Recently I wrote an article on Omega 3 supplementation and it's many health benefits. I got a few emails from some loyal readers who wanted to ask me the question if Omega 3 supplementation can help with their depression and mood disorders.
There have been quite a number of studies performed with Omega 3 and cases of clinical depression and the findings are quite positive. I feel wholeheartedly that Omega 3 can help stabilise mood and help with depression because I myself suffer from OCD and mood swings and I have noticed, ever since increasing my omega 3 intake that I have had less instances where my OCD would be classified as debilitating.
Not only can increasing your intake of omega 3 help with stabilising depression, it also brings about many other wonderful health benefits. If you have never taken the time to research and look into omega 3's I would highly recommend you read my omega 3 for mental health article. It's crammed with useful information and could be just what you're looking for.
Please take it from me. I've been battling depression for a long time now and didn't realise that just by increasing my omega 3 intake that my depression would be greatly alleviated to the point where I no longer suffer from the blues.
Our brains are made up of mainly fat and omega 3 has the potential to provide relief from many mood disorders and greatly helps depression. My good friend also suffers from ADD and ADHD and I introduced him to omega 3 and he says that it has been helping him feel better and healthier as well (he doesn't need to use as much medication as he used to - which is great news).
So if you have ever experienced depression or any type of mood disorder then I would encourage that you look into this wonderful supplement and see if it helps you as much as it has for me. God bless!
Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts
December 30, 2011
December 29, 2011
Why should you use Omega 3 for mental health?
Hey guys. I thought I'd write an article about Omega 3 and it's important role in healthy mental function and cognitive development.
Recently, I've been battling a serious case of depression. Which is very odd considering everything in my life has been going perfect. I've also been diagnosed with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and it's been really draining and impacts my life in so many different ways.
I was researching the internet and have found that my diet was really lacking in fish (which as a direct result also effected how much Omega 3 I was consuming)
Omega 3 is classified as an Essential Fatty Acid (the good kind). Your body is unable to manufacture Omega 3 and it must be ingested in either food form (like eating Sardines, Salmon, Tuna, Walnuts etc) or via supplementation. The good Omega 3 has high levels of EPA and DHA (always read the labels and seek out the mg ratings on your supplements for these 2 important Omega 3 nutrients)
Since I'm more of a convenience guy, I like to take the odourless fish oil. When choosing an Omega 3 supplement try to find the filtered kind - the kind that has removed most of the harmful PCB, Dioxins and Mercury (all of which are toxic to the body)
Why do I use Omega 3? Well the most important benefits of Omega 3 are:
As with all things. There are some potentially unwanted side effects that I've noticed when upping my Omega 3 intake. The side effects I've seen as a direct result of using Omega 3 are:
As with all things, moderation is key. The FDA has approved Omega 3 as a recognised supplement - however I would not consume more than 3 grams a day over the long term. Also, if you are taking blood thinners or have a known history of heart problems I would consult your GP/physician before taking Omega 3 supplements as it's known to thin out the blood.
Recently, I've been battling a serious case of depression. Which is very odd considering everything in my life has been going perfect. I've also been diagnosed with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and it's been really draining and impacts my life in so many different ways.
I was researching the internet and have found that my diet was really lacking in fish (which as a direct result also effected how much Omega 3 I was consuming)
Omega 3 is classified as an Essential Fatty Acid (the good kind). Your body is unable to manufacture Omega 3 and it must be ingested in either food form (like eating Sardines, Salmon, Tuna, Walnuts etc) or via supplementation. The good Omega 3 has high levels of EPA and DHA (always read the labels and seek out the mg ratings on your supplements for these 2 important Omega 3 nutrients)
Since I'm more of a convenience guy, I like to take the odourless fish oil. When choosing an Omega 3 supplement try to find the filtered kind - the kind that has removed most of the harmful PCB, Dioxins and Mercury (all of which are toxic to the body)
Why do I use Omega 3? Well the most important benefits of Omega 3 are:
- Improved memory and cognitive function (may also assist with dopamine and serotonin usage by the brain)
- Better problem solving ability
- Stabilises your mood/temperament
- Greatly reduces my OCD habits
- Helps treat depression
- Maintains the cardiovascular system
- It's good for the heart - helps maintain blood pressure
- Maintains healthy retina function (good for your eyes)
- Reduces swelling and joint pain associated with arthritus (can improve mobility over time)
- Reduces LDL/plaques (bad fats) in the arteries and can help lower bad fat levels in the blood.
