Tag Archives: depression

Anxiety and Mood Disorders

Brain Health, Nervous System, Success Stories, , , , , , , ,
 

The number of people I hear from that are suffering from anxiety and mood disorders seems to be  increasing all the time.  Young and old, Mom’s and Dad’s …..well you get the picture.  I am so pleased that Nature’s Sunshine Products (NSP) launched their newest herbal formula, Zerenity™in Canada.

The effectiveness of this product has already been shown in the US, under the name of Anxiousless – same formula, different name.  Several clients have already been ordering from the US Zerenity™  CA/(Anxiousless™ / US), with very positive results, since it was launched in the US last summer.  Having it available now in Canada, approved by Health Canada,  will make the world of difference for many of people suffering from varying levels anxiety, stress, nervousness and depression.

I had the opportunity to learn more about Zerenity™ on a great NSP Webinar® presentation by Dr. Mathew Tripp, Director of Research, and must say I am impressed with the level of research that has gone into producing this formula. We also heard many great testimonials at Ottawa Conference Oct. 2014,  how this product was helping people to:

  • focus better when under stress
  • get projects finished – less procrastinating
  • sleep better
  • be happier

 One person’s story: “After just 20 days, my short and long term memory, concentration and focus, sense of being grounded, and sleep have improved so much !  I feel like the clock has rolled back 20 years ! “
With Love and Gratitude,    Lucy Taylor

 Zerenity™ is formulated to help those experiencing acute stress and nervousness to find quick relaxation and calm.   It has also been found to improve focus and executive thinking, and can be used daily for those suffering with acute anxiety, or occasionally when you need help  to cope with those stressful situations or days.  Having a bottle on hand just seems to be a good idea. 

See related article on ADD, ADHD, Anxiety, & GAD.
 
Dr. Tripp outlined the solid base of independent and NSP based research on all the ingredients individually, as well as this patented formula.  Zerenity™ is formulated around the patented botanical ingredient known as Zembrin®, or Sceletium tortuosum, a South African herb with more than 300 years of documented indigenous use to support the nervous system and produce feelings of calm and relaxation in healthy people.   NSP’sZerenity™ formula also contains the amino acid L-theanine, vitamin B1, magnesium, and zinc as supportive ingredients.  Zerenity™ works on three separate neurological pathways in the brain, making it very effective and without the common side effects of pharmaceutical drugs.  Dr. Tripp also indicated that, in their studies, there have been no adverse effects when combined with pharmaceutical anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications.
 
What is even better, for those of you that care about the indigenous people that brought Sceletium tortuosum to the western world, the ingredient Zembrin® has been developed and produced as an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible initiative with the South African San Council.   For more information about Zerenity™ or Anxiousless™  please  contact our office.

ADD, ADHD, Anxiety, GAD, Nervousness

Brain Health, Nervous System, , , , , , , , , , ,

There are several different labels relating to hyperactive, unfocused or anxious children and adults. ADD  (Attention Deficit Disorder), ADHD, (Attention Deficit HyperActive Disorder), GAD (General Anxiety Disorder) are some of the plethora of disorders and syndromes that have been labelled to be treated with yet another drug. It is preferable to avoid the use of labels , and just help create balance physically, mentally and emotionally.

In Lorene Benoit’s book: The Paw Paw Program – The “Christopher Columbus” Approach to Cancer – The World IS Round and Cancer CAN Be Treated Naturally , Chapter 6 – The Road to Wellness – The Four Pillars of Health covers what she feels are four critical pillars to optimum health and prevention of all chronic conditions.

There is considerable information available on how to treat all of these conditions naturally, which is the preferred method for long lasting positive results. Drug treatments such as Ritalin do not address the root causes and have many negative side effects, which will affect  long term health.

The first pillar is a healthy diet, definitely a concern with any behavioural or psychological challenge. Eliminating sugar and artificial additives and chemicals is a great place to start. Guidelines, suggestions and some recipes are in the book as well as on this website:  Optimum Health Diet.

Dietary changes to whole, non-processed mild food diet, along with herbal aids will make a noticeable difference within weeks! Food allergies may be contributing to the challenge; Muscle Response Testing can be used to determine this. Many educational references are available from the author.

The second pillar is Exercise and the third is Emotional/ Spiritual. Please read specific suggestions listed below under Other Considerations.

The fourth pillar is Supplementation. Children and adults who experience challenges are often nutritionally deficient in several areas, and will benefit from supplementation. A full spectrum of nutrients is required to lead normal, healthy, active children’s lives. Even with an excellent  diet, optimum nutritional levels are very difficult to achieve through diet alone. And the SAD diet (Standard American Diet) is woefully deficient.

