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Old Sun, Feb-17-13, 22:18
lk2094 lk2094 is offline
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Plan: Dr Schwarzbein
Stats: 100/100/100 Female 66
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Default B vitamins and depression

Depression is frequently caused by lack of "undamaged fats" (to borrow Dr Schwarzbein's term which I like better than the term healthy fats because it has been distorted by marketing) and a lack of, or imbalance in, our essential fatty acids. By adding undamaged fats to our diet we can improve depression if this is what is causing it. Our brains and nervous system are made up of predominately fats and cholesterol (a fat). We truly are Fat heads (to borrow another term I heard, from where I forgot). This is one of the complications of a low fat, low cholesterol diet. I do disagree with Dr Schwarzbein on canola oil being a healthy oil. Much canola oil is highly refined and also genetically engineered. Healthy fats are a whole discussion that requires more time than I have here. If interested in a resource: read "know your fats" by Mary Enig. In reference to B vitamins. It is best to take a B complex from a whole food source of B vitamins. Lots and lots of vitamins are not well absorbed. Synthetic vitamins can sometimes act as stimulants. B 12 is absorbed differently than the other B vitamins in our body and sometimes not as easily absorbed. It is also common to have more difficulty absorbing B 12 as we age and one may need shots to bring B12 into balance. Working with a good naturopathic doctor could help you determine if this is a problem and how to correct it. They can test for things such as blood counts, homocysteine or even B-12 levels to see if this is needed. One of the difficulties with testing B-12 levels is we don't really have a good way to test for accurate levels. Some times gut healing is needed to increase absorption of all our nutrients, including B-12, but again, this is where working with a qualified Dr will help. Another comment on B vitamins (or any vitamin deficiencies) is to look at the prescription and over the counter medications you take. Many medications deplete our vitamins and minerals in the process of doing what ever they were designed to do in our body or in the process of our body eliminating these medications from our system. Common medications that deplete B 12 are some of the medications used to treat diabetes and insulin resistance. The one that comes to my mind is Metformin. Also, acid lowering medications (prescription and Over the counter) used to treat heartburn symptoms (frequently caused by medications) interferes with the absorption of many vitamins and minerals including B-12. Cholesterol lowering meds commonly cause depression and memory loss because they interfere with production of cholesterol so critical for brain function. We are seeing a trend towards dangerously low cholesterol levels in this country as a result of over use of cholesterol lowering medications. Cholesterol is critical for many functions and without it we die. A good book on Medication and nutrient interactions is "The Side Effect Bible." Again, hope this is helpful. One thing I have learnt in my studies of science and medicine is that everything in the body is about balance. Not too much and not too little. Unlike the all or none mentality, try to strive for balance. This is one of the things I really like about Dr Schwarzbein’s books and diet recommendations. It is a much more balanced approach.
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