How Gut Health Affects Seasonal Depression
More than eight percent of the U.S. population reports being affected by depression, according to PBS’s Out of the Shadows statistics. By the year 2020, depression will be the second most common health problem in the world, yet it is also one of the most treatable illnesses. Through several methods and approaches, up to 90 percent of those suffering can find relief.
Most depression begins after a traumatic incident, a great loss, a challenging relationship, or any regularly or acutely stressful situation. After the first depression is experienced, the likelihood of feeling depressed in the future increases dramatically, and often later incidences will seem to be without cause.
Symptoms of depression
For some people, the symptoms seem so severe that even if the cause is not immediately discovered, it is apparent that something is wrong. For others, the depression may be mild, and they may not realize how often they feel sad or hopeless.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, these are the most common symptoms of depression:
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
- Fatigue and decreased energy
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
- Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
- Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
- Irritability, restlessness
- Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
- Overeating or appetite loss
- Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment
- Persistent sad, anxious or “empty” feelings
- Thoughts of suicide, having a death wish, suicide attempts
Types of depression
The main types of depression are widely varied and have a variety of effects. Nevertheless, each of these types of depression is serious and should not be taken lightly:
Major Depression: tends to continue for at least six months, and at least five symptoms are recurring for two weeks at a time or more.
Minor Depression: two to four symptoms persist for two weeks or more, and though it can last as long as major depression, it is not as acute.
Atypical Depression: suffering from symptoms such as overeating, oversleeping, feeling weighed down, and/or feelings of rejection. This happens in about one third of cases.
Postpartum Depression: may occur after giving birth and may last for months.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): depressive symptoms occur one week prior to menstruation and disappear after menstruation is completed.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): happens during the fall and winter seasons and disappears during the spring and summer months. This is likely to be due to lack of sunlight.
What to do when depression is identified
What encourages overall good health and healing should send depression away. A plant based diet of whole foods will provide the nutrients needed to restore a healthy body, as well as a healthy mind and emotional state. Get daily exercise, preferably out in the fresh air and sunshine. Try to get at least 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure a day without having sunscreen on.
Join a support group or seek out a counselor who can help you face daily life and overcome symptoms. Get a life coach to keep you motivated to overcome your depression. Make a point of finding someone to confide in.
Participate in activities you enjoy now or recall enjoying in the past, like a game or sport, watching movies, skating, hiking or reading. Find an avenue for personal expression. Take up dancing or go for some art lessons.
When things seem overwhelming, break them down into small, manageable pieces and prioritize them. This will help you feel more accomplished and less weighed down.
Make sure your hormones are at optimal levels and in balance. See a doctor who specializes in anti-aging medicine or bioidentical hormone replacement for hormone testing, and supplement any declining hormones with bioidentical hormone replacement.
Make a habit of thinking positively. It may seem difficult at first, but one positive thought leads to another, and if you demand only positive thoughts, they will soon become a habit.
Get out and socialize, even if it is very difficult at first. Make it a point to do something fun with a companion at least once a week.
No matter what, never forget your value to the people who love you. Depression, though never pleasant, can be treated successfully and lived with in peace. If you’ve had symptoms for more than two weeks, it is time to take action.
Editor’s note: The single most effective intervention you can take to send depression on the run is to be sure you are getting enough Omega 3 fats in your diet or by supplement. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) compared the prevalence of depression across ten countries. The results showed that lifetime and annual rates for depression varied significantly from country to country. A follow up study published in The Lancet compared this data with fish consumption, sparking the awareness of the need for Omega 3 fats. These researchers found that the higher the fish consumption, the less depression in the country.
Then the American Journal of Psychiatry compared similar cross-national epidemiological data to determine if this data applied to bipolar disorder. They found a strong correlation here too. Consumption of fish correlated with freedom from bipolar disorder.
Recently the New England Journal of Medicine published a study showing that people who follow the Mediterranean diet have a significantly lower risk of depression than people who don’t. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes fish as the major protein source.
In addition to fish, Omega 3 fats can be found in flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds and walnuts. In the West, these foods are not eaten on any regular basis. In the last 20 years, we have become afraid to eat fish because it might contain mercury. As a result, most people get virtually no Omega 3 fats from their diets. During those 20 years, rates of depression have increased radically, with some estimates claiming incidence of depression is up by a hundred-fold over this time period.
Here are some interesting findings from other research:
Infant monkeys fed baby formula supplemented with Omega 3 fats are stronger and more alert than monkeys fed standard baby formula.
Depression is 50 times higher in New Zealand, where average fish consumption is 40 pounds per year, compared to Japan, where consumption is nearly 150 pounds a year per person.
Postpartum depression is 50 times more common in countries with low levels of seafood consumption. All the mother’s Omega 3 fats are transferred to the developing fetus, leaving her severely deficient.
Omega 3 fats are essential for growth, development and maintenance of brain cells and brain cell membranes.
How to make sure you get enough Omega 3 fats? To get the benefits of fish oil without rolling the dice with mercury, take 2 softgels daily of Omega 3 Plus (120). Unlike fish oil sold in supermarkets and discount stores, Omega 3 Plus (120) is not rancid or oxidized because it is nitrogen distilled. By discarding the first and last 10% during distillation, mercury is removed from Omega 3 Plus (120).
