HEALTH + WELLNESS
disease, and medicine was the only
solution. While there are certainly
those who need medication, there is
growing evidence that these condi-
tions are more the effect of our modern
lifestyle being incompatible with our
genes. Our lifestyle has been hijacked,
and our bodies and brains are rebel-
ling. Our diets are filled with pro-
cessed and inflammatory foods; our
bodies lack exercise and sunlight and
are exposed to thousands of chemicals
and stressors daily. These triggers lay
the groundwork for inflammation,
nutritional deficiencies, gut inflam-
mation, microbiome disruption, hor-
monal changes, and the activation of
other stress factors in our bodies—all
potentially leading to mental illness.
While evidence has linked these
disruptions to the development of
mental disorders, we have been
“brainwashed” to believe medication
is the answer. Despite heavy mar-
keting, six decades of research have
revealed these medications may not
be any better than a placebo and may
leave individuals worse off after they
stop taking them. We need to look
deeper into addressing the root
causes to avoid starting medications
in the first place.
Medication-Induced Mental Disease
There are over 200 commonly pre-
scribed pharmaceutical drugs which
list depression and anxiety as side
effects, yet few doctors counsel
patients on these risks. Beta-blockers,
anti-anxiety medications, allergy
medications, cholesterol-lowering
drugs, over-the-counter acid reducers,
steroids, and even anti-depressants
have been shown to increase the risk
of depression and suicide in users.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Nearly two-fifths of our population
suffers from a severe B12 deficiency,
which is also found in 27% of depressed
patients. Microbiome disruption, poor
digestion, an inflammatory diet, and
medications have all been linked to the
deficiency. B12 appears to be a power-
ful antidepressant.
There is also a link between declining
consumption of omega-3 fatty acids
from fish and other sources and an
increasing trend in the incidence of
major depression. Omega-3 fatty
acids have antidepressant effects in
humans. Daily consumption has been
associated with mood elevation in
depressed patients.
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