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A few weeks ago, my wife told me about a family member who appears to be suffering from depression. She asked me to do some research to see what might be done. I told her I would look into it. Here’s what I found.
What Your Doctor May Not Know About Big Pharma’s “Slight of Hand”
According to a comprehensive review by U.S. and Canadian researchers, at least 4 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs simply do not work as advertised. After examining all data available for the drugs — including unpublished clinical trials by the manufacturers – it was found that patients taking the drugs improved no more than those taking placebo pills. The only exception was among severely depressed patients, who improved slightly more on the drugs than the placebos.
This study is unique in that it is the first time a study has been done using a full set of data from the FDA for the antidepressants Prozac (fluoxetine), Seroxat (paroxetine – also marketed under the brand name Paxil), Effexor (venlafaxine), and Serzone (nefazodone).
Note: After Serzone was linked to liver damage in a small percentage of people, the manufacturer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, discontinued its sale in the United States and Canada in 2004. (It had already been banned in some other countries.) However, the generic form – nefazodone, is still available in the US and Canada.
The authors of the study wrote, “Using complete datasets (including unpublished data) and a substantially larger dataset of this type than has been previously reported, we find that the overall effect of new-generation antidepressant medications is below recommended criteria for clinical significance. We also find that efficacy reaches clinical significance only in trials involving the most extremely depressed patients, and that this pattern is due to a decrease in the response to placebo rather than an increase in the response to medication.” Source: PLoS (Public Library of Science) Medicine February 26, 2008
I know for a fact that some doctors are still prescribing these drugs for elderly patients. So, if you have friends or family who are on these drugs, please show them this article.
I’ve never placed much trust in prescription drugs, although in some cases they can be lifesavers. But if they are no better than jelly beans…
So what alternatives are available to fight depression?
Avoid Feeling Caged by Depression With These Four Healthy Habits
Why Diet Matters
A recent study showed that diets with high Omega 6: Omega 3 fatty acid ratios enhanced risk for depression Source: Psychosomatic Med 2007 69: 217-224. In fact, the study showed those with the highest level of depression had diets high in Omega 6 fatty acids. But, there’s more. Depression and stress promote something called “proinflammatory cytokine production” and diets high in Omega 6 fatty acids enhance it. The importance of proinflammatory cytokines is they are related to the onset and course of a spectrum of conditions associated with aging: coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, approximately 15% of cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and periodontal disease.
The good news is that Omega 3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties. Good sources of Omega 3s: fish, wild game, seeds, nuts, & green leafy vegetables. Doctors suggest we have a 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3. Olive, coconut, & hemp oils have a much better ratio than corn, soy, and canola oils.
A diet high in Omega 3 EFA plus B vitamins such as is found in liver will help reduce depression. If you don’t particularly care for liver, a more palatable substitute is Brewer’s yeast, available in tablets or as a powder that can be added to soups. Note: (If buying Brewer’s yeast powder, be sure you get the “de-bittered” variety).
Another dietary approach to depression is simply to eat foods naturally high in tryptophan, the precursor for serotonin in the body. It is particularly plentiful in chocolate, oats, bananas, mangoes, dried dates, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, red meat, eggs, fish, poultry, sesame, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, spirulina, and peanuts. One of the highest sources is Parmesan cheese!
Make Laughing a Daily Habit
Natural ways to enhance your serotonin levels: L-tryptophan supplementation, exercise, sunlight, and laughter! Mark Twain said, “Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.” Rent comedy movies. Learn and tell jokes. Go out of your way to be kind – People who regularly volunteer to help others have measurably higher levels of serotonin.
Treat Your Brain to Healing Scents
Religious leaders have contended for millennia that burning incense is good for the soul. Now, biologists have learned that it is good for our brains too. An international team of scientists, including researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, describe how burning frankincense (resin from the Boswellia plant) activates poorly understood ion channels in the brain to alleviate anxiety or depression. SOURCE: Science Daily on May 20, 2008
Lavender essential oil has been shown to be effective in treating depression. Although essential oils evaporate rapidly, the effects are more lasting. The aromatic molecules permeate the air. When we inhale the aroma, these molecules travel into the nose and to the olfactory receptors, which transmit this information directly to the limbic system of the brain. The limbic system controls our emotions, influences the production of hormones, the immune system, and the nervous system.
Lavender essential oil has many known uses. It is a great aid for relaxing and winding down before bedtime. On the other hand, its balancing properties can also boost stamina and energy. Lavender is a great aromatherapy essential oil for reducing stress, alleviating fears, and soothing frustrations and irritability… especially in times of crises.
It’s important to find quality essential oils as some companies cut them with “carrier” oils. Since essential “oils” are not really oils at all, a good test is to put a few drops on a cloth. The essential oil should evaporate rapidly leaving no oily residue.
