeating the life that was terminated. A woman I know reported that her son, who had committed suicide, came to her in a dream after she read my book. He was not being punished for ending his life; instead he was preparing to reincarnate in order to finish the mission he had aborted.

If we view suicide from the Abraham-Hicks perspective, we see that every death can be considered suicide because every death is self-imposed through the choices we make such as the foods we eat, the toxins we inhale, the risks we take, etc. We each choose, on some level, when we're ready to exit. We're all committing suicide every day, some just slower than others.

Suicide is never the best option for escaping emotionally painful or unpleasant situations because emotions continue in the Afterlife. While the soul does NOT have to endure hardship in order to learn its lessons, these experiences are sometimes created by the soul to help it evolve. However, we can learn to evolve in more positive and gentler ways.

I offer no judgment or condemnation to anyone contemplating suicide, or to those who have attempted or even accomplished such an act. However, if someone you love is talking about suicide, please take them seriously and encourage them to seek immediate professional help.

Warning Signs of Suicide:

· Talk about suicide or death

· Withdrawal from family and friends

· Sudden behavioral changes

· Wanting to "tie up loose ends" or give away belongings

· Reckless behavior

· Withdrawal from regular activities

· Sudden change in sleeping patterns or eating habits

If we "skip class" and depart prematurely by our own devises, we will still need to learn the intended lessons in another lifetime. Understanding that you have the power to create your life as you want it and taking steps toward making positive changes will allow you to enjoy life on earth and then go peacefully into the Afterlife once your mission here is complete.

Bipolar Disorder: A Personal Story of Triumph Over Suicide and Mental Illness

Bipolar Disorder: A Personal Story of Triumph

Like in Alcoholics Anonymous, I sometimes wanted to shout to the world, "I am a Bipolar." Why? Because I was desperate for help when I first contracted Bipolar Disease, but help was not forthcoming. Oh yes, there were the electroshock treatments that in 1991 made me a blithering idiot or in 1995 temporarily lifted my agitated clinical depression for one whole week before submerging me again in drudgery. During this week of freedom, I was so elated that my misery had lifted that I stupidly gave up my long term disability and returned to my professorial duties at Stony Brook University on Long Island, New York. When the misery returned, all of a sudden I was gone from the university for a period that lasted five years. I had to reapply and get reapproved for my long term disability. The paperwork should have taken me at most a couple of hours. Instead like my original application, it took me three weeks. That's how hard it was for me to do anything. It would be three years later before the shame of this illness allowed me to once more face my university colleagues through attending my friend and colleague Bill's retirement party.

From 1991 through 1995, I was hospitalized four to five times, each time for several weeks in three different hospitals on Long island. I hated it each time. I couldn't wear my hairpiece and when that door locked me in the psychiatric ward, I knew I was trapped in a world I detested. Oftentimes, I would plan my escape in that I would bolt out the door with visitors after visiting hours, but I never found the courage to do so. Had I tried and failed, I envisioned being placed in a straightjacket like in the movies. I had sunk pretty low from being an intelligent scientist who now accepted his lot that this is the way his lost life would be from here on in. In March of 1995, I planned my suicide. I had spoken to a patient in one of my hospital visits who described her suicide attempt with an overdose of pills. She sighed when she told me that her experience was not a good one, but I wasn't listening. I had been a pill taker all my life, so I believed I finally had found a way out of a world that was telling me that there was no way out. Only through Divine Providence of God coming to my wife Marcia am I alive today. And I'm so sad now that Marcia passed on March 18, 2011. She saved my life but I wasn't able to save hers.

I took drugs for the voices I heard in my head and for the psychosis that accompanied my mania. The side effects of the drugs were involuntary twitching of the lips, brain fog, and tremors to the point that I could not sign my name. The antidepressant drugs that I tried never worked and only months of the passage of time brought me out of my episodes of severe clinical depression. My only respite was the two hours of sleep that I got from sheer exhaustion each night. I've never figured out why sleep was able to provide that relief but in retrospect, the doctors should have heavily sedated me with the most powerful sleeping pills. After all, isn't that what they do, administer drugs? The three different psychiatrists that I had during this time period never really talked to me, never got at what I was feeling. Their role was to provide their patients with pharmaceuticals regardless of drug side effects.

When all else failed, I resorted to suicide by swallowing 200 aspirin and codeine pills that my mother had brought me from Toronto. At the time, my wife Marcia and my youngest daughter Erin were shopping forty-five minutes away from our home. They had no idea about what I had planned. I opened the two bottles of pills and took one or two pills at first, followed by four then six then eight. I was a pro at taking pills and the two hundred pills disappeared into my stomach in just fifteen or twenty minutes. I went to lie down and finally after months of finding it impossible to find a place for myself, I felt at peace. It was too late to reverse the process and I was waiting to see that light that people who have survived near death experiences talk about. Oops, I realized that I hadn't written a suicide note to Marcia and the family. Nor had I recorded the date for posterity. I was certain, however, that I was going to die.

