Dishing up Mental Health - with mashed SSRI’s on the side

In the last two blogs, you've been offered new tastes, samples of studies and information about how nutrition impacts our over-all brain function and the premise that nutrition plays a role in our mental health. We also learned that you are what you eat, literally. What we eat flows within our entire body-system. (The young-adult with a nut allergy who had a reaction while receiving blood platelets from a donor who ate peanut butter every day.)

I am going to trust that you have enjoyed the samples you’ve received so far and are willing to nibble a little more to see what other delights await you for this third course of “Dishing up mental health.” 

Before you are served the next course, let’s reflect and digest the results of the prior courses you’ve already tasted. 

A short summary of the first two courses has cited studies that certain foods, and mainly food of the western diet have a non-beneficial  impact on mental health. That impact has been found to be latent. The adversarial results of not-so-good eating habits can appear up to 6-years later. 

Old/New recipe for mental health

What started me on this path of questioning nutrition and mental health was a book written by Dr. Pfeiffer, (1987)‘ 'Nutrition and Mental Illness, An Orthomolecular Approach to Balancing Body Chemistry,' Pfeiffer, a pioneer in the orthomolecular field spent 20-years studying and researching nutrition and mental health. (died in 1988).

For me, it was like finding an old recipe that was intriguing, so I decided to find out more about it. What ignited me, was the understanding that there are less side-effects from taking supplements than synthetic medication. Who doesn't want less side-effects?

What I find truly interesting is that studies on this topic and or subject of nutrition and mental health have been taking place for quite sometime. I  also found a 1997 study in the ‘Journal of Health and Social Behavior ‘(Seifert, Heflin, Cochran, Williams, 2004) that discusses the results of poor nutrition and its impact on mental health. 

These studies have been happening for almost 40 years, yet they really aren't found or touted in mainstream information. (And that is an entirely different meal, so let's head back to this dish.) 

Ingredients are part of the entire dish

There seems to be a disconnect within the Western culture about food and the entire body. We’ve been hearing from Michelle O’bama about how we need to improve the quality of the food our children eat and that food impacts our physical health, so why wouldn't it also impact our mental health? Is our brain development and function separate from the physical functions of the rest of our body? 

Many times the scientific community portrays our brain and mind as two separate entities. For research purposes they compartmentalize, create “parts” to better analyze and then feed us the results in a manner of individuality rather than as an entirety. For example this title, ‘Linking Mind and Brain in the Study of Mental Illnesses: A Project for a Scientific Psychopathology,’  (Andreasen, 1997) portrays that our body is separate as is the mind and brain. They actually have to be ‘linked’ yet,  we know that our bodies function as a whole, it works together and can compensate if something is missing, and that takes team work, one-mind, one-body, one-being. 

When following a recipe to make a pie, you add the ingredients separately, and then they work together as a system to create a  whole, one large pie. Our bodies are much more complex than making a pie. Yet, that is how we dissect it, view it, look at it. So maybe that is another change the needs to take place, and once again an entirely different dish than what we are exploring here. 

  Food is fuel — it helps sustain the whole (your entire physical being, inside and out)

If food is fuel and our brain is part of the ignition to get things moving in our body, why wouldn't what we put into our body impact the way our brain functions and thus impact our mental health as well? Isn’t it all one? To make a loaf of bread all the ingredients eventually have to be mixed together to become a loaf. We don’t get just a slice. 

When looking at mental health and not including nutrition is like leaving out an important ingredient in a recipe. The dish may still appear edible and whole, but is it? 

What would the recipe for mental health look like if the first course  or ingredient was nutrition supplements rather than SSRI medications? 

A side of sexual dysfunction or weight gain with your main course?

And that leads us to our third course. Take a bite of this, what if nutrition impacted an decreased mental health issues and that in turn could decrease the current amounts of medications used to treatment mental illness, in young people and adults? What results would we see in the community of mental health? Could people become better without severe side effects? Would people become healthier and not have to deal with withdrawal? What happens to our mental health when our body is healthier, feels better? 

In 2001 Dr. James Ferguson, MD (2001) published a study on antidepressant medications and while these medications keep evolving, Ferguson,  states that they are “not a magic bullet” and no matter what, the side-effects are still adverse.

