Depression and Nutrition Tightly Linked Together

Finally the truth about the causes of depression is coming out after being labeled as a religious problem, psychological issue, physiological defect, etc. Body chemistry associated with nutritional balance is clearly tied to mental health and depression.

Nutrition, depression and emotional health go hand-in-hand. There is a very close relationship between nutrition from foods and neurological (electrical) impulses that help the brain function. So, without the right nutrition, your brain cannot offer you clear thoughts, emotional stability and other functions necessary for health and happiness. This means that with any kind of mental stress, emotional upset or attempts at problem solving, your mind will not have enough electrical support to serve you.

As a result of inadequate (not enough) nutrients from foods, here are common mental and emotional problems according to scientific research:
• Depression
• Irritability
• Inability to focus
• Difficulty solving problems
• Morbid thoughts (thoughts of dying)
• Lack of a will to live
• Apathy (not caring)
• Attention deficiency

Adjunctive Nutritional Schedule
* Vitamin B Food tablets, 8 per day
* Flax Seed Oil: 1 teasp a day (can be put on salads if preferable)
* Super Greens Food Powder: 1 tbl per day

For females over age 12, add:
* Women's Health, 4 tablets per day

For males over age 30, add:
* Man’s Health, 2 tablets per day

Additional support:
* Wheat Germ Oil, 2 capsules a day

There are many more symptoms due to a lack of proper nutrients, but these are among the top problems. The nutrition that the mind and emotions need the most are:
* Vitamin B Complex (not the isolated B vitamins, but from FOOD) see Vitamin B Food
* Calcium - see Whole Calcium Supplement
* Phytonutrients (a variety of plant-based nutrients) - see Super Green Food
* Vitamin E Complex – see Wheat Germ Oil

Facts About Depression
Approximately 18.8 million American adults, or about 9.5 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year, have a depressive disorder. Nearly twice as many women (12.0 percent) as men (6.6 percent) are affected by a depressive disorder each year. These figures translate to 12.4 million women and 6.4 million men in the U.S.

Depressive disorders may be appearing earlier in life in people born in recent decades compared to the past. Depressive disorders often co-occur with anxiety disorders and substance abuse.

Major Depressive Disorder
Major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and established market economies worldwide. Major depressive disorder affects approximately 9.9 million American adults, or about 5.0 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. As with depression in general, almost twice as many women (6.5 percent) as men (3.3 percent) suffer from major depressive disorder each year (6.7 million women and 3.2 million men).

While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the average age at onset is the mid-20s. Source: National Institute of Mental Health (2004, http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/numbers.cfm)

Depression has long been deferred to the field of Psychology for treatment, yet recent scientific findings indicate that insufficient nutritional (i.e., biochemical) support may be at the root of this debilitating problem. Depression and other emotional problems present a definite nutritional deficiency profile that needs to be addressed with dietary changes in addition to other health and lifestyle factors; e.g., in conjunction with psychological treatment.

Leading the list of needed nutrients is the vitamin B complex. Research has suggested a link between depression and low blood levels of the B vitamin folate, and a new study from the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts strengthens the association. Investigators looked at folate concentrations in about 3,000 people. and found deficiencies correlated with mental/emotional problems. (Health & Nutrition Letter, B Vitamin May Help Ease Depression August 2003).

"B vitamins are known to participate in brain chemistry and physiology. Vitamins B 12 and folic acid are required as coenzymes in the synthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin and the catecholamines (adrenaline, norepinephrine). They are also required for the production of S-adenosylme-thionine, which has antidepressant properties. Vitamin B 12 deficiency may also result in de-insulation of nerve fibers (demyelination), which produces a constellation of neurological symptoms. Vitamin B 6 is a cofactor in the production of other brain chemicals (neurotransmitters), including dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, GABA, and taurine...Taken together, the body of evidence continues to support the contention that B vitamin nutritional status is crucial to the development and preservation of mental capacities throughout one's lifetime.

“The sad reality is that many...members of society have poor dietary intake and nutritional status of various B vitamins (vitamin B 6, folic acid, etc.). By all counts, it appears that health practitioners should encourage patients to pay attention to foods that are rich sources of these, and to continue to emphasize the multitude of benefits available from the daily use of a well-formulated multiple vitamin and mineral supplement.” (B Vitamins May Hold Key to Better Memory, Cognitive Function in Seniors, James Meschino,DC,MS, http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/20/22/11.html)

Unfortunately, most people try isolated vitamin B complex supplements with little or no improvement. This is because such vitamin pills are lacking the synergists found in vitamin B-containing whole foods. The patient is best to use non-sterilized whole food formula products that include a variety of vitamin B-containing foods that have not been infused with isolated vitamins or altered by heating or other unnatural means. Vitamin B complex feeds the nervous system and brain.

As with every health condition, there may be one or more causes; and so emotional problems may also be instigated by a deficiency of the vitamin B complex, neurotransmission, brain chemical imbalances, or due to hormonal dysfunction, which may result in the need for gender-specific foods and herbs known to support endocrine function. Other causes may be purely psychological in origin.


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