Meanwhile a miraculous intervention was occurring at the diner 45 minutes away by car. Erin and Marcia had just ordered lunch when Marcia said to Erin, "We have to go. Something's wrong with dad." When they showed up back at the house and woke me up, I blurted out what I had done. Marcia immediately called 911 and the Nesconset, Long Island, NY Fire Department responded within minutes. I initially refused to be taken to the emergency room, but Marcia pleaded with them and me. The sadness and desperation on her face changed my mind and all of a sudden I was being lifted off our king-size bed onto a stretcher. With sirens blasting, I found myself in a surreal state. There were no beds at the emergency room, only an uncomfortable short stretcher in an air conditioned room with glaring overhead fluorescent lights. I was freezing and had to pee. An unkind nurse provided a metal urinal and I missed and urine was all over the sheet covering the stretcher. The nurse was less than compassionate. I felt humiliated and embarrassed, and within minutes someone placed a catheter into my penis. The catheter was painful and never should have been inserted.

The worse was yet to come as doctors and nurses stood over me while they pumped my stomach. They kept inserting this stinking tube through my nose. I was wishing it was over and finally for what seemed like forever, it was over, as everyone left. After more time had elapsed, of which I have no account, I remember finally being transferred to a bed that actually accommodated my 6 foot 2 inch height. That was the last thing I remembered as I was in and out and mostly out sleeping for the next 48 to 72 hours. The caring doctor on duty had told Marcia that they didn't know whether I was going to make it. I had fallen down a bottomless pit and finally hit bottom. I was embarrassed and ashamed but didn't know how I would continue to face this agitated clinical depression. Days later, I made a second feeble try at suicide with sixteen pills, still considered an overdose, and had my stomach pumped again. Marcia was fed up and dumped me without a kiss goodbye on the steps of the admissions office of the South Oaks Psychiatric Hospital. I dreaded returning and felt that this was the end of the line and the end of my freedom. This is where I would remain for the end of my days. I had hallucinated and seen my hairdressers with orange and purple hair and seen evil in paintings and people. I had delusions of grandeur thinking I was the Messiah. In my 1991 episode, I played chess with Saddam Hussein as we strategized during the first Gulf War. Ironically, I didn't play chess. I even called the White House to speak to Barbara Bush to give her my advice for ending the war. I had experienced psychosis at the height of my mania and I had crashed to severe depression to the ultimate bottom, suicide.

Several months later when I had recovered from my suicide attempt and agitated depression, I found myself at a mental illness support group. The meeting was attended by parents of children who had the illness and I qualified because in August of 1994 and June of 1995, my twin sons had their first bouts respectively of Bipolar Disorder. I always felt that I was destined to have the illness at age 50 so I could understand what they were and are still going through. I was the first to have Bipolar Disorder in the family. My father suffered from depression but never experienced mania. My psychiatrist felt that the mania probably came from my mother who he suggested was hypomanic. Identical twin studies have shown that Bipolar Disorder, or Manic Depression as the illness used to be called, is genetic in about half the cases. That means that half the time only one identical twin has the illness. Where both twins are sick, you sometimes see one with Bipolar Disorder and the second with Schizoaffective Disorder or Schizophrenia. The "schizo" attachment signifies an additional thought disorder that can accompany the same mania and psychosis as seen in Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar as its name implies is different than the "schizo" disorders in that it is a mood disorder with swings from the high of mania to the low of depression. All types of mental illness are chemical imbalances in the brain and are not the fault of the unfortunate and often surprised recipient who is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.

No one knows the cause of Bipolar Disorder and after doing regressive therapy back to my mothers womb, I am not at all convinced that a genetic explanation in families such as mine is the cause for transmission to descendants like my sons. There is so much bioelectric activity occurring in the womb, especially in the birth canal prior to birth, that may change the neurotransmitters' and hormones' amounts and actions to set the stage later for the onset of the disease. Often the disease is not diagnosed for years because it seems that inability to do homework or focus in school can be explained by other problems such as attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactive disorder. The textbooks talk about Bipolar Disorder being diagnosed in children as early as age 8 but my wife Marcia was a special education teacher and she noted the mood swings of the mania and depression of Bipolar Disorder or Manic Depression in some of her 4 year olds. Most individuals are diagnosed in their teens or twenties like my sons. There is a smaller group who come down with the disease at about age 40. Rarely does one see anyone like myself at age 50. A young doctor, a pediatrician, in his late forties once stopped by my office at the university just to meet me and know that there was someone else like him who had the illness at such an older age in life. He too was the first in his family and had to give up his medical practice. I hope that I gave him hope. I was out of the university for five years on a long term disability and had just returned to Stony Brook to once again take up my professorial duties when this fine young man stopped by.

