Low Vitamin D and Depression

Three of every four Americans have either deficiencies or borderline vitamin D deficiencies. Yet, Dr. John J. Cannell, MD, head of the nonprofit Vitamin D Council contends that the situation is far worse, "95% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, that's how big the problem is. It's very difficult to overstate the seriousness of the situation."(1)

This vitamin is a suspect in Seasonal Effective Disorder (SAD) as skin cells create D from reacting to the sun. If your low energy, depression, and insomnia are related to seasonal sunlight changes then you may need to boost your intake of vitamin D.

A 2010 national study found that the likelihood of having depression is higher in people with deficiency in vitamin D compared to people who are sufficient in vitamin D. In another study, researchers from the University of Toronto noticed that people who were suffering from depression, particularly those with seasonal affective disorder, tended to improve as their levels of vitamin D in the body increased over the normal course of a year.(2) And vitamin D deficiencies may be a suspect in all sorts of illness. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that nearly 60% of patients in the hospital for various conditions had low levels of D in their blood, and almost 25% were severely deficient.(3)

A simple blood test can determine if you're deficient. Have your doctor check your levels by doing a 25-hydroxy vitamin D test.

There are two forms of Vitamin D: D2 (ergocalciferol), which is found in plants, and D3 (cholecalciferol), which the body makes from exposure to the sun and is substantially more potent. 20 to 30 minutes of full body exposure to natural sunlight will produce about 20,000 IU* of vitamin D in the blood stream in about 48 hours, depending on age, skin color, and sun exposure.

Healthy people use about 3,000-5,000 IU of Vitamin D a day so we can clearly get enough Vitamin D from the sun. However, the average person makes only 1,000 IU of Vitamin D as we spend most of our time indoors and slather on the sunscreen and put on sunglasses when we are outdoors.

Vitamin D2, known as vegetarian Vitamin D, is around 70% less effective than D3. You can find D3 in egg yolk, meat, sunflower seeds, and oily fish such as cod, tuna, and halibut, but you could never eat enough to keep up with your bodies needs. (By the way, Vitamin D fortified milk only has about 100 IU per 8-ounce glass.) If you can't get enough natural sunlight then taking a Vitamin D supplement may be your best option.

Suggested Daily Dose - There has been much confusion and misinformation on how much vitamin D one should take. The Endocrine Society, world's oldest and largest organization devoted to research on hormones, released what is being considered the gold standard of vitamin D recommendations: 400 to 1,000 IU for infants less than 1-year-old, 600 to 1,000 IU for older children and teenagers, and 1,500 to 2,000 IU for adults.(4)

If it's winter time, November through March, and you live north of the 33-degree latitude line, then you may need more - that's basically north of Los Angeles, CA; Dallas, TX; Atlanta, GA; Casablanca, Morocco; Sicily, Italy; Athens, Greece; and Kagoshima, Japan.

Vitamin D deficiencies can increase your risk of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, asthma, Alzheimer's disease, and even the common cold and influenza. Also, larger doses of Vitamin D appear to help allergies, back pain, fibromyalgia, type 2 diabetes multiple sclerosis, and vaginal infections.

* IU = International Unit. Where as a gram or ounce is a measurement of weight, IU is a measurement of potency. For example, 1000 IU of Vitamin C has a different weight than 1000 IU of Vitamin D.

References:

1. Challem, J. (2011). The Vitamin D Debate. Experience Life. December 2011.

2. Depression and Diet [WWW page]. WedMD. URL http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/diet-recovery

3. Holick, M. (2007). Vitamin D Deficiency. N Engl J Med, 357:266-281.

4. Chase, C. (2011). New Clinical Practice Guideline Recommends Dietary Intakes of Vitamin D for Children and Adults at Risk for Vitamin D Deficiency [WWW page]. The Endocrine Society. URL http://www.endo-society.org/media/press/2011/experts-recommend-screening-for-vitamin-d-deficiency-in-at-risk-populations.cfm

Take Flax Seed For Stress Relief

The levels of omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acid needs to be in balance to avoid a feeling of ill health and being unable to cope with stress. Commonly in modern day diets, many people have a high intake of omega 6 essential fatty acids, but lack a sufficient omega 3 intake.

A study was done on a test group who were instructed to take flaxseed daily for two months. Their responses to stressful situations was measured in the way of blood pressure levels, heart rate and tension, and those who were taking flaxseed were clearly more able to cope in all areas.

