Depression is something that most people experience at some point in their lives. Sometimes there seems to be no particular reason why it occurs, though from a naturopathic point of view it is usually associated with an imbalance within the body, mind or spirit.

There are many different degrees and types of depression and there are many causative factors which often result in a long term accumulation of repressed emotions and feelings, nutritional deficiencies and low self-esteem to name a few. There are often underlying factors you may not have even thought about, such as long term stress. Long term stress can lead to nutritional deficiencies, which can lead to hormonal imbalances and imbalances in the neurotransmitters in the brain. This is where we end up with Physiological depression and a chemical imbalance in the brain resulting in depression. Looking at depression from a Traditional Chinese Medicine point of view, it is easy to see how pregnancy, giving birth and breast feeding can contribute to this.

Post Natal Depression does not necessarily occur in the first few days as ‘baby blues’. I have found a number of women can experience similar symptoms months or even years later.

There are a number of things you can do to prevent depression or if you do suffer from depression there are ways you can help yourself to feel on top of the world again. One of the most helpful tools is Knowledge. Once you have the knowledge of what to do, the next step is to apply it and put it into action. Of course, it is easier said than done but there are some Naturopathic guidelines that can help.

There is no one cure but a combination of therapies can help and ease the route back to recovery and remember prevention is better than cure.

I have had personal experiences with depression and I feel very fortunate to have had the knowledge to know what to do, even when the motivation is low. My Post natal depression occurred when my first baby was five months old. Spending a few months at home with a new baby and not having contact with other mums, no car and an hourly night feeder started taking it’s toll. Luckily we went away for a holiday just at the right time so the change in routine really helped, but it is an easy rut to get into.

Here are a few pointers that I looked at for myself and I use as a Naturopath for others. As I mentioned before often depression is a combination of things so with Naturopathy we need to look at a few key areas and work on all of them.

Toxins in the body
Normalizing the Neurotransmitter Metabolism
Increase Physical Exercise
Increase Light Exposure
Normalizing Endocrine Function
Use Mood Elevators when necessary

Toxins in the body

Toxins can accumulate over many years so we always look at past history e.g. Smoking, Solvents, and Drugs, Pesticides, Lead, Aluminum and other heavy metals.

Many food additives can add to a toxin buildup within the body e.g. Aspartame used in NutraSweet (Diet coke), artificial colours and chemicals from our processed foods.

Drugs and Medication e.g. Oral Contraceptive Pill, beta blockers, cortical steroids can deplete important nutrients such as Antacids, not to mention the aluminum based ones, that have also been linked to Depression.

With smoking, on one hand a smoker may receive a boost from nicotine on their ‘smoko’ at work but on the other hand they are poisoning the brain with Carbon Monoxide. Cigarettes increase the stress hormone Cortisol which decreases the production of Serotonin. Serotonin is the substance that balances our moods, emotions and sleep patterns. It is documented that those with depression have lower Serotonin levels. Smoking also decreases Vitamin C which also decreases Serotonin levels.

To counteract all these toxins a Professional Detoxification treatment is highly recommended.

There are 40 chemicals proven to depress the nervous system. Detoxifying can include cleaning up the diet, taking specific supplements to remove heavy metals, improve your digestion and clear your liver. Detoxification has proven to be a shortcut to recovery for numerous mental and physical diseases.(Page 120, Gary Null, The Food-Mood-Body Connection, Seven Stories Press, Sydney, 2000).

Normalizing the Neurotransmitter Metabolism

Neurotransmitters are molecules, mostly made up of amino acids (proteins) within the nervous system. They help transport chemical messages to the cells in our brain e.g. Serotonin.

We can help balance out these neurotransmitters by correcting any nutritional deficiencies that maybe contributing to the disharmony. A lot of your basic nutrients such as Vitamin B12 and B6 are often deficient in Depression. They are nutrients that are also used up very quickly when stressed. We need these vitamins for our neurotransmitters to work efficiently. A lot of chemicals and medications used in our daily life for example Antacids can reduce B Vitamins.

Research has shown 30-40% of depressed patients are folic acid deficient. (Page 55 Chap 3, Stochecker). Often a woman takes folic acid in pregnancy but may not continue during breast feeding which is just as important as when pregnant.

