Depression and Nutritional Deficiencies

Nutritional Deficiencies

Anyone with depressed feelings should be evaluated for nutritional deficiencies. Anyone can pick up a book on vitamins, minerals and other nutrients at a health food store or bookstore and read more about the benefits of nutritional supplementation. If you have a nutritional deficiency causing the depressed symptoms, I believe it is better to restore balance to the body by taking the supplement than masking symptoms with unnecessary psychiatric medications.

Balance Diet Is Not Enough

I have heard many doctors say, "If you eat a balanced diet, you don't need to take nutritional supplements." I am not convinced that anyone really knows what a balanced diet consists of and even if we did know, I doubt many individuals would eat accordingly.

The following are nutrients have been found to be low in patients who have feelings of depression:

Magnesium

While searching the medical literature for a link between depression and magnesium deficiency I found many articles connecting the two. Previously in my own practice I used magnesium to treat asthma, migraine headaches, muscle aches and pain. Several patients also reported that their depressed feelings vanished when taking the supplement. My subsequent research yielded many articles establishing the link between magnesium depletion and depression.

Studies done with depressed patients discovered low plasma magnesium levels that began to normalize during recovery. In some individuals, treatment with intravenous magnesium led to faster improvement of their condition. (Frizel D., et al, 1969)

Magnesium depletion has been found to be an underlying cause of many other medical disorders, including allergies, chronic fatigue, cardiac arrhythmias, diabetes, hyperactivity, premenstrual symptoms, cancer, high blood pressure, seizures, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, osteoporosis, stroke, Alzheimer's, hormone abnormalities, and decreased immune system function.

Causes of Magnesium Depletion

The causes of magnesium depletion are many: pregnancy, lactation, calcium ingestion, alcohol, estrogen, kidney dysfunction, stress, chronic disease, pain, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, hyperthyroidism, diuretics, and as a side effect of a number of medications. It is thought that most Americans are deficient in magnesium.

Magnesium Supplements

In my experience taking oral magnesium will help keep the levels from falling further but I am not convinced that supplements will bring a low level back to normal. When one of my patients is particularly deficient, I recommend intravenous treatment or injections for a few weeks.

Depression and Other Nutrients

A patient of mine went to see her regular doctor with a complaint of feeling depressed. The doctor did no lab work or physical exam. Instead, he just listened to her symptom and prescribed an antidepressant. She was uncomfortable with this and came to see me instead of taking the antidepressant. I did a blood test and found that she was anemic. Her iron level was extremely low. Iron treatment relieved her symptom of depression. Depression has also been linked to folic acid deficiency. Researchers from Tufts University studied 3,000 subjects ranging in age from fifteen to 39. Blood tests showed that the depressed individuals had folate serum concentrations lower than those with no depression. The lead researcher, Martha Morris, Ph.D. concluded, "Folate supplementation may be indicated during the year following a depressive episode." (Morris, 2003).

Vitamin B 6

In similar studies depressed patients were found to have inadequate levels of pyridoxine or Vitamin B6, which is necessary for the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin, a neurotransmitter that, when deficient, is believed to cause depression. Both estrogen and oral contraceptives can deplete the body's supply of B6.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C deficiency has always been associated with scurvy, which first manifests itself as depression. Studies have shown that 32% of patients in psychiatric hospitals registered low levels of Vitamin C and that such individuals may be in a "sub-scurvy" state calling for ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) supplementation. (Am J Clin Nutrition, 1971)

Vitamin B 12

Other research has linked depression to Vitamin B12 deficiency and to severe obesity. (BMC Psychiatry, 2003; Archives of Internal Medicine, 2003)

Other Nutrients

Other nutrient deficiencies that have been shown to affect depression are iron, omega-6 fatty acids, biotin, copper and potassium. Also found to be associated with depression are 5-HTP, the immediate precursor to serotonin, hypericin (the active ingredient in St. John's Wort), SAMe and Ltryptophan (another precursor to serotonin). (Werbach, M.)

Disclaimer

All material provided is for educational purposes only. Reading this material does not create a doctor-patient relationship nor should the information contained in it be considered specific medical advice with respect to a specific patient and/or a specific condition. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness. Consult your own physician regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition. Dr. Block specifically disclaims any liability, loss or risk personal or otherwise, that is or may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly of use or application of any of the information provided in this material.

Marcus Aurelius and Acceptance

Dealing with the difficulties of life is what makes life difficult.

