Relieve Depression Without Drugs

I've treated several clients diagnosed with depression. In "melting the ice cube from all sides", here's a reference for dietary factors that can reduce or eliminate depression:

"The following dietary supplements have been shown to help restore neurotransmitter levels and alleviate depression:

• B vitamins—A full complement of B vitamins (including at least 1000 micrograms (mcg) vitamin B12, 250 milligrams (mg) vitamin B6, and 800 mcg of folic acid daily
• Zinc—15 to 30 mg daily
• TMG—2 to 4 grams (g) daily
• Cytidine diphosphate choline—250 to 500 mg daily (alternatively, 1 to 3 teaspoons liquid choline chloride mixed with 2 ounces juice daily, 1 tablespoon pure lecithin granules daily, or 250 mg glyceryl phosphoryl choline daily)
• Micronized creatine—500 mg (in capsule form) four to eight times daily
• N-acetylcysteine—600 mg (in capsule form) one to two times daily on an empty stomach
• Vitamin C—1 to 3 g daily
• Vitamin E—400 International Units (IU) daily, with 200 mg gamma tocopherol
• EPA/DHA—1400 mg EPA and 1000 mg DHA daily
• SAMe—400 to 1200 mg daily without food
• St John’s wort—300 to 900 mg daily
• Ginkgo biloba—120 mg daily
• L-phenylalanine—500 to 1000 mg early in the day
• Tyrosine—500 to 1000 mg daily
• Tryptophan—500 to 1000 mg once or twice daily on an empty stomach
• DHEA—15 to 75 mg daily, followed by blood testing in three to six weeks to make sure optimal levels are maintained. "
  

Reference: http://www.lef.org/protocols/emotional_health/depression_01.htm

Personally, I also find my mood elevates when I take Vitamin D (6K IUs/day, since I don't get as much sun exposure as our bodies need to produce it on my own), and Emergen-C packs (2 per day if I'm very busy, full of vitamins and high levels of Vit.C).

And of course, there's always the euphoria chocolate gives (same as the biochemistry post-orgasm). You pick your weapon of choice. ;)

Funny Quotes on Health

It's been an interesting 36 hours for me, lots of healing work. Right when I think I've plucked all the apples that there are to pluck in my twisted little psyche, I suddenly learn I've only pulled the low-hanging fruit and find another ripe one.


Woo hoo AFGO!

(AFGO - Another F#$%ing Growth Opportunity)


So while the newly poured cement of my healing work is in curing mode (heh), here are a few fun quotes about health.

Enjoy!
Gail

• Happiness is good health and a bad memory. -- Ingrid Bergman

• Forget health clinics and gyms. Sex is the best cure. One good night of sex and your problems are gone. -- Grace Jones

• According to a new study, women in satisfying marriages are less likely to develop cardiovascular diseases than unmarried women. So don't worry lonely women, you'll be dead soon. -- Tina Fey

Sunny Anti-Cancer Vitamin D - Really?

Did you know this? I didn't!

According to an article in the August 2007 issue of Elle magazine (I know, I'm such a girl), if you're a night-owl-computer-fan-sun-avoiding-vampire like I am, happily doing your part to avoid skin cancer and proud of the results you're getting avoiding premature skin aging as you hide from the sun, here's a wake-up call - apparently lack of sun exposure can deplete your levels of Vitamin D.

So what, you say? So what if Elle quotes over 90% of the population being Vitamin D deficient?

Apparently low levels of Vitamin D can lead to all sorts of significant health issues like osteoporosis, gum disease, muscle weakness, autoimmune disorders, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, whereas sufficient levels of Vitamin D helps prevent many cancers, like breast, lung, colon, prostate, and stomach cancer.

The recommendation? Getting regular doses of sunlight can increase your body's Vitamin D production. But wait, being in the sun can help prevent cancer? What?

Well if you're like me and you want to have your cake and eat it too (no sun and healthy Vitamin D levels), it appears that taking Vitamin D as a supplement (specifically in the form of cholecalciferol) benefits the body equally as well as sun exposure. The RDA says 400 IU are sufficient; the article debates this, naming a daily 1000 IU and noting that we can take up to 10K IU daily, safely.

See this? This is me going to the supplement store to pick up some cholecalciferol. What's the fun of life-increase and fulfillment if I don't extend the years I have to enjoy it?

Here's the article you can read for yourself.

Here's to your health and longevity!
Gail