It's a shame that mental illness still has the stigma attached to it although with more celebrities talking about the diseases, we are seeing more awareness and understanding from the public. I often think that the mentally ill are part of a group forgotten by society. Young people in particular think that you can just will yourself back to health. You cannot. You won't go into remission from a particular episode of Bipolar Disorder until the chemical imbalance is restored in your brain to some fashion we might call normalcy. After years of taking drugs, that state of normalcy may not be the same as your brain was before you ever acquired the disease. Bipolar Disorder is like a tree stump. It stumps your life. Some people never work again and those that do are hampered. Rare ones like myself are blessed to return to a higher level of occupation. The illness is often the cause of job loss, marital tension and divorce, and addiction to mind altering drugs and alcohol. All the Bipolars I met in the hospital for some reason that I cannot comprehend smoked. Traditional Bipolar is diagnosed by mania followed by depression, but the disease takes on different forms with specific medical terminology. The latter is important but what's more important is to realize that Bipolar Disorder is different for everyone and each individual episode can be different with common patterns. My illness is different from my twin sons, and theirs is different from each other. How would genetics explain their differences unless influenced also by environment?

There are a lot of misconceptions out there, but when people get past their fears and ignorance, they will sometimes ask me what is the difference between hypomania and mania. From my perspective, mania is a more extreme form of brain activity. In hypomania, you may still be able to reach the individual and get him help before he has a full blown episode. In mania, the person hears your voice but he or she is really not listening to you. You can't reach a person in their manic state unless they finally calm down with the assistance of drugs of they somehow realize themselves, like I did, that it's time to seek help or you will lose your mind. People also sheepishly ask me what my suicide attempt was like. Bloody awful and demeaning I answer. I remember at that support group the social worker asking for someone to begin. Immediately, a woman sitting beside me jumped at the chance and said something I had never heard before. "Bipolar Disorder is a terminal illness." No psychiatrist had ever expressed these words and they seemed to be floating in the air as I tried to grasp onto them and internalize them in my brain. The woman, whose husband was sitting solemnly beside her, was somber as she spoke lovingly about her son who blew his brains out with a gun. Thank God I took pills or that could have been me. The woman told of her son's countless cries for help that went unanswered. When the coordinator of the group asked me to speak next, I wanted this woman to understand that I understood, so I described my suicide attempt. This story has always struck a sad chord in me and makes me grateful that I am still here. It brings up such mixed emotions in me.

There is still much to understand about Bipolar Disorder and lest people think I am anti-drug, I am not. You need to take your drugs and build up your spirituality. In the old days without mood stabilizers such as lithium and the neuroleptics (anti-psychotics), they threw you into the loony bin and you never came out. It's still a crapshoot in the case of the antidepressants. However, if you find the right one you will kiss the earth and thank God every day. You can have clinical depression without Bipolar Disorder and it is similar. In my case, the depression was mixed with an unyielding agitation of the mania part of my illness. I was given nothing for the Akithisia as the doctors refer to it and I could sit still for just a few seconds. It was horrific and that's when I decided to finally end it all. Thank God for God coming to Marcia. I would never have known that I would have ever come up had I not survived. I hope that my story gives hope to people who are struggling today that every descent is part of an ascent to follow.

During those five years of long term disability, I was blessed with spiritual experiences of an incredible nature. The psychiatrists speak about 25 % or so of Bipolars going into remission. I have not had an episode in seventeen years. I would like to believe that it's because I have strengthened myself spiritually for the last thirteen years. Usually a person who doesn't get enough sleep will trip into mania. I survive on very little sleep. These days I work hard on helping the Creator but I also want to help the forgotten members of our society, the mentally ill. While I was still a Professor at Stony Brook, I ran an ad in the university paper and offered my help to anyone with Bipolar Disorder. I do so now, so please contact me if you need help. You can email jerrypollock@bellsouth.net Thank you for listening

Jerry Pollock, Ph.D..

What is BHRT?

For many years women have been receiving estrogen replacement therapy for the sudden end of hormone production known as menopause. Natural or Bioidentical Hormone Restoration Therapy, (BHRT), is the restoration of hormone imbalance to reduce the negative symptoms and treat conditions caused by hormone imbalances.

BHRT are Hormones such as: Estrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone that have the same composition as the hormones produced naturally by the human body. To determine what hormones are out of balance, specific testing is performed to identify the specific hormones. Once identified, a specific treatment process is undertaken using bioidentical hormones.

Traditional Synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy has been shown to increase the risk of strokes, heart attacks, breast cancer, and blood clots. The use of BHRT has been shown not to increase the riak of these conditions. There are much less side effects to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy because the hormones are natural and our bodies metabolize bioidentical hormones the way it's designed to. Synthetic hormones can often be quite strong and produce unbearable side effects.

Before undergoing treatment, it is important to test for a hormone imbalance so that there is not another condition such as depression that is affecting the patient. As well, the specific hormone that is not in balance has to be identified so the proper therapy will be given and customized to the particular patients needs. Testing can be done by a salivary test or a blood test. The test called 'Pellet BHRT' involves testing the blood to see what hormones are not being delivered in appropriate amounts to the organs.