Foods high in folic acid are spinach, peas, beetroot, cabbage, avocados, kidney beans, butter beans, broccoli, nuts and seeds.
Like Vitamin C, your body can not store folic acid so needs to be eaten everyday.

Neurotransmitters – Although there are a number of neurotransmitters in our nervous systems Serotonin is often the one that is lower in depression.

So how can we help to raise the Serotonin levels with Nutrition?

A nutrient called Tryptophan is an amino acid, a building block of protein. When we eat this particular protein it gets converted to Serotonin in the brain. It is usually low in depressed patients.

Recent research has shown that a number of women who had a tendency to depression, when given a diet low in Trytophan, 60% developed clinical depression within 10 days.

How can we get Tryptophan into our diet? Well unfortunately Tryptophan was taken off the market in 1989 so no longer available in a supplement form however there are foods we can eat that are high in Tryptophan.

Avocados, Almonds, Cashew nuts, Pumpkin seeds, Raisins, Cottage Cheese, Cold Water Fish, Turkey, Bananas, Dried Dates all contain amounts of Tryptophan.

Avocados are one of the highest with a ratio of 14:1 of other amino acids.

Carbohydrate foods eaten together with high Tryptophan foods can raise Serotonin levels better as the Carbohydrate decreases the number of the other amino acids that are competing for digestion.

Chocolate, Who doesn’t feel better after chocolate? I live in a tiny town and the times I’ve rang my husband at work saying “can you just get me some chocolate?”. Chocolate increases our mood due to the sugar, caffeine and also the phenyl ethyl amine (PEA). PEA is an amphetamine type stimulant that again is always low in depressed patients. But eating chocolate only has a temporary effect and long-term abuse of this delicious treat can lead to increased depression, Sorry!

Sugar can raise Tryptophan levels but only for a short period so best to eat your other complex carbohydrates (CHO). It is also good not to eat any other proteins for at least 90 minutes after you have eaten a Tryptophan high food.

Serotonin helps you relax. You can test this by eating a high CHO meal as opposed to a high protein meal, which leaves you more energetic.

It is all about balance though and we must make sure we are eating enough of all our nutrients and not too much CHO. A Naturopath can specifically go through your diet with you to ascertain that you are eating the right amounts of the right foods.

There are a few more practitioner only products that can be prescribed by Naturopaths too. Some can help raise Serotonin levels and the levels of other neurotransmitters e.g 5 hydroxytrytophan, Tyrosine, Phenlalanine, Glutamine and SAMe.

Most clinically effective anti-depressants work on raising Serotonin levels, however, everyone is different so it may not always be that particular neurotransmitter that is the problem. A comprehensive approach to treatment is always a good idea so that way we have all angles covered.

Increase Physical Exercise

This will increase your energy and your circulation as well as increasing the Monoamine synthesis (an enzyme reaction) in the brain. 30 minutes a day, 3 x a week in the form of a brisk walk can work absolute wonders for any kind of blues. Make a point of ‘looking up’ literally. Most depressed people walk with their head down and look at the ground, the sky is so much more uplifting.

Increase Light Exposure

You need at least 2 hours a day and the morning light is better. There is actually a condition very common in Europe in the winter called SAD (Seasonal Affected Disorder) due to a deficiency of Vitamin D from lack of sunlight.

Normalizing Endocrine Function

e.g. Low Thyroid levels, especially in women leads to low energy and Depression. For the thyroid to work we need Copper, Selenium and Zinc. All these nutrients are found to be particularly low in depressed patients. You can actually test your thyroid by checking your temperature every morning. (If you would like more information on temperature charting, please contact us at naturopathy@angelmothers.com)

Men and Women can suffer from Hypoglycemia, Candida, Hormonal imbalances, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and low hydrochloric acid deficiency in the stomach which breaks down the nutrients we need for our neurotransmitters, all of which can be a cause or contributing factor to depression.

Use Mood Elevators when necessary

These can be the nutrients mentioned earlier or Herbal Medicine.

DEPRESSION & HERBAL MEDICINE

You may have heard the expression, ‘There is a cure for every ailment on this planet’, well, when you delve into the science of herbal medicine, this becomes more apparent.