The side-effects of SSRI medication can be compared to over-indulging in food. When I over eat, I don’t sleep well, SSRI’s impede sleep. I sure don’t feel attractive and like have a sexual interlude with my extended belly, my libido drops and the same happens with SSRI meds. When I over eat, I become lethargic, feel a little off, just not myself. And that can happen with SSRI medication as well. For some people that will be a step up from where they were, for others it continues the cycle, they feel off-center. That makes me question if its better for them, or just different? And different is more acceptable than what was? 

Just a pinch of an ingredient can change the entire dish

I want to be clear here. I am not against SSRI medications, what I am saying is what if the first course of intervention was looking at nutrition AND THEN medication? What type of results would we see for people with mental illness? How would the medications change? Less used, lower doses, shorter duration of use? 

Below is a video with  psychiatrist, Dr. Kelly Brogan, PhD. (2013) She shares four minutes of her perspective of SSRI medication usage. 

Here is a a testimonial by Samantha Marie(2015) who has had a positive experience with SSRIs. She stresses that the antidepressants work along WITH therapy. We are always at choice, do you take two slices of cake or one? The bigger one or the one with more frosting....you get to choose. I give Samantha props for not giving up and making the choice that fits her right now. 

Twist to an old recipe for mental health

In the late 1970's Pfeiffer developed a protocol of supplements to assist with many mental health diagnosis, for example, depression, childhood ADD, as well as physical ailments, such as migraine headaches,  MS , alcoholism and these are just a few. If you are open minded, I recommend pursuing some of his publications and seeing what is offered. I found them insightful, interesting and thought provoking. As I hope you do too, try it, you just might like it!

My desire is that I have helped to wet your appetite to look into different recipes for mental health. I know I've offered some new ingredients, some you may like, some you may not, you choose. 

Bon appetite! 

References:

Andreasen, N.C. (1997, March 14). Linking Mind and Brain in the Study of Mental Illness: A Project for a Scientific Psychopathology.   Retrieved April 3, 2016, from http://science.sciencemag.org/content/275/5306/1586.full

Brogan, K., Dr. (2013, Dec. 28). A Psychiatrists perspective on Antidepressants.(YouTube). Retrieved on April 3, 2016. 

Ferguson, J., Dr. (2001, Feb. 3). SSRI Antidepressant Medications: Adverse Effects and Tolerability. US Library of Medicine and Institutes of Health. Retrieved April 3, 2016, from www. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC181155/

Let's Move. America's move to raise a healthier generation of kids.(no date given). Retrieved April 3, 2016 from http://www.letsmove.gov

Pfeiffer, C. D., Dr. (1987). Nutrition and Mental Illness an Orthomolecular Approach to Balancing Body Chemistry. Rochester, NY: Healing Arts. Retrieved April 3, 2016, from  http://www.doctoryourself.com/biblio_pfeiffer_ed.html

Seifert, K., Heflin, C.M., Corcoran, M. E., Williams, D. R., (2004, June 24). Food Insufficiency and Physical and Mental Health in Longitudinal Survey of Welfare Recipients. Retrieved April 3, 2016, from http://science.sciencemag.org/content/2755306/1586.full

Samantha M., (2015, Feb. 8). My Experience on SSRI medications.(YouTube) Retrieved on April 3, 2016.

Nutrition and Mental Health - Taste Testing Something New

In my previous blog, we visited the idea that nutrition impacts mental health. How often do we hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Arguments, reports and statistics are showing that nutrition impacts students cognitive abilities in learning and schools are working more and more diligently to bring students more nutritious food options, so their brains and bodies are ready for the learning process. Some schools are offering breakfast, to ensure students are ready to begin their day in a healthy way.  (2010 Hulliquist). 

OUR BRAINS/MINDS are what we use to learn…and our mental health is connected to our brains and minds…it’s all one big piece of the pie. It’s all connected...our physical and mental health. You are what you eat. 

Below is a refresher on the statistics about depression and anxiety occurring in the United States. 

The National Institute of Mental Health states that in the United States alone…

• 2.8 Million adolescents in the US have at least one major depressive episode a year.

• 15.7 Million adults have at least one major depressive episode a year. 

That’s 18. 5 million people in the United States who suffer from a major depressive episode. What if we could have a positive impact on these numbers and decrease them through better nutrition?

You are what you eat

Here is an interesting story, that reflects how the food we eat resides within us, literally.  Recently, there was a young person who was receiving blood platelets and began to go into anaphylactic shock — this person was having an allergic reaction to the donated platelets, what was an absolute known fact, was that the young person has an allergy to nuts. 

