For about 40 years, from the 1920s to 1960s, several chiropractic mental asylums existed in the Midwest of the U.S.  Surviving documentation shows a North Dakota judge reporting a 65% recovery or improvement rate at one asylum, compared to 27% at a standard asylum. Bones out of place can restrict blood, oxygen, and nerve flows affecting mental functioning.

DIET IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK  

A survey of 200 people, reported in the British press (BBC News Online, Sep. 17, 2002), found that 88% reported that changing their diet improved their mental health significantly.

Percent of people reporting improvements:

·        Mood swings - 26%

·        Panic attacks and anxiety - 26%

·        Depression – 24%

A GOOD DIET INCLUDES:  

¨      At least three meals a day, including a high-protein breakfast.  For most, five small meals a day is even better for maintaining steady blood sugar.

¨      Plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds—raw is more nutritious than cooked.

¨      Whole-grain products are far better than denatured grain products— whole-wheat flour is better than white flour, brown rice is better than white rice.

¨      More emphasis on protein, vegetables, and healthy fats (olives, nuts, etc.) than carbohydrate during the day.  More carbohydrates at the evening meal will encourage sleep.  (Will we ever know how many women are “depressed” because they have been on non-fat/low fat diets for so many years that their bodies are pulling them down the mental drain?)

¨      At least half-a-gallon of water a day (other fluids do not count).

¨      Eating organic foods where possible, to minimize intake of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and food additives.

A GOOD DIET DOES NOT INCLUDE

·        Sugar and sugared products

·        Alcohol

·        White flour products

·        Deep-fried foods,

·        Canned fruits and vegetables (fresh ones are more nutritious and have no additives)

·        Processed foods such as Hamburger Helper®, macaroni and cheese – most boxed foods.

·        Foods the person knows he/she is allergic to.

·        Caffeinated products⁸

·        Aspartame (Nutrasweet®)⁹

·        Artificial colors and preservatives (found most often in processed and sugared foods). ¹⁰

⁸ (J.P. Boulenger, Psychopharmacological Bulletin, 18, 53-57) A study found that patients with panic disorder had levels of anxiety and depression that correlated with their degree of caffeine consumption. Patients with panic disorder had an increased sensitivity to the effects of 1 cup of coffee.

⁹ [Biological Psychiatry, July 1-15, 1993, 34 (1-2), 13-7] A study of the effects on people with depression was halted “because of the severity of reactions within the group of patients with a history of depression.”  Researchers concluded:  “Individuals with mood disorders are particularly sensitive to this artificial sweetener and its use in this population should be discouraged.”

¹⁰ [August 2002 Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health] A study tested the effects of calcium propionate, a bread preservative, on 27 children. After eating only four slices of bread a day for three days, 14 of the children who ate bread with preservatives showed worse behavior.

MORE ON DIET

1.     The food a person eats can have a dramatic effect on behavior.  There are so many fad diets out there, so many mixed messages, but there is still common sense.  If a person is hungry they need food.  Not junk.  They need nutrition.  And there are some things that are fine for one person and cause a reaction in another.  A person should watch their diet for foods that may be precipitating psychiatric symptoms.

2.     Hypoglycemia—low blood sugar—is very common in a psychiatric population, since many of its symptoms are psychiatric (depression, anxiety, mood swings, panic attacks, alcoholism, etc.).  England’s top nutritionist, Patrick Holford, reported to Safe Harbor that he finds hypoglycemia to be a factor in 80% of his bipolar clients. Encouraging a diet of whole foods, frequent small meals, and avoidance or minimal use of sugar, white flour and alcohol (i.e., general guidelines for hypoglycemics) will help reduce hypoglycemic (and thus psychiatric) symptoms in the psychiatric population as a whole.

3.     Wheat and milk are the most common food allergens.  Both can cause psychiatric symptoms.  Using these foods sparingly will contribute to the general health in a psychiatric setting.

FIXING NUTRITIONAL IMBALANCES  

There are some nutrients and nutrient combinations that are proving out helpful in improving mental health.  