Traditional BHRT therapy involves taking hormone replacement treatments in the form of creams, tablets, capsules, or troches. Pellet Therapy involves giving the bioidentical hormones in the form of a pellet (similar to a grain of rice) which is inserted directly under the skin and provides constant relief of symptoms for about 4-6 months. As your hormone need increases, the pellet will release the required hormones. Pellet Therapy will require re-insertion 2-3 times a year.

Bioidentical Hormone regimens are made by a compounding pharmacist for each patient individually, based on the specific symptoms and test results. The therapy may be delivered in the form of BHRT Pellets topical creams, pills, capsules, lozenges, or subdermal implants. The method of delivery is based both on the specific hormones in your preparation and your preference. This therapeutic plan is individualized and personalized to meet your needs.

Benefits of BHRT:

-Reduces insomnia and hot flashes
-Better concentration and alertness
-Reduces anxiety and depression
-Improves sex drive
-Decreases bloating, headaches, and irritability.
-Increases weight loss
-Regulates menstruation

Living with a hormone imbalance can be very difficult to manage. Anxiety, mood swings, depression, can take a toll on the individual as well as loved ones. Fortunately research are coming up with safer ways to restore low hormones. BHRT is one method that more doctors are recommending as a safe and easy treatment for hormone restoration. Contact your doctor to find out how Bioidentical Hormone Restoration Therapy can benefit your condition.

Ways on How to Cheer People Up

Life is not a fairy tale. At one time or another, people will get sad, frustrated or even depressed. The problem is, not all people can easily deal with that. There are some that easily gets sad when they feel that life is pressing on them. If we know some that are feeling sad, we need to find ways on how to cheer people up.

What we need to do is tailor our approach. You need to have the personality and right circumstances for the cheering session. Obviously, you cannot cheer someone who is sad if you are also sad. Think about what is making the person sad and take it from there. You cannot just cheer them by doing things because it might offend them.

Distract them from being sad. If your friend starts showing signs of sadness, try opening another topic to discuss about. What he needs is something that would keep his mind off the thing that is making him sad.

Give them something special. Why not giving them a hug? It is amazing how a hug can change the entire mood of a person. It can lift up that sullen mood of your friend if you volunteer on giving them a hug. It can also be giving them something they like. Perhaps they like flowers. Give some to them so that they have a reason to smile.

Always show that you are concerned about them. There are times when laughter is just not the best medicine. Make them, feel that you there if ever they need a friend or someone to talk to. That kind of concern will make them feel loved.

If you don't know any ways on how to cheer people up, just try to be cheerful, and you will eventually share that feeling to your friend. When we keep a happy disposition, we can slowly lift other people's mood because of our presence. We can be an example for them on being happy and jolly all the time.

It might take you several attempts before you can finally cheer someone. It will all depend on how deep his sadness is. There are people who just don't like being cheered, and you have to make sure you know the signs of that. You can also have times like these and you just want to feel alone. Even if you know the ways on how to cheer people up, when the person doesn't feel like smiling at the time, just let her be, but never leave her side. She might need you to just be there even though you don't talk. Your presence might be what she needs.

Bipolar Depression - Some Hard Facts About Bipolar Depression Revealed

Bipolar depression, previously known as Manic Depression or Bipolar Manic Depression, is a chronic episodic illness associated with behavioral fluctuations. This depression is a brain disorder. The main characteristics of bipolar depression are episodes of serious mania and depression. The patient is normally found with mood swings right from high and irritable to sad and hopeless, getting back to normal mood in between.

Bipolar depression normally occurs in the age of adolescence or early adulthood and continues throughout life. Its a mental disorder free from the limitations of age and duration. It may continue through several years or may be decades.

Its not that there is no cure to it. In fact, Bipolar depression has a number of effective treatments that keep the potential to alleviate the suffering caused by it thereby preventing its hell like complications such as breaking relationships, loss of a job, alcohol or drug abuse and maybe a suicide.

Here are some hard facts about Bipolar depression:

1. Manic-depressive illness can prove to be very fatal for many people.

2. It has been estimated that nearly 2 million American suffer from this bipolar depression and 1.3% among the adults in England and Wales, which can prove to be disastrous for the progress of the country.

3. Its not only the sufferer who has to go through the hard testing phase of life but the people surrounding are adversely affected. They also suffer a lot due to the disturbances in the behavior of the patient.

4. Women are more likely to suffer from this bipolar depression for their whole life as compared to that of men.

5. Though it has not been confirmed 100% that this mental manic depression is hereditary in some cases, yet several cases have shown that it can be inherited.

6. This bipolar depression is not age-bound, as in some cases 12-year old children were found to be suffering from this mental disorder.

7. Some cases can be treated with a successful treatment, but not in every case.

Now, after going through the above hard facts about bipolar depression, would you like all this to happen to you too? No, not at all. Then to prevent yourself from being a lifetime victim of this bipolar depression, you must have proper awareness about it. Start with the bipolar or manic depression symptoms first.