As with all things. There are some potentially unwanted side effects that I've noticed when upping my Omega 3 intake. The side effects I've seen as a direct result of using Omega 3 are:
- Slight headache (this may be attributed to higher than normal toxins in the cheaper Omega 3 supplements) so always use the filtered/mercury free types!
- Slight stomach discomfort (not painful or unbearable)
- May increase gas (flatulence)
- Some brands may have a fishy odour/aftertaste
- Cost of the better Omega 3 supplements can be quite expensive
As with all things, moderation is key. The FDA has approved Omega 3 as a recognised supplement - however I would not consume more than 3 grams a day over the long term. Also, if you are taking blood thinners or have a known history of heart problems I would consult your GP/physician before taking Omega 3 supplements as it's known to thin out the blood.
May 19, 2011
Symptoms Of Severe Depression - Know The Signs
Symptoms of severe depression
how to spot the signs and get help before it spirals out of control.Life has many up and down moments. Depression is different from just having a bad day every now and then. Depression effects many of us and some people find that it's hard to ask for help when they suffer from depression too.
What is depression?
People who are depressed feel empty, unenthusiastic about life and at times can also feel apathetic. They are generally withdrawn from society and constantly are thinking about bad thoughts (which may also include self-harm thoughts) depressed people also feel like they're alone in this world (even if they have many loving family and friends) they can feel helpless and hopeless.Signs of depression
Here are some of the classical signs of clinical depression that can help you to identify the symptoms.- feeling hopeless, guilty, helpless or useless most of the time.
- consistantly worrying about events (whether real or imagined)
- the inability to control negative thoughts and emotions
- feeling trapped or suffocating with no logical reasons as to why
- loss of apetite (including self-starvation)
- loss of will to survive (can include self-harm and suicidal thoughts)
- the inability to control your temper and have sudden outrages
- thoughts of wanting to hurt yourself or others around you
- major sleeping difficulties
- lack of energy (severe lethargy)
- difficulties in accepting positive events/changes
- socially withdrawn
- overeating
Here are some important points to consider when diagnosing depression states.
1) Adolescence and teenagers going through rapid hormonal changes can result in mood swings and natural chemical imbalances. This is entirely normal.
2) Depression is a constant thing (having a bad day every now and then does not mean you're depressed; it just means you where stressed on that day)
3) Depression and severe depression. Certain symptoms are indicative of having depression - severe depression is where the symptoms are consistant and the individual is actually attempting self-harm.
4) Woman also tend to suffer from depression more so then men. This is due to hormonal fluctuations such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), postpartum depression, perimenopausal depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Different types of depression
Major depression
Major depression is mainly characterized by having an inability to enjoy life and experience natural pleasure. Symptoms may be current or reoccur with regularity. There may also be a certain time frame for the amount of time you experience major depression (eg. 3-6 month periods).Atypical Depression
Atypical depression is another subtype of major depression. Featuring temporary positive mood lifts in response to stimuli. An example of this would be after hearing something good from your friends or family. The positive feeling seldom sticks around and the individual goes back to feeling depressed after a short time.Dysthymia (classic mild depression)
Dysthmia is a more mild form of depression. This type of depression is moderate and alternates between a mild feeling of depression and normal mood levels. Classical symptoms of dysthymia are not nearly as strong as symptoms of major depression - but tend to last longer periods (2+ years).Dysthymia sufferes have problems 'living life to the max' and tend to forget positive events that occur in life easily. If you have dysthymia you may have always just felt depressed (and this would be 'normal' to you) it's a relatively easy form of depression to treat.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
Stormy and rainy days can cause seasonal affective disorder. This is due to people getting easily depressed in seasons like autumn and winter. Where there are many frequent overcast days and natural sun light is quite scarce. This depression is called seasonal affective disorder or otherwise known as SAD. Researchers believe that this type of depression is due to the functioning of the pineal gland. The pineal gland is photosensitive (is affected by light) and because the pineal gland helps convert melatonin to serotonin, with the use of light. SAD can effectively be treated with light therapy (using artificial lights that mimics the sun to boost your mood)
May 18, 2011
Natural Depression Treatment And Remedies
Depression is a very serious issue. It's a mental condition that effects millions of people around the world.
