There seems to be an epidemic of depression in the world. And yet more people than ever are on anti-depressants. What’s going on?
You may have heard of Dr Kelly Brogan, a psychiatrist with a cognitive neuroscience degree from MIT who has published her latest book A Mind Of Your Own The truth about depression and how women can heal their bodies to reclaim their minds.
Dr Brogan practices psychoneuroimmunology. As she says herself, it’s a mouthful of a word, but she describes it as examining (and respecting) the complex interplay between various systems and organs of the body, especially those that involve the nervous, gastrointestinal, and immune systems which in turn affect mental well-being.
Dr Brogan tells us that ‘depression can result from bodily imbalance rather than brain chemical imbalance’ and adds; ‘we need a new paradigm: The best way to heal the mind is to heal the whole body.’ With that in mind, let’s look at one of the major factors which exacerbate conditions of mood disorders, brain fog, fatigue, low energy, anxiety, poor memory, insomnia and depression.
Dr Brogan is clear that eating highly processed foods will result in setting off the alarm of inflammation. Furthermore, many people are eating inflammatory foods such as gluten and dairy (casein proteins) which unknowingly cause allergenic reactions too mild for most people to notice but which nevertheless cause inflammatory conditions in the body. Sugar and artificial sweeteners have also been shown to activate inflammation.
She goes on to say – controversially – that the call to action here is not to view depression as a disease in and of itself, but as a symptom of a much broader bodily state. First we have to ask why you are feeling the way you are feeling, and the sources of your symptoms may surprise you. It may be your food, your gut, your thyroid, or even your go-to pain reliever.
A multitude of studies now show an undeniable link between gut dysfunction and the brain, chiefly by revealing the relationship between the volume of inflammatory markers in the blood and risk for depression. Higher levels of inflammatory markers, which often indicate that the body’s immune system is on high alert, significantly increase the risk of developing depression.
OMEGA-UP™ contains high concentrations of EPA (a 20-carbon essential fatty acid building block), which is a vital component of anti-inflammatory hormones in the body called eicosanoids. Eicosanoids or “master hormones” are produced by every cell in the body and control everything from the immune system to the brain, heart and reproductive system.
EPA helps the body synthesise eicosanoid hormones which help to reduce inflammation, and therefore offer a natural solution for fighting depression.
There are 3 types of Omega 3 fatty acids: DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid), EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and ALA (Alpha-linolenic Acid). Clinical studies show that EPA is effective against depression when taken in high doses, specifically in a ratio of at least 6 times more EPA than DHA.
OMEGA-UP™ boasts a 7:1 EPA:DHA ratio, offering the ultimate formula for feeling up! EPA has shown to be equally as effective as antidepressants and a combination of EPA plus an anti-depressant doubles the therapeutic effect! OMEGA-UP™ is a Triple Strength Omega-3 EPA containing three times more EPA than ordinary fish oil / fish oil capsules.
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