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| Depression Information |
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Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Depression - A Natural Treatment
A new research study has again shown that a diet rich in omega3 fatty acids can effectively treat and prevent depression and other mental disorders. The research, published in the February issue of the journal, Biological Psychiatry, has actually shown that omega3 fatty acids and foods that are high in uridine were as good as (and often better than) anti-depressant drugs in reducing the symptoms of depression. The unpredictability of anti-depressant drugs has caused much concern for many years, with a large number of doctors and patients questioning their use, and raising concerns about the negative (rather than positive) effects they can cause. Recently, both Merck and GlaxoSmithKlein (manufacturers of Paxil and Vioxx respectively) have been taken to court over withheld research results which show that antidepressant drugs cause children to behave violently and can increase the likelihood of suicide by up to 400%. This has resulted in the FDA in the US announcing that it will ensure that all anti-depressant drugs manufacturers must include a 'black box' warning label on all antidepressant medications. The European Union has also warned its member states about the risks associated to antidepressant drugs, particularly since the Journal of the American Medical Association published a review of the 102 clinical trials on anti-depressants which showed that results are frequently misreported or hidden. Based upon this, and other related studies, there now seems to be a large amount of solid, trustworthy evidence to suggest that there is no longer a need to rely upon drugs to treat and prevent depression. Omega3 Fatty Acids Can Help Prevent and Treat Depression A high-profile article in 1999, published by the Harvard University, put omega3 in the mental health limelight by offering solid proof that fish oil could significantly reduce the effects of bipolar disorders. Individuals who had been condemned to years of high-strength, high-risk pharmaceuticals began to switch to courses of omega3 supplementation. This article built upon the findings of a study published in The Lancet which correlated the results of an earlier cross-cultural study into the incidence of depression across ten nations with the consumption of omega3 fatty acids derived from fish. This study showed a strong correlation between the nations where depression was far less frequent and the average intake of omega3 fatty acids. These findings were then further strengthened by a 2003 research study which was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. These results, which compared similar cross-national epidemiological data, offered further proof to strengthen the link between omega3 fatty acids and their role in treating and preventing depression and other mental disorders. Omega3 is an essential fatty acid which is prevalent in flaxseed, pumpkin seed, almonds, many green leafy vegetables and walnuts (more on omega3 fatty acids). They are known as Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) as the body is not able to synthesise them by itself and relies upon food sources and their health benefits include increased energy, protection against degenerative diseases, a strengthened immune system, and increased brain function. DHA (docosahexaenoic acid -- a component of omega-3 fatty acids) is essential for developing and protecting the gray matter of the human brain and the retina of the eye, and is used in every cell in the body. Research has shown it to be vital at every stage of human life, beginning in utero. Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Depression Many researchers have correlated the decrease in our daily diets of omega3's and the increase in degenerative diseases (such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases) and mental illness. Researchers such as Udo Erasmus cite the huge increase in the intake of highly refined saturated fats and a huge decrease in the consumption of essential fatty acids as the defining factor in the corresponding rise in the number of people diagnosed with degenerative diseases and mental illness over the past century. Similarly, Dr Joseph Hibbeln of the National Institute for Health in the US, states that: "In the last century, [Western] diets have radically changed and we eat grossly fewer omega-3 fatty acids now. We also know that rates of depression have radically increased by perhaps a hundred-fold." As noted above, the correlation between omega3 fatty acids (more specifically, DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA) and depression and other mental disorders has been discovered has in dozens of well respected research studies. Further evidence can be seen in a Finnish study published in the Journal Psyciatric Services during 2001. This large scale study revealed that there was a significantly reduced chance of developing depressive symptoms if individuals consume fish rich in omega3 fatty acids on a regular basis. A further study in 2003 which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrated that in elderly patients suffering with depression, there were significantly lower levels of omega3 fatty acids. Omega Oil is a free, non-commercial resource for those looking to learn about the outstanding health benefits of the omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids.