So, go through the full information on the problem you are suffering from. This makes you your own doctor. Why to go for those expensive and time-consuming treatments to cure bipolar depression when you can treat it on your own!

Unforgivable Sin and Mental Illness - How Do I Know If I Have Committed the Unforgivable Sin?

As a Professional Counselor and an active Christian, I have often met clients who come to me ashen faced and trembling because they have believed that they have committed the unpardonable sin. That is, Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. I talk to them from my own experience of which I have recorded in a book for those folk to find for themselves that such an offense can only be committed when you die. There are many recorded people in the past who have died cursing Jesus Christ and His Sacrifice. That my dear friends is the unforgivable sin. You have died breathing your last breath cursing the only redeeming name that can ever save your soul. Jesus. Upon death, you can't turn around and ask for forgiveness because your will and your breath have gone, long gone.

God is a loving God. He is always willing to hear a repentant heart. Many a cursing man or woman has received forgiveness at the Cross simply by acknowledging their sin and allowing God to forgive and let them move on in life. Many wonderful Hymns have been written from that craggy place on their knees speaking of that 'once I was blind and now I see' place. of such hymn writers as John Newton and his wonderful hymn " Amazing Grace". He (Newton) went on to give God all the Glory through his writings.

Think about the cursing of Philosopher Voltaire who declared that the Bible would no longer be on the earth within 100 years of his death, yet his house where he lay on his deathbed cursing the Name of Jesus Christ, went on to become a publishing house for Bibles!. He died in a state of unforgiveness. Once dead, he had no more will of his own nor breath to renounce his cursing and to ask for God's forgiveness. You see you must confess your sins with your own breath and tongue, BEFORE you die. Otherwise your will is not your own once you die.

What a tragic experience it is to attend an unbeliever's funeral at the crematorium, where the funeral director states in a bold voice, "....so and so..............did not believe in a God and did not want any religious recognition of such an entity."

I am not interested in the theological technicalities. All that I am interested in is the nature of God. What is His nature? Is He loving and nurturing or is he as the song states " From a distance the world looks like its in harmony ending with the lyrics, God is watching us from a distance " written by Julie Gold and sung by Bette Middler. Is He really at a distance? or is He tangible within our hearts to feel? God understands our hearts. He is always willing to let us turn a new leaf and start again. Look at the wonderful hymns that John Newton wrote that we still sing today with a lump in our throat. How tragic if God had assigned a life of doom and damnation for Newton if, he never allowed such sinful behaviour ( his drunkeness and cursing life) to be washed away and forgiven. The world would surely have been robbed of the glorious words of forgiveness from a broken heart. see below for the words of Amazing Grace by John Newton.

Yes, it is a most serious offence to Curse the Name and Workings of Jesus Christ through the works which he wrought only by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, God, all merciful, just wants to pick up every cursing tongue and wash it with His love and set it back in place to show His glory. It is the devil who perpetuates the guilt and belief that once even a thought crosses into your mind that you have committed such an offence. Do you really think that the devil can't cross over into your thoughts? Well, he excels at that. He specialises in mind control. That is his entire purpose in eternity. To bring down the believer or unbeliever to a place of damnation to follow him there. The human mind is the devil's play ground. Ever wonder why there are so many Mary Magdalene's 're-incarnated' in a mental hospital or why every one curses in the name of Jesus, but not Allah? Think of the devil as being an immature bully. You wake at night in a cold sweat thinking that you have thought the unpardonable sin. Who put that thought there in the first place? Did you? Did you really go to bed that night with the aim of committing the unpardonable? So, where do you think that thought came from? YOU? Hardly likely. The devil just hovers around you, waiting for your most vulnerable time to hit. If you have been involved in seances and the like,such as contact with the dead, where do you think that force came from to lift objects or move the glass on the Ouija board? YOU? Don't kid yourself please!

The same force that came to the seance and told you about your grandfather or whoever and made it look so convincing is the same force that will come to you and whisper evil thoughts such as the unforgivable sin into your head and convince you that it is YOUR thought. Why do I know this?Because I was also a victim of his sick game. I also nearly ended up in a mental hospital due to the sleepless nights of anguish and screams in my head. I know that YOU can get over this with a lot of love, prayer and care. You need support from fellow Christians and Christian counsellors who have walked the walk. You can get over the diagnosis of mental illness - schizophrenia, manic depression, depression, etc and raise yourself up with God's grace and His mighty Holy Spirit. If you are still breathing now, say this prayer- " Father, forgive me, I have believed a LIE. It was not my thoughts, but thoughts impressed upon me by the devil. I ask you to forgive me where I have left doors open and show me now, by Your Holy Spirit, how to come out of this negative place of damnation to be myself. I was created by You and for You. If I am Yours, then you do not want to destroy Your own creation. You excel and love to see your creation grow and show You off, not hover in a wild depressed state of highs and lows. I know that You love me. You sent Your own Son, Jesus Christ to die for me, if I were the only person on this earth, You would still have sent Jesus to make a way for me to get back to You. I invite Jesus into my heart now and thank-YOU for Your love and forgiveness of my stupid thoughts which I I have allowed to grow in my head, I ask for your forgiveness of my allowing this to grow. That is the sin which I am guilty of. I believed a LIE. Thank-you Jesus and I welcome the Holy Spirit into my heart now. Welcome Holy Spirit." AMEN.

