-- Simple Smart Nutrition

Your ‘Second Brain’ and Anxiety and Depression

Surprising connection between mood and gut flora.

In school, we all learned about our primary nervous system, which is composed of the brain and spinal cord and its capabilities. But did you know that your gut actually contains one of the largest concentrations of nerves in the body and plays a large role in your emotions, moods and brain function?

Ever hear or say, “I had a gut feeling”? Or have you ever had “butterflies” when nervous, or been so upset you couldn’t eat?

Well, these are real feelings that emanate from your digestive system.

Both your enteric nervous system in your gut and your central nervous system were formed out of the same tissue in fetal development. These two nervous systems are connected and communicate via the vagus nerve, which runs from your brain stem to the nervous system in your gut.

The enteric nervous system in the gut is made of sheaths of neurons embedded in the walls of the entire gut, which is about 9 meters long from the mouth to the anus.

This second brain contains somewhere around 100 million neurons, more than in either the spinal cord or the peripheral nervous system!

This multitude of neurons in the enteric nervous system enables us to “feel” the inner world of our gut and its contents.

Your gut bacteria play an active and integral role in your body, and help the immune system, synthesize nutrients and process foods.
And as the latest research shows, are extremely integral in your brain and mental health.

What is also very interesting, however, is that about 90% of the fibers in the vagus nerve, carry information from the gut to the brain, and not the other way around.

These messages from the gut to the brain can have a powerful influence on moods, Including anxiety and depression.

Scientists also know that the enteric nervous system manufactures around 95% of the body’s serotonin, an important (feel good) brain chemical that has a direct effect on moods and even some mental illnesses, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, and OCD.

When you consider that your gut is your “second brain,” it becomes easy to see how your gut health can impact not only brain function, but psyche, and even behavior as well.

Abnormal gut flora, as well, can be directly tied to abnormal brain function. In coming years, psychiatry will most certainly expand to treat the second brain along with the brain in your head. In fact, some of the more cutting-edge physicians, psychologists, and psychiatrists are now looking at digestive issues such as IBS, food allergies, and gluten intolerance as contributing to mental illnesses.

Our gut bacteria may actually have a very significant influence on early brain development and behavior, and the absence or presence of particular microorganisms in infancy can permanently change gene expression.

Gut bacteria can influence signaling pathways involved in learning, memory, and motor control. This suggests that gut bacteria are closely tied to early brain development and subsequent behavior and learning deficiencies.

Adding in the right probiotics (healthy bacteria) to your daily routine have also been found to influence the activity of hundreds of your genes, helping them to express in a positive, disease-fighting manner.

The types and function of your gut bacteria are extremely dependent on how things such as whether you were born via vaginal birth or by C-section, whether you were breastfed as a baby, and your diet and lifestyle choices, including whether you have a history of taking antibiotics and other medications, such as antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRI’s).

Besides antibiotics, and junky processed foods, our gut bacteria are also highly susceptible to:
•   Chlorinated and fluoridated water
•   Antibacterial soap
•   Agricultural chemicals
•   Pollution

So how to get your gut flora under control?

First of all, if you have any type of IBS, gluten sensitivity, or other allergies, or if you have ever had issues with anxiety, depression, or any other mental or emotional issues, try cutting out gluten, corn and dairy first. Then cut out processed foods (like fast food, hot dogs, lunch meat, processed cheeses and frozen dinners), and sugars—including those in sodas and added to other foods. A diet heavy in processed foods and sugars will likely grow harmful bacteria. And sugars–of all kinds–feed bad bacteria and yeasts like candida, totally upsetting the delicate balance of the healthy intestinal flora.

Introduce large populations of healthy bacteria. While changing your diet can help, getting a good dose of probiotics can be hastened by taking a broad-spectrum supplement containing Bifidobacterioum longum, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus among others.

The December 2011 issue of Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility reported that Bifidobacterium is actually known to decrease anxiety by decreasing the excitability of enteric neurons.

Other research also found the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus increased GABA, a calming neurotransmitter that regulates many physiological and psychological processes, also reducing the stress related hormone, corticosterone.

So take care of your second brain, and you will affect not only your overall health, but you may find that you end up with a happier, less stressed, relaxed outlook on life. This, as you know, has far-reaching implications in every area of your health and wellbeing. You truly are what you eat. And you truly feel (good or bad) based on what you eat.

A Votre Sante!

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and wellness specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has 4 books including the popular “Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 300,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

References:

Mercola, The Root Cause of Anxiety and Depression That Few Suspect, May 3, 2012.

What Do Migraines Have to Do with Acid Reflux Medication?

It’s called, “Heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux or GERD” and, like millions of other people, if you have gone to a doctor about this, most likely they have prescribed medication to reduce stomach acid. Medications like Nexium and Prilosec are some of the most popular proton pump inhibitors.

Proton pump inhibitors reduce stomach acid.

But there’s one problem.

The acid in your stomach is there for a reason. Stomach acid digests the foods you eat, and turns them into essential nutrients your body can absorb.

If you reduce the acid in your stomach you reduce its ability to break down and digest food, and extract nutrients.

This in turn, causes serious nutritional deficiencies including vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc.