And for a great many of the world, life is difficult. They try so hard and work so hard, and yet are never able to find happiness. Because whenever they are at last feeling good about their situation or about their life, SOMETHING happens; some problem arises or some situation ends, or some condition changes. And all they loved and worked for in their life is different If not worse.

And no one likes different.

Different is scary. It's rarely prepared for and so infrequently expected. They just thought their life would continue as it is; that their relationship would last "forever" and their job was guaranteed. They thought their health was a certain and their success a given.

But that's not the case.

The world lives by change. And so the greatest cause of our collective depression is the inability to cope with this change. It's the inability or unwillingness to ACCEPT that things are different and that they must be so.

We fight it. We resist it. That resistance is depression; the idea that we can make it all better if only we do this, or that we can change it if only we can manage that. All because we refuse to accept change as reality, and instead cling to whatever past happiness we had, or future happiness we hope.

The Roman philosopher and Emperor Marcus Aurelius once said that we must accept all that comes to us, because what could we have needed more?

What he means is that everything happens as it should, and because it DID happen, then it was the RIGHT thing to happen. It is useless and depressive to think otherwise, to fight and struggle against the reality we refuse to see and the change we refuse to accept.

Acceptance is the key to life and to all that happens to us, may happen to us, or will inevitably happen to us. Break ups. Illness. Age. Death. We must all endure these trials, and if we're to endure them at all we must accept them. We must learn to live with them and move on, because the universe will move on, whether with us or without us.

Better to go with the flow of life than against it. Better to love your life now than to pine for the past. Better to take this challenge and all challenges and defeat them, rather than resist them.

How to Beat the Black Dog of Depression and Have Better Sleep

Almost 10% of the US population suffer from depression at any one time. Similar statistics would be expected from other developed countries.

Depression can affect our sleep in many ways. Some of us sleep longer and others find themselves waking up in the early hours of the morning, unable to go back to sleep.

Insomnia can be one of the many symptoms of depression, so it's best to treat the depression itself and usually the sleep problems will resolve themselves.

Depression can affect not only the sufferer but also family and friends who are often at a loss as to how they can help. We should let them and not try to shoulder the burden ourselves.

We have to be careful whom we chose to confide in though as some people still have the mistaken belief that depression is a "malingerers" complaint. The last thing we need when depressed is someone telling us to, "Snap out of it" or "Pull yourself together"!

Depression is a clinical complaint and a genuine illness. Symptoms of depression can include fatigue, lack of motivation, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, irritability and even physical symptoms such as headaches or digestive upsets.

Depression can be severe (major depression) which can completely disable the sufferer, or moderate (dysthymia) in which sufferers can function from day to day but never really feel content or happy.

Then there is bipolar disorder which is less common. Those afflicted with bipolar disorder can swing from a high (manic) state to a low (depressed) state seemingly without cause.

What causes depression? It could be several things. Depression may run in the family, or start after a chronic illness. It can also be caused by hormonal imbalance which is why so many women fall victim. A person's thinking pattern may be prone to depression, for example those with poor self esteem.

"Cures" for depression are many and some more effective than others. There is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) while sounding like something from the torture chambers of the inquisition, is an effective aid for severe depression.

Prescribed medications like lithium can be effective but can also have side effects like drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, insomnia, constipation and more...

Herbal remedies are a viable option and have many less side effects while being remarkably effective and cheaper. Recommended are St John's Wort and Passiflora.

Regular exercise and a healthy diet are also important. Make sure there are plenty of B vitamins in the food you eat or take a supplement. Include foods which help raise serotonin levels (Oats, milk turkey and pasta) This will have a beneficial effect on your sleep too.

Cognitive or behavioural therapy can greatly assist by changing behaviour and thought patterns that may have led to the illness.

To summarise - Share your problems with a trusted friend or paid counsellor, watch your diet, exercise regularly, take appropriate medication or enrol in behavioural therapy. Help yourself defeat the "black dog" of depression.

Copyright 2006 Wendy Owen

Medical Problems and Sleeping Too Much

When it comes to sleep, like anything else in life, has been reported that moderation is key for good health and long life. Sleeping too little causes health problems, but did you know that sleeping too much can cause the same or more medicals problems such as diabetes and heart disease and is linked to weight gain, Parkinson's and depression? Are you sleeping too much? Researchers do point out that the amount of sleep varies with age and that people that are stressed or sick will tend to sleep more. Other factors that cause over sleeping are those that have less access to health care which may have undiagnosed mental and physical illnesses such as heart disease and depression. People that abuse alcohol and drugs are inclined to over sleep. Then there are those that just love to sleep or at least like to take a nap in the afternoon.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults should get around seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Some research has found that long sleep durations of nine hours or more are associated with illness and death. What medical problems cause people to sleep too much?