In treating depression, there are so many amazing herbs and fantastic herbal combinations to choose from. That is the beauty of Naturopathy. We, as Naturopaths can treat any individual with such a personalized prescription taking into consideration any other areas the person may be need to address as well.

A Few examples of Happy Herbs

St John’s Wort

(witch’s herb, Devil’s Scourge, Grace of God, God’ wonder and Penny John)

I’m sure we have all heard of St John’s wort as being the herb associated with helping depression, and rightly so, used in the correctly it can have extremely beneficial effects on the body and mind in a number of different ways. This herb, originally from Europe but now grown in Australia and North America, has been used for thousands of years. It was named so after John the Baptist as it blooms at its best around his birthday, which is 24^th June. He was actually beheaded and folklore has it that the red oil in the flower represents his blood.

‘Wort’ is actually an old English word for ‘plant’, not for treating ‘warts’ as some people think, although if warts are of a viral nature then St Johns Wort can be very useful.

So how this herb can help medicinally is mainly due to its hypericin constituent. Hypericin (together with dianthrone derivatives) works by inhibiting an enzyme, monoamineoxidase (MAO) in the brain. When MAO is suppressed the level of Serotonin rises. As mentioned earlier, Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain that keeps our moods and emotions balanced.

Other important chemicals and nutrients help prevent the brain tissue from absorbing serotonin e.g Amentoflavone, xanthones and amino acids GABA.

As well as being an anti-depressant, the hypericin constituent in St John’s wort has a number of medicinal qualities such as a nervous system sedative action. St John’s Wort can help with insomnia and it has been shown to stimulate theta waves in the brain that increase deep sleep, 1.

It is also anti-viral, especially for those enveloped viruses like cold sores, genital herpes, anti-bacterial, anti-septic, anti-inflammatory, lots of anti’s there, even anti EVIL! Before the middle Ages, wreaths of St Johns’s wort were hung on the doors of homes and churches to ward off evil spirits. Hence the Greek botanical meaning Hypericum, hyper (over) and eikon (apparition) could be referring to the plants protective power against evil spirits.2.

Contra-indications of St John’s wort

As well as a number of reasons for taking St John’s wort, there are a number of reasons for not taking it. These are called contra-indications and include Pregnancy, unless supervised by a professional Naturopath or Herbalist.

Another caution is for those with a tendency towards photosensitivity. Sun protection must be taken.

St John’s wort has a documented laxative effect so care should be taken if a person has food poisoning or diarrhea.

We must also realize that St John’s wort can be a wonderful treatment for some, while others may find it unsuitable and may even experience side effects.

Precautions while taking St John’s Wort

Avoid large amounts of food containing tyramine (an amino acid) e.g. Cheese, beer, soybeans, as together with St John’s wort could raise blood pressure.3

Side effects of St John’s wort

Allergic reactions, maybe a hive-like skin rash if using the herb topically.

Tiredness can occur especially in the first two weeks of taking St John’s wort.

This is due to the herbs sedative effect on the nervous system.

On the other hand, a few people have experienced restlessness in those first two weeks too.

Stomach upsets e.g. nausea or diarrhea, especially if taken on an empty stomach.

Photosensitivity can lead to sensitivity to the sun especially if taking a synthetic hormonal medication such as HRT or OCP, or if applying to the skin topically.

So N.B Sunscreen and protection are recommended when taking St John’s wort.

St John’s Wort Verses Prescription drugs

St John’s Wort

Does not cause daytime drowsiness
Encourages uninterrupted sleep
Enhances dreaming
Has fewer and less severe side effects than MAO inhibitors, SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressant drugs
Is not dangerous when taken with moderate alcohol
Does not require increased dosages to maintain its effectiveness
Is non addictive
Does not cause irritability or anxiety
Does not produce withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking it (Reference 4)

Most effective products are those containing 0.3 % hypericin per dose (5).

300 mg capsule TDS

St John’s Wort must be prescribed and monitored by a professional Health Practitioner, e.g. a Naturopath or Herbalist.

A list of recommended practitioners in your area (Queensland) can be given upon request. (Email your request to naturopathy@angelmothers.com)

CAUTION

It is important to have the right dosages of St John’s Wort. The levels must be maintained and regulated accordingly. It is very important to advise your health practitioner if you are on any other herbal medicines or medication such as prescription anti-depressants as combining with St John’s wort is not advisable in any way as this may lead to high blood pressure or even a condition called Serotonin Syndrome where elevated serotonin levels flood the brain.

