Simple Health Cures

   Life bombeds us with change. Sometimes we look forward to new beginnings, but change can also be unexpected or unwelcome. For some, these significant life events can trigger a major depressive episode . It’s  not completely clear why certain people are affected and others are not. Depression does not pick and choose based on characteristics that we understand. The question to consider now is treatment. Is there anything that can be done to get rid of depression? What are the treatments for depression? And can we expect them to work?

   Treatments for depression usually include either counseling, prescription antidepressants or a combination of both. Although treatment is often quite helpful, it should be understood that it may take several attempts discover the most effective treatment. Depression is an incredibly complex condition that responds to treatment in a variety of ways. It’s essential to be completely transparent and truthful when you when you discuss how you feel with your health care provider.

   Prescription medications for depression are not habit-forming in most cases. Your doctor will want to monitor you closely for the first few months just to make sure that the most effective dosage has been prescribed. Antidepressents typically don’t work right away, but rather take serveral weeks to build up to therapeutic levels in your system. Do your best not to skip doses or stop taking medications without your doctor’s advice.

   Your doctor will probably prescribe medications that seek to restore balance to your brain chemistry. Most depression has been linked to low levels or inefficient use of certain neurotransmitters. The solution for most people is to increase the levels or usage of serotonin  and norepinephrine in the brain.

   Almost all cases of major depression respond well to treatment. A combination of therapy and medication works dor about 8 out of every 10 depression sufferers. Plus, most cases can be treated by a primary care physician, eliminating the extra cost and difficult of finding and working with a specialist.

   The real treatment problem with depression is that too many people won’t look for treatment at all. Studies suggest that only about 25 percent of individuals in the U.S. with depression get the treatment they need. In other countries, it may be less then 10 percent.

   Not only does untreated depression increase the risk of suicide, it also complicates other illnesses as well. Did you know that depression actually increases your risk of Heart attack? Other medical conditions that have been associated with depression included cancer, diabetes, heart disease, eating disorders and anxiety. You may be more likely to abuse alcohol or drugs.

   You expect treatment for depression to work in about eight to twelve weeks, sometime less. It all  depends on your response to antidepressant medications and how severe the depression is. Treatment truly can offer hope in the midst of hopelessness, so there’s noreason to delay.

   A major depressive episode can be devastating to every person and family that it touches. In addition to emotional suffering, there are measurable consequences to society. To fully understand the magnitude of the problem of depression, let’s take a look at some of the relevant depression statistics.

   About 19 million American adults are afflicted by depressive disorders in any given year. This includes major depression, dsythmia and bipolar disorder. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of the adult population suffers from depression in most industrialized societies. It is the leading cause of disability among those aged 15 to 44 in the United States, and the leading cause of disability for those over age 5 worldwide.

   Major depressive disorder can occur at any age, but the median age of onset is 32. New reports indcate that four percent of preschoolers have been diagnosed with clinical depression, and the number of children with depression is growing at an alarming 23 percent every year. One area of concern: current antidepressants have shown little effectiveness in patients under age 18.

   Women are diagnosed with depression at about twice the rate as men. However, this may be due to the fact that men are less likely to seek treatment for depressive disorders. Only eight percent of depressed African-American males seek treatment. Overall, it is believed that about 80 percent of depression casese go undiagnnosed and untreated. Depression is a recurring illness: after each depressive episoda, your risk of future episode increases.

   Depression accounts for a huge cost to the economy as well. It is responsible for a major portion of absenteeism from work. Costs to employers in absenteeism from work. Costs to employers in absenteeism and lost productivity due to depressive disorders is estimated to be more than $51 billion per year. This figure does not include costs for treatment and prescription medications.

   The effects of depression can spread through families and across generations. Research has indicated that children of depressed mothers score lower on mathematical achievement tests. developmental delays in children aged two to four year old have also been linked to depressed mothers.

   Unfortunately society continues to attach a stigma to depression. Surveys show that 54 percent of people consider depression to be a personal weakness. In one study, 41 percent of women stated they were too embarrassed to seek help for their depression.

   There is a natural reluntance to interfere in the private emotions of others. But to reach those who are suffering from depressive disorders, it may be necessary to step beyond our comfort zone and encourage those we know and love to seek treatment. Regardless of whether depression is affecting us personally, it is certainly causing pain in our community.

