The Dark Room of Depression

The fall is coming soon and the leaves are turning into array of colors. But the temperatures are still warm? Which is great….Right? Not always although your body is exposed to the radiance of the sunlight and the vitamin D which it nourishes. You feel sort of sluggish and sad, which makes you feel depressed as though you are in a dark room…

Depression is a symptom which consists of sadness, crying, fatigue, lethargy, body aches and pains, irritability, loss of interest in things that you previously enjoyed, and isolating yourself from friends and family. These symptoms can strike at any time given time.

In any given year about 8.2 percent of U.S. adults have a major depressive episode, and around 21 percent will experience major depressive disorder at some point in their lives, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Studies may have shown that depression results from the influence of several genes acting together with environmental or other factors.However, there are several reasons why this illness can be immediately treated through the hands of a naturopathic physician.

What causes depression?

Depression comes from hormonal imbalances in which we battle against within our daily lives. The deficiency on what we eat can alternate a person’s mood when dealing with depression. It’s important for us to regulate our bodies, by keeping our blood sugar stable. For instance, people often notice feeling more anxious if they skip meals. Eating regularly is an easy way for us to stabilize our moods. Individual food reactions can also play a role in mood changes.

There are several easy ways of identifying problem foods, one of which is the elimination diet. In this diet, you take out the most common reactive foods for a period of 2-4 weeks and notice changes in mood:

• Gluten
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Processed Sugar
• Soy
• Citrus
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Cigarettes

Another way to identify potential food problems is through blood testing immunoglobulin G (IgG antibodies.) IgG helps to battle bacterial and viral infections. Comprising up to 80% of the all of these essential proteins, it is the smallest, yet most abundant, human antibody. This can be produced up to 3 days after you eat a problem food. There are several Naturopathic labs that offer these tests, which give a more personalized and inclusive guideline on specific foods to avoid. Other testing such as:

AMINO ACID TESTING
Amino acid assessment can help in many conditions, such as depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, digestion and absorption, catabolic processes, and more.

MINERAL TESTING
Macro and micro mineral elements are required throughout many metabolic pathways. Mineral imbalances can contribute to cancer, dysfunctional immune regulation, chronic degenerative diseases, aging, emotions and more.

IGG4 ALLERGEN TESTING
Food sensitivities can trigger many different symptoms including: inflammatory bowel disease, gas/bloating, fatigue, mood swings, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, headaches/migraines, skin problems, RA, sinusitis, and recurrent ear infections.

GI EFFECT TESTING
Gastrointestinal health is the key in digestion, nutrient absorption, and ridding the body of waste and pathogens. Poor digestion and malabsorption can lead to immune dysfunction, nutritional insufficiencies, food allergies, toxicities, and various disease states.

TOXICITY TESTING
Elemental (mercury, lead, etc.) and environmental ( xenobiotics, chemicals, etc.) are more common than you think and may contribute to a host of chronic illnesses including: allergies, asthma, autoimmune disease, brain fog, certain cancers, cognitive difficulties, diabetes, fatigue, fibromyalgia, hormonal imbalances, infertility, obesity, tremors, and more.

FATTY ACID TESTING
Ensuring the right fatty acid balance is essential in autoimmune conditions, cardiovascular health, depression, allergies, skin conditions, and more.

TESTING
Organic acids are metabolic intermediates produced in pathways of central energy production, detoxification, neurotransmitter breakdown, and intestinal microbial activity.