For anyone wanting to switch from their anti-depressant medication to a herbal choice, you must seek professional advice. Depending on which drug you are taking depends on the type of treatment needed. For example if you are taking a MAO inhibitor you will need to discontinue the drug for four weeks before you can start on the St John’s Wort (6), and that may not suit your needs. So seek professional advice.

Other Useful Happy Herbs

Relaxant or Sedative herbs

There are many nervous system relaxant herbs or sedatives that your professional Health Practitioner may prescribe. These wonderful herbs can be used for their anti-anxiety effect. It is believed that the herbs containing volatile oils can directly affect the limbic system of the brain and induce a more relaxed state. (7).

Passion Flower

Passion flower has a long tradition of use for its mildly sedative properties. This herb has been approved in Germany as the over-the-counter drug for states of nervous unrest. (8). Passion Flower is a great herb that can be mixed with other herbs in a synergy to strengthen its use. E.g. Chamomile.

Chamomile

A simple cup of chamomile tea, sweetened with honey can work wonders at the end of a tiresome day. It is even great for children. I add a little goat’s milk for my three year old.

Chamomile is an important sedative herb and a nerve tonic. In Europe, it is used as a digestive aid in the treatment of heartburn, nausea and flatulence; as a mild sedative helpful with insomnia; and as an anti-inflammatory. Chamomile is licensed in Germany as an over-the-counter drug for gastrointestinal spasms and inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract often associated with nervous disorders.(9).

Restorative Herbs

Restorative herbs help to renew the vitality of the nervous system and are commonly used in treating depression and its associated symptoms.

Siberian Ginseng

Siberian Ginseng has been used extensively in Russia to improve performance and resistance to disease. Russian cosmonauts used Siberian Ginseng prior to and during their space flights to help them stay awake and alert. Russian Olympic athletes were required to take Siberian Ginseng during training as well as during the Olympic Games. Is also known to affect kidney function, adrenal function, and thyroid function, can help raise the good (HDL) cholesterol and is a blood pressure regulator.(10).

As a Naturopath I have used this herb specifically to control stress. This herb can reduce the activation of the adrenal cortex in response to stress as well as prevent stress-induced lymphatic congestion. For chronic fatigue sufferers this can be an excellent herb for them as they often experience lymphatic congestion in addition to feeling depressed. This herb can also help with insomnia and nervous exhaustion.

Oats

Oats have shown to be very effective as a sedative and have proven useful for some kinds of insomnia and nervous disorders. It is especially effective for debilitation associated with anxiety or depression. In Europe it has been used for centuries to treat nervous exhaustion. Oats can be used clinically in cases of drug withdrawal from stimulants, narcotics, coffee, nicotine and alcohol. It is especially effective for depression associated with drug withdrawal.

Oats are very high in silica and help to enhance Calcium and Magnesium and these nutrients are very important in balancing our moods.

Of Course Oats can be eaten as a breakfast cereal as a great warming start to the day.

Part 2 - Flower Essences, Essential Oils, Nutrition and all the Happy foods to help Depression

in the SPRING 07 Angelmothers EZine Newsletter

Copyright: Amina Eastham-Hillier

(Naturopath & Nutritionist : Herbal Medicine, Nutrition, Diet Analysis, Iridology & Flower Essences)

Amina is available for Private Consultations in Cooran

Mob : 0422 408 450

Email: naturopathy@angelmothers.com

Website : www.angelmothers.com

References

Dorling Kindersley www.dk.com

St John’s Wort, Improving Moods and Immunity, Natural Care Library

1. Page 57, 2 Page 2, 3. Page 30, 4. Page 29, 5. Page 31, 6. Page 33.

7. Page 125, 8. Page 127 (German Ministery of Health, “Passion Flower Leaves” in Commission E. Monographs for Phytomedicines, Bonn, Germany, 1985)

Strochecker, James & Nancy, Natural Healing for Depression

A Perigee Book, The Berkley Publishing Group, New York, 1999.

9. Page 127, 10. Page 130

Amina Eastham-Hillier N.D