Cures For Depression
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nothingnopenope replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 2:57am |
 Coolness: 201900 | I recommend the album "Pornography", by the Cure. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Zz.ee.vV replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 6:32am |
 Coolness: 194700 | I recommend Pornography. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Screwhead replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 6:45am |
 Coolness: 686265 | Listening to The Cure is only going to "cure" you from 2 things: good taste and heterosexuality. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» cloud9ine replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 7:18am |
 Coolness: 139395 | slit yr throat
promptly. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» mdc replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 8:34am |
 Coolness: 149490 | Introduction
Clinical depression has become one of the leading chronic conditions plaguing Canadians. It affects nearly 1 million Canadians a year, and the World Health Organization has predicted that within twenty years it will have become the second leading cause of disability in the world. At this point, it seems the only way to control this potentially dilapidating disease is with the use of anti-depressants. Therefore, this has resulted in a lucrative market for pharmaceutical companies. Anti-depressants such as Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft are available, but they carry many possible side effects; such as insomnia, agitation, headaches and liver problems. Further research has shown that there may be a more natural way to treat depression; through the use of supplements and healthier eating habits. Therefore, what is the role of diet in fighting depression? Depression has long been considered a strictly mental or biochemical deficiency. Yet, scientists have started to become more aware of the effect that one’s diet may have on one’s mental state. Studies have shown that there is a link between nutritional deficiencies and depression, though it is still not clear which variable is causing which. Yet, the diet of a depressive person is usually quite inadequate; they may have little or no appetite, skip meals entirely, or desire unhealthy foods. These poor habits wreak havoc on one’s body and brain. As psychiatrist and biochemist Joseph Hibbeln noted, “The brain is all fat- There is no difference between a stick of butter and your brain” (New scientist, page 34). Therefore, dietary supplements may be useful in the treatment of depression. Historical Background Over the last few decades, depression rates have increased worldwide. Yet, its prevalence varies from country to country. In some countries, such as Taiwan, about 1.5% of the population suffers from depression, while in Lebanon, that figure jumps up to 19%. According to Meredith F. Small, a professor of Anthropology, in the United States, people born after the Second World War are twice as likely to develop the illness as their parents, and at a younger age. As the years have gone by, many drugs have become available to treat depression. Yet, this disease is still not completely understood, and drugs aren’t always effective for every patient. Hibbeln believed that once we determined the “root”, or common factor of depression, we can tackle it much more efficiently. He believed that our modern diet may be altering the fats in the human brain. If we compared what humans eat now to the diets of our ancestors, we would see a dramatic change. The former ate wild game, plenty of seafood and greens; all excellent sources of a polyunsaturated fatty acid known as Omega-3. Once people began to cultivate and manufacture their own food, they decreased the amounts of omega- 3 they took in and replaced it with Omega- 6, a “bad” fat. Omega- 6 is found in such foods as soy, corn, palm and cotton seed oils. These oils make up about 83 percent of the oils people consume. Commercial game also has much higher omega-6 levels, as opposed to their wild counterparts. John Hibblen pointed out that our diets now contain 16 times as much omega-6 as omega-3, while a century ago we would have been eating equal amounts of each. From an economical perspective, it is important to note that food insecurity has also risen over the years. According to Statistics Canada, food insecurity includes “a lack of food, skimping on food, compromising on the quality of food or worrying that there would not be enough to eat.” Food insecurity has lead to poor health, distress, depression and obesity. About 2.5 million Canadians had problems putting food on the table in 1998-99 (O’neill, Calgary Herald). Another significant occurrence is the depletion of DHA levels. DHA “is a long-chain omega-3 that is the most abundant fat in the brain, retina and human breast milk” (Biali, Medical Post). DHA levels in U.S breast milk are the lowest in the world, and these low DHA levels are passed on to their babies, who are at their most crucial period of brain development. Women of child bearing age are most prone to depression. Iron deficiency has been known to cause fatigue and depression; almost 1 in 5 women have low iron stores. Theory relevant to the Major Research Question It is evident that an insufficient diet is correlated with depression, so it is fair to assume that supplements may prove beneficial. Fish Oil In this study, 30 patients were selected with bipolar disorder. 22 of these patients were taking medication, and continued to do so throughout the study. Half of the subjects were given fish oil capsules, and the other half a placebo, which was olive oil. The fish capsules were equivalent to 30 cans of tuna a day. The trial was initially to go on for 9 months, but was stopped after 4 months, since they were getting exceptional results. Yet, some problems had erupted after the first two months; half the placebo group dropped out, and two in the fish oil group. Tryptophan Tryptophan (TRP) is an essential amino acid. It helps the human brain develop the neurotransmitter serotonin. Low serotonin levels have been associated with insomnia, anxiety and depression. Natural sources of tryptophan include pineapples, turkey, bananas and yogurt. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Screwhead replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 8:47am |
| Coolness: 686265 | Yes, dperession has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that shit happens.