Depression causes us to feel extremely down and pessimistic with life's outlook. With severe cases often leading to suicidal thoughts or self-harm. Most mental health therapists would generally prescribe SSRI and anti-depressent drugs to help with the symptoms of depression. This is a practice that I would generally advise against because a lot of those medications have extremely bad side effects.
There has been quite a lot of studies and research performed on natural remedies for beating off a bout of the blues.
Today, we'll be focusing on two powerful and natural depression remedies.
First, we'll focus our attention on L-Tryptophan, this important amino acid is required in our bodies for the synthesis of Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine / 5-HT) which is the neurochemical involved in the regulation of mood, muscle contractions, appetite and sleep.
It's understood that low levels of serotonin has many debilitating effects on the body (such as mood swings, aggression, psychotic episodes, seizures, anxiety and insomnia) Tryptophan can help with these symptoms and reduce depression because it converts into serotonin in the body and has a great uptake profile. The secret is to have adequate levels of serotonin - this will allow you to feel good and help you to maintain a positive attitude in life.
By supplementing your diet with adequate levels of L-Tryptophan you can give your body a natural positive boost (provided you should also have a well balanced diet). Reason why is because your body will be able to produce adequate levels of serotonin and this in turn will brighten up your mood, naturally without the use of any drugs.
Another supplement that's good for treating depression is 5-HTP. Some people who are already taking this supplement, don't feel that it's quite as effective as L-Tryptophan. The reason why is because 5-HTP can get converted into serotonin within the liver (before it reaches the brain) if this happens then it will not effectively pass the blood-brain barrier, rendering it only semi-effective. Not only that but 5-HTP has the tendency to accumulate in areas (such as the stomach's GI tract and heart - which can lead to other serious health complications) doses should range from 50-100mg of 5-HTP per day. No more is neccessary for even the most severest cases of depression. You should also cycle the intake of 5-HTP (i.e 3 weeks daily use / 1 week off or taken for a few days and given a rest for a few days etc.)
L-Tryptophan is the usually preffered supplement because it allows serotonin synthesis to occur naturally (and all of it passes through the blood-brain barrier making it more effective than 5-HTP). If you are thinking of taking 5-HTP I would advise you try supplementing with Tryptophan first as it's much gentler and safer on the body. If you have no results with tryptophan then try using 5-HTP.
If you're on anti-depressants or MAOIs already I would consult your GP/Doctor before taking these supplements just in case they interact with your meds. It's always better to be safe, than sorry.
At night time the excess serotonin in your brain gets converted to melatonin through the pineal gland. This is what allows us to fall asleep at night (because the darkness triggers your pineal gland to secrete melatonin which then causes us to fall asleep).
It's also important to note that it is possible to overdose on too much serotonin (it's not hard to OD on serotonin when you use 5-HTP as there's no regulation to control how much 5-HTP will get converted into serotonin). Serotonin syndrome causes negative autonomic, cognitive and somatic effects. This can be the result of improper supplementation, drug abuse, natural genetics and abnormal diets can also contribute to this.
If you have depression; these 2 supplements can have you feeling much better in a short amount of time (I'd say about 1 week to feel some positive results). I would advise against taking both supplements together as this can likely cause serotonin syndrome (only take one or the other and my recommendation is to start with L-Tryptophan first)
Depression causes us to feel extremely down and pessimistic with life's outlook. With severe cases often leading to suicidal thoughts or self-harm. Most mental health therapists would generally prescribe SSRI and anti-depressent drugs to help with the symptoms of depression. This is a practice that I would generally advise against because a lot of those medications have extremely bad side effects.
There has been quite a lot of studies and research performed on natural remedies for beating off a bout of the blues.
Today, we'll be focusing on two powerful and natural depression remedies.
First, we'll focus our attention on L-Tryptophan, this important amino acid is required in our bodies for the synthesis of Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine / 5-HT) which is the neurochemical involved in the regulation of mood, muscle contractions, appetite and sleep.
It's understood that low levels of serotonin has many debilitating effects on the body (such as mood swings, aggression, psychotic episodes, seizures, anxiety and insomnia) Tryptophan can help with these symptoms and reduce depression because it converts into serotonin in the body and has a great uptake profile. The secret is to have adequate levels of serotonin - this will allow you to feel good and help you to maintain a positive attitude in life.
