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The Health of the Mind
Health Topics on this page
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder
These statistics may seem grim, but current research shows this story could be very different. Study after study has shown that the right nutrition can greatly help in alleviating much of the misery of problems such as depression, and may even overturn serious psychosis. The trouble with taking prescription drugs for mental health is that they don't cure anything. What is more, today's anti-depressants have been clearly shown to more than double suicide risk, they are also highly addictive and can cause more health problems than they solve.
Ritalin increases risk for substance abuse in later life and is no cure for ADHD. There is more than enough evidence to show that specific nutritional strategies are a safer and more effective alternative for mental health problems, yet few doctors even know about these breakthroughs. Why is this? Because there's no money to be made - and no drug salesmen are calling trying to sell oats or B vitamins. It is vital we use every means to let doctors and sufferers know about the nutritional approach to mental health. Good nutrition is very effective at staving off depression, anxiety, poor concentration and all the other problems of our hectic stressful lives. Looking at current and previous research, I will look at a wide range of mental health issues relevant to all of us.
ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder)It is disturbing to see how many children are now being prescribed drugs for this condition. As many as 1 in 10 (mostly boys) are now diagnosed with ADHD, so it is a widespread condition. The drug Ritalin is usually prescribed for this disorder, but research has found that the nutritional approach is 18 times more effective than using drugs.
ADHD is believed to be caused by chemicals in foods, food allergies and uneven blood sugar. The most effective and healthiest way of treating children is first making sure that unhealthy foods containing sugar are curtailed as much as possible, especially fizzy drinks, packed with chemicals, artificial colours and sweeteners. So many foods have added sugar these days so it is difficult, but keeping blood sugar levels even is vital.
A good multivitamin and mineral needs to be taken every day, and a good healthy diet providing good protein (such as organic chicken, fish and yoghurt) at each meal. Allergies to certain foods can also trigger ADHD, the common ones being wheat, dairy products and eggs. So cut out of the diet for a week to see if it makes a difference.
Food additives (especially E102, tartrazine and E165 (monosodium Glutamate) have also been shown to trigger ADHD, so they should be cut out altogether. Only recently, the BBC reported a study by Imperial College researcher, Professor Basant Puri. He gave children two capsules a day of the VegEPA supplement, which contains EPA, the omega-3 fatty acid. The children showed an increase in reading age of well over a year. Their handwriting got better, and they paid more attention in class.
Brain scans identified a chemical called N- Acetylaspartate (NAA) which is linked to the growth of nerve fibres in the brain. This increased with the use of fish oils, all widely available from your local health food shop. Personally, I would make sure to eat at least one portion of oily fish every week, take fish oil tablets AND eat a good scoop of seeds every day.
Alzheimer’s disease (senile dementia)At the moment, 700,000 people in the UK (or one person in every 88) has dementia. Part of the reason for these soaring figures is the country's rapidly ageing population. But conditions such as high blood pressure, unhealthy lifestyle and lack of exercise can also increase the risk.
Experts now say that more than 1.7 million people in the UK will have dementia by 2051. However, there are ways to you can PROTECT your brain, your sense of self, your memory, and your personality from the ravages of Alzheimer’s.
One of the best predictors of Alzheimer’s risk is your blood level of the amino acid Homocysteine. If you are 65 and you have a high level, this doubles your risk. However you can lower your levels in as little as 2 months by taking large amounts of B6 daily (100mg). B12 (100mg) and folic acid (800mcg) Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease, and can come about from not looking after your diet and lifestyle. The actual harm to the brain is caused by inflammation linked to too many oxidants – these can be from smoking, exhaust fumes and pollution or eating too many fried or burned foods.
Supplements are vital for treating this disease. All the B vitamins have been shown to be effective as well as antioxidants such as Vitamin A C and particularly E. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and aim for a mix of colours - from blueberries, beetroot, carrots and yellow peppers to greens. The minerals zinc and selenium are also important antioxidants; ensure any supplements you take include these. A diet rich in Vitamin E foods like fish and seeds, cuts risk by over 60 percent. Vitamin E supplements has also been proven to be better than the best drug for reducing symptoms in those suffering with Alzheimer’s.
