In Harmony with Nature
DEPRESSION, DIET, & BEHAVIOR
Part 1
by Lady Carla Davis, MPH
Specializing in Nutrition
A great deal of attention these days is being given to issues of depression, mental health, PTSD, and behavior (e.g. domestic violence). Millions of people are being inflicted with or affected by these debilitating conditions among teens, returning soldiers, and professionals. More than half (54%) of people who died by suicide did not have a known mental health condition. Suicide rates (16-64 years) are at an all time high, with an increase of 34% from 2000 to 2016. According to an online report (https://www.therichest.com/rich-list/the-biggest/the-10-professions-with-the-highest-suicide-rates/ ), professions with the highest rates of suicide occur among doctors, dentists, financial workers, lawyers, police officers, real estate agents, electricians, farm workers, pharmacists, and scientists in that order. Not only is their professional stress a factor, but even more so are their unhealthy work conditions, indoor environment, and unhealthy diet. Healthy food is not readily available for people who work long hours and eat on the run. The same scenario often applies to students whose parents are both working to make ends meet. Everyone suffers when mothers with small children are forced back to work. And, gone are the days when nurturing grandmothers were part of the family. Sadly, most of them are now heavily medicated in a retirement community or a nursing home.
Instead of addressing the cause, which can often be nutritional deficiencies, and/or hormonal imbalances misdiagnosed, the two most common medical protocols for depression are to medicate and/or provide psychotherapy. Thus, millions of people, especially women and children, are prescribed drugs, which all have serious adverse effects.
Rarely, if ever are the causes properly identified or addressed by our medical system, government regulators, or mainstream media. Adding insult to injury, is their lack of recognition, knowledge, and attention to the vital role nutrition, hormones in balance, and the environment play in depression and behavior disorders. Most likely, this is because depression and sickness care are big business for the pharmaceutical industries, who are also the largest advertisers in the media.
Allowing pharmaceuticals to be advertised was a big mistake because of the conflicts of interest that occur. And, this is in spite of the fact that depression does not result from a Prozac or medication deficiency; the pharmaceutical industries are the most heavily sued and fined for fraud and harm; and the four largest drug companies are convicted felons. In addition, there is the revolving door culture, where industry implants rotate back and forth between top regulatory government positions and top corporate positions.