Is your diet causing your depression?

The old expression, "You are what you eat," may go a long way towards explaining what research increasingly says is a causal link between diet and depression.

The good news for depression sufferers; however, is that because diet may be affecting your mood, your condition is very treatable naturally.

A recent meta-analysis of 11 longitudinal studies involving unipolar depression and/or symptoms of depression in adults between the ages of 18-97 years found a distinctive link between said depression and diet. Follow-up for these studies ranged from two to 13 years, according to Diet and the risk of unipolar depression in adults: systematic review of cohort studies.

"Researchers found an inverse association between depression risk and folate, omega-3 fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, olive oil, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes. Results indicate that diet and nutrition may influence depression risk," says an abstract of the findings by a team of researchers from Oxford University in Great Britain.

The meta-analysis confirmed findings from earlier, unrelated studies, in which researchers from the U.S. essentially found a similar link between nutrition and depression, though traditional clinical practice is to treat depression chemically.

"When researchers came up with the term 'brain chemical imbalance' to explain depression, the next step should have been to supply the brain with nutrients. However, chemicals were prescribed instead," Carolyn Dean, M.D., an author and medical director of the Nutritional Magnesium Association, told Everyday Health.

The website noted that earlier studies have shown that a diet rich in what medical professionals describe as "whole foods" also lowers the risk of depression, while diets that consist primarily of processed foods may actually work to increase the incidence of depression.

That's because, researchers say, whole foods are natural and thus have all of their nutrients intact. They are also devoid of additives, unlike processed foods which contain many additives and have most often lost much of their nutritional value.

It is this loss of vital nutrients scientists believe is likely the root cause of depression.

"We know that nutrients such as magnesium, essential fatty acids, and vitamin B6 and B12 help create neurotransmitters, and we are also learning that a deficiency in these nutrients can lead to a chemical imbalance in the brain," Dean said, adding that neurotransmitters are chemicals in the brain that transmit signals between nerve cells.

Depression can result with these neurotransmitters becoming deficient.

Series of studies provide better understanding

A growing body of research has strengthened the belief among health practitioners and scientists alike that diet and depression are inextricably linked:

-- A recent study in the American Journal of Psychiatry contrasted a diet of whole-food fruits, vegetables, grains and fish with a diet high in processed meats, grains and fast foods. Researchers found that study participants who ate the whole foods had a third less risk of developing depression.

-- A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that, after five years, people who ate a diet rich in veggies, fruits and fish versus those whose diets were loaded with sweetened desserts, processed meats and grains had less risk of developing depression.

-- Yet another small study, this one published in the British Journal of Nutrition, found that people with decreased fat intake had a 25 percent higher risk of depression than those who consumed healthy sources of dietary fat such as omega-3 fats, which are found in fish (salmon and tuna), as well as flaxseed and walnuts.

-- Still another study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that diets high in processed foods, sugar and non-healthy dietary fat increases the risk of obesity, and that the additional weight then led to an increased risk of depression.

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Source by: J. D. Heyes
Tags: diet, depression, mental health

Mindfulness proven as effective at treating depression as medication: Study

People who suffer from symptoms of depression have yet another way to deal with it that does not involve taking dangerous antidepressant drugs. A new study published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry has found that practicing mindfulness, a meditative routine that involves focusing on the present and relishing the moment, is at the very least just as effective as antidepressants when it comes to alleviating depression symptoms - and mindfulness causes no harmful side effects!

Specifically those in remission from depression are said to benefit from the alternative therapy, which can be achieved in as little as 30 minutes a day. Participants who learned how to practice mindfulness on their own, and who faithfully did it every day in conjunction with regular meetings with a therapist, were found to benefit just as much as, if not more than, those who took antidepressants in accordance with the conventional model.