Omega 3 fats, especially DHA found in oily fish are helpful for reducing inflammation. DHA also keeps the brain healthy by replenishing the fatty acids that make up the brain cells. There are other “smart” nutrients that can help, such as glutamine (100mg), ginkgo biloba (150mg) pyroglutamate (250mg) and DMAE (100mg). These are found in many “brain” formulas from health food shops.
Keep your mind and body healthy and active: exercise, and even doing the daily crossword can all help. It is possible for Alzheimer’s to be reversed. A very good book which tells of a personal experience of the disease written by a former sufferer is called “Beating Alzheimer’s by Tom Warren, so there is always hope.
AutismAutism is a complex condition and it shares many similarities with other conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia(reading difficulties) and ADHD. For a diagnosis to be made there must be other symptoms present such as speech difficulties, abnormal postures, movements or behaviour, impaired understanding of the feelings of others, fears and anxieties and sensitivities.
The condition appears to be increasing – especially over the past ten years or so. Research has shown that taking care of any nutritional deficiencies can dramatically improve symptoms in autistic children. Nutrients such as Vitamin B6, C and A, as well as zinc and magnesium are particularly important. Research has shown that some autistic children have an enzyme defect that takes essential fatty acids from brain cell membranes more quickly than it should. The answer is to supplement the Omega 3 fatty acid EPA, as this will compensate for the extra need and also slow the activity of this enzyme down, and have beneficial effects.
Autistic children can get better but it takes a lot of work to identify all the health factors that aggravate the condition, and then make the necessary changes. Most autistic children have food sensitivities, especially to gluten grains like wheat, and dairy produce. They often get gut infections, and need more vitamins, minerals and essential fats.
A Case Study A case study involving a four year old boy is a case in point. He had serious speech and language problems, was severely behind in emotional and social development and attended special education classes. He had shown some improvement with the use of special multivitamins and minerals before attending for biochemical testing for food allergies.
After testing, he was found to have serious deficiencies and imbalances in 5 vitamins (A, beta-carotene, B3, B5 and Biotin) and 3 minerals (magnesium, zinc and selenium) he also had low levels of essential fats. He was also found to be allergic to milk and some other foods.
He made a lot of improvement once his diet was corrected. His speech/language went from 13 to 89 percent; social skills from 13 to 68 percent, awareness from 22 to 97 percent; health and physical behaviour from 64 to 96 percent (when 100 percent means non-autistic behaviour).
There are many similar stories regarding nutrition with autistic children making remarkable recoveries. It takes a lot of patience, perseverance and detective work, however, to reverse autism, but as this case study shows, it can be done.
Bipolar Disorder /Manic depressionPeople with manic depression (Bipolar Disorder) experience swings from low moods to relatively normal or more or less manic periods. Quite a few people with this condition spend most of their time either in a normal mood or mildly depressed. Some can have severe dramatic mood swings that can disrupt their lives and lead to breakdowns.
There are health supplements that can help keep this condition under control. A full consultation with a qualified nutritional therapist is the first step to rule out allergies and food intolerances which gets to the root of the depressive problems. If mood changes are not linked to stimulants (caffeine, alcohol or cocaine) there is the possibility of food allergies and this should be investigated.
Blood sugar levels should also be checked and if they are severely imbalanced, can have a detrimental effect of mood. Heavy stress may use up all the body’s stores of zinc and B6 so that the person experiences extreme mood swings, nervous exhaustion and depression, as well as seizures and confusion.
Many people with a diagnosis of manic depression can be easily treated with adequate zinc and B6. A simple urine test can determine whether this is the case. The test is available through nutritional therapists, but sadly not through doctors. A hyperactive thyroid can induce mania, whilst an under-active thyroid can trigger depression, so thyroid function is well worth investigating.
DepressionSome people only suffer depression in the Winter months and are diagnosed with SAD (seasonal affective disorder) Since light has a powerful effect of brain hormone balance, treatment with light boxes can help.
Lithium therapy is another possible treatment for various types of depression. Numerous studies cite it as useful in treating chronic depression, alcoholism, pre-menstrual depression, and and a hyperactive thyroid. Under the guidance of a nutritional therapist it may be worth trying the amino acid tryptophan or 5-HTP in the normal phase and tyrosine in the depressive phase.