Herbal formulas  have proven successful because they are nutritionally dense powerhouses. Below are some that have been particularly effective for these conditions:

Choose one of the following for balancing, depending on what is most needed: 

Focus ATN, # 1833-4, contains Gingko, Melissa and DMAE. It encourages restful, balanced mental activity, and helps focus attention.

Anxiousless (US) or Zerenity (CA) #1167-9, a herbal, amino acid and mineral combination containing Sceletium tortuosum, a South African herb, has been thoroughly studied for safety
and efficacy in comprehensive  clinical studies. It reduces acute stress, nervousness and promotes relaxation very quickly, with only capsule per day.

STR-J #1087-0, herbal formula that calms and nourishes the nervous system. Contains: chamomile, passion flower, hops, fennel, marshmallow and feverfew. This can also be opened and made into a tea, or is available as a liquid formula in the US.

ADD 1 multi vitamin, plus some extra minerals or 2 of the following for daily nutrition:

SynerPro Super Vitamins & Minerals # 4057-9 complete balanced formula in tablet form    OR

Chewable Multi Vitamins & Minerals # 1722-9 complete balanced formula in chewable form

Mineral Chi Tonic # 1818-3 – all macro & trace minerals plus adaptogen herbs to support adrenals & balance the body.

Magnesium # 1786-6 – the relaxing mineral, made more potent by addition of high magnesium herbs for better assimilation.

For nerve and brain nutrition, choose one of:

As the brain is composed of almost 50% fats, Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are just that – essential!   Super Oil # 8235-8 , Flax Seed Oil #1770-3 or Super Omega 3 # 1515-7. Omegas provide EFAs for correct nerve transmission and nourishment, inflammation from ever-excitement,hormonal balancing and more.

EVERY PERSON benefits from daily: 

Super Shakes daily to increase protein, decrease sugar and chemical intake, and provide extra nutrition.

If needed:

Black Walnut Liquid Extract #1755-7 or ATC concentrate capsules #93-3 -eliminates parasites, high in minerals, especially iodine to nourish the thyroid. Parasites can be an underlying problem, aggravting nervousness, insomnia or irritability.

Lobelia  Extract #1765-8 – high in natural calcium, the most calming herb for nerves and muscles, helps  sleep, twitching, and asthma.

Ensure correct elimination (at least 2 bowel movements/day): Acidophilus, LB, Licorice or Slippery Elm if needed.

There are other herbs and natural treatments which may be required to balance nervous system, adrenals, liver or other systems. All programs need to consider the individual. Consult a qualified herbalist or holistic to help guide you. Contact Benoit Health for assistance in selecting the best for your conditions and to ensure you get professional quality herbals at the best price.

The following are some possible root causes:

  • food allergies; leaky gut
  • chemical sensitivities & imbalances
  • parasites; heavy metals
  • imbalanced nervous system
  • constipation
  • hypoglycemia, hyperinsulinimia – i.e. blood sugar imbalance
  • deficient or imbalanced neurotransmitters – the electricity for many functions. We need adequate amino acids to create them. Those most involved in these conditions and the required amino acids are: Serotonin – tryptophan; Epinephrine – tyrosine; Dopamine – phenyalanine and GABA – glutamine.

Did you know that more serotonin is produced in  the colon than in the brain? Instead of anti-depressants, more people could be happier and healthier to ensure their colon is clean and working daily, rather than spending billions on damaging chemical anti-depressants.

Other considerations as part of Pillars two – Exercise and three – Emotional/ Spiritual:

  • eliminate or restrict TV, wireless, RF and EMF exposure, which have negative influences on the brain wave patterns, growth and behaviour
  • research led by Europe is showing how negative Wireless exposure is to brains, especially those of children and many schools prohibit WIFI use before secondary schools. Unfortunately North American schools are adding more daily, ignoring research of increased challenges, including brain, breast & other cancers.
  • encourage more exercises and games to encourage healthy communication between all family members
  • establish routine and schedules in the child’s life, for a stabilizing effect
  • assure the child or adult of unconditional love audio learning programs to compensate for possible visual challenges, plus therapy to correct those such as “floating letters”

 

To order any of the above herbal formulas, products for nutritional shakes, or to book a personal health education session, contact Benoit Health Education. We can also offer you a direct account discount.

The Four Pillars of Health also relate to Weight Management see a  previous article to learn more .

BI POLAR Natural Aids

Brain Health, Cancer, Healthy Solutions, Hormones, Omegas, Questions and Answers, Super Foods, , , , , , , ,

Links for products change, and new products for conditions are developed , so please contact the author for assistance, or to order.