You might be feeling depressed, but are you depressed enough to see a doctor about it? It’s always difficult to tell if what we are experiencing is a normal level of sadness or true clinical depression that requires treatment.

   About 30 years ago, researchers published a depression self-assessment in a medical journal called Applied Psychological Measurements. The scale presented in that article has been used by many doctors since to determine how depressed a patient is and to measure the effectiveness of treatment.

   The following statements have been adapted from that scale. Read each of the descriptions below and think about how you’ve been feeling and behaving over the last two weeks. For each statement, try to decide if it’s something that has been true almost every day, not true at all, or somewhere in between.

   1. Have you had little interest or pleasure in doing things even things that you used to enjoy doing before?

   2. Have you been feeling depressed, down or hopeless?

   3. Think about your sleeping patterns. Have you had difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep?  Or have been sleeping much more than usual?

   4. What about your energy levels? Over the past two weeks, have you felt tired or felt like you had very little energy?

   5. Have your eating habits changed at all? For example, have you had a  poor appetite with little desire for food? Or have you been overeating?

   6. During the past two weeks, how often have you felt bad about yourself? Have you felt like a failure, like you have let yourself or your family down in some way?

   7. Any trouble concentrating? Do you have difficulty focusing on television or reading?

   8. Have you begun speaking or moving vert slowly, enough that people have noticed? Or have you became restless and fidgety, unable to stay still?

   9. Have you ebtertained any thoughts of suicide or of hurting yourself?

   If you have been experiencing several of the feelings or behaviors described above fairly often over the last two weeks, you may be experiencing depression. You should contact your doctor and talk about how you’re feeling. Your doctor will probably repeat a similar assessment to the one above and may precribe antidepressants. The quicker you begin treatment, the sooner these troubling symptoms will  begin to disappear.                                                            

   Sadness and gloom affect almost everyone at one time or another. Being sad or lonely is a normal human condition. At times, the feelings are strong enough to use the word depression. But how bad does it have to get before you have true clinical depression.?  What are the signs and symptoms of depression?

   Symptoms of depression normally include intense negative feelings of helplessness are all common with clinical depression. A Persistent  sadness is often present. Practically everyone with depression reports an overall feeling of overwhelming hopelessness.

   People suffering from clinical  depression often have a hard time concentrating and making decisions. This is more than a mild indecisiveness that some people have as part of their personality. Rather, this is an almost complete inability to function in the everyday world. They are also plaqued by fatigue and low energy levels, regardless of how much rest they may be getting. Other symptoms reported among patients with major depression include persistent aches and pains that don’t respond to treatment.

   Changes in sleep habits often occur with depression. People either suffer from insomnia, completely unable to get a good night’s sleep, or they sleep both day and night. Another common symptom is the loss of interest in activities that someone once enjoyed a great deal. This could be anything from hobbies to sports, even sex. A change in appetite in either direction ( more hungry than usual, not hungry at all ) is a signal for concern.

   Studies suggest that about half of the people who suffer from depression are never disgnosed or treated. In some cases, the very people who are suffering either do not recognize the severity of their symptoms, or the symptoms prevent them from taking action to seek treatment. The main concern is treatable depression that goes undiagnosed can eventually lead to suicide. Almost all cases of major depression respond well to treatment. It is truly a tragedy when those who could be helped take this last  irrevocable step.

   Any time you or someone you know has suffered symptoms of depression for two weeks or more, immediate help should be sought. Self-diagnosis is not recommended. This is a serious condition that will not disappear by itself-active,assertive treatment is necessary to break the grip of depression.

   Depression is more than just a really bad mood that lasts a long time. It can effect your very identity, it can change who you are. Those who suffer from this all-too-common disorder find that daily life has become too great a challenge. what are the causes of depression? What’s behind this disabling disease?

   No single cause of depression has been discovered. It seems to result from a combination of factors. These included characteristics that you inherited (genetics) your brain chemistry, conditions in which you grew up and where you live now ( environmental factors) and your psychological makeup.