And when your body fails to digest and absorb the foods you eat effectively, your chances of developing any number of chronic degenerative diseases is almost inevitable.

Even relatively minor vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause fatigue, irritation, anxiety, depression, migraines, dizziness, mania, pychosis and memory loss.

In addition, deficiencies can also cause muscle weakness, tooth decay, bone fractures, hearing loss, osteoporosis, heart beat irregularities, high or low blood pressure problems, hair loss, mouth sores, neuropathy (unexplained weakness or numbness in the arms and legs), and more.

Is it worth it?

Long term, B vitamin deficiency can potentially cause severe and irreversible damage to the brain and nervous system.

And because the acid pH in the stomach as been increased, you lose the ability to fight off certain dangerous bacterial infections such as h.pylori, which is responsible for stomach ulcers, Clostridium difficile, which causes severe diarrhea, salmonella poisoning, a common type of food poisoning, and contagious pneumonia.

Suppressing stomach acid does not treat the disease, it only treats the symptoms, and at a very high cost too, as you can see.

And, once you start taking acid reducing medication, it becomes very hard to stop. It is physically addictive.

This type of medication causes a severe “rebound” effect. You start taking acid reducing medication to help a reflux condition, and although your doctor may say it is temporary, when you stop after a few weeks, it causes your stomach acid to go into overdrive. As a result the reflux comes back with a vengence.

So what do you do? Go back to taking the reflux medication.

Now you’re stuck…

Did you know 35-45% of the population experiences heartburn? That’s close to half the population! Heartburn or GERD is most profitably treated diagnosis in America. Prescription medications are given out by doctors like candy. Prilosec, Nexium and Prevacid are some of the top selling prescription drugs in the world.

It is not normal to have heartburn in spite of the huge numbers who do have it.

What exactly is gastritis or acid reflux?

It is acid that rises from the stomach and irritates the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach.

Gastritis is inflammation, irritation, or erosion of the lining of the stomach. Any of these can be chronic or acute. Acid reflux usually feels like a burning pain in the middle of the chest or stomach. It’s most bothersome at night, when lying down. Sometimes it can even feel like burning or pressure in the chest.

Over time, this acid wash can damage the lower esophageal sphincter, and lead to a condition called Barrett’s Esophagitis, which is usually considered a precancerous condition. Anybody with chronic reflux or heartburn should be checked out by a GI doctor, to rule out any other serious health conditions.

The interesting truth is, for many, acid reflux is not a result of too much stomach acid, but too little acid, or ineffective enzymes to digest particular foods.

When we don’t have enough of an enzyme to digest a particular food, the body responds by sending out more acid in an attempt to digest it. Taking antacid medication further compounds the problem. If the foods that cause this are foods that are eaten frequently, which is often the case, soon the acid becomes an ongoing chronic irritant to the stomach, and can cause real damage.

There are two ways you can help acid reflux.

One is by taking a good digestive enzyme with meals. As we age we lose some of our digestive enzymes, and also our ability to digest certain foods. The best enzymes to supplement digestion are “Full Spectrum” and include pancreatin. Enzymes should be:

-protelytic (for proteins)

-lypolytic (for fats)

-amylytic (for carbohydrates)

You also want to make sure your digestive enzyme supplement contains betaine hydrochloride (or HCl). It’s plant-based hydrochloric acid which helps your body absorb calcium, among other important nutrients.

In many cases, food allergies or sensitivities can be one of the main causes of acid reflux. So eliminating food allergies is the next step.

Food allergies result when the body’s immune system launches an attack against the offending food item. Some of the most common allergenic foods are: milk, wheat, soy, eggs, peanuts, nuts, shellfish, and citrus.

Severe symptoms of food allergies tend to occur with in a few minutes of eating the allergenic substance. Symptoms can include tingling in the mouth or throat, swelling of the throat, difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, cramping, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, eczema, hives and asthma attacks. But don’t rule out food allergies even if you don’t have reactions that severe.

Food intolerances or sensitivities (including gluten intolerance) are also often allergic reactions as well, but do not have the dramatic and sudden onset. They often share similar GI symptoms to food allergies but they do not involve the same immune system response.

The biggest offenders are often commercially prepared dairy products, wheat/gluten, corn and soy.

The best way to find out if your digestive problems are the result of food allergies is to go on an elimination diet. Remove all wheat, gluten and dairy from the diet for a minimum of ten to fourteen days or more, and see if the reflux symptoms subside. Be vigilant and read labels carefully. Lots of gluten and dairy sneak into processed foods under other less obvious names.

For more information on gluten-containing food ingredients, check here: http://www.the-gluten-free-chef.com/foods-containing-gluten.html.

After you have eliminated the offenders, add the gluten and dairy back in, one at a time. Wait 2-3 days between each food trial, and write down all reactions in a food journal. Oftentimes though, it may take a month or more of avoiding the offenders before the acid reflux and gastritis is resolved, so be patient.

Other contributing factors that can cause heartburn/gastritis and GERD are:

* Certain foods cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, thus leading to heartburn. These include peppermint, coffee, alcohol and chocolate.

* Hiatal hernia: This is a physical condition where part of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm.

* Low Acid Production: Ironically, low stomach acid levels can result in heartburn. This is much more common than increased acid.