Depression - Google News |
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Alternative Medicine 5 Tips to Reduce Depression While war and poor economic conditions begin to affect people all over the world, more and more people suffer with depression. The more we focus on news events and the business climate, the more we are depressed. Whatever the reason you feel is the cause of your depression, the following five simple tips guarantee you reduce it significantly. Depression Mantra Depression is the most prevalent of all the emotional disorders. This may vary from feelings of slight sadness to utter misery and dejection. It brings together a variety of physical and psychological symptoms which together constitute a syndrome. FDA Deems Vagus Nerve Therapy Approvable as a Treatment for Depression On February 3, 2005 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified the manufacturer of the vagus nerve stimulator (Cyberonics, Inc.) that it had deemed its VNS Therapy System approvable as a long-term adjunctive treatment for patients over the age of 18 with chronic or recurrent treatment-resistant depression in a major depressive episode that has not responded to at least four adequate antidepressant treatments. In the approvable letter received today by Cyberonics, FDA indicated that final approval was conditional on final labeling, final protocols for a post-approval dosing optimization study and patient registry. Vagus Nerve Stimulation Should be Used Early in Treatment when Traditional Antidepressants Fail Lifetime Prevalence of Depression and the Age-of-Onset Report Distributions of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM) in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Recognizing Depression's Warning Signs Depression is a serious illness, not a harmless part of life. It is a complex disorder with a variety of causes. It is never caused by just one thing. It may be the result of a mix of factors, including genetic, chemical, physical, and sociological. It is also influenced by behavior patterns learned in the family and by cognitive distortions. More Than You Can Handle? There's a dangerous illness afflicting women everywhere across the nation. It's linked to considerable physical and mental suffering. It disrupts millions of lives, decreasing productivity and contributing to marital stress, absenteeism, loss of income, and disability. It is depression. Major Depression and Its Serious Complications When suffering from clinical depression, people have different ways of confronting it. Some acknowledge it, face it just like any problem, and seek help. Some ignore it as if it doesn't exist. And others simply accept that it's there but they don't do anything about it. In fact, they don't even ask for help. Tuning the Music Therapist Music so strongly evokes emotional responses that it is being more frequently employed in the context of psychotherapy as a powerful healing modality. As a novice in this field I inquired at a recent conference on music therapy as to how this tool effects healing in clients with emotional disorders. Depressed? Wise Woman Ways Offer a Helping Hand Winter time is depression time for many women. Perhaps it is harder to look at the bright side when days are short, perhaps the holidays and family demands take their toll on us. Of course, depression can also be triggered by lack of thyroid hormone and by use of steroids, high blood pressure drugs, and ERT/HRT. Quick Steps To Improve Your Mood Looking to improve your mood? Depression Many of us feel depressed at one time or another, but for some, depression may be chronic and even debilitating. 5 Super Effective Tips To Kill Depression Being lonely is a normal part of our everyday lives. We get sad when we fail in our exams, when we're rejected by the person we love, or when someone very close to us passes away. Depression, however, could be more fatal than just plain loneliness. It could render life-long consequences that could ruin your self-esteem, health, and well-being. Depression The 'experts' have tried to evaluate me as a sufferer of this but found no such evidence or behavior. The same was true for all other mental or medical conditions, so they think 'witch' covers my condition in life; because I refuse to participate in the materially managed environment any more. We will not explore the horrors of the current forms of Inquisition in great detail in this book as it relates to me. That would definitely be too serious and intense, as I would explain society's role in tortures such as I witness all around me every day. I have been thwarted in devious gambits by those who have something even worse than the strait-jacket as we have seen Drs Breggin and Cohen describe in 'Science'. They call it (appropriately) 'pharmacological lobotomies'. ECT is even more disgusting and joins Ritalin in a campaign which social forces are developing in this control paradigm. It seems relevant to point out enough of the matter of my experience so that you will know you are getting it pretty close to what they say when they use the phrase 'the horse's mouth'. St Johns Wort and Depression The bright yellow flower of the St Johns Wort (hypericum perforatum) with it's ray-like petals, represents the power of the sun that forces away the darkness. This already points to the anti-depressant effects of the St Johns Wort which are highly respected, even in conventional medicine. Sources of Online Suicide Help for People Suffering from Severe Depression There are Many Resources for Online Suicide Help Antidepressants 101- What You Absolutely Need to Know Introduction 25% of Americans Suffer From a Mental Illness and do Not Get Adequate Relief From Antidepressants According to the June 7th issue of the Wall Street Journal, more Americans are seeking treatment for mental illnesses than ever before, but most of them fail to get adequate care, according to a major new government study. Depression and EPA Fish Oil - Does It Really Work? It is now no secret that people all over the western world are turning to high grade ethyl EPA omega 3 fish oil to treat a number of conditions, but can it really work against a problem that knows no boundaries of age, race or gender. It is a condition that affects millions of people at some time in there lives, it's called depression. Vagus Nerve Stimulation: What are the Benefits and How Does It Relieve Depression? Vagus nerve stimulation is more effective than antidepressants and is not related to brain surgery or shock treatments. It is a 60-90 minute out-patient procedure, with robust antidepressant affects on the brain. Adult Men and Women Who Suffer From Chronic Depression Market surveys on women, men and depression suggest an estimated 4.4 million Americans are believed to suffer from chronic treatment-resistant depression. Depression is a chronic, disabling disorder and a major worldwide public health problem. Depressive episodes usually recur over time, with risk for further episodes proportional to the number of prior episodes. After three major depressive episodes, the probability of recurrence is 90%. In the U.S. alone, approximately 18 million people suffer from depression over six million of which are receiving some form of medical treatment.
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