   Depression tends to run in families. If depression is a familiar concept from your family life, then you may be more likely to suffer from it yourself. It’s unclear whether the more powerful impact is from genetics or learning. Is the rendency to become depressed inherited or is it the way you have learned to cope with events?

   Recent research in molecular genetics has discovered a link to the proteins that carry serotonin to neurons in the brain. The chances that traumatic life events will trigger a major depressive episode vary according to which version of the 5-HTT you inherited. This seems to indicate that genetics could play a significant role in how prone you are to suffer depression.

   Regardless of your personnal susceptibility to depression, a depressive episoda is almost always triggered by a specific life event. Common triggers of major depression include chronic stress, the death of someone very close to you, or asignificant disappointment at home, work or school. Prescription drugs and certain medical conditions can also be a fault. Illnesses often linked with depression include heart attack, stroke, cancer, Parkinson’s disease and hormonal disorders. Depression has also been linked to nutritional deficiencies.

   Depression is more common in adults over 65. although depression should not be considered a normal part of aging, traumatic life events certainly do become more common as we grow older. People retire from lifelong occupations, friends and loved ones die with greater frequency, and advancing years bring increasing health problems. It may surprise you to know that depression occurs at about the same rate in older persons whether they are living in nursing homes or have remained in the community.

   No one willingly chooses to suffer from depression. People with depression did not somehow bring the disorder upon themselves with a negative outlook or some personality flaw. Regardless of what caused the major depressive episode that someone may be facing, the important thing is to seek treatment. Treatment is safe and almost always effective. Unfortunately, people in the midst of depression may have difficulty deciding that treatment is needed. That’s where friends and family can help.

   You probably know someone who is depressed. You may be wondering about yourself.  The way you feel right now does it fit the definition of depression? Clinical depression is a serious illness that affects millions, so you are right to be concerned. Understanding depression is a good first step toward treatment. Let’s see if we can figure this out together.

   Feelings of sadness are normal. Everyone experiences a blue mood once in a while. But when feelings of sadness became your daily feelings, and when a blue mood turns into a persistent black cloud, you may be suffering from depression.

   Depression is an illness, a mental disoder that  overwhelms your mind and body.  It is not a transient mood that can be dismissed. The victim of depression is powerless to command it to leave.  It changes how you think and how you feel. It essentially changes who you are and effects how you interact with others.

   So how can you tell the difference between actual clinical depression and normal feelings of sadness. Essentially it’s about intensity and time. The feelings associated with depression are much more intense. Your character and your ability to cope with reality become severely affected. It becomes almost impossible to function on a daily basis.

   The threshold for diagnosing depression in terms of  time seems to be about two weeks. Being sad and withdrawn for a short period of time is a normal human reaction to significant negative events. However if your personality and interaction with others fails to return to normal after about two weeks time then you may have entered a major depressive episoda. Depression can last for weeks, months or even years without treatment.

   The good news is depression is treatable. Though a combination of therapy and  medication up to 80 percent of people with depression get better. But treatment takes time and involves some trial and error so patience is a must.

   No one is immune to the effects of depression. It is not an indication of weakness or failure. If you suspect that you or someone you know may be suffering from depression it’s important to get professional advice as soon as possible.

   Stress can be a scary thing but it is also a self- creating thing. The more stress you feel the less able you are to deal with the things that are stressing you causing the stress to increase. This is a vicious cycle and the key to stress management is to not get into it in the first place.

   So once you recognize that you are stressed what can you do about it? There are alot of ways to counteract the everyday stress that crops up in life. Most those techniques are simple, cheap and best of all is they don’t involve potentially addictive drugs.

   1. Take up Meditation

   2. Count to 10

   3. Take some deep breaths

   4. Get up and walk away

   5. Get a hobby

   6. Take up a sport

   7. Write a Dairy or Journal

   Find out what works for you. It doesn’t matter what you do, just make sures its works and then make sure that you do it. Once you learn how to remove your stress you will find that you are much happier and much more productive and much more able to deal with the issues that can cause stress every single day.

  Calorie my vary from women to women depending on height. weight, age and body composition. A muscular women needs 2,500 calories a day and wome with less muscle might only need 1,800. The rule of thumb is to eat no less than 10 times your body weight in calories.