* Medications: Many medications cause heartburn as a side effect, including, ironically, several acid blockers. These include:

o Prevacid, Prilosec, Zantac, etc.

o Asthma inhalers (beclamethasone, flovent, etc).

o Corticosteroids

o Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.

o Antianxiety medications, such as diazepam (Valium) and lorazepam (Ativan).

o Osteoporosis drugs such as alendronate (Fosamax).

* Overeating

* Pregnancy & Obesity: These are related in that both put pressure on the stomach, decreasing its volume and forcing food and acid upwards.

* Stress: Stress can be the sole cause of heartburn, but often it is exacerbating other causes.

* Smoking: Smoking also causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, leading to heartburn.

You may have to make some lifestyle changes and keep a close eye on your diet.

Eating large amounts of processed foods and sugars is a certain way to worsen acid reflux, as it will upset the bacterial balance in your stomach and intestine, as well as being hard to digest.

A note about proton pump inhibitors: PPI’s are very popular because they work. However, these drugs create both tolerance and dependence on them, so stopping them suddenly can have serious repercussions.

NEVER stop taking proton pump inhibitors cold turkey. Wean yourself off them gradually or else there can be a severe rebound of symptoms, and the problem may end up being worse than before the medication.

Ideally, get a lower dose, and then gradually decrease your dose. Once you get down to the lowest dose of the proton pump inhibitor, you can start substituting with an over-the-counter medications, Then gradually wean off the H2 blocker over the next several weeks.

Till Next Time,

Stay Healthy and Lean!

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back-to-basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

Sources:

Dr. Joseph Mercola, Why You Should Get Off Prescription Acid-Reducing Drugs ASAP! Mercola.com, September 09, 2009.

Center for Food Allergies, Innate Health Group. www.CenterforFoodAllergies.com, 2006.

Tracy Davenport, Health Central, Acid Reflux Connection.com, July, 2007.

Dr.Allen Spreen, The hidden dangers of stomach-acid reducers, July 2007.

Eat Your Depression Away

The Holidays are over, the decorations put away, and a huge pile of bills sits waiting for you.

Short, gloomy, dreary, cold winter days ahead.   

Enough to make you depressed?   You are not alone.   

Although depression can make you feel alone, at least 20% of Americans live with depression.   

Women are almost twice as likely to become depressed as men. This is partly due to monthly menstrual hormonal swings, puberty, and pregnancy as well. And because women are often the caretakers of the family, they may feel overworked, stressed, and neglect their own wellbeing.   

Many men go undiagnosed, and fail to recognize depression or to seek help for it. While men can have the typical symptoms of depression, many actually become irritable, angry and hostile instead, and try to self-medicate with alcohol, marijuana or drugs. Suicide is more serious risk for men with depression, who are four times more likely to successfully attempt suicide than women.   

Did you ever stop to think that the pile of cookies you ate last night in front of the TV, or the carton of ice cream you ate after a stressful day, may actually be making you more depressed?   

The causes of depression can vary, but doctors usually never even consider that diet plays a huge role in our mental and emotional wellbeing.

While physicians tend to hand out anti-depressant drugs like candy, these drugs often can have very negative side effects.  

Wouldn’t it be better to find natural cures for depression?
While you may not think so, what you eat has a very definite effect on your mood and outlook on life.

We truly are what we eat.   

There are some surprising and very effective ways to fight the ‘blues’ with diet, lifestyle changes and supplements, and you can avoid the trap of having to turn to medical antidepressants with their unpleasant, and sometimes tragic side effects.   

Your brain must have the right chemical balance in order to function optimally. Eating the wrong types of foods will not only alter the brain’s chemistry, but many processed foods have synthetic chemicals, preservatives, and other unnatural additives that confuse or distort your brain's natural chemistry.

Brain chemistry can actually be changed significantly for better or worse by a single meal.

Some foods like sugar and caffeine can create a seemingly positive effect on brain chemistry immediately, but actually have the reverse effect in the long run.  So knowing how certain foods can affect your brain chemistry and your mood can be very helpful in figuring out what to eat or avoid.  

Did you know that a deficiency of any one nutrient can actually alter your brain function and lead to depression, anxiety, irritability, ADD, and other mental disorders?   

The natural chemicals in the brain that govern your mood are neurotransmitters. The ones that play a role in depression are serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.   In depression, there are primarily reduced levels of serotonin. Serotonin has a lot to do with your feelings of wellbeing and is involved with emotional control, mood, arousal, and even appetite.   

Along with decreased serotonin, there are lower than normal levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in depressed people as well.

These energizing neurotransmitters create a sense of alertness and excitement, and help you take action.   Antidepressant medications help mostly by helping to preserve levels of serotonin in the brain, but when you change your natural brain chemistry with medication, you get side effects such as anxiety, drowsiness, irritability, nausea, diarrhea, and dizziness. Antidepressants can take away interest in sex and cause weight gain, as well as increasing thoughts of suicide.

  Yes, antidepressants can actually increase the risk for suicide.   

These drugs have very dangerous side effects if you quit them cold turkey too.   But there are ways to help our bodies naturally make more of these neurotransmitters, and avoid the harmful side effects and feel better too.   