1.     FISH OIL – omega 3 Fatty Acid. 

A few of the many studies done:

A. Dr. Andrew Stoll of Harvard published a study in the May 1999 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry that reported that fish oil was as effective as medication in reducing bipolar symptoms but has dramatically fewer side effects.

B.  According to a report in European Neuropsychopharmacology (Volume 13, Issue 4 , August 2003, Pages 267-271), eight weeks of treatment with omega-3 fatty acids improved depression scores in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

C.  In a study reported in the Sept. 2002 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, fish oil reduced symptoms of schizophrenia is a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

2.  A multivitamin can be helpful.

A.    Harvard researchers in the June 19, 2002, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association recommend that all adults take a multivitamin for general health.

B.     Multivitamin = less violence in prisoners: A study published in the July 2002 issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry found that prisoners receiving a daily multivitamin committed an average of 26.3% fewer offenses. Compared to baseline, the effect on those taking active supplements for a minimum of 2 weeks was an average 35.1% reduction of offenses.  This was a double-blind study.

C.     CAUTION:  Elevated copper levels are commonly associated with psychiatric symptoms so an ideal multivitamin might have better results if it has no copper.

D.    Tryptophan:  The August 2001 issue of Neuropsychopharmacology reports that L-tryptophan, tested on 98 volunteers in 12-day trials, was found to have a clear impact on mood, making test subjects more agreeable and less quarrelsome.  It is commonly used for depression and insomnia.
 

MORE NUTRITIONAL APPROACHES  

1.     Feb. 2003 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry :  People diagnosed with schizophrenia often manifest negative symptoms such as depression and a lack of interest or energy. Research found that DHEA supplementation, which has been shown to be helpful in lifting mood in a number of psychiatric studies, improves these negative symptoms.  DHEA is a hormone used by the body in making other hormones, thus its use commonly results in an overall "lift."  DHEA is inexpensive and easily found in “health food” stores

2.     As reported twice in the issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry: - Dec. 2001 by Charles Popper, M.D. and March 2003 by Miles Simmons M.D., a broad-spectrum nutritional supplement called E.M. Power+ was effective in reducing bipolar symptoms to the point where about 70% of the patients taking it were able to discontinue taking medication.  “…This approach does appear to represent an exciting potential direction for new research in bipolar disorder." (Simmons)

3.     Dr. Abram Hoffer of Canada, one of the pioneers of research into nutritional treatments in psychiatry, uses a niacin-based treatment regimen for schizophenia, tested in 6 double-blind studies, reported as 90% effective in the first 2 years of illness with declining percentage as the illness progresses.  Regimen at http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/schizdiet.htm

NOTE:  THESE ARE ONLY SOME OF THE NUTRITIONAL APPROACHES SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE.  THERE ARE MANY MORE.

TESTING FOR NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES AND OVERLOADS 

The nonprofit Pfeiffer Treatment Center, based in Warrenville, IL, near Chicago, is the largest nutrient-therapy mental health clinic in the world. They have lab tested over 16,000 individuals with psychiatric symptoms for nutrient deficiencies and excesses and have amassed the world’s largest database on this subject.

They have tested over 6,000 children with a variety of behavioral problems and over 3,000 people with psychotic disorders.

Their outcome studies show a 60-85% improvement rate (depending on the disorder) for most disorders when treated with nutrient therapy based on lab testing. Because each person has biological individuality, they have found that, through lab testing, it is best to tailor-make an individual’s nutrient therapy. 

Tests they consider important to run are those for copper, zinc and ceruloplasmin levels since these can dramatically affect mood and behavior. The copper/zinc ratio establishes the balance of these critical minerals in the body, while the copper/ceruloplasmin ratio indicates the level of metal oxidative stress which is present."

Due to metabolic anomalies, some individual’s are overloaded in some nutrients already and adversely react to the intake of random or broadscale nutritional supplements. 