   Carbonhydrates are the foundation of a healthy diet. Try to get 60 to 65 percents of your calories from carbonhydrates and make three to six of those serving whole grain, such as whole wheat bread and bran cereal.

    Fruits and Vegetables aim for five servings of vegetables and four servings of fruit a day and you’ll get a good helping of antioxidants substances  that protect your DNA the genetic information in every cell of your body from cancer.

   Lean protein now and with years to come you should be getting 10 to 15 percent of your calories from lean protein such as beans, peas, nuts, fish, skinless chicken, turkey and lean red meat. Check the label and if it say more 10 gram of fat per serving do not buy it.

   Dairy eat two or three servings of low fat daily products a day or 1000 mg of calcuim.  Low fat and fat free milk, yogurt and cheese are excellent sources of calcuim which keep your bones strongs.

   Fats you probably already know that you’re to eat fats and sweet “sparingly’. No more than 25 percent of your total  calories should came from fat. The best choices are monounsaturated fat bring down total cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fats like sunflowers seed, seasame, corn, soybean and other nuts is also good choices. These fat bring down all cholesterol levels. Food high in saturated fat and trans fatty acids should be eaten sparingly if at all.

   Fish eat two serving of salmon, mackerel, herring or  sardines each week and you’ll get 3.5 grans of fish  oil omega 3 fatty acid.

   Flaxseed is the vegetables source of omerga 3 fatty acid and helps prevents hearts disease and possibly cancer.

   Fiber try to get 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day. Eating high fiber foods like beans, whole grain cereal and bread, vegetables, fruits and nuts also lower cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

   Low soduimlike naturally low in soduim like fresh fruits and vegetables and avoiding excessively salty food likes smoked, cured or processed meat. Try to get fewer than 800 milligrams of sodium per meal that equivalent contained in 1 teaspoon of table salt.

   Most women don’t meet even conservative recommendation for fruit and vegetables intake daily. Many experts advise that for optimal health protection women should eat nine daily serving of fruit and vegetables. Our dietary shortcomings aren’t the only reason that the experts advise women to use nutritional supplements. You can’t get the amount with just food alone.

   Consider folite this nutrient has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease as well as certain birth defeats. Unless you eat fortified breakfast cereals you’d have to eat the equivalent of more than 5 cups of romaine lettue daily to meet the daily requirements. Taking a 400-microgram folic acid ( the synthetic form of folic) supplement makes good sense.

   The same is true for Vitamin E. Only nuts and vegetables oil have appreciable amounts which is why women only get about 9 to 12 IU of Vitamin E daily. Studies have shown that getting at least 100 IU daily is associated with reduced risk of heart disease. There no way that anyone could get that amount without taking a supplement.

   Even though every women should do everything possible to eat a healthful  balanced diet adding a multivitamin and a few key nutritional supplements is a reasonable approach for preventing deficiencies and safeguarding your long-term health.

  I believe the supplements you take should be all natural.

   We have dozens of healing herbs at our disposal but their active ingredents can all be grouped in afew chemical families. These chemials which occur in herbs in varying proportions are what give herbs their healing power. They include;

   Bitter is the name suggest these are bitter tasting chemical compounds. They stimulate bile flow and digestive juices.

   Flavonoids-  They’re among the most important antioxidants. They protect cell from oxidations strrengthen blood vessels walls and reduce water retention inflammation and muscle spasms.

   Volatile Oils- They give herbs their unique scents and they also have a mild antiseptic action. When inhaled voletile oils relieve stree. They may also enhance appetite, stimulate circulation and reduce water retention associated with the menstrual cycle.

   Alkaloids - They’re been shown to fight bacterial and fungal infections.

   Gums and Fungal infections - They bind to lipids (fats) in the blood. Herbs that contain gum and resins are often used to lower cholesterol.

   Mucilage - It’s a slippery substances in herbs that helps relieve constipation. Mucilage also soothes irritated mucous membranes in the throat intestine and other parts of the body.

   Saponins - These have antitussive cough relieving properties. They also regulate women’shormones, reduce stress and strengthen blood vessels.

   Tannins- These promote skin healing. They also help speed the healing of mucous membranes (as with sore throats).

   Anthraquinones- They’re good for digestion because they stimulate bile producation. They’re also helpful for strengthening and restoring proper liver function.