By supplementing your diet with adequate levels of L-Tryptophan you can give your body a natural positive boost (provided you should also have a well balanced diet). Reason why is because your body will be able to produce adequate levels of serotonin and this in turn will brighten up your mood, naturally without the use of any drugs.
Another supplement that's good for treating depression is 5-HTP. Some people who are already taking this supplement, don't feel that it's quite as effective as L-Tryptophan. The reason why is because 5-HTP can get converted into serotonin within the liver (before it reaches the brain) if this happens then it will not effectively pass the blood-brain barrier, rendering it only semi-effective. Not only that but 5-HTP has the tendency to accumulate in areas (such as the stomach's GI tract and heart - which can lead to other serious health complications) doses should range from 50-100mg of 5-HTP per day. No more is neccessary for even the most severest cases of depression. You should also cycle the intake of 5-HTP (i.e 3 weeks daily use / 1 week off or taken for a few days and given a rest for a few days etc.)
L-Tryptophan is the usually preffered supplement because it allows serotonin synthesis to occur naturally (and all of it passes through the blood-brain barrier making it more effective than 5-HTP). If you are thinking of taking 5-HTP I would advise you try supplementing with Tryptophan first as it's much gentler and safer on the body. If you have no results with tryptophan then try using 5-HTP.
If you're on anti-depressants or MAOIs already I would consult your GP/Doctor before taking these supplements just in case they interact with your meds. It's always better to be safe, than sorry.
At night time the excess serotonin in your brain gets converted to melatonin through the pineal gland. This is what allows us to fall asleep at night (because the darkness triggers your pineal gland to secrete melatonin which then causes us to fall asleep).
It's also important to note that it is possible to overdose on too much serotonin (it's not hard to OD on serotonin when you use 5-HTP as there's no regulation to control how much 5-HTP will get converted into serotonin). Serotonin syndrome causes negative autonomic, cognitive and somatic effects. This can be the result of improper supplementation, drug abuse, natural genetics and abnormal diets can also contribute to this.
If you have depression; these 2 supplements can have you feeling much better in a short amount of time (I'd say about 1 week to feel some positive results). I would advise against taking both supplements together as this can likely cause serotonin syndrome (only take one or the other and my recommendation is to start with L-Tryptophan first)
May 07, 2011
Help With Depression and Psychosis Symptoms
Some therapists believe that there is a strong link between serious depression and psychosis.
When an individual suffers from psychosis, they will act as if they've lost touch with reality. This is usually the case with people who abuse drugs (either recreationally or otherwise). They will act in ways that suggest that they're 'not normal' and sometimes just 'snap' and lose it. People suffering from psychosis will not realise that they're not normal. In fact, everything they do is because of an imbalance in important neurotransmitters in the brain. They may report hallucinations, consistant delusional thoughts, personality fluctuations and severe disorderly thought processes.
Psychosis can stem from drug abuse, genetic predispositions, central nervous system conditions and diseases and brain damage. As well as imbalances within the brain's natural neurochemistry.
Major depressive disorders like MDD and Bi Polar sufferers usually report symptoms of severe depression. Meaning that they feel really down most of the time. They may have continuous thoughts of self-harm and suicide and will sometimes hurt themselves. Depression is a serious condition - if you or anyone you know is suffering from depression then please seek help. The sooner that you do; the better your chances are for eliminating these negative feelings and put yourself back on the right track.
The link between depression and psychosis symptoms is that the body will be neurochemically imbalanced. It's important to know that when our body's neurochemistry is out of balance, disease and mental conditions easily develop. There are natural ways to help with these conditions, without needing to resort to pharmaceutical drugs. I would advise the reader to check out some of the resources on this website (like binaural beat technology and mind machines) as these will help alleviate MDD depression and psychosis symptoms naturally.
When an individual suffers from psychosis, they will act as if they've lost touch with reality. This is usually the case with people who abuse drugs (either recreationally or otherwise). They will act in ways that suggest that they're 'not normal' and sometimes just 'snap' and lose it. People suffering from psychosis will not realise that they're not normal. In fact, everything they do is because of an imbalance in important neurotransmitters in the brain. They may report hallucinations, consistant delusional thoughts, personality fluctuations and severe disorderly thought processes.
Psychosis can stem from drug abuse, genetic predispositions, central nervous system conditions and diseases and brain damage. As well as imbalances within the brain's natural neurochemistry.