Many of the building blocks of our brain’s neurotransmitters are made from the amino acids in the protein in our diets.

The amino acid tryptophan or l-tryptophan as it is sometimes called, is a precursor to serotonin while the amino acid, tyrosine, is a precursor to dopamine and norepinephrine.   Eating foods rich in protein will help to increase the amount of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in your brain, and serotonin is absorbed better by eating foods that are rich in complex carbohydrates.   

BUT, not all sources of carbohydrates will work for raising the serotonin level.

  This is KEY.   

Sugar molecules in complex carbohydrates are bound together by fiber and must be broken down and digested in the small intestine in order to release the sugar into the blood. Because these sugars must be broken down during digestion, they are released into the bloodstream steadily and slowly.   So the complex carbohydrates found in fresh vegetables, fruits, and starchy root vegetables like potatoes, help your body maintain high levels of serotonin.   

Refined carbohydrates on the other hand, are simple sugars with no fiber, that enter blood stream immediately after the first bite without the long process of digestion. So, blood sugar instantly goes up, creating a quick burst of serotonin (this is why you feel good immediately after eating sweets).   Simple sugars are burned very quickly and the end result is low blood sugar. When blood sugar levels drop, so does serotonin.

So a diet of sweets and simple carbs actually will make you MORE depressed.

Besides depression, low levels of serotonin also contribute to sleep disturbances, hostility, aggression, and irritability.   While certain foods act to raise serotonin and prevent depression, other foods can actually trigger depression. These include processed foods, sugary foods or foods containing hydrogenated oils. Alcohol can also contribute to depression, by causing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). And while caffeine is a stimulant, too much of it causes anxiety and nervousness.   

So the bottom line is, when you are down and think that going on a drinking binge, or eating a pile of cookies and ice cream to help you feel better, you are wrong.

It will actually make you feel worse, besides what it does for your waistline.

  Molecules of certain types of partially digested foods actually affect the body’s chemistry and can definitely have an effect on mood. In many people these foods are not fully broken down during digestion, and the proteins and peptides from these partially-digested foods leak into the bloodstream through the intestines.   Research on people with celiac disease (gluten intolerance) shows that their lack of the right type of digestive enzymes may cause this kind of situation. And depression and irritibility are commonly symptoms of gluten intolerance or celiac disease.   

Casein, (the protein in diary products), is very difficult to digest and can definitely be one of the primary undigested food substances that leak into the bloodstream. These substances affect the amounts of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine levels in the brain, and in turn affect mood. Incomplete breakdown of both casein and gluten leaking into the bloodstream can easily become a source of depression, anxiety, irritability or mood swings, affecting normal levels of brain chemicals.

  [Note: casein, the protein molecule in dairy products primarily causes problems when the dairy products have been pasteurized—as most commercially produced dairy produts are. Raw dairy products like raw, aged cheeses or raw milk do not usually cause this reaction.]

  It’s not surprising to conclude that intestinal permeability, and digestive enzyme deficiencies can also found in many folks suffering from clinical depression, the once in a while ‘blues,’ and mood swings.   So if you are suffering from depression, it may be a function of your digestion, food intolerances, and intestinal permeability.

I know I am so sensitive to dairy, and all it takes is a bite to feel really depressed the next day. Try avoiding dairy and wheat gluten entirely for a week or so and see if that helps you feel better mentally and emotionally.   

A diet to prevent or cure depression is rich in natural, unprocessed foods.

Especially plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and organic, or grass-fed meats, organic poultry and eggs.   Foods like beans, seeds, nuts, and legumes are also rich in protein and contain tryptophan which is what you need to make more serotonin, as well as dopamine and norepinephrine.

Just remember to get some complex carbs with your tryptophan as well.   

Consider that five servings of beans, a few portions of cheese or peanut butter, or several handfuls of cashews provide 1,000–2,000 mg of tryptophan, will work as well as prescription antidepressants—but don't tell the drug companies.   

Tryptophan is really quite easy to get from the foods listed below (in mg):

Lentils 215
Dried peas 250  
Navy 200
Pinto 210
Red kidney 240      
Soy 525  Brazil nuts 185 
Cashews 470
Filberts 210  
Peanuts 340  
Peanut butter 330 (natural, not commercial)  
Pumpkin seeds 560
Sesame seeds 330
Tahini (ground sesame seeds) 575
Sunflower seeds 340
Cheddar 340
Parmesan 490
Swiss 375
Eggs 210
Poultry 250
Brewer's Yeast 700  

And, grass-fed beef, as well as fish and other seafood are very healthy, high-protein, dopamine and norepinephrine boosting foods, in addition to their contributions of Omega-3’s, CLA and zinc that help healthy brain function.

People suffering from depression generally are missing some important nutrients.

The most common deficiencies are:  

Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B6 

Omega 3’s 

Vitamin C 

Sunshine or vitamin D3

  Folic acid and vitamin B12 are essential B vitamins and work together in many biochemical processes.

In studies of depressed patients, at least half were found to be deficient in folic acid.  Depression is the most common symptom of a folic acid deficiency.   A vitamin B12 deficiency (more often a problem in vegetarians) can also cause depression. Correcting a folic acid and vitamin B12 deficiency with supplements or diet will quickly result in a dramatic improvement in mood.   