QUESTION
We have a friend recently diagnosed with Bi-Polar and he wants
to heal it the natural way… I am researching it for him as I’d like
to see him go that way instead of with what the doctor wants him to take.
Any info you could share would be most appreciated, thank you! DL

 

ANSWER
Many respected medical doctors have used proper nutrition to treat emotional and psychological conditions, as well as physical. From Dr. Linus Pauling, nobel prize winner, to Dr. Abram Hoffer (co-authors of the extensive book OrthoMolecular Medicine) are just two of many. OrthoMolecular Medicine  means using vitamins and minerals in therapeutic dosages. Dr. Abram Hoffer was medical advisor of a Mental Institution in Saskatchewan and had far better results treating schizophrenic patients with nutrition than drugs. He also had promising results with cancer patients using a nutritional protocol. Besides being an acclaimed author and running a busy medical, practice Dr. Hoffer lectured internationally for many years, to Medical practitioners and students, so it is surprising to hear some doctors say, “ nutrition is not proven or researched”.

 

Researchers do not definitively understand some conditions, such as Bipolar. Theories range considerably, with no proven hypotheses. A shortage of lithium in the brain is one, just as a shortage of serotonin has been hypothesized to cause depression. More recent research throws considerable doubt on both of these theories.  A study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry  from U. Michigan, 2000, reports “in those with bipolar disorder, two major areas of the brain contain 30 percent more cells that send signals to other brain cells.” This report theorizes that “the extra signal-sending cells may lead to a kind of over-stimulation, which makes sense considering the symptoms of bipolar disorder”. Researchers are quite certain that the neurotransmitter system is at least part of the cause of bipolar disorder, but further research is still needed to define its exact role.

 

Most scientists concur that  psychological disorders are usually caused by multiple interacting  factors,  including biological, (heredity or genetic tendency) and psychological.  One of the best researched current explanations is  the “Diathesis-Stress Model.” The word diathesis means, in simplified terms, a bodily condition that make a person more than usually susceptible to certain diseases. Thus the Diathesis-Stress Model says that “each person inherits certain physical predispositions that leave him or her vulnerable to problems that may or may not appear, depending on what kinds of situations that person confronts” (Bernstein et al., 2000). Durand and Barlow define this model as a “hypothesis that both an inherited tendency and specific stressful conditions are required to produce a disorder” (2000).

A manic or depressive incidence is usually triggered by a stressful life event or issues in the person’s environment. This may include the loss of something or someone, a loved one, job, home; to any change such as the birth of a child, a new job or home, a move, or threatening life situations. Remember that what is a physical, mental, emotional or spiritual stressor to one person may not be to another.  Once the disorder is triggered and progresses, “it seems to develop a life of its own. Once the cycle begins, a psychological or pathophysiological process takes over and ensures that the disorder will continue” (Durand & Barlow, 2000).

We know that stress can be approached naturally via the Four Pillars of Health as described in Lorene Benoit’s book: The Paw Paw Program. To briefly outline,  the four pillars are listed below, with some specifics relating to BiPolar:
  • DIET: superior nutrition through improved diet, much like that recommended in the book. A diet that is beneficial for treatment and prevention of cancer is the same diet that helps improve everyone’s overall health.
  • EMOTIONAL HEALTH: especially stress reduction techniques, including meditation, yoga, relaxation, energy clearing,  counselling
  • EXERCISE:  to stimulate our “feel good” neurotransmitters, chemicals and hormones
  • HERBS and SUPPLEMENTS: some that we have had positive experience with for bipolar are:

 

Daily Maintenance suggestions:
Stress Formula  or  Nervous Support Pak (US) – includes B vitamins, relaxing nervine herbs, or
Chinese Mineral Chi Tonic – to help regulate Chi or energy flow, plus providing trace mineral nutrition
Super Omega 3‘s to support the nervous system – at

 

In times of Manic or Depressive phases, add:
STR-C – (STRess Chinese)  a Chinese constitutional formula that calms an agitated mind – this one specifically to help calm a manic phase
AD-C – (AntiDepressant Chinese) A Chinese constitutional formula that clears stagnant Chi to help relieve depression

 

Therapeutic essential oils of  Ylang ylang, Rose Geranium, and Lemon have also been used as an effective aids.

 

As people with this condition can be helped with natural supplementation,  this is preferable to drug treatment, as all drugs have toxic side effects.  Besides the drug negative effects, many do not address the underlying causes, exacerbate the condition and may cause complications due to their addictive nature. In a crisis, if drugs are required, work at bringing the body back into balance for long term health.

 

For more information, personal consultations, or to order any of the above products to your home contact Benoit & Associates Health Education at TakeTheNaturalPath@gmail.com or 250-748-6802.

 

Water – How Much To Drink?

Healthy Solutions, Questions and Answers, , , , , , ,

QUESTION:

There has been a lot of contr0versy about how much water a person needs to drink daily. What is your opinion?