Major depressive disorders like MDD and Bi Polar sufferers usually report symptoms of severe depression. Meaning that they feel really down most of the time. They may have continuous thoughts of self-harm and suicide and will sometimes hurt themselves. Depression is a serious condition - if you or anyone you know is suffering from depression then please seek help. The sooner that you do; the better your chances are for eliminating these negative feelings and put yourself back on the right track.
The link between depression and psychosis symptoms is that the body will be neurochemically imbalanced. It's important to know that when our body's neurochemistry is out of balance, disease and mental conditions easily develop. There are natural ways to help with these conditions, without needing to resort to pharmaceutical drugs. I would advise the reader to check out some of the resources on this website (like binaural beat technology and mind machines) as these will help alleviate MDD depression and psychosis symptoms naturally.
May 06, 2011
Remove Phobia - Ways To Reduce Your Natural Fears And Phobias
Removing phobias is a definately a tricky issue to deal with.
For the most part, our phobias are something that we've conditioned within ourselves from previous traumatic experiences. It may be from an early childhood experience or it could have just been a random traumatic experience that you've encountered from any stage in your life.
The part of our brain that controls fear and response is called the amygdalae. Derived from the latin/greek words meaning 'almond' and 'tonsil'. Which effectively describes what the amygdalae looks like. Being part of the limbic system - the function of the amygdalae is to process the memory of our emotional reactions to events that have occurred in our lives. It does this autonomously working around the clock to help ensure that your survival rate is maximised. It's also the part of our brain that controls our fight or flight mechanism.
This is the part of our brain that 'remembers' fear and traumatic events, it's so effective at doing this that if you have any phobias, you can thank your amygdalae for remembering them.
There are several ways to help reduce your fears and phobias. The first step is to identify your phobias and because they're not always a conscious thing. It would be wise to visit a clinical psychologist to have them analysed.
Some of the things that psychologists and hypnotherapists will do is to explore your early childhood to see if there were any events that caused these phobias to take form. Once they have identified your phobias they will work with you on ways to effectively help you to reduce your phobias.
It's important that we go through life knowing that just because you have a phobia, doesn't mean you have to 'put up with it' for the rest of your life. All phobias are eventually curable and for the most part; you won't have to live with it forever.
Professionals you could consider visiting are: NLP practicioners, Psychologists, Hypnotherapists and Counsellers.
Some techniques you could explore to help remove your phobias are: Subliminal hypnosis, Positive affirmations, Chakra balancing and Meditation.
These techniques will not cost you any money and they're the best way to start tackling your phobias. Just remember that phobias that are deeply ingrained will take more work to remove. Be patient and have the courage to continue working on them until you remove all the negative phobias from your life.
For the most part, our phobias are something that we've conditioned within ourselves from previous traumatic experiences. It may be from an early childhood experience or it could have just been a random traumatic experience that you've encountered from any stage in your life.
The part of our brain that controls fear and response is called the amygdalae. Derived from the latin/greek words meaning 'almond' and 'tonsil'. Which effectively describes what the amygdalae looks like. Being part of the limbic system - the function of the amygdalae is to process the memory of our emotional reactions to events that have occurred in our lives. It does this autonomously working around the clock to help ensure that your survival rate is maximised. It's also the part of our brain that controls our fight or flight mechanism.
This is the part of our brain that 'remembers' fear and traumatic events, it's so effective at doing this that if you have any phobias, you can thank your amygdalae for remembering them.
There are several ways to help reduce your fears and phobias. The first step is to identify your phobias and because they're not always a conscious thing. It would be wise to visit a clinical psychologist to have them analysed.
Some of the things that psychologists and hypnotherapists will do is to explore your early childhood to see if there were any events that caused these phobias to take form. Once they have identified your phobias they will work with you on ways to effectively help you to reduce your phobias.
It's important that we go through life knowing that just because you have a phobia, doesn't mean you have to 'put up with it' for the rest of your life. All phobias are eventually curable and for the most part; you won't have to live with it forever.
Professionals you could consider visiting are: NLP practicioners, Psychologists, Hypnotherapists and Counsellers.
Some techniques you could explore to help remove your phobias are: Subliminal hypnosis, Positive affirmations, Chakra balancing and Meditation.
These techniques will not cost you any money and they're the best way to start tackling your phobias. Just remember that phobias that are deeply ingrained will take more work to remove. Be patient and have the courage to continue working on them until you remove all the negative phobias from your life.
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