Depression and the Inflammation Connection – Marana Chiropractor
By: Dr. Emil Tompkins, A Marana Chiropractor with a passion for family health and wellness.
Try natural inflammation fighters to help with depression.
We are a society that struggles with depression. In America, 10 percent of our population or about 20 million adults per year suffer with depression. Scientists have uncovered some interesting insight on how inflammation can be a contributing factor to depression. Below is some information from Psychology Today Regarding Depression and Inflammation:
We have all had the flu or at least know what it feels like.
The miserable collection of symptoms includes lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, sleepiness, loss of appetite, and general malaise.
For most of us these symptoms disappear within a few days. For some, it takes much longer. Although we tend to blame the influenza virus for making us feel miserable, the symptoms are actually a result of our immune system trying to combat the virus.
The symptoms of the flu are brought on by proteins, pro-inflammatory cytokines, our bodies produce in order to fight the flu and other infections.
When the immune system is under attack from physical injury, infections, or toxins, the immune system generates an inflammatory response. Inflammation is a normal physiological process that is now understood to play a major role in many chronic medical illnesses, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and obesity. In each of these cases inflammation causes the release of cytokines. Cytokines, which come in many different classes, including anti- and pro-inflammatory, behave as messengers and signal cells of the immune system.
The effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines can cause a diverse array of physical and psychological symptoms. When this happens it is referred to as sickness behavior.
Recently, scientists have been able to demonstrate how the symptoms of sicknessbehavior mirror those of depression. Researchers and health professionals are now beginning to understand the connection between inflammation and depression.
One study found that patients with major depressive disorder had significantly higher levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha than their non-depressed counterparts. In addition, patients with depression had low levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines.
via The Brain on Fire: Inflammation and Depression | Psychology Today.
This article listed a number of research studies linking inflammation to depression. If you can fight the infalmmation, you can make a positive impact on your mental health as well. Most people don’t want to live on anti-inflammatories because of their serious side effects. But there is a natural alternative. We have see great success in our office in helping people with inflammatory conditions with our 10 day inflaammation fighting protocol. Which involved 3 steps
- Changing your diet: inflammation can be triggered by diet. Sugars and processed carbohydrates are highly infmallatory, along with other foods. So we’ll provide you with a food guide so that you understand exactly what to eat so that you are creating an anti-inflammatory environment in your body.
- Cleanse: There are certain supplements that will cause your body to cleanse naturally, plus reduce inflammation. They will activate the liver and kidneys, helping your body cleanse naturally, reducing inflammation
- Natural Anti-inflammatories: black currant, boswellia, turmeric, curcumin, are 3 of many anti-inflammatory supplements that when used in combination, can have powerful inflammation fighting benefits.
The 10 Day inflammation program will begin to improve your inflammatory levels. That, along with a healthy diet, a positive attitude and perseverence, you just might naturally improve depression.
Dr. Emil Tompkins is a Marana Chiropractor who cares for families and children in Southern Arizona.