Consider Natural Supplements
“A February 2005 study in the British Medical Journal finally put to rest the effectiveness of St. John’s Wort as an antidepressant for people with moderate to severe depression. Half the study’s participants took the antidepressant Paxil (paroxetine); the other half took a minimum 900 mg daily of St. John’s Wort. After six weeks on these regimens, one third of those taking the Paxil felt less depressed; but one half of those taking St. John’s Wort were less depressed. The well-designed study also showed that St. John’s Wort caused fewer side effects than Paxil.”
When using this herb, it’s best to find a source made from the flowers and leaves with at least 3-5% hyperforin. One such brand is AMORYN. For potential side effects and drug interactions, please go to amoryn.com.
Caution: If you are currently on an antidepressant, do not take St. John’s Wort. And never stop taking your prescription without talking with your doctor, because most antidepressant medications need to be slowing tapered before discontinuing.
“If they would drink nettles in March,
And eat Mugwort in May,
So many fine Maidens,
Would not go to clay”
English Folk Rhyme
Our Fascination With Expensive Exotic Foods
Nearly every day, I see a new advertisement for some overpriced exotic food that’s supposed to be the latest thing you just must have to live to a ripe old age. From native drupes from South America (Acai) to organic coffee berries (yes berries), to an exotic fruit from the Himalayas; we’re told by some celebrity (like Oprah), that we’ve just got to have it. Now, I’m not suggesting these foods aren’t good, but by the time they’ve reached our home, the price is way too steep.
Yet, we tend to ignore what’s available for free in our own back yards. Here are 8 local wild foods, loaded with vitamins, minerals & antioxidants you might want to consider instead. All of these have various medical properties ascribed to them, but it would take far more space than I have here to differentiate claims from scientific validation.
Eight Neglected “Exotics”
Stinging Nettle – The young tender shoots are good in stir-fry or soups, and the fresh or dried leaves make an interesting & healthy tea. Just add some hot water, steep for 5 minutes, strain, and sip. The Romans collected and consumed nettle seeds. In Ovidius ‘Ars Amatoria’ there’s even a recipe using nettle seeds in an aphrodisiac drink.
Caution: There’s a strong reason why it’s called Stinging Nettle. The leaves are covered with fine hollow “hairs” which contain formic acid that sting when you touch them. Once cooked, they are fine, but even the dried leaves can still sting you. I strongly suggest using heavy-duty leather or rubber gloves to handle them.
Note: If you do happen to get stung, juice from the stem will reduce the stinging, and a companion plant frequently found growing near nettle is the common Touch-Me-Not or Jewelweed (Impatiens noli-tangere). The flower is yellowish orange and often spotted purple to reddish brown. There is another species (I. glandulifera), which has pink or white flowers resembling an orchid. Both species readily self-seed, and do well in moist shady areas. Because the juice immediately quiets the sting of nettle, you may want to grow some in your wild garden.
Dandelion – the young leaves (before flowering) can be used for salad-greens or added to soups or stir fry. The flowers can be made into wine & even non-alcoholic drinks. The pollen laden flowers can also be added to pancake batter or fritters. You’ll first want to remove all green portions from the flowers, because they are quite bitter. Of course, you’ll want to avoid dandelions, which have been sprayed with herbicides.
I find the best leaves appear in areas where the surrounding plants force them to grow long and wide to get the sunlight they need. It’s not unusual to find leaves 6”- 8” long. You can also add some plants to your garden. By feeding them nitrogen rich compost, you’ll be able to encourage leaf growth and extend the harvesting season. The roots of dandelions can be gathered and dried in the fall and make a healthy drink either alone or as an addition to your coffee.
Dandelion has been considered a culinary favorite in Europe for centuries and was actually imported by the early colonists to America where it has spread even into the mountains. A little known fact is the U.S. is a net importer of dandelion parts, which are used in herbal supplements.
Chicory – To most people today, chicory is just a little noticed roadside herb with pretty blue summer flowers, but the plants have been cultivated for thousands of years. It is said that Queen Elizabeth I of England drank chicory broth, and the Egyptians cultivated it around 5000 years ago. Today, it’s seeds & greens are sold as radicchio, which is nothing more than the forced leaves of a variety of chicory.
If you want to grow your own, the plant thrives in rich sandy soil, and responds well to compost. You can even “force” the roots during the winter months for the specialty green Belgian endive, which make a welcome addition to salads. The ground roots can be added to coffee or drank alone.
Wild blackberries & black raspberries – Virtually all berries & especially those with blue-black coloration have antioxidants that apparently protect the body from many ill effects of aging. If you live in an area where they grow abundantly, consider yourself lucky. Specialty culinary preparers pay as much as $40 a gallon for these sweet berries and make them into jams which sell for premium prices in the market.