Hypersomnia is a medical disorder that causes people to experience extreme sleepiness during the day which is not relieved by napping. People with hypersomnia crave sleep and can suffer from anxiety, low energy and lack of concentration. They not only sleep at various times during the day, they also sleep for long periods during the night. Causes of hypersomnia are brain damage, clinical depression, uremia, obesity and fibromyalgia. Symptoms are like those with other sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome (RLS). Some people get hypersomnia as a result of drug or alcohol abuse, drug or alcohol withdrawal or as a drug side effect as with some psychotropics for depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder.

Kleine-Levin Syndrome (aka Sleeping Beauty Sickness) is the most recognized form of recurrent hypersomnia, though it is very rare, these people often sleep up to eighteen hours a day and yet do not feel refreshed upon waking. Patients that suffer from Kleine-Levin Syndrome only wake up to go to the bathroom and eat. When they are awake they tend to be confused, lethargic and are indifferent to the world around them. Many cannot go to school, work or even care for themselves. The cause for Kleine-Levin is unknown. This disorder affects teens more that adults and in many cases disappears as mysteriously as it appears; often when patients reach their twenties.

Non-insulin dependent (type 2) Diabetes has been linked to those that sleep more than nine hours and less than five hours a night by a risk greater than 50% as a result of a study of almost 9,000 Americans. It is not known why longer sleep durations contribute to diabetes, although increased time asleep to compensate for lack of sleep is one possible reason. There are more studies needed to determine if longer sleep periods actually worsen the metabolic syndrome which is a cluster of risk factors including high blood pressure, obesity and insulin resistance which contribute to heart disease and stroke.

Obesity affects those that sleep too little as well as those that sleep nine to ten hours a night. According to a report, 21% of those monitored over a six year period were more likely overweight when sleeping too much than those that slept seven to eight hours even when taking in to account caloric intake and exercise. In another measure, nearly half of those who slept nine hours or more each night were physically inactive during the day, which was associated to other health issues that make exercise more difficult.

Headaches and Back Pain and other minor illnesses cause people to sleep more than usual. But did you know that over sleeping causes headaches? When you over sleep your brain produces more serotonin a hormone that affects our neurotransmitters causing a headache in the morning. Too much time in bed can cause stiffness resulting in back pain. It is not only important for you to have the right mattress for your back you also need to keep a regular exercise program to keep the weight off and not lay down longer than seven to eight hours. The longer you stay in bed, the longer it will take your back to adjust to your redistributed weight and stiffness upon standing.

Mental Illness is associated with irregular sleeping habits. Depression can worsen when you over sleep and it is important to maintain regular sleeping habits to recover. SAD or seasonal affective disorder is a condition were your brain produces too much melatonin because there isn't enough day light hours which causes people to sleep longer and take naps in the afternoon. SAD triggers feelings of despair, misery, guilt, hopelessness or anxiety. You may find normal tasks become frustratingly difficult, you may cry for no apparent reason or be unable to concentrate. Exercise, taking Vitamin D and light therapy help those that suffer from SAD.

Cardiovascular diseases are 38% more likely to happen for those that sleep nine to 11 hours a night according to a report by The Nurses' Health Study involving nearly 72,000 women than those that slept seven to eight hours. With ten hours' sleep, the death rate from a heart attack or stroke for women over 70 increased 167%, while for men aged 50 to 59, it increased 286%. Researchers have not yet identified a reason for the connection between oversleeping and heart disease as the evidence does not show which came first-the arterial disease, or the tendency to sleep longer than average.

Parkinson's is more probable or twice as likely to develop for those people that sleep at least nine hours verses those that sleep on six hours or less. A study done by the National Institute of Health, a U.S. government body studies 80,000 nurses over 24 years and found that those that slept eight hours were 60% prone to the disease while only 10% for those that slept seven. The most at risk were those that slept at least nine hours a night or 80%. At the end of the study 181 developed Parkinson's.

What they did find interesting was that night-shift workers had lower levels of the hormones melatonin and oestradiol. Some scientists believe higher levels contribute to the development of Parkinson's and a need to sleep may be an early sign of the condition. Other symptoms include tremors, stiffness and gradual slowing down of the body. Further research is needed to make a final conclusion how sleep is related to Parkinson's.