JV, from AZ

ANSWER:

How much water you should drink every day?

A recent National newscast stated that we did not need to drink water unless we are thirsty, but the problem is that many people do not recognize thirst and mistake it for hunger.  On this show some medical doctor stated we get enough in our fruits and vegetables. But other Doctors, such as Dr. Batamanghelidj, author of Your Body’s Many Cries for Water,  state otherwise. Macrobiotic theory does not promote excess water drinking. Their diet is well balanced in yin and yang, with adjustments for where they live, what season, consists of many more vegetables than a  Standard American Diet (SAD) and does not have excess yin and yang of sugar salt and coffee. From my clinical experience, many diets are deficient in fruits and vegetables. So obviously how much water is a controversial subject!

What I advise my clients is to divide their body weight in pounds by 1/2 and that equals the number of ounces of water needed per day. For example for a 150 lb. person  divided by 2 = 75 oz. per day. This is just a  guideline figure to be adjusted to suit you. Adjust according to YOUR level of activity, temperature, age and your diet. Pay attention to your body, keep in mind the  9 points below,  know the signs of dehydration and listen to your body!

 The Importance of Water

#1.    75% of North Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population)

#2.    In 37% of North Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.

#3.    Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as 3%. Water is necessary for digestion, circulation, hormonal reproduction, elimination, brain electrical activity, in fact most metabolic processes necessary for life.

#4.    One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University  of Washington study.

#5.    Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue. Confusion, headaches and fuzzy thinking may be relieved by a glass of water.

#6.    Some research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers. This amount of course should depend on a number of factors I list above.

#7.    A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

#8.    Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

#9.     In people over age 50, the body’s thirst sensation diminishes and continues diminishing with age. Many senior citizens suffer symptoms of dehydration, which can affect thinking and moods.

 

This article is also in Benoit & Associates June, 2012 Health Newsletter.

 

Omega Oils: Why Do You Need Them ?

Healthy Solutions, Omegas, , , , ,

WHY HAVE OMEGAS aka FISH OILS IN YOUR DIET?

FISH OIL MAY HELP RELIEVE STUBBORN DEPRESSION

Daily supplements of  omega-3 fatty acid–found in fish and fish oil–may help alleviate the symptoms of depression in patients who do not respond to standard antidepressant medications, new research findings suggest.

Studies done in England  found that depressed patients who received a daily dose of 1000 mg of an omega-3 fatty acid for 12 weeks experienced a decrease in their
symptoms, such as sadness, anxiety and sleeping problems.

All of the patients had tried other medications before enrolling in the
study, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
such as Prozac and tricyclic antidepressants., both considered standard
treatments for depression.

This is not the first study to suggest that omega-3 fatty acids, such as the
form of eicosapenaenoic acid (EPA) used in this study, may help patients
with psychiatric disorders. Previous researchers have suggested that the
balance of omega-3 fatty acids in the brain may become skewed in people with
depression, and earlier studies have shown that fish oil supplements can
help alleviate the symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, or manic
depression.

People who are depressed, as well as those diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases have relatively low levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood.

Balancing Omega 3and 6 EFAs requires a little education on essential fatty acids.
Your most important fatty acids are your omega-3s and your omega-
6s. The body requires a proper balance of omega-3 and omega-6
essential fatty acids. Flax seed oil contains a balance of these
two essential fatty acids. Most vegetable oils only contain omega-6 oils.
Ingesting too much omega-6 with too little omega-3 creates a
tendency towards inflammation, high blood pressure and other
imbalances.

Most North Americans ingest too much omega-6 and get very
little omega-3. Taking flax seed oil won’t counterbalance this. Most
people need  extra omega-3 to balance the vegetable oils in their diet. The only  reliable sources of omega-3 are wild game, and wild deep ocean fish such as salmon – farm raised does not cut it!

So, fish oil supplements will give you the extra omega-3 your body needs. In a nutshell, these are some of the basic functions of Omega 3’s and 6’s.

Main Functions of Omega 3EFAs:

  • Cell structure and function (central nervous system, brain, eyes & retinal function)
  • Ratio and disposition of blood cholesterol & triglycerides
  • Blood chemistry & clotting mechanism
  • Inflammatory response of the immune system

(More men than women have an O-3 deficiency.  Key symptoms include acne, low sperm count & other testicle problems, dangerous behavior)

Main Functions of Omega 6 EFAs:

  • Cell structure & function (cellular membrane fluidity, flexibility, metabolic function)
  • Dermal fluid permeability and kidney function
  • Endocrine balance (metabolism, immune function, reproduction)
  • Circulation

Contact Benoit Health Education to get omega’s that are tested for purity and strength. We work with Flax Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Super Omega 3’s and a combination oil called Super Oil. We can help you figure out the best one for your needs.