Food sources that are rich in folate include beef liver, pumpkin seeds, leafy green vegetables, and yeast. Vitamin B12 is abundant in animal products such as red meat, fish, poultry, milk, cheese and eggs.   

Vitamin B6 is another B vitamin that is often low in many depressed people. The best food sources of vitamin B6 are protein-rich foods such as red meat, fish, and eggs. Other good sources of B6 are quinoa, brown rice, oats, lentils, peanuts, and walnuts.   

The latest research also shows a strong connection between depression and low levels of omega 3 fatty acids. And the more severe the depression, the lower the level of omega 3 fats.   Omega 3 fatty acids are an essential part of brain cell membranes in healthy individuals, and a component of the myelin sheaths, which cover nerves and transmit messages properly. Omega-3 fats are generally found in grass-fed meats as well as wild caught fish and organic eggs, or as supplements.   

A depletion of the neurotransmitter called norepinephrine may result in poor memory, loss of alertness, and clinical depression. To make norepinephrine, amino acids from our diet are changed into dopamine, which then turns to norepinephrine. To do this, it requires a large amount of vitamin C.   Physicians have had great success reversing depression with large doses of vitamin C, and is a very safe and inexpensive approach to try.

  Sunshine or vitamin D3 helps banish the blues as well. When we can’t get enough sun exposure in the winter, obviously a trip to a tropical island would certainly put a smile on your face, but since we can’t all do that, just getting out in the sunshine when you can, and supplementing with vitamin D3 will definitely help brighten your mood as well as protect your health.

And, my favorite natural (very effective) antidepressant is Sam-E.

SAMe (known formally as S-adenosylmethionine) is not an herb or a hormone. It's a molecule that all living cells, including our own, produce constantly. To appreciate its importance, you need to understand a process called methylation. It's a simple transaction in which one molecule donates a four-atom appendage—a so-called methyl group—to a neighboring molecule. Methylation occurs a billion times a second throughout the body, affecting everything from fetal development to brain function. It regulates the expression of genes. It preserves the fatty membranes that insulate our cells. And it helps regulate the action of various hormones and neurotransmitters, including serotonin, melatonin, dopamine and adrenaline.

And without SAMe, there could be no methylation as we know it. Our bodies make SAMe from methionine, an amino acid found in protein-rich foods, then continually recycle it. SAMe breaks down to form homocysteine. Homocysteine is extremely toxic. But with the help of several B vitamins (B6, B12 and folic acid), our bodies convert homocysteine into glutathione, a valuable antioxidant.

High homocysteine is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. During pregnancy, it raises the risk of spina bifida and other birth defects. And many studies have implicated it in depression.

How does SAMe improve a person's mood? Scientists are not really sure, except for the fact that it really works well.

Since the 1970s, researchers have published 40 clinical studies involving roughly 1,400 patients. And the findings are remarkably consistent. In 1994 Dr. Giorgio Bressa, a psychiatrist at the University Cattolica Sacro Cuore in Rome, pooled results from a dozen controlled trials and found that "the efficacy of SAMe in treating depressive syndromes… is comparable to that of standard… antidepressants." Without the side effects of regular medical antidepressants.

  Our brains do not require antidepressant medications to function properly.

Instead of masking the symptoms with a drug induced haze, is far far better to find the underlying cause of depression, and diet is KEY.   

Amazingly, a healthy diet not only reduces or eliminates the symptoms, but it also prevents the occurrence of depression by keeping those important brain chemicals in balance.   

The quick fix may be tempting, but in the long run, you will feel drastically better following a healthier diet—without the side effects—and have improved health and well being.   

Studies show our mood and physical bodies favor traditional foods that our ancestors ate. These foods include grass-fed meats, organic and raw dairy and butter, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

  Avoiding processed, packaged foods with refined flour, sugars, or corn syrups, and preservatives and chemicals is extremely important for those of you with depression.

  Don’t go for the quick fix, when you can permanently change your life and health for the better.   

REAL Happiness is just around the corner!

Till next time, stay Happy, Healthy and Lean!

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back-to-basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled "The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation" that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

References:
Andrew Saul, Depression, Doctoryourself.com, 2007.
Food Allergies and Depression,
Ron Hoggan M.A. & James Braly M.D.,About.com
Food and Depression,
http://sulcus.berkeley.edu/mcb/165_001/papers/manuscripts/_9.html
WebMD, Depression and Diet, Jan 2012

The Power of a Hug

We are all born with a hunger for the touch of another human.

Of course you know babies have a need for touch. Nurtured in the womb, and held close to feel mother’s beating heart, babies are soothed and nourished by hugs and human touch.

Children, too have a physical need for hugging and closeness. A hug or a touch stops bad dreams, helps heal injuries, frightens away the ‘boogieman’, and helps to instill a sense of calm and self worth.

Studies show that orphans who are not hugged or touched on a regular basis, actually grow less, have weaker immune systems, get sick more often and have more physical and emotional health problems than children brought up in a home with affectionate parents.

These children actually suffer from something called ‘failure to thrive’ when they are lacking the human touch. They have malnutrirtion, lose weight and even die. All from a lack of being touched and held.