Because of the immense dangers associated with antidepressants, which include suicidal and homicidal tendencies, not to mention worse depression symptoms, many people are now shying away from taking them. According to the latest statistics, nearly half of all people who come out of depression do not end up taking their prescribed antidepressants, many out of concern that they will further damage their health by doing so. A better option, it appears, is to naturally release the trapped emotional energy that keeps many people enslaved to depression by utilizing mindfulness therapy.

"It's kind of like going to the gym and working a muscle, except in this case you're not working a muscle in your body, you're working the muscles in your brain that help you understand and control your emotions," says Zindel Segal from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Ontario, about the benefits of mindfulness therapy.

Mindfulness therapy can also alleviate anxiety, chronic pain
A similar study recently published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that mindfulness therapy can also benefit those who suffer from mild depression symptoms, frequent and infrequent anxiety, and even chronic pain. As it turns out, certain unhealthy patterns of thinking have been shown in neuroimaging scans to actually fuel the brain activity associated with depression and even pain, which means new ways of thinking have the potential to undo these patterns in a positive way.

"Mindfulness Therapy is, in some ways, like a cat-and-mouse game in which you develop the finely tuned attention of a cat, forever watchful and patient, as it sits in front of a mouse hole, waiting for its prey to emerge," explains Dr. Peter Strong, Ph.D., in a piece for Psychology Today. "In our case the prey are not mice, but the countless negative thoughts and emotional reactions that emerge from the shadows of our conditioned mind."

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Though it admittedly takes more time out of each day to effectively employ the benefits of mindfulness therapy as opposed to popping an antidepressant, the benefits of the treatment and the avoidance of side effects are well worth it, say its advocates. And the good news is that it is becoming easier to learn and engage in mindfulness therapy as online resources are increasingly able to deliver its benefits without the need to visit a therapist in person.



Source:Jonathan Benson, staff writer
Tags: depression, mindfulness, anti-depressants

Cheap Fluoxetine 20 mg online

Brand Name: Fluox 20 mg
Generic Name: Fluox (Fluoxetine / Lovan) 20 mg
Generic Fluox (Fluoxetine / Lovan) 20 mg is a Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) that helps patients with depression by increasing the availability of serotonin in the brain.
Scientists believe serotonin affects many types of activity in the brain, including the regulation of mood.

Uses of Fluox (Lovan):
Lovan (fluoxetine) belongs to the group of antidepressants known as SSRIs and is from the same drug (fluoxetine) as Prozac. Fluoxetine is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, some eating disorders, and panic attacks. It is used to relieve the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder, including mood swings, irritability, bloating, and breast tenderness. Fluoxetine is in a class of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It works by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance.

This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

How to Take Lovan:
Take this medicine as directed. It can be taken with or without food. Do not stop taking this medicine abruptly without consulting with your doctor. The usual adult dose of Lovan is between 20mg and 60mg per day.

Side Effects of Lovan:

Some common side effects reported with this medicine include:
    Headache,
    nervousness,
    insomnia,
    drowsiness,
    fatigue or asthenia,
    anxiety,
    nausea,
    dry mouth,
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Warnings and precautions for Lovan
Not to be used with an MAOI or within 14 days of discontinuing MAOI therapy. Allow at least 5 weeks after stopping Prozac before starting an MAOI. Do not administer thioridazine with Prozac or within 5 weeks after Prozac has been discontinued.
Tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking.

Precautions:
Pregnancy, lactation, patients < 18 years of age, elderly patients. History of allergic reactions, seizures, suicidal tendency, activation of mania/hypomania, MI or unstable heart disease, diabetes, severe renal or hepatic impairment, hypokalemia (following self-induced vomiting), hyponatremia, altered platelet function.
You should know that fluoxetine may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
Remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this medication.
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What to do if you take Overdose of Lovan?
Seek medical attention immediately. For non emergencies, contact your local or regional poison control center.

What to do if you take Missed Dose of Lovan?
Take your next dose as soon as you remember. If it is time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

How to Store Lovan:
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of the reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed.