Mental Health
Lifestyle and core health issues have a lot to do with depression. Smoking, drinking alcohol, drug abuse, prescription medications, nutritional deficiencies and even caffeine use can contribute to depression. Eating a lot of refined food is also a major contributing factor. One of the easiest and often most effective treatments for depression is to exercise and to eat properly.
The brain is like the heart, lung, liver, intestine or any other organ. It needs nutrients to ensure proper function. The function of enzymes and neurotransmitters and the integrity of the nerve tissue are all affected by nutrition. When there is chemical imbalance through poor nutrition or any other reason, the brain can be adversely affected; this can manifest itself as depression or anxiety.
This is not to say that past trauma and other issues addressed by psychologists are not valid, but good biochemical health will make the task of ending depression or anxiety easier. Problems like poor adrenal function, poor thyroid function and even food allergies can all cause depression or anxiety. Hypoglycemia, vitamin deficiency and poor diet are also a source of problems.
The common medical approach to depression is to take medications that increase the activity of various neurotransmitters. Nutritional approaches can often accomplish the same results as the drug therapy that addresses depression and anxiety. Medication is, of course, necessary if there is a danger of the patient harming him or her self.
The two neurotransmitters on which antidepressant drugs act are norepinephrineand serotonin. These drugs prevent reuptake (recycling) of the neurotransmitters, keeping them in the synapse longer. Patients who need norepinephrine tend to sleep a lot, cry, stay in bed and can’t function. Patients needing serotonintend to be angry or agitated. They don’t sleep well.
If a patient does not sleep well, then he or she may need serotonin. If he or she sleeps all of the time, norepinephrine may be necessary. Of course there are other issues if someone cannot sleep or sleeps all of the time. It is just that neurtransmitters in short supply can cause either extreme fatigue or a problem with sleeping, depending on the neurotransmitter. If you are deficient in iron, copper, vitamins C, B6, niacin or folic acid, you may have trouble making the neurotransmitters (norepinepherine and serotonin) necessary for good mental function. Also, the raw material for these brain chemicals are the amino acids, tyrosine and tryptophan. If you do not eat or digest protein well, you may have problems producing neurotransmitters.
Find out more about natural medicine"s approach to:
Anxiety
Depression
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