Hey, next time you get dumped after a 3 year relationship, just eat right and take vitamins and you'll be just fine. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» elixireleven replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 9:02am |
| Coolness: 74515 | i crank on every bright light in my room.
or stick my face close to a 50 watt lightbulb. i need one of those sunlamp things on my desk. yay seasonal depression. youre so much fuuun. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» blop replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 2:12pm |
 Coolness: 201205 | sex |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» neoform replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 2:14pm |
 Coolness: 340340 | a gun. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» beercrack replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 2:30pm |
| Coolness: 72110 | THERE IS NO CURE YOU SAD SAD PEOPLES!
now grin and bear it |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nothingnopenope replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 3:07pm |
| Coolness: 201900 | hahaha I was kidding that album is the most depressing thing ever |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» PaT_ replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 3:17pm |
| Coolness: 116970 | im with jackie on this one.
but on a lighter note, hot tubbing it up with imported beer. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nothingnopenope replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 3:19pm |
| Coolness: 201900 | walking the dog
my dog will always do something silly that makes you laugh |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» eltopo replied on Mon Nov 17, 2003 @ 4:45pm |
 Coolness: 63585 | exercise is the best if you still feel like living
pass the razor? |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» mdc replied on Tue Nov 18, 2003 @ 9:01am |
| Coolness: 149490 | Originally posted by SPOOKY...
Yes, dperession has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that shit happens. Hey, next time you get dumped after a 3 year relationship, just eat right and take vitamins and you'll be just fine. yeah i know... hey.. thats was just some dumb essay i had to write for a stupid class... eat a banana man! |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» ashtraygirl replied on Wed Nov 26, 2003 @ 1:24pm |
 Coolness: 90160 | yes yes yes
pornography.... i must fight this sickness... find a Cure. MMMM.. that always does the trick for me. it's reassuring to know that an artist can feel such intense angst, sadness and loneliness and still come out alright plus make millions of dollahs in the process. oh, and spooky: FAWK YOUUUUUUUUUU! :) |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Nuclear replied on Wed Nov 26, 2003 @ 1:39pm |
 Coolness: 2749315 | programming and scripting... ;) |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nothingnopenope replied on Wed Nov 26, 2003 @ 1:49pm |
| Coolness: 201900 | yeah the cure was all uphill after that cd.. I agree it's hard to believe the same group that did that album did songs like "friday I'm in love" |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Miss_Amanda replied on Wed Nov 26, 2003 @ 2:23pm |
 Coolness: 161220 | sex
rather, GOOD sex |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» ashtraygirl replied on Wed Nov 26, 2003 @ 3:15pm |
| Coolness: 90160 | or Lovecats!
but thats the greatest thing about the band - theres a song for every situation, whether your super-maga depressed lying in bed or driving or clubbing or high with friends or sober with friends. you get my point |
Cures For Depression
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