Each persons has a level of prostaglandins in the body which work to regulate the function of your immune system and is responsible for fighting stress. Most people experience a feeling of comfort and calmness when they choose to take omega 3 supplements.

Flax seed is very high in omega 3 fatty acids, which are known to assist in maintaining healthy and optimal levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is responsible for nerve communication and emotional response recognition. This is another way flax seed will assist in dealing with stress, because if you are in a good mood to start with it's much harder to be brought down. When taking flax seed oil as a daily supplement, you will find you won't lose your temper easily and will be calmer overall in every situation and challenge.

Another property of flax seed oil is an amino acid called tryptophan, which is also a serotonin stabilizer, helping to alleviate stress. The omega 3's combined with the tryptophan make flax seed oil fantastic for those who have problems with anxiety and depression.

There is a particular kind of fatty acid that is in flax seed oil and is believed to inhibit the bodies production of arachidonic acid, along with other stress causing chemicals.

As you can see, there are many benefits to taking flax seed oil to prevent stress. Whether you are currently going through a difficult and stressful time in your life, or would like to avoid becoming stuck in one, flax seed oil can help you. Pour a little on your breakfast, take it in water, a milk shake or in capsule form.

It is through strengthening the bodies natural ability to cope with stress that flaxseed can be a great benefit as a supplement in your diet. You will find when you take it you feel calm, hassle-free and easily able to cope with challenges that come your way.

Recognizing Side Effects Of Depression

Someone living with depression has many different feelings to try and deal with on a daily basis. Sometimes these can become so overwhelming that it is almost impossible to get through each day. There are a lot of mental depression side effects that these people have to deal with. For instance, depression interferes with both your personal and professional life by making it harder for you to deal with normal events. If you are dealing with depression, then you may find it hard to get out of bed for fear of what the day may bring. You may experience insomnia or you may find yourself wanting to sleep all the time. Either way you will feel tired and worn out all the time.

A depressed person will have very low energy levels and feel tired and worn out even when they first get out of bed. You may feel lonely, sad and empty inside for no apparent reason. You will no longer enjoy going out with friends and doing the things that you use to do. In fact, you would much rather be at home alone where things are easier. Holding a conversation can even become difficult as simple decisions get harder to make. Basically, you begin to lose interest in everything that you use to care about and nothing really matters anymore.

Headaches and body aches and pains are another sign of depression especially when there is no physical reason for the pain you are feeling. The pain can be difficult to deal with because you can't get rid of it unless you treat the source, which is depression. Crying, being irritable and having a restless feeling are also mental depression side effects that you need to be aware of. Many people try to treat their depression by overeating. They use food as a comfort zone. This of course just adds to the symptoms as you become overweight and more depressed. Some people stop eating which can also cause a lot of health problems.

Once depression gets really bad many people give up and start thinking about suicide as a way out. This is certainly not the answer. If you or a loved one is depressed then it is crucial that you see your health care provider. You don't have to live this way and you can get your old life back as long as you take that first step. Don't let anyone make you feel that you have to do this on your own because it is not just something you can overcome easily. There is help available for those who seek it. Don't hesitate to ask for help talk to your doctor today and start getting your life back in order.

Bipolar Disorder Test - Do You Have These Four Symptoms of Bipolar?

Interested in the signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder? Do you think you may be manic depressive? Bipolar disorder was only recently discovered, by Emil Kraepelin in the late nineteenth century. Since then, it is commonly realized that this disorder is more prevalent in society than people thought. Here are some symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Mixed State

Have you ever felt lethargic and anxious at the same time? If so, you may be manic depressive. A mixed state combines the worst of mania with the worst of depression, leaving you feeling tired and exhausted. A person in a mixed state has the highest risk of suicide, as they feel depressed, but still have the energy to attempt to kill themselves.

Psychosis

In advanced states of mania, psychosis may result. At this point, a person with bipolar disorder may not realize where they are at or what is going on around them. Their thinking becomes erratic and blurred, which can lead to suicide attempts. They may hear voices or have hallucinations. Someone in a state of psychosis needs to be hospitalized immediately.