It's a matter of life and death as studies show us that people who sleep nine hours or more have higher death rates than those that sleep seven to eight hours a night. If you feel you are sleeping too much consult with your doctor as he may recommend further test to determine why you over sleep, as too much sleep can be an underlying medical condition. Keeping a sleep journal of your sleeping habits will help the doctor determine if a sleep study is necessary. Sleep experts recommend that having a sleep routine and getting seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep a night will keep us healthy and live a long life.

Can Gluten Intolerance Cause Depression?

When gluten wreaks havoc on your immune system, it may also wreak havoc on your psychological and emotional state. How exactly might gluten cause such a response in people intolerant to it?

Chronic Stress

Just the stress of learning you have gluten intolerance and must subscribe to a strict gluten-free diet can feel overwhelming. Gluten is pervasive in the western diet and you must completely eliminate it from your diet to recover your health (there is no acceptable thing as "almost" gluten-free).

In addition, people who are newly diagnosed with some form of gluten sensitivity often have endured unexplained pain and suffering for some time before being properly diagnosed.

Thus just adapting to a gluten-free lifestyle can be associated with a degree of chronic stress. This stress triggers elevated stress hormones like cortisol along with suppressed neurotransmitters that provide positive feelings like serotonin and dopamine.

Nutrient Deficiencies

Several nutrient deficiencies may cause symptoms similar to depression symptoms. When gluten damages the villi along the lining of your small intestine, you are less able to absorb nutrients from the food you eat. In particular folic acid, tryptophan, iron and magnesium deficiencies are all common in people with untreated celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

Deficiencies in each of these nutrients can lead to symptoms resembling depression, so imagine if you were deficient in all of them, which is quite possible if you discover you are intolerant to gluten and you have not been on a gluten-free diet.

In many cases, these deficiencies don't directly cause depression. Instead they cause other conditions with similar effects on your mood and energy as depression. For example, an iron deficiency can lead to anemia, and anemia may manifest as fatigue, anxiety and irritability.

Chronic Inflammation

It might help you to understand that when you are intolerant to gluten, certain antibodies attack the lining of your small intestine causing a reaction somewhat like a sunburn. Over time, the walls of your intestine become damaged and inflamed.

Several studies suggest that an imbalance of cytokines, inflammatory proteins related to your body's immune response, may cause several changes related to depression symptoms. Some of these changes are direct behavioral changes and others are related to abnormal thyroid hormone fluctuations.

Additionally, gluten antibodies may cause inflammation throughout your body, not just in your intestines. Inflammation may impact your nervous system directly, potentially triggering anxiety or a depressive state.

You can see there are many ways gluten intolerance may trigger feelings similar to depressed feelings. However, I prefer we focus on the positive consequences of discovering our gluten sensitivity and implementing a healthy gluten-free diet.

If you have celiac disease, a wheat allergy or a non-celiac gluten sensitivity, your new healthy lifestyle free of gluten will soon bring you more energy and well-being than you've experienced in years.

How to Deal With an Extended Job Search

Job loss is disruptive and tragic. Finding a job is uncomfortable and riddled with rejection. In a previous edition of Dick Bolles, "What Color is Your Parachute?", he included a page with "no" written all over it, and at the end of the page the single word "yes". His point? Rejection is part of the job search process. Dealing with the rejection can take its toll on you emotionally and physically.

Recently, a panel of three counseling experts spoke to a group of career professionals on the subject of dealing with an extended job search. They gave great advice from a counseling perspective and great resources - which I have included at the end of this article.

Depression

The first step is to determine if you are showing symptoms of depression. In David Burns book, Feeling Good, he has included a short depression test. If you are depressed, it is something to get treated quickly. It will not only show up in your daily life, but it will also show during the job search process or worse - in the interview. Depression could wreck your entire job search.

Balance

A few years ago a young man went into a mall in North Dakota and started shooting. Earlier that day he had been fired from his job. A 60-year old man who found out he was going to be laid off from NASA walked into his bosses office and shot his boss and then himself. We hear these kind of stories all too frequently. These people have wrapped their entire life to their work. When their job is yanked out from under them, their unbalanced lives topple. Desperation kicks in.

Work is just one aspect of your life. THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN YOUR JOB. Family, professional development, recreation, friends, your spiritual outlet, etc. lead to a well rounded life. When work ends - and it will eventually end - make sure you have a robust life centered around all aspects - not just work.