You are now forgiven and a Child of God. Don't you ever forget that. Next time the thought comes into your head, Discard it by simply praying, " The Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, which was shed for my sins at Calvary, covers and protects me from the evil plans of the devil by robbing me of my rightful joy in life with Jesus Christ. I am set free through the Shedding of the Blood of Jesus and my life is now mine shared in glory with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. I believe in the Trinity of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. They are ONE. Jesus is the same Yesterday, Today and Forever." AMEN.

AMAZING GRACE - John Newton

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev'd;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ'd!
Thro' many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promis'd good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call'd me here below,
Will be forever mine.

How To Identify The Signs Of Depression

Depression is not easy to catch, and you could well be a victim of it. It is important to recognize one's own moods and day to day tendencies, in simple words - "Signs of depression", so as not to succumb to depression. One could well pretend that it is just a difficult phase and life would move on, but that may not be the case, and depression may worsen your situation.

Signs of depression are just not limited to feeling down from time to time, about work strain, or general sadness in day to day life. Although depression symptoms could vary from person to person, certain signs are fairly common and can be used as a sure shot way to determine if a person is a victim of depression.

A depressed person generally feels completely hopeless about him. He could be seen complaining to anyone and everyone continuously how messed up his life is and how the situation could never improve. He keeps on criticizing himself and develops a general air?of worthlessness about him/her. He may fall prey to alcohol and drug use.

Depression could cause you to lose interest in day to day activities, and thus inhibit one's?social tendencies and any other means of joy and pleasure. A depressed person could well?drop out of daily routine such as office, business, college, etc. Such a person could also?exhibit sleeplessness, high amount of irritability, excessive anger over minor issues, and?frequent mood swings.

Depression could well result in loss of appetite. A person would exhibit loss of energy?and show signs of fatigue continuously. Routine activities which seemed easy and?pleasing in the past could well seem unwanted and difficult.

One of the major signs of depression is the exhibition of suicidal tendencies. This?should be treated as the final stage when depression is at its peak. When a person starts?mentioning his/her own death routinely in day to day conversations, he should be brought?to a consultant at the earliest, and his mental state and root cause of depression should be?examined at the earliest.

Sad, Stressed and Sleepy - The Disturbing Cycle of Depression

Depression, stress and sleeplessness can disturb one's life without you knowing it. It's a tough world out there, and with a million different sources of pressure and stress, it's easy for people to suddenly feel the happiness sucked right out of them. What's surprising, though, is that the deadly dance of stress and depression can become a never-ending cycle perpetrated by sleeplessness: not only can fatigue cause depression, but for people with depression stress can also be caused by insomnia. Looking at the great depression stress link (in the light of physical disturbances such as insomnia) can give us insights on the different causes and symptoms of this deadly mix that threatens the wellbeing of people the world over.

Depression: Causes and Consequences

According to the World Health Organization, depression is a common psychological disorder, affecting 121 million people all over the world, and is one of the leading causes of disability globally. It is a mental disorder that presents itself as a loss of will, interest and pleasure, low self-appraisal and intense guilt, as well as disturbed energy levels, appetite, sleep and concentration.

Depression is caused by no single factor in a person's life, however, it has been reported that stress - be it chronic or acute - can lead to your body's own stress-response system. This can increase levels of stress hormones in your body called cortisol, while causing reduced serotonin and dopamine levels in the body, which regulate your natural processes like appetite, sex drive, and the all-important evening slumber. For people with insomnia stress causes a host of physical and emotional problems. These imbalanced hormones cause sleeplessness and insomnia, and the insomnia stress causes leads to depression.

Sleep and Depression: A Cycle

It's not just one way though, as it's not a simple stress-causes-insomnia and insomnia-causes-depression process. Insomnia from stress does not just cause depression; as people in the deep of depression also experience insomnia. It can either come as difficulty sleeping at night, or even difficulty staying asleep and waking up too early, causing a lot of stress not just emotionally but physically as well. Sleeplessness causes a lot of anxiety, and for people with insomnia stress causes a myriad of problems in the body and the mind. If you have insomnia, stress causes you to lose focus and feel lethargic, discombobulated and tired.

Sleeplessness is a prime stressor, as for people with insomnia stress symptoms can include physical problems, rendering the body weak, prone to accidents and even heart disease. When a person suffers from insomnia stress symptoms can also include, to a more disturbing extent, hallucination - which can cause further anxiety and distress.