Hugs can calm a stressful day, relieve tension and turn a bad day into a good day.

But physical closeness—touching, hugging, is just as important a need as we get older, but it is often neglected or overlooked.

Nothing compares to the loving hugs of a mother or a bear hug from your dad. An embrace from your loved one or spouse can instantly calm a stressful day and relieve tension. And for those who are sad, or mourning a difficult loss, a heartfelt hug does so much more than any well-chosen words.

Our skin is the largest organ on our body. Our skin not only protects our insides, but it contains our very important sense of touch. While we know that our sense of touch can protect us from injury, our sense of touch also has the real need to feel closeness from others.

We are all programmed by nature to want to touch and receive touch from others.

Did you know that without physical closeness, relationships will

not progress? Not just between lovers, but also between parent and child.

Many emotional problems stem from a lack of closeness and bonding between parent and child. Did you know that most failing marriages are lacking in touch and physical closeness? Think of what the power of touch could do…

For many who live alone, days and weeks may go by without a touch or the feel of a human, or being physically close to anyone. The elderly, the disabled, and the very ill are at greatest risk of touch deprivation.

Touch can do so much:

· It helps loved ones feel more lovable

· It can forgive or soothe tension

· Reduces pain

· Relieves loneliness, frustration, anxiety and depression

· Overcomes fear

· Gives one a sense of connection and belonging

· Transfers energy

· Strengthens the immune system

· Lowers the blood pressure and the heart rate

We all tend to live in our own little personal technological bubbles now…we text, we email, we talk on our cell phones, we visit on Facebook, we Twitter, but our face-to-face contact is limited, and physical contact, even more so.

It seems that we retreat into our personal space more and more, even though our physical world has become more crowded.

For a person to survive, it has been said that we need at least 4 hugs a day, and 12 hugs to feel good and improve our emotional state.

While we feed our bodies and eat healthy foods, we need to also feed our spirits and care for our emotional health.

Lift your head up and look around. Reach out your hand to shake someone else’s hand, touch someone on the arm when you speak to them, or better yet, give your friends and loved ones a heartfelt hug next time you see them.

Till next time,

Stay healthy, lean and happy!

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled "The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation" that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

Don’t Become the Next Victim of Adderall!

I have three teens in college. (Yikes, I know!) They were talking about drug abuse the other day. They were all in complete agreement on this– the most abused drug in high school and college students is the medication for ADD/ADHD, Adderall. This addictive drug is a legally prescribed medication for too many kids–old and young.

But the big problem is the kids who are selling it, buying it and using it–not to treat ADHD–but to help with school work. The problem is, it’s very addictive and on top of that it has some not-so-pleasant adverse effects.

Adderall came on the scene just a few years ago and has replaced Ritalin as the drug of choice for treatment of ADD/ADHD. Adderall is considered an amphetamine—and in street language, it’s just “speed”. Adderall use and abuse is very widespread and this has a lot to do with the fact that it’s the most frequently prescribed brand-name stimulant in the U.S.

According to the FDA, amphetamines generally tend to have a high level of abuse. And long-term use of amphetamines can create addiction, since the tolerance for this type of medication builds quickly and more and more is needed to do the create the same effect.

Besides physical addiction, amphetamine users often have a psychological dependence as well. Students often use Adderall to get their schoolwork done, especially in a highly competitive academic environment, and often are afraid to go without it, as they feel it will cause a reduction in their ability to perform academically.

Once a few begin to use it to improve academic performance, the bar is raised for the rest and it becomes difficult to compete without the added help.

And sadly, in many academic environments, where competition for grades and success is critically important, many students feel pressured to take medication just to even the field.

What makes Adderall use so scary is that drug companies are often the ones pushing the drugs. While this may help the the pharmaceutical companies, it certainly does not help the individuals taking this medication.

For many it may seem that taking a ‘magic pill’ is the easiest way, but there is an awful lot to consider before popping that pill.

Physicians and psychiatrists often prescribe Adderall without really checking to see if the patient actually has true ADD or ADHD.

And so, this highly addictive drug is now being used by many people who don’t even have ADD/ADHD. It has now become a performance-enhancing drug–helping students stay up late to study, concentrate better and stay awake in class.

So now you have students taking Adderall merely as a study aid. Students say the drug helps them stay very focused on their work, and helps them avoid having to take time out to eat or sleep.

Dextroamphetamine and other stimulants (which is one of the active ingredients in Adderall and Adderall XR) have chemical structures that are similar to key brain neurotransmitters called monoamines, which include norepinephrine and dopamine.

These drugs increase levels of these neurotransmitters in the brain. The neurotransmitters send signals to increase blood pressure and heart rate, constrict blood vessels, increase blood sugar levels, and opens the respiratory system. And early on, dopamine levels increase which is associated with a sense of euphoria that can accompany the use of stimulants.

Adderall is a potent mixture of amphetamines and is similar to a legalized form of methamphetamine, or “Meth”. Yes the same kind that comes from illegal “meth labs”.

In the case of Adderall, the FDA has approved it, and so given the green light to thousands of adults and children to use it legally.

Obviously since this is a potent amphetamine, off-label use and safety are big issues. For those with prescriptions, dosage is carefully monitored.