The Blood Center of Wisconsin went back to the platelet donor and found out that the donor always had peanut butter for breakfast, for years that has been their routine, peanut butter on a bagel, peanut butter on toast, or a couple of spoonfuls of peanut butter when in a hurry, but always peanut butter…so, I guess we can honestly say, you are what you eat. And this scenario attributes to the fact that what we eat can literally run through our veins as well. 

Digesting new ways of looking at mental health

Dr. Julia Rulidge, a research professor at Canterbury Univserity has spent 14 years looking into the effects of nutrition on mental health. A commonality I am finding in published studies, and Dr. Rulidge concurs through three studies she shares in the video below, is that mental health disorders are increasing in countries where Western diets are being introduced. (Fast food, high sugar and high carbs).

Take a moment to watch 6 minutes of this video, which shares results from three different studies with more than 430,000 people. Conclusions show a western diet increases the long-term odds of depression and anxiety. Apparently it takes a while for the results of not-so-good eating habits to build up before we start seeing results in the mental health arena,  approximately 6.2 years is when issues seem to become apparent. In my opinion, this correlates with the increase of physical ailments connected with a Western diet, hypertension, diabetes, high, cholesterol. If we have  long-term or delayed physical repercussions because of our eating habits, why wouldn't we have have repercussions in the brain/mental level as well? 

(This site was unwilling to accept the cropped version - I recommend watching from 15:27 - 20:22) 

This 2008 study from the Nutritional Journal, researches nutritional supplements  and their impact on four mental health diagnosis, major depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, and obsessive compulsive disorder. 

It appears that “the most common nutritional deficiencies seen in mental disorder patients are of omega-3 fatty acids,         B vitamins, minerals, and amino acids which are precursors to neurotransmitters,” (2008). Neurotransmitters are the cells that send communications throughout our body, they tell your heart to beat, your lungs to breath, they set mood, tell your body its time to rest, etc. 

Research sited in this study suggests that nutritional supplements can offer positive assistance with the four listed mental illness diagnosis and in conjunction offer less negative side effects than prescribed medications. 

Now that you’ve been filled up with this information, take some time to digest it and let it settle before we move on to another course. 

Until next time, remember, you ARE what you eat…

References:

Burke, N., Muckenhuber, J., Grosschadle, F., Rasky, E., Freidl, W. (2014, February). Nutrition and Health - The Association between Earring Behavior and Various Health Parameters: A Matched Sample Study. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone008827. Retrieved February 07, 2016 from http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0088278

Hullquist,G. (2010, April). Breakfast for Academic Performance. International Forum, Vol. 13, No.1.(pp 5- 19). Retrieved February 07, 2016 from http://ojs.aiias.edu/iforum/article/view/123/116


Lakhan, S, Vieira,K. (2008, January).  Nutritional Therapies for Mental Disorders. Nutritional Journal 7:2. DOI: 10.1186/1475-2891-7-2

National Institute of Health.(2014).  Major Depression Among Adults. Retrieved February 07, 2016 from                       http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/major-depression-among-adults.shtml

National Institute of Health. (2014). Major Depression Among Adolescents. Retrieved February 07, 2016 from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/major-depression-among-adolescents.shtml

Rulidge, Julia. (2014,May 29). What if..Nutrition could treat mental illness? [ Video File] Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrxdoIn6DQQ. 

Solomon, S, Zukier, Z, Hamden, M, (2010 June). The Role of Nutrition Mental Health:Depression Retrieved February 07, 2016 from www.mindingourbodies.ca/about_the_project/literature_reviews/depression_and_nutrition 

Dishing Up Mental Health

Sadly, studies (Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, 2014) are showing depression and anxiety is on the rise for children and adolescents. The numbers.  And those of us involved in community psychology understand that this impacts a multitude of systems on many different levels. 

From individuals, to families, to neighborhoods, to communities, schools, employers and even medical costs,  we are all impacted. While I’m sure there are a multitude of reasons for this increase, I would like to focus on something that I believe to be “right under our noses” and yet, hardly every brought up when discussing mental illness. I have to ask, what about nutrition, what impact does that have on mental illness? 

For our bodies to perform at peak levels we need nutrition. For our brains to perform at peak levels, we need nutrition. Our body is one large organism that is connected, even though at times we use words that appear to create a separateness within our bodies. For example,  “My head hurts, this darned knee is acting up,” are ways of stating that particular part of us is separate from the whole. Yet, we know biologically that our physical body is one organism always working as one.  