This stress, as we've discussed, can lead a depressed person further into the disorder if no intervention is made. In fact, in one study, it was shown that depressed elders with insomnia were more like to stay depressed after a year a whopping 17 times more than depressed seniors who had undisturbed sleep.

Putting it to Rest: Getting Help

Establishing the link between depression stress and insomnia, the path to treatment seems quite obvious. The insomnia stress causes can lead to depression after all, so it only seems right to treat these symptoms. True enough, in a study of clinically-depressed patients with sleep problems, participants who were treated with the drug Prozac (an antidepressant) and Lunesta (a drug for insomnia) improved far quicker. Patients who were merely treated for depression lagged behind in terms of recovery, strengthening the link between depression and insomnia.

However, while it is helpful, targeting insomnia stress symptoms is just that - targeting a symptom. For people with depression stress is still the cause, and in order to solve the depression and insomnia stress causes, meds that target symptoms are not the only answer. A lifestyle change can do wonders to support the alleviation of insomnia stress symptoms.

For people with insomnia stress symptoms such as the weakening of the body can be alleviated with a proper diet and the correction of bad habits. Staying away from coffee and caffeine, sticking to a regular bedtime, relaxation techniques like meditation can do wonders.

For depression, stress must be avoided as much as possible. Joining self-help groups, undergoing therapy and counselling, and even simply exercising can do wonders. In the same manner, exercising can lead to better sleep, thereby proving to be helpful for people with insomnia stress symptoms.

In the end, this triple threat of stress, depression and sleeplessness, though widespread and deadly, can be helped with the proper medication as well as, more importantly, proper knowledge of yourself and the lifestyle you choose to live.

Seasonal Affective Disorder Treatment: Massage Therapy Can Boost Your Mood in the Depths of Winter

For some people, the arrival of winter means cozying up to the fireplace, enjoying snow sports, and the excitement of celebrating the holidays with family and friends. For others, it means the arrival of shorter, darker, colder days, and a mood that heads steadily south until the weather turns nice again months later. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects some 9% of residents in the northern United States, bringing symptoms of depression, stress, and decreased energy along with the change in the weather.

If the dark, short, cold days of winter have gotten you down, there's a surprisingly easy and effective solution: get a massage. Many people don't realize that massage therapy can be an effective treatment against the symptoms of SAD. While many people have heard of using antidepressants or phototherapy (bright light treatment), many aren't aware that massage can also foster positive outcomes in patients suffering from SAD.

Although it is often difficult to pinpoint the exact mechanisms by which massage therapies generate symptom relief, most clinicians believe that massage helps SAD in at least two ways: by targeting stress and creating a supportive, caring environment. Massage treatment can help reduce stress, one of the key components of SAD, by helping relax tightened muscles, regulate hormone imbalances by targeting the endocrine system, and increase the body's serotonin levels.

The time spent with your massage therapist also works to reduce stress and alleviate depression by allowing you to develop a relationship with that individual. This bond, even when strictly clinical, enables you to feel more supported and able to overcome the negative symptoms of SAD.

Working on at least these two levels, therapeutic massage can help you reduce the sadness and stress that may come along with shorter days, darker nights, and colder temperatures. Even for those not suffering from symptoms severe enough to be officially diagnosed with SAD, massage treatment can help keep you happy and healthy through the winter. If you're interested in learning more about how Swedish massage and other types of massage can help keep your mood and your body healthier this winter, contact your local massage center. Talk to a massage therapist about your SAD or SAD-like condition and ask them how massage treatment can specifically help you. They should be able to offer advice regarding particular massage styles as well as schedule your appointment for therapeutic massage.

So don't dread the arrival of winter this year. Combat those down feelings with a relaxing and healing massage therapy session!

Five Famous Types of Quotes

Quotes are not just a few words but they have the power to change your life into what you always wanted it to be. They are a guide to direct mankind on the path of love and success. These pearls of wisdom can inspire anyone and throw out negativity and sadness from life. There are plenty of great philosophers and authors around the world who have quoted various quotes on different subjects like family quotes, food quotes, motivational, inspirational, success, leadership, friendship, love, amusing, wisdom, dream, anger, life, fun, sweet and hundreds of more categories.

This article identifies five famous types of quotes that are popular all around the world.

1- Family Quotes - This is one of the most popular subjects of quotes all around the world. It is one of the highly searched terms on major search engines. That makes me happy because it proves that peoples are now understanding the importance of family and finding the way to make them happy. Coming to the point, Family Quotes are quotes about family and members of family. They are intended to helps us express our love to our family and remind us of importance of those very valuable bonds.

2- Inspirational Quotes - Inspirational quotes are short sentences being said by great peoples according to their great experiences in life. Reading them keeps you inspired and motivated throughout your life and helps you achieve your dream. They not only help you to rise to your full potential but also teach you valuable lessons about life and success.

