Depression

A common illness that affects millions of people in the Western world. Two thirds of cases are women. In the severe forms, in which there may be the wish to die, the diagnosis is obvious, but in the majority of less severe cases the symptoms can be mistaken for anxiety states or neurosis.

It is advisable to watch out for difficulty with concentration, behavioural prob­lems (alternating between sadness and hyperactivity, apathy and excitement), slight or severe insomnia, difficulty in facing everyday life and the future, a persistent tiredness unrelieved by rest, and a partial or complete aversion to sex.

Depression is sometimes so insidious that it escapes the notice of the patient, the family, and medical staff, to the extent that about one-third of patients do not seek advice.

Depression calls for a marked degree of vigilance, since it is a serious illness that can lead to suicide attempts and deaths. Unfortunately, depression recurs in 50 to 80 per cent of cases.

Some important points

Depression affects around ten per cent of people, two women for every man (the latter are most likely to be delinquent or alcoholic). It tends to occur towards the age of 50 in men, and somewhat earlier in women. In the young it may follow the death of a parent. It affects the divorced more often than the married, and widowers more than widows. Women take twice as many psychotropic drugs as men, and attempt suicide three times as often.

Trigger factors in depression:

-loss of a loved one, a job, or objects (e.g. as in a burglary)
- family, personal, professional. or social conflict
- social isolation
- serious illness
- medicinal treatment (e.g. a slimming diet)
- after childbirth (post-partum depression is well known)
- menopause

Predisposing factors:

- family history++
- delicate personality

Some mistakes to avoid:

- do not tell the depressed person to pull him/herself together; he/she will be constantly trying to do this anyway - do not ask the person to make an important decision; he/she is not capable
- do not advise the person to go on holiday; he/she will not necessarily improve
- do not try to persuade him/her that things will get better; it does not work
- do not attempt to dismiss irrational or paranoid notions; this requires massive patience or even more than that

Natural foods useful in depression

Pollen

Origin and Composition: Pollen consists of thousands of tiny grains, the male seed of flowers. It is collected by particular bees and distributed to feeding larvae in the hive. It contains many minerals (copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, silicon), amino acids (glutamic acid, methionine). and vitamins A, B, C, and E.

Properties: Pollen stimulates immunity and strengthens immune reactions, and is invaluable for restoring mental and muscular energy, re-establishing nervous equilibrium, fighting depression and fatigue, improving memory and mental performance.

Method of Use: You can find it in health food shops, in capsules or sold loose from a jar. On retiring to bed, pour a teaspoonful of pollen into half a glass of water, cover it, let it stand overnight, and take the mixture in the morning at breakfast.

Brewer's yeast

Origin and Composition: a living substance, specially prepared as a supplement, from a minute fungus that serves as a ferment in the preparation of beer. It is different from baker's yeast, and much better tolerated by the intestine. Yeast is an extraordinary dietary supplement containing little fat, salt, sugar, or calories, but rich in proteins, essential amino acids, minerals (chromium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium...). and group B vitamins.

Indication: Brewer's yeast is a sedative and improves and calms the nervous state, as well as reducing the sensation of hunger and the need for sugar.

Method of Use: You will find it in health food shops and pharmacies as tablets, capsules, flakes (take care, it is very bitter). One dose to be taken three times a day.

Chocolate

One of the foods that depressed persons eat most. Though from the nutritional point of view it may not be a good example of balance, (it is too rich in fat and sugar), chocolate is still very useful because it contains magnesium, calcium (when it is milk chocolate), and above all. precursors of the neurotransmitters involved in depression. But take care: one 100mg bar of chocolate provides more than 600 calories.

You can also use Megavit@ (Lamberts). a high potency combination of magnesium, group B vitamins, selenium, and vitamin E among others:
- Available in containers of 60 and 180 tablets
- One to two tablets to be taken daily

Acupuncture

Its balancing action is very useful, even indispensable in treating incipient depression. It may also help during withdrawal from antidepressant treatment.

Treatment Schedule: weekly or twice weekly sessions are effective in problems with mood, and tiredness. Acupuncture has a calming action and helps with sleep.