When a part of our body is injured or not functioning properly, we will have physical repercussions in area’s other than the injured part. For example, if you have tendinitis in your left elbow, you will overcompensate with your right side. If you can’t straighten your left elbow without pain, you’ll hold tension in your shoulders, may be turn with your upper torso or lower trunk rather than your entire body. All of this creates an imbalance. 

What does this have to do with nutrition and mental illness? Well, if you are lacking certain nutrients, or ingesting too much of one thing and not enough of another, this creates an imbalance, similar to what was described above. What is different about the nutrition scenario is that your brain/body may not be able to compensate for the nutritional imbalance.

It is believed at one point in the history of human beings, our bodies used to create vitamin C. At some point there was a mutation in the GLO gene and that ability was lost.(Drouin, B, Godin, J, and Page, B, 2011) We were able to supplement this depletion by eating foods containing Vitamin C.  Where'd the C go?

With the onslaught of the “fast food culture.” I will assume the majority agree that not only has the consumption of nutritional food declined, so has access to it, and our bodies are not able to compensate and produce the nutrients that are now lacking in our foods.  We have chosen quantity and speed over quality. 1/3 of US kids and teens ate fast food today. 

Studies have proven that children who don't have access to healthy food, do poorer in school, on testing and cognitive development (Tobin, 2013). So then I have to ask, why wouldn’t poor diet impact brain function on the mental illness level as well? 

Results of an Australian study conducted over a 2-year period with 3040 adolescents ages 11-17 showed that diet impacted the mental health of participants. On year-two follow up concluded that healthier eating habits correlated with improved mental health, and unhealthy eating habits correlated with poor mental health.  (Jacka F, Kremer P, Berk M, Silva-Sanigorski, A, Moodie M, Leslie E, Pasco J, Swinburne, B, 2011).  A Dish of Mental Health

So to that point, I leave you with some food for thought. 

Until next time…what’s on your plate? 

References: 

Drouin, Guy, Godin, Jean-Remi, Page, Benoit.(2011, August). The Genetics of Vitamin C Loss in Vertebrates. Retrieved February 07, 2016, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3145266/ 

Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, (2014). Adolescent Depression. Retrieved February 05, 2016 from http://www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/health4.asp

Gorman, Linda. Eating Your Way to Higher Test Scores. National Bureau of Economic Research. Retrieved February 07, 2016. http://www.nber.org/digest/apr03/w9319.html

Jacka Felice, Kremer, Peter, Berk, Michael, Silva-Sanigorski, Andrea, Moodie, Marjorie, Leslie, Eva, Pasco, Julie, Swinburn, Boyd. (2011, September 21). A Prospective Study of Diet Quality and Mental Health in Adolescents. Retrieved February 5, 2016 from http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id-10.1371/journal.pone.0024805

NPR.(2015, September 21). A Third of kids and teenagers ate fast food today. Retrieved February 7, 2016 from   http://www/npr/org/sections/thesalt/2015/09/17/44095139/about-a-third-of-u-s-kids-and-teens-ate-fast-food-today

Wilder Research. (2014, January). Nutrition and  Students Academic Performance. Retrieved February 7, 2016 from
Wilder-Research/Publications/Studies/Fueling%20Academic%20Performance%20-%20Strategies%20to%20Foster%20Healthy%20Eating%20Among%20Students/Nutrition%20and%20Students'%20Academic%20Performance.pdf


Ross, A. (2008, July). Nutrition and its affect on Academic Performance. Retrieved February 07, 2016 from, https://www.nmu.edu/sites/DrupalEducation/files/UserFiles/Files/Pre-Drupal/SiteSections/Students/GradPapers/Projects/Ross_Amy_MP.p/

Tobin, KJ. ( 2013, Jan. 29)  Child Care Health Dev. (1):118-24. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01349.x. Epub 2011 Nov 25.

Ugh...YAAAWWWNNNNN

So, how often do you stand in line somewhere and then notice a person yawning without covering their mouth? This is something that gets in my kraw.

I don't care to count your fillings or see what is left of your lunch/breakfast or dinner on your tongue. Plus have you have really studied a persons face as they yawn...at times it can be frightening!

Save yourself, your children and others therapy time by being polite and covering your mouth as you yawn.

Thank you!

Why do we yawn anyway? Click here