Memory Problems

Recently it has come to light that long term, untreated bipolar disorder can cause a loss of brain matter. In particular, impulse control and short term memory are effected, similar to Alzheimer's disease. Remembering your schedule, as well as faces and names can become difficult, and at times embarrassing. As well, memory loss in bipolar disorder will adversely affect academic performance

Insomnia

In an advanced state of mania, someone with bipolar disorder I can stay awake for days. Insomnia can result from stressful environments or overdosing on caffeine tablets. If this condition persists for more than a few days, it can turn into psychosis. As well, insomnia will lead to poor work performance, potentially leading to job loss.

Facing Menopause? How to Overcome Menopause Symptoms and Live a Full Life

In the U.S., it is estimated that more than 1 million women reach their menopausal stage each year. That means more than 1 million women undergoing an expected but sometimes unpredictable change that can affect many aspects in their lives. Menopause is not something most women look forward to, thanks in part to the many negative connotations and stories they've probably heard during their younger years. But it doesn't have to be an uphill battle because you can overcome menopause.

What is menopause?

Quite simply, it's just a woman's transition from being reproductive to being non-reproductive - the time when menstrual activity slows down and eventually stops. The average age of women beginning menopause is about 47.5 years and menopausal transition itself can last from 4 to 8 years. That means a woman going through menopause will not only deal with the changes for a few weeks or months but for several years. Thus, it is important to learn how to overcome menopause.

How to Overcome Menopause

About two-thirds of women who undergo menopause report physical and emotional changes, some of which are quite confusing and distressing. However, they don't have to be that bad; menopause and its symptoms can be conquered. Here's how to overcome menopause symptoms:

Get comfortable

One of the challenges of undergoing menopause is the physical discomfort that accompanies the transition. Be ready for the sudden changes you will have to deal with physically. Hot flashes, for example, can hit you at the most inopportune times. You could be sweating profusely even in an air conditioned room where everybody else seems cool and comfy. Try to overcome menopause symptoms like hot flashes. Wear comfortable clothing, avoid stress and stay away from foods that may trigger a hot flash.

Take care of your body

Just because their bodies seem to be 'winding down' doesn't mean women should just let go and leave their bodies alone. Menopause is a time when your body needs even more special care. To overcome menopause symptoms, get regular exercise, maintain a healthy diet and take vitamin and mineral supplements. Go for regular visits to your doctor and take care of the way you look.

Deal with depression

Menopause can be a time of sudden changes and if a woman isn't ready for it, she might suffer from depression. As a result, not only is her social relationship affected, so is the quality of her life. To overcome menopause and depression, expand your social life, get a hobby, improve your diet and see your therapist. This time of your life is a time of changes and you can make it a good one if you only choose to do so. You can overcome menopause symptoms if you choose to do so.

Use hormone replacement therapy

Most women who go through menopause suffer from physical symptoms such as mood changes, sleeplessness, memory loss, decline or increase in sexual interest, not to mention the heart palpitations and night sweats. If the symptoms are much too uncomfortable and inconvenient, hormone replacement therapy or HRT may be used to help overcome menopause symptoms.

HRT may be used as a short-term treatment or a long term treatment to overcome menopause symptoms and is very helpful in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Recent findings have also indicated that using estrogen can help improve memory and mood in menopausal women.

Get help and support

If you're going to overcome menopause, you don't have to go through it alone. Get help from health practitioners and support from your family. It will do your relationship with your friends and family members good to discuss the possible challenges you may be facing because of menopause. Go to a therapist if you have to or join support groups and clubs who can provide you with the emotional support you need during a very special time.

Signs of Depression in Children

Depression is a deadly condition that if left unattended can escalate to self harm and even suicide. Depression in children is very similar to depression in adults with a few exceptions. These exceptions are that children are not as articulate as adults in expressing emotions, so it is unlikely that they will come to you and say "I'm depressed". In fact they may not even realize that something is out of the ordinary.

It is for this reason that you, as a parent, should apply parenting tips to become aware of the symptoms and are able to identify signs to look for. Effective parent child relationship is helpful so that parents and children will be more open to each other, thus helping each other when the other has problems.

Depression doesn't discriminate between young, old, gender, rich, poor, functional and dysfunctional families. It is estimated that 1 out of 10 children have difficulty escaping the symptoms of depression for long periods of time.

Fortunately there are clear warning signs of depression in children and adolescents that you should be aware of.
Some of these are:

*Sudden changes in behaviour
*Regular aggression, agitation and anger outbursts.
*Lower self esteem
*Withdraws from friends and activities and family
*Gives up valued possession loses interest in activities they once enjoyed.