Many people who visit their doctors with mild to moderate depression and end up on anti-depressants really should think of far better alternatives to these. Exercising more, keeping a diary and owning a pet are equally, if not more effective than drugs. Simple things like going for a walk in the countryside or walking along a beach, or having someone to talk to really do help to put things into perspective.
Having said that, many people, especially women, do suffer from low levels of serotonin, a natural mood booster. This is made directly from tryptophan, an amino acid found in protein. Most weight loss diets are lacking tryptophan, and tiredness and/or depression can result if it is too low in protein. A form of trytophan called 5-HTP is most easily used by the brain, and so is the best way to maintain normal levels, and control moods.
What you are eating and drinking can also affect the way you feel and may be triggering negative feelings. I would recommend avoiding all stimulants such as coffee, tea, cigarettes and sugary foods and drinks. These can cause anxiety as well as mood swings, lack of energy and concentration.
A good way of combating depression is to boost levels of healthy omega-3 essential fats, found in oily fish, nuts and flaxseeds. These fats are needed by the brain to function normally. Many studies have shown that supplementing these can have a beneficial effect on people prone to depression. In addition, I suggest taking a multivitamin high in B vitamins.
Finally, the herb St John’s wort is becoming the top natural treatment for mild to moderate depression, with all the benefits of medication but none of the side effects. Take 300mg of the herb, standardised to contain 0.3 percent hypericin, three times daily. It's worth trying 5-HTP first, and then St John’s wort each for 2 weeks before deciding to take anti-depressants.
SchizophreniaSome researchers have found that supplementing large amounts of certain nutrients, especially niacin (B3) can alleviate the symptoms of schizophrenia. The drugs used today for the treatment of schizophrenia are nothing more than chemical straight-jackets.
There is a very strong link between a nutritional deficiency of B3 and schizophrenia. Studies have shown that schizophrenics are dependent upon adequate doses of B3 and once this is corrected they can recover.
Some people tend to make certain abnormal chemicals in the brain more easily; and when the person is also deficient in certain nutrients, these brain chemicals can trigger the symptoms of schizophrenia, such as abnormal fears, hearing or seeing things, a blank mind, compulsive behaviour, mood swings and depression.
Supplementing large amounts of vitamin B3, B6, B12, folic acid and zinc have all been shown to help and sometimes cure schizophrenia. One of Canada’s former research directors for mental illness, the psychiatrist Dr Abram Hoffer, has treated 5,000 patients in this way and claims a very high success rate using nutritional approaches.
Another study conducted at Aberdeen University by Dr Iain Glen has found that 80 percent of schizophrenics are deficient in the essential fatty acids found in oily fish, nuts and seeds. Blood sugar imbalances and a lack of antioxidant vitamins A C and E could also be a factor.
It has been found that high levels of histamine, a body chemical released during allergic reactions, is high in some people with schizophrenia, so allergies can also be linked with the condition.
Further research has shown that the majority of people diagnosed with schizophrenia have an over-active enzyme, called phospholipase A2, that strips fat from the brain, and hence increasing their need for both omega 3 and omega 6 fats. This means that supplementing with both omega 3s and omega 6s – EPA, DHA and GLA (the most important omega 6 fats) is the best choice.
With so much evidence of the link with healthy nutrition and mental health, I believe it is now time for a total revolution in the treatment and prevention of mental health problems. If these approaches are taken up by the National Health Service, not only would it will save a fortune, but most of all, it will reduce the suffering of millions.
Further Reading Do you suffer from Anxiety or Panic Attacks? Find out about the Panic Away Method here
Eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia can be caused by vitamin deficiencies
Teenagers have unique nutritional needs and often suffer from emotional problems and difficulties Find out more here about what causes this.
For a complete review of the benefits of niacin read Feel Better. Live Longer With Niacin by Hoffer and Foster. In Press, CCNM Press, Toronto, 2007. Niacin is available in 500mg in the form of inositol hexanicotinate, which doesn't cause blushing, a side effect of taking niacin. Try 500mg a day, taken twice, with food.
A healthy mind and spirit
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