Huckleberries – In most parts of the U.S., these berries grow wild and are sold for $30 a gallon or more at roadside stands. Most are blue or black with a flavor similar to blueberries. They grow well in sun or shade and can frequently be found alongside mountain trails. In the Pacific Northwest there is also a red variety that grows well on old cedar stumps. The flavor is tart but quite good.
Huckleberries can be easily frozen or prepared into jams, tarts, and pies. I like to add a few to my summer salads. My chickens love them so much I’ve seen them fly up into the bush and gobble them down.
Bilberry: Blueberry’s Sweeter Cousin
Alpine bilberry, bog bilberry or tundra bilberry (V. uliginosum) is native to North America, Europe, and Asia from 38o to 78o north latitudes and from sea level to 9,000 + feet elevation. This species grows on wet or dry, acidic, organic or mineral soils and is often found at the edges of lakes and streams. The plants grow from several inches to about 36 inches tall, bearing single berries or clusters of two or three glaucous, blue berries one-fourth inch in diameter. Flavor is good, but yields are often low.
One of my favorite Labor Day hikes takes me to a couple alpine lakes in the wilderness where these berries grow in such abundance you can literally fill your hand with berries without moving your feet. These fresh juicy flavorful berries taste similar to blueberries, but are much sweeter. Typically along the trail I’ll also find blue huckleberries and wild blueberries.
Elderberries – elder flower tea or fritters in the spring and elderberry wine in the summer. The flowers can also be dried and used for tea later. And the berries can be made into jams, jellies, & chutneys. If you’ve never had elderberry wine, you’re missing a rare treat, especially if you make it yourself. Although the elderberry tree can get up to 30’ tall, it responds well to pruning. My chickens think the berries are a real delicacy.
Fireweed – high in potassium & phosphorus and a good source of Vitamin C. American natives ate the young shoots just like asparagus – lightly steam & eat or use them in stir-fry. They tend to grow in open areas, along ditches, and burned over ground (hence the name). The summer flowers of this member of the Evening Primrose family are delicate and rose to purple
I’m sure if ask knowledgeable elders in your community, they can tell you about other local plants you can harvest. In the process, you’ll get some healthy exercise & sunshine. And you’ll also know you aren’t nearly so dependent on your grocer for your food.
Just a final note: Although Mugwort is mentioned in the rhyme above, Artemisia vulgaris is now not considered to be safe to take internally. It is a fine aromatic and can be used in herbal baths to relieve aching muscles and joints. It makes a fine ornamental addition to the wild garden, & the sage-like smell of the dried herb is said to repel moths.
According to Johns Hopkins Dr. Simeon Margolis, “back pain sends more people to the doctor than any complaint except upper respiratory symptoms.”
So there I was, unable to reach the phone, 30 kilometers away from my doctor, and I thought, “It doesn’t have to be this way. A backache doesn’t have to get me so low down – spread-eagled on the floor!”
It gave me little comfort to read that Apprentice star Claire Young says her “killer high heels” wrecked her spine and left her in agony.
All ye pretty women out there reading this, take heed and take the heels off. Obviously, plenty of people were being as silly as me.
So I was taken to the doctor, plus signed up for a physiotherapist and a yoga instructor. Then I pleaded with my boss for a week off. At this point I realized there were some things I could have done to avoid the debilitating pain, the doctor’s bills and the week off without pay
Types of Back Pain
Acute – If a sudden movement, sprain or strain on the muscles triggered the pain, then that pain would be acute. If you don’t continue to strain your back acute pain should disappear in a few days if you apply balm, alternate applying cold & hot packs, & maybe get a massage.
Chronic – your back has been aching for more than a few weeks or months, especially when you get to work
Causes of Back Pain
Osteoporosis
Osteoarthritis
Bladder or kidney infections
Pregnancy
Menopause
Cancer
Wearing ridiculously high heels
Dehydration
Diet
Stress
Repetitive movements
Also, did you know that a severe backache could be because of indigestion? And this should surprise some, a joint problem that affects the jaws, can lead to severe backache.
A sagging bed could lead to chronic backaches, so look out for that. If you can’t buy a new one straight off, slip in something rigid (such as a piece of 5/8 inch plywood) between the mattress and the bed frame to keep the mattress from sagging in the middle.
Action Plan
Get to know what you are up against: Acute or chronic?
Questions your doctor might ask you: Most doctors find it a challenge to find the exact reason for severe chronic backaches. Help them as much as you can by noting if there is a central point that pains and if that pain radiates from there to other parts of the body. When the pain is at its worst and if it pains all the time, or only when you move, walk, bend down and so on.