EXERCISE  

1.     Researchers studied 80 young men and women who volunteered to take mood tests just before and after an hour-long aerobics class. 52 of the 80 volunteers were depressed before the exercise session. After an hour of aerobics, the depressed-mood group was significantly more likely to report a reduction in anger, fatigue and tension, as well as increased vigor. (Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness December 2001). 

2.     Research from Berlin showed that a daily 30-minute walking regimen can produce a significant drop in depression within 10 days - faster than antidepressants. Subjective and objective changes in depression scores correlated strongly. (British Journal of Sports Medicine April 1, 2001)

3.     A controlled clinical trial on the short- and long-term psychological effects of a 12-week aerobic fitness program showed a positive fitness change and mental improvement compared to a control group.  At a one-year follow-up, physiological and mental benefits remained significantly improved according to University of Missouri researchers. (Preventive Medicine, January 1999) 

4.     Duke University researchers found that patients who took brisk 30-minute walks or jogs three times a week recovered from major depression almost as well as those on medication (60% vs. 64%).  A follow-up study, published in Psychosomatic Medicine showed that when the original patients were tested again 6 months later, only 8% of the exercising patients (who continued their exercise) had a return of symptoms. The drug-taking group had a relapse rate of 38%. (Archives of Internal Med. (1999) 159:2349) 

RELIGION AND OTHER SPIRITUAL MATTERS  

According to a 2000 study done at Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, religious beliefs lead to a lower level of depression and also have a positive effect on the feeling of hopelessness.  The research looked at 271 religious and non-religious participants diagnosed with moderate to severe depression.

Study found that depressed patients who had a strong religious faith recovered over 70% faster from depression than those with weaker faith. (American Journal of Psychiatry, 1998, 155:536-542.)

Surveys by the Gallup organization between 1944 and 1994 show that when Americans are asked, “Do you believe in God or a universal spirit?” the answer has been “Yes” with 94% to 99% of those polled.

2001 study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University found:

·        Only 57 percent of psychiatrists would recommend that a patient consult a member of the clergy.

OTHER SUPPORT FOR MENTAL WELLNESS  

  Herbal therapies:  Examples – St. John’s wort for mild to moderate depression, Kava for anxiety, passionflower for insomnia.

·        Regular exposure natural sunlight stimulates serotonin production and helps keep the circadian rhythm regular.

·        Light therapy (indoor replication of natural light) eases the sleeplessness and agitation common among patients with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, British researchers said at the Aug. 2003 Congress of the International Psychogeriatric Association.

·        Light therapy improves depression in pregnant women.  Women who underwent five weeks of light therapy, their average score on a scale that measures depression improved by 59%. When the light therapy was discontinued, the women showed signs of an increase in their levels of depression. (American Journal of Psychiatry April 2002;159:666-669)

3. Breathing exercises for anxiety.  Often very effective.  Two examples at http://www.breathing.com/articles/anxiety.htm

4. Chiropractic:  For about 40 years, from the 1920s to 1960s, several chiropractic mental asylums existed in the Midwest.  Surviving documentation shows a North Dakota judge reporting a 65% recovery or improvement rate at one asylum, compared to 27% at a standard asylum. Bones out of place can restrict blood, oxygen, and nerve flows affecting mental functioning.

5.  Oriental Medicine:  Two studies found that the therapeutic effectiveness of acupunture was equal to that of amitriptyline for depressive disorders and had a better therapeutic effect for anxiety somatization and cognitive process disturbance of depressed patients than amitriptyline (P < 0.05).  (Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 1998 Dec;52 Suppl:S338-40)

PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY  

An individual’s concept of self-worth is determined by what he/she contributes as a family member, worker, or as part of society.  

• Employment
• Volunteering
• Helping others
• Contributing  to one’s group or society

These activities promote a sense of well-being, competence and participation, which help counter depression, low self-esteem, isolation, and anxiety.

Examples include:

•  (Rural areas) Helping with farming that feeds the facility.
• Assisting in keeping the facility clean.
• Stuffing envelopes to help nonprofit organizations.
• Helping a toy drive during Christmas.
• Making craft items to be donated to a worthy cause.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS are also beneficial, but productive activity that assists others is often better for some individuals.

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