The Basics

When you are in a job search, it is imperative you get back to the basics.

· Job Search - get up each morning and "go to the office" (figuratively). Get dressed and get to work on finding a job.

· Network - 80% of job seekers find their job through networking. Go to two different networking events each week.

· Take Breaks - After you've reached about 4-6 hours, you should call it a day on your job search. Staring at a computer, working your network, and applying for jobs will burn you out. Do something physical - take a walk, ride your bike, shoot baskets for 45 minutes will help you clear your mind.

Career Change

Don't rule out career change. One of the panelists spoke about an IT professional in his 50's that had been laid off. He started exploring careers, and by taking the Campbell Interest Inventory, he scored "off the charts" for Aircraft Mechanic. A few years later, our speaker reported, he received an email from the man. He said he pinched himself each day when he walked into the hanger at his job as an Aircraft Mechanic!

Find your passion - and there are many assessments like The DISC w/Career Match, Strong, and Campbell that can help. Really explore childhood dreams and fantasies. Find the activities that you really lose track of time doing. Once you've identified your passions, figure out how you can make money doing it. Think outside the box, and look at all options.

Dealing with family and friends

Much like dealing with a chronic illness, family and friends may become uncomfortable, agitated, or withdraw. How can you deal with this? First, realize this is normal behavior. They are just as concerned (and possibly frightened) as you are. If they are nagging, try to encourage them to back off a bit. If you are distraught and inconsolable, try to steer clear of friends.

One of the panelists mentioned she had a client who was going through an extended job loss. He was very anxious about his spouse's support. The Therapist brought in the client's spouse to discuss with her the situation, and the spouse said "I would move under a bridge with you if it came to that." With the "pressure off", the man was able to find a job relatively soon after getting that relief.

You will work again

Statistically speaking, you WILL find another job. It will be quicker and easier if you have a positive outlook, get back to the basics, know your career options - even if it a career change, and get family and friend's support. Although there will be rejection along the way, it only takes one "yes" to eradicate a page of "no's".

Recommended Resources:

Books:

· Feeling Good by David D. Burns, MD
· Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman, PhD
· Authentic Happiness by Martin Seligman, PhD
· The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmond Bourne, PhD
· eBook: How to FINALLY Find What You Love to Do AND Get Paid For Doing It: The DEFINITIVE Guide to Finding and Successfully Pursuing Your Passion by Brian Kim

Tips On Dating Someone With Bipolar Disorder

It's not easy being a person living with bipolar disorder. Having to discuss or even admitting to having mental illness can make for an uncomfortable setting leading one to have feelings of embarrassment, shame and awkwardness. It's very hard for someone to manage the illness on their own without losing the people closest to them and being labeled crazy. It's even more challenging to try and lead a normal active social life and not have a potential mate or partner look at you through that same lens.

Bipolar Disorder or manic depression is a mental illness that causes persistent mood swings, where a person can have extreme highs of euphoria or mania and lows of depression and feelings of hopelessness. The rapid onset of a mixed phase of depression and mania can cause the person to lose control and become very impulsive, reckless, self-destructive or dangerous. Their behavior can be very reactive.

Pure manic episodes are very rare. There can last hours or many weeks. There is seldom a set pattern. The severity and duration is never the same and not everyone who is living with the illness responds the same to the disorder. One of the biggest myths out there about bipolar disorder is that a person living with the disease is completely unable to function daily. This is not true. With treatment the illness can be very well managed just as any other disease and many people go on to maintain a pretty stable life.

If you are dating someone who has openly discussed with you that they have bipolar disorder here are a few tips that can help you get over the stigma attached to mental illness and any confusion while still being able to pursue a normal relationship.

Try not to be judgmental - People with mental disorders tend to be treated horribly and it makes them feel ashamed of who they are. Know that just because someone is dealing with mental illness doesn't mean that they are a bad person.

Increase your own awareness of the disease - Educate yourself on the condition. It's the only way to get a better understanding of how those who are living with the illness cope and manage their lives daily.

Be Supportive - Try not to focus on the person's disorder or remind them at every turn that they have it. They are already fully aware of their condition. Proper treatment helps them to cope with their illness and having a good support system makes for the best medicine. Try to focus on their good qualities and what attracted you to this person in the first place.

Enjoy each other - There is simply no other way to put it. The best way to pursue any potential relationship is to get to know each other better and work towards building something meaningful. The daily decisions you and your potential partner will make together can influence the course of where the relationship will go.