What is the cause: Rule out any spine-related problems. This might require you get an X-Ray. Apparently, my spine is crooked, so I have to extra care about how much weight I lift, how I get out of bed and several other things. The doctor suggests I turn to my side and get up. Apparently, just sitting up is out. Don’t just pop an anti-inflammatory or painkiller, just because it’s in front of you. Talk about the probable reasons with your doctor, it will be easier to cure it completely.
Exercise: Lie on the floor, bring up your knees to your chest and put some pressure on your knees. This lengthens the spine and massages it. However, those suffering from some kinds of severe chronic aches may not be able to do this. Consult your doctor. Yoga, Tai Chi and acupressure are relatively safe methods of reducing the pain and remedying the problem. Strength training may help in building a stronger back, so choose what works best for you.
Sit right: If you have a desk job, you are probably slouching forward all the time. Remind yourself to sit straight, stretch your back and get your own cushions or footstools, if your employer won’t get you a better chair.
Heat and cold: If the pain is acute, ice may be the best remedy. It reduces any swelling and the relief is greater if you massage the sore spot with the ice. Heat works best after you have used an ice bag for two days at least. Moist heat is recommended, i.e., wring a towel in warm water and keep it on your back.
Control your thoughts
Some people are more prone to suffering from chronic pain than others. This is really important to understand because it offers a plausible explanation for the fact that some people do not stick to their medicine, give up on exercise programs that can make them feel better, or continue with a lifestyle that makes the pain worse. Source: Cleveland Clinic
Some of these characteristics are:
A person who strongly feels responsible towards others and goes to any lengths to discharge their duties
A uncontrollable urge to do whatever it takes to get the job done, often sacrificing one’s own needs to achieve it
Not being easy on oneself or others
Holding very strong beliefs
Using pain as a way to seek attention or to buy time
Your spine is the main message center for your body. All the muscles and nerves associated with it are extremely important. So any pain affects the proper functioning of your body and should be tackled immediately.
When it comes to taking care of your eyes, and I cannot stress this enough, you’ve got to be regular. Get them checked regularly, incorporate healthy eye-food into your daily diet, give your eyes rest & exercise regularly.
According to a 7 year study, running and other brisk activities lead to greater cardio-respiratory fitness that is associated with lower cataract risk in men
Yoga incorporates several poses that increase blood circulation to your eyes and strengthen the eye muscles. Also, several poses reduce stress levels through the body and increase lung power, so your entire body, including your eyes feels refreshed.
Paul McCartney demonstrates some eye yoga exercises he learned in India.
Although, I must add, you mustn’t move your head as much as he does while you are doing these eye exercises.
What Makes the Eyes Weak?
Some of the common age-related eye disorders set in because of a diet that lacks nutrients that improve vision or prevent vision from deteriorating; or due to loss of tissue tightness around the eye socket, leading to droopy or puffy eyelids; or weakening of the retinal muscles leading to lower closer-range vision and so on.
Incidentally, smoking reduces blood circulation to the eyes. And in the study cited above, being overweight can increase your chances of developing cataracts.
Conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and dry eyes are so very common these days, what with the way we stare at the computer, walk around without sunglasses on sunny days and stay awake for longer than our eyes can stand.
Cataracts are clumps of protein molecules that cloud up your lens making it difficult to see clearly, whereas a build up of pressure on the optic nerve causes glaucoma. This happens when the watery liquid flowing between the lens and the cornea is blocked.
Small Changes for Healthier Eyes
While at work make sure that the source of light is behind you, and not shining directly at you. Overhead lights are fine as long as they do not throw off the glare at you from the computer screen you are looking at. If you can manage: position the light source over your left shoulder, if you are right-handed, and over your right shoulder if you are left-handed.
If you need glasses, get them (and get glasses of the right power). Do not sacrifice your vision for the sake of not looking ‘nerdy’
Blink. Blink. Blink. Fifteen-twenty times a minute.
Every now and again, rub your palms together and place them over your eyes. Count to 20. Do this regularly.
Don’t let cigarette smoke, or any kind of smoke get into your eyes. It can cause the formation of free radicals in the eye, which can cause macular (retina muscle) degeneration.
Prevent your chances of getting eye infections by washing your hands often, especially if you are in a public space. Do not share face towels or eye cosmetics. And do not rub your eyes too vigorously.
Avoid reading while ill, because this puts extra strain on the eyes
Super Eye Foods
Bilberry extracts. This herb has been shown to slow the development of cataracts. It increases the blood supply to the eyes.
Red, orange, yellow fruits and green vegetables are particularly good for the eyes. They are loaded with antioxidants such as beta carotene, vitamins A, C, E
Omega 3 oils found aplenty in cold water fish such as salmon, tuna, cod and sardines are good for the eyes.
A tea made from eyebright, Echinacea, clover, burdock and licorice boosts your immune system… helping you resist eye infections.
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