Then there are emotional signs some children display are:

*Sadness the child my get upset and cry over the slightest thing. Some children may hide their tears and become withdrawn.
*Anxiety The child may become anxious, tense and panics over the slightest thing.
*Loss of Interest Withdraws from activities they once enjoyed.
*Turmoil/upset The child may become worried and irritable. They may lash out of anger or distress.

Some of the Physical Signs displayed:

*Weight loss or gain change in appetite and weight is another symptom of the depressed child. Some children lose their appetite while others take comfort in food.
*Sleep Pattern Change a child suffering from depression may have trouble sleeping or staying asleep however some children may over sleep.
*Children in depression usually become sluggish, often the child will talk, react and walk slower.

Behaviour changes demonstrated may be:

*Avoidance and withdrawal from everyday activities they once enjoyed. They may withdraw from friends. You may find that the child prefers their bedroom where they go to escape and find solitude.
*Exaggerated sense of insecurity is another trait of children with depression.

Cognitive Signs of Depression:

*Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt every day.
*Recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts
*Negative view. Children in depression may become pessimistic, perceiving themselves, their life and their world in a very negative light.
*Another symptom of children with depression is that they may suffer severe headaches at least once per month.

In Summary.
Preschool or young primary school aged children may appear serious or vaguely sick. They may show states of tearfulness, irritability and frustration spontaneously. He/she may say negative things about themselves and in more serious cases they may be self destructive.

High School through Adolescence - these children may present with disruptive behaviour problems with friends and a dislike for school and study. Sometimes the child may express hate for themselves and everyone and everything else and if extreme may self mutilate.

If you suspect that your child is in any form of depression it is important that you discuss your concerns with your doctor and have the child evaluated. Left undetected depression is a very serious condition that could escalate to bipolar disorder.

On Grief and Depression, Inspired by M. Scott Peck M.D.

Since mentally healthy human beings must grow, and since giving up or loss of the old self is an integral part of the process of mental and spiritual growth, depression is a normal and basically healthy phenomenon...
~M. Scott Peck M.D., Wisdom from The Road Less Traveled, 2001.

Enter the world of the anti-depressant - the pharmaceutical therapy that "fixes" many who've undergone just the sort of latter depression Peck talks about... It doesn't happen overnight but it can often happen especially if the following is considered likewise.

According to Peck, life for all of us involves the process of giving part of ourselves up continually. It's a condition necessary to life lived with 'good effect.'

This is personal change management as we encounter the varying nuances of life including our reaction to them. Change in this way is inevitable unless we bow out of life - which is not really an option for 99 percent of us!

Life is hence all about balancing. It counteracts the things about ourselves we are giving up; it reduces the pain--the discipline of balancing or maintaining life balance.

And Peck nails the crux of the issues of grief and depression here. "The loss of balance is ultimately more painful than the giving up required to maintain balance." (Italics added.) Most people don't have the self-discipline to maintain life balance, but life would be far easier if they did have it.

And this is such a pity because what costs less actually delivers more joy and less pain; but we're duped in not wanting to let go of those things or attributes or habits or relationships - those "bits" of ourselves - that hold us back.

Perhaps this 'giving up' process is not too dissimilar to the 'Let go, let God' mantra of many recovery programs like AA. It is death to things that constrain us that provides our lives with more meaning. According to Peck this is the secret central to all religion.

Both grief and depression involve a lot of giving up. At some ends both grief and depression are maladjusted forms of giving up - they don't want to or simply can't give up those things holding the person back; not "yet" anyway. And surely the very idea that recovery is slow, and the fact we must be patient, should ease the burden.

Grieving and depression are inevitable life phases for us - almost none of us will be exempt.

And then again, surely the wisdom needed firmly in mind is that having the spiritual courage to give up things about ourselves, surrendering them, is the key to warding off symptoms of depression and resolving grief in the first place.

Sometimes it just takes a little time that's all.

Notwithstanding, the motivation to 'give up,' with good effect, should presumably be what we should be aiming for - to maintain balance through effective application of self-discipline.

穢 2010 S. J. Wickham.

Peck also says, continuing his quote from above, "... [depression] becomes abnormal or unhealthy only when something interferes with the giving-up process, with the result that the depression is prolonged and cannot be resolved by completion of the process."