Light therapy

Light therapy has found its place as a service in many hospitals. It consists of exposing the depressed person to an intense light source for a few hours a day.

It is a good idea to encourage the patient to spend as much time as pas. sible in broad daylight, or with all the lights on (fluorescent or halogen), and to take long walks in the sunshine Of his own accord, the patient prefers to stay quiet, in darkness as gloomy as his thoughts.

Homeopathy

Sepia

- Four granules at 9c, to be sucked like sweets once or twice a day, between meals

Sepia

- Animal origin: cuttlefish ink
- A great homeopathic remedy for depression, deep despair
- Typical personality: apathetic woman, pessimistic, shuns society
You can use Lehning@ Sepia Complex 20, which contains Sepia 4x, and Cal. carea carbonica 3x.
- Available in boxes of 80 tablets
- Suck one tablet twice a day

Oligotherapy

Lithium

This trace element is normally supplied by the diet, which should be varied and of good quality. When there is a deficiency, lithium can be taken as a supplement.

Dietary sources of lithium

There is little information on its presence in food, but it can be found in small quantities in cereals, lettuce, green vegetables, potatoes, meat, eggs, fish, mineral waters, table salt..

• Lithium supplements can be found as many different forms and brands, e.g.: Organic Minerals (Colloidals) which contains 70+ trace minerals:
  - Available in 946ml bottles
  -Take 1-3 caps just before breakfast and/or evening meal
  - Children 1 teaspoon daily for each 20lbs of body weight
  Or Maximal (Ionized colloidals)
  - Available in 500ml bottles
  - Take h capful once or twice daily on an empty stomach
  Or Lithium orotate (Vitamin Research Products) 120mg:
  - Available in containers of 120 capsules
  - One capsule twice daily with meals
  - One dose of lithium to be taken three times a day, for a few days

Vitamins useful in depression

Mainly in group B, especially BI, B3, B5,B6,B12

Dietary sources of B vitamins

You will find them mainly in whole cereals, brewer's yeast, wheatgerm, meat (liver), fish and seafood, vegetables (asparagus, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, spinach, lentils), rice and wholemeal pastry...

• If you are looking for an energizing effect, take Berocca@, which contains group B vitamins, vitamin C, and also calcium and magnesium:
  - Available in tubes of 10 or 20 effervescent tablets
  - One tablet to be taken a day for 20 days.

Herbal treatment

Angelica, St. John's wort

• These two plants can be prepared and made up by your herbalist as, for example, a mother tincture, powder in capsules, dried extracts...

Possible Description: Ask your herbalist to make up 45 capsules each containing 200mg of dried angelica extract. Take one capsule three times a day for 15 days.

Angelica

The fruit and roots of angelica are used in medicine. The roots are gathered in the autumn when they are particularly rich in the essential oil. Angelica is principally known for its digestive properties, as, for example in Benedictine liqueur, but recent studies have shown its value in depression.

• You can take Lamberts@ St. John's Wort 1360mg (containing 500llg hypericin):
  - Available in containers of 60 tablets - One tablet to be taken twice a day for some weeks
• Or you can take St. John's wort (Bioforce) as a tincture:
  - Available in bottles of 100ml
  - One teaspoon in a little water with meals, two to three times daily

St.John's wort

This plant is called St. John's wort because it flowers in midsummer - St.
John's day is 24 June. Once used to treat nervous problems and to dispel low spirits, it has been widely prescribed more recently for its antidepressant properties. The mother tincture contains small amounts of an active compound (hypericinej, which makes an extract preferable.

Plant essential oils

Rosemary, for its energizing properties.
- Two drops to be taken in a little honey, twice a day.

Possible Prescription: Ask your herbalist to prepare a bottle with one gram of essential oil of rosemary and a bottle of 30ml of mother tincture of angelica, Place two drops of the essential oil in 30 drops of the mother tincture, add a little water and take it twice a day for two weeks.

Rosemary

This shrub can be recognized from afar by its fine appearance and strong aroma.

Rosemary leaves are rich in the essential oil and by tradition it fights fatigue, strengthens the memory, and activates the circulation, as well as improving morale and calming the nerves.