3- Funny Quotes - Today, everyone has bunch of worries. Life is full of stress and peoples forget to laugh. In such a stressful time, Funny Quotes are great way to make you laugh. They can be used to crack up your friends and to lighten the serious moments of life. Reading them loud is definite way to bring smile on everybody's face. They can be used to send to your friends via SMS Messages or you can print them on your T-shirt as well to make the whole world chuckle.

4- Love Quotes -This category of quotations contains quotes about love and romance. It is one of the most popular formats amongst lovers. If you are in love, then read these quotes to take your love life to next level. If your not love, then you must read these quotes know about the beauty of love and make yourself fall in love. They are great way to send your heart's special message to the person you love in cute and romantic manner.

5- Life Quotes - Life Quotes is one of the most popular formats of Quotes. It consists of quotes about life. They are aimed to look at the positive side of life. Reading them inspire you to live your life with smile, energy and positive attitude. It makes you a cheerful person and increases your productivity.

Reading quotes on daily basis is a way to get lots of motivation and inspiration in a small amount of time. These words of wisdom can change you way of thinking and makes you look at things with more optimism.

Read any of these popular categories of Quotations and get success in every field of life. Don't forget to send them to your friends and family using SMS Text Messages.

Depressed a Lot? - The Reason Why You're Always Feeling Depressed

Do you get depressed a lot? If so the real reason may not be what you think. Many people simply attribute depression to stress and a state of mind, however what most people don't realize is that nutrition and physical illness can practically force a person to become depressed against their will! In this article I'll discuss the 3 factors which can cause depression and how to go about reversing them!

#1 - Candida: This very common and far too under-diagnosed chronic fungal infection can create mal-absorption in the body amongst other health problems such as toxicity through it's by products. It's these toxic by products that will often cause anxiety in depression in many individuals. Once they eliminate the overgrowth of Candida from their body however and the toxins that go with it they will notice a superior improvement in their overall physical and mental health!

#2 - Adrenal Fatigue/Hormone Imbalance: This condition is often caused by stress over an extended period of time, this can involve chronic infections which have not been addressed, allergies which are being continually exposed to and injuries which haven't healed properly. Not to mention poor diet which is deficient in good fats which will directly and indirectly eliminate depression.

#3 - Nutritional Deficiency: This can involve both vitamin and mineral deficiencies which in strong enough doses would correct and eliminate depression and many other health problems. You might say "Well according to my doctor my levels are all normal" but then you need to wonder what does "normal" really mean? Consider this a modern medical test for vitamin C levels for example only indicates a deficiency if an individual is so low that they could develop scurvy. However when vitamin C levels are optimized you heal faster and won't get infections. If you're depressed it's likely you're either not absorbing your nutrients correctly or simply need more.

If you're depressed a lot then these 3 factors are things you need to rule out. The best way to do this is to address them. Although it's always a good idea to also get a alternative health test to determine what other causes may be affecting you.

Are You Tired, Irritable or Depressed?

According to 1994 studies, 15% of the U.S. adult population is iodine deficient. So can you imagine how much that percentage has climbed today? Even at 15% that means 1 out of 7 patients that walk into a physician's office is deficient yet medical doctors aren't ordering Urine I levels, even in goiter and hypothyroidism patients. In fact, most of my clients that have been determined "iodine deficient" were told by their MDs that their thyroid levels T3/T4 were fine. Yet, they had classic symptoms of thyroid disorders. Evidence proves that iodine deficiency predisposes a person to fibrocystic disease in the breast and breast cancer.

So, if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Fatigue
weakness
weight gain
dry hair/skin
hair loss
cold intolerance
muscle cramps
constipation
depression
irritability
memory loss
abnormal menstrual cycles
decrease libido

Consider iodine testing today! 1 Year ago I lost my mother unexpectedly to Hashimoto's disease, a thyroid disorder that went undetected. It's my passion to get the word out and help save lives!!

IODINE TESTING

The iodine test I spoke about above is simple. We drop ship a 24-hour urine collection kit to your house. We ask that you avoid shellfish, excessive salt intake or any other high iodine level foods. At the beginning of your collection day we ask that you take an enclosed Iodoral tablet (a blend of iodine/potassium specially formulated). At the end of your 24-hour collection, you send the kit back to the Lab in the enclosed prepaid packaging. Test results are forwarded to me within approximately 5-7 business days where we then go over your labs and based on our findings, we provide a slow load of Iodoral that custom fits your needs.

The following positive improvements have been reported:

increase in energy
Increase in optimism
weight loss
Improved memory

I will testify that I am a "product of the product." My 40 pound weight loss and final life transformation is attributed to iodine testing which I talk about further in my book, "True Confessions of the Heart." For years I was trying to figure out why I couldn't lose weight. I worked out, got plenty of sleep and ate healthy yet, I couldn't lose weight. After being tested and confirmed that I was iodine deficient, I started to consume Iodoral. I have never felt better. The weight came off easier than I expected and I have kept it off for over a year. My energy level is high and I am more focused. So, if you wish to read my story, click on the Amazon link below.