Those without prescriptions can only guess at a safe dose. And, Adderall and other ADD/ADHD drugs can react with other medications such as antidepressants, antacids, and diuretics and even some vitamin supplements with potentially serious side effects.

Besides the huge side effect of strong physical and psychological addiction, it comes with other side effects: anxiety, decreased appetite, difficulty sleeping, constant headache, stomachache, dry mouth, hair loss, weight loss, symptoms of depression, and in some cases, serious mood swings, touretts-like symptoms, aggression, feelings of dying, seizures, high blood pressure, swelling of the hands and feet, vomiting, dehydration, unexplained muscle pain, abdominal pain, sweating, delusions, hallucinations, and other psychotic episodes.

And even worse, heart attack, strokes and death. In 2005, Adderall was pulled from the Canadian market for a time, because 14 American children died from taking it as prescribed. Twelve other children had strokes from Adderall.

Long term use of Adderall usually causes a buildup of tolerance, so dosages need to be increased to get the same results. This is leads to abuse and overdosing on the drug.

And stopping the drug is tricky. After using it for any period of time, stopping causes extreme fatigue, disorganization, and mental depression. In other words, once it’s started, it’s very difficult to stop.

Here’s a little know scary fact about Adderall–the drug was originally introduced as a weight reduction drug for adults called Obetrol. Unfortunately it was found to be so extremely addictive that Obetrol was taken off the market.

And now here it is, the same drug, repackaged as an ADD/ADHD drug for children and adults.

Think about it–is this really anything you want your kids on—or yourself for that matter? Before taking the easy way out with a pill, think long and hard.

And keep in mind, Adderall has only been on the market for a few years so no long-term studies have really been done on it.

You or your child may very well be headed down the road of addiction to a powerful drug, and it may not necessarily be the best method to combat ADD/ADHD in the long run.

If you’re contemplating Adderall or some other drug for ADD/ADHD or other mood disorders it is worth considering that here are many ways to correct diet and lifestyle issues first and let the drug be the last resort.

Amphetamine withdrawal, which is mostly marked by exhaustion and mood swings, shouldn’t really last more than a few weeks if you give your body the rest and nutrition it is craving. Diet and exercise can help address most issues to varying degrees.

And, be patient, the withdrawal period and adjustment period takes time, so don’t expect miracles overnight. But by instituting some necessary changes in nutrition, lifestyle and coping skills, things will be far better down the road.

If you’re quitting Adderall, you probably haven’t been eating right, and your chances of having major nutritional deficiencies are even higher than the average person.

First of all, be sure to visit your doctor to have them gradually decrease the dosage to minimize the ‘crash’. This is done over a period of time depending on the dosage and gradually dropped until the medication is totally stopped.

The next big thing to do is to clean out the kitchen and remove the ‘junk’. Commercially raised meats, processed (packaged) foods, trans fats and overdose of omega 6 fats; grains, sugar, corn syrup, dyes and preservatives really do add to the problem in a big way.

After eliminating all the processed junk, add in grass fed, organic, all natural meats, wild caught fish and free-range chicken. Just by this step alone, you have eliminated a lot of hormones, antibiotics, preservatives and traces of toxins that remain in commercially processed meat.

A huge step and one that may make a very big difference…

Cut out all processed flours and sugars—that means packaged cookies, cakes, crackers, snacks, and chips. These things not only are full of sugar and high glycemic refined flours but are also usually made with either toxic trans fats or inflammatory omega 6 fats—something that is far to plentiful in the average diet.

Just by eliminating these unhealthy fats and adding in more brain healthy omega 3 fats, you may see a big improvement.

Symptoms of ADHD are often easily eliminated in 80 percent of children within a couple of weeks by merely supplementing with omega 3 fats and eliminating processed foods (especially refined sugars) from kids’ diets.

Best sources of naturally-occurring omega 3 fats are in grass fed meats, and wild caught fatty fish like salmon, halibut and sardines.

The cell membranes and synaptic endings of neurons in our brains and nervous systems are composed of DHA, an omega-3 essential fatty acid.

These cell membranes will not function properly unless protected with antioxidants. Since most people don’t get enough DHA, other types of fats such as trans fats and omega 6 fats end up being incorporated into the brain, but they do not function as well.

Other nutrients that have been found to be deficient in children or adults with ADD/ADHD are iron, zinc and magnesium.

· A 1994 study at Purdue University found that boys diagnosed with ADHD had lower levels of the Omega 3 essential fatty acid DHA (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)

· A 1997 study found that 95% of ADHD children tested were deficient in Magnesium (Magnesium Research 10, 1997)

· A 1996 study found that ADHD children had much lower Zinc levels—about a third less than the average level of those without ADHD (Biological Psychiatry 40, 1996)

Necessary neurotransmitters in the brain and nervous system are manufactured by the body from dietary sources. In order for these neurotransmitters to function well, the correct fatty acids, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin C must all be present in sufficient amounts.

Dietary suggestions that will help—

1. Essential fatty acid supplements are VITAL (as in grass fed meats, fish oils, flaxseed oil, DHA / EFA supplements, and primrose oil). Generally, diet alone may not be enough, so supplementing with a good quality fish oil capsule is important.

1. Use natural nutritional supplements containing antioxidants, anti-inflammatory nutrients, vitamins, and essential minerals. The goal is to improve brain cell-to-cell communication, and avoid fillers, preservatives, etc. Often regular commercial brand supplements are full of dyes and fillers, so get good quality supplements at a local health food store.

1. Eat plenty of good fats (good fats are omega 3 fats, virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, healthy saturated fats, and flaxseed oil–reduce all others).

1. Eliminate trans-fats (man-made hydrogenated oils which can be incorporated into your brain structure – processed food are full of them). These fats are also worse for your heart than saturated fats and are potential carcinogens.

1. Avoid food additives and highly processed foods. Eat organic as much as possible. There IS a big difference.

6. Zinc–Mineral deficiencies can have very negative effects on both short and long term memory. Approximately 70% of Americans are actually zinc deficient, and research has shown time and time again that zinc and iron deficiencies can cause ADD-like symptoms. Additionally, zinc is much more effective than placebo in treating children labeled as ADD/ADHD, and zinc and iron supplementation increase the effectiveness of medications like Adderall in treating ADD/ADHD.

White spots on the nails can be a sign of zinc deficiency even when blood tests for zinc are normal. The expression, “No zinc, no think” is not without merit. Many studies have shown that zinc supplementation is helpful with memory, thinking and I.Q.

The best way to get more zinc is to optimize the diet. The richest sources of zinc are generally the high protein foods such as grass fed organ meats, grass fed beef, seafood (especially shellfish), nuts, and beans.

7. Iron–Studies show that cognitive development can also be impaired when there are low iron blood levels. Symptoms of iron deficiency include low energy/feeling weak; pale skin lining your eyes, gums, and nails; excessive irritability; frequent head rushes when you stand up quickly; brittle and pale/white fingernails; rapid bounding heart rate; severe menstrual pain and bleeding; brittle hair and hair that falls out easily during gentle brushing; depression; headaches. However, a borderline deficiency may produce little or no obvious symptoms.

Some good dietary sources of iron include: grass fed beef liver, oysters, free range organic poultry, organic eggs (especially the yolks), wild caught salmon, beans, kale, broccoli, raisins, prunes, and whole grains.

8. B Vitamins–Deficiencies in B vitamins, particularly vitamin B1 and choline may also be involved. Best to take a full spectrum B vitamin supplement. B vitamins nourish the nervous system and create a calming effect, helping to eliminate anxiety, nervousness and irritability.

9. L-Tyrosine–protein contains the essential amino acid l-tyrosine, which is the chemical from which dopamine in synthesized. Whether you believe you have an iron/zinc deficiency or not, protein intake is essential post-Adderall to combat the withdrawal: dopamine deficiency. Adderall causes your body to release dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for happiness and motivation, much more rapidly than your body can produce it, depleting your natural stores of it. In addition, your body can only synthesize dopamine while you’re asleep, and it needs proper nutrition to do so. This means taking Adderall for a prolonged period of time is the perfect recipe for dopamine deficiency, especially since most Adderall users don’t eat well or sleep enough.

Symptoms of dopamine deficiency are nearly identical to “ADD” symptoms, including lack of interest in things, no motivation, sleeping a lot, procrastination, craving “uppers” and depression. In addition to a balanced diet with high protein, foods rich in tyrosine include almonds, avocados, bananas, eggs, yogurt, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds. Again, eat these foods in the most natural, unprocessed state you can to get the most nutritional value from them.

10. Avoid artificial sweeteners–Since amino acids are the precursors to the neurotransmitters, improper levels can lead to neurotransmitter dysfunction. One example of an amino acid excess that causes hyperactive behavior occurs with the artificial sweetener, aspartame. Some children are highly sensitive to aspartame and careful attention should be aimed at keeping this potential neurotoxin out of the child’s diet.

11. Sam-E—Helps to combat any depression that may result and is a powerful antioxidant, a proven natural antidepressant and also cleansing to the liver, which may help in eliminating any lingering toxins in the body.

DO eat lots of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables (organic if possible) in a variety of colors… think a rainbow on every plate! Make a goal to consume at least 1/3 of your diet from them. DO try to make all your calories count, make them healthy and nutritious! And get some exercise every day if possible. Exercise is valuable for the brain and for general mood and energy levels. It can make a huge improvement, even if you don’t feel like it!

Yes, it’s a little more work than popping a pill, but adopting healthy lifestyle practices will help avoid the enormous physical and psychological issues that accompany long-term drug usage and addiction. You will notice a significant upswing in everything–energy levels, ability to focus, and general outlook on life and relationships with loved ones. It will make all the difference.

Sources:

Natural News.com, Adderall side effects, nutrient depletions, herbal interactions and health notes.

Medical News Today, College Kids Choose Adderall Over Ritalin For Illicit Use
31 Oct 2006.

Jessica Pierce, The Adderall Edge,
Center for Business and Society, Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA. 2006.

Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD,
Adderall Abuse, Med TV,Feb 2, 2007.

Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, Editor of NaturalNews.com,
Neurologist Dr. Fred Baughman talks about the fraud of ADHD and the poisoning of U.S. children, August 30, 2006.