Depression: Detox Outweighs Drugs

by Kim Evans, Natural News

Columbia researchers have announced that ten percent of the U.S. population are on drugs for depression. Doctors quoted by a HealthDay reporter thought this was an improvement because more people are seeking help when they are feeling chronically blue. But there's a foundational question that wasn't addressed: "Are drugs for depression the right kind of help?"

Given that most people have 10 plus pounds of old, rotting fecal matter in their colon and that even newborns these days have more than a hundred known toxic chemicals already inside their bodies, do you think all of the toxicity inside the average person might be at least part of the reason one in ten people are feeling so crummy?

Before you answer, consider what Sherry Rogers, M.D. outlines in her book 'Detoxify or Die':

"There are 12 common chemicals often trapped inside the average person's body - all that have been found to cause depression or damage the nervous system, in addition to causing many other problems."

These common chemicals include:
  • plastics (which are commonly absorbed into foods wrapped in them),
  • pesticides (in each non-organic bite you take),
  • mercury (from pesticides, fungicides, fish, "silver" fillings, vaccines and paints),
  • hexane from jet fuel (reported in 2004 to be found in milk),
  • aluminum (found in antiperspirants, antacids, aluminum cans, aluminum foil and a great deal of cookware),
  • trichloroethylene (in most city water supplies),
  • TCE (from dry cleaned clothes and carpets),
  • cadmium (from cigarettes),
  • toluene (from cigarettes, inks, nail polishes, cleaners, glues and many more sources),
  • some home insulation (UFFI),
  • gasses from faulty furnaces and even from diesel exhaust.
Combine the above with the fact that most of the population has a problem with candida overgrowth, which is a fungal condition that has become extraordinarily common due to antibiotic use and birth control use - and as part of candida's existence, it releases about 80 known toxins in our bodies each day.

All of this begs the question: Do you think that this ten percent of the population would feel any differently if they made concerted efforts to remove those poisons from their bodies and conscientiously stopped putting more in, instead of simply taking drugs for depression?

Even if you discount the toxicity factor affecting people today and causing more problems than most comprehend, do you know how depression drugs or SSRIs "work?"

Essentially, the theory is this. Many people with depression don't have enough serotonin in their brains, so depression drugs alter the way serotonin is sent between cells. This is done to make the serotonin more accessible to a cell that is meant to be simulated by it, but isn't simulated, because not enough was sent in the first place. By altering our delicate brain chemistry, these drugs make it appear to the cells that there is more serotonin than there really is.

But the thing is, with the right ingredients, the human body can manufacture more serotonin. Which do you think a body would prefer: man-made chemicals that alter its natural function - or having the right natural ingredients to simply make more of a natural brain chemical it's low on?

If you answered the latter, you should know that tryptophan is a naturally occurring amino acid and the precursor to serotonin. Essentially, this means if your body has enough tryptophan it can simply manufacture more serotonin. By approaching the problem in this manner it, of course, means there is no need for depression drugs to alter our brain's function or trick the body into thinking that a limited supply of serotonin is plentiful.

Tryptophan can be found as a supplement and in foods, particularly in nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are chock full of tryptophan, so simply by eating them regularly you can help your brain produce more serotonin. For best results, however, nuts and seeds should be both raw and unprocessed.

It's interesting to know that in 1989 the naturally occurring amino acid tryptophan was taken off the market as a supplement. This was due to a problem with a bad batch that is believed to have been caused by genetically modified materials that were used in its production. However, the timing was odd: it coincided perfectly with when Prozac was patented and released to the public, with a profit margin over the active ingredients of almost 225,000 percent. Fortunately, tryptophan as a supplement is now back on the market.

Source: www.naturalnews.com

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Previous Comments

Brenda Glasson commented on 23-Jun-2010 05:31 PM5 out of 5 stars
When I first started doing a detox I felt worse at first however after completing felt much better and started thinking more clearer. Now I really watch what I eat and know how to read labels to avoid toxins in my diet. Thank you food matters!
Anonymous commented on 23-Jun-2010 08:12 PM5 out of 5 stars
I believe natural is always the best way to go, but sometimes pharmaceuticals have a place. I recently experienced severe emotional distress, and after 3 weeks of 3X weekly accupunture and chinese herbal supplements, my family finally convinced me to go to the M.D. I believe if I would not have done that I would have taken my life by now. I continnue all of my other natural regimines and hope to be off of the meds within 3-4 months.
Lori commented on 23-Jun-2010 10:16 PM5 out of 5 stars
What we eat plays a huge role, as well as exercising. I eat properly and exercise 3-5 times a week and I can say I am no longer on meds and have never felt better!!!!! Getting off the meds is the worst part and I think they do that on purpose because most people will just go back on because they don't want to feel that bad. Stay strong and get off the meds...you will feel better if you eat clean, sleep and exercise properly!!! I did a Cleanse last fall and it was the best thing I have ever done for myself :)
John Crockett commented on 23-Jun-2010 10:45 PM5 out of 5 stars
Coffee enemas cost a whopping 63¢ each, and are a proven very effective way of detoxifying, and the side affects reported by many who routinely use them is that they feel wonderfully refreshed, and their mind is clearer and calmer. For more information on coffee enemas: http://www.alphamagic.org/healing/detoxifying.htm. You can Google search "coffee enemas" and "re-creating vibrant health.
Christine commented on 24-Jun-2010 12:31 AM5 out of 5 stars
There's this American thing of "doing a cleanse" once a year or once a season. While it is better than nothing, cleansing the body should be thought of the same way as brushing your teeth and incorporated into your regular lifestyle, as often as once per week, to get the best results.
sailhome commented on 24-Jun-2010 12:45 AM5 out of 5 stars
Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs are commonly prescribed to treat depression. The drugs are designed to block metabolism of the neurotransmitter serotonin. The result is increased serotonin. But excess of a neurotransmitter makes it excitotoxic. This is significant because depression is an excitotoxic condition -- it is the result of excess glutamate activation in the frontal cortex of the brain. Manipulating the level of serotonin does not address the underlying problem of excess glutamate. Instead it simply adds burden to the degenerative condition already underway. Serotonin receptors exist throughout the body. Altering the level of serotonin affects the entire body, not just the brain. Several things happen as the SSRI forces a constant excitotoxic state -- serotonin receptors die off, serotonin levels become depleted, and a cascade of metabolic disruption takes place. The person becomes acutely worse. Genetic variability in glutamate activity means a significant number of people are especially sensitive to SSRI effects, including a much higher likelihood of expressing suicidal thoughts.
Anonymous commented on 24-Jun-2010 09:39 AM5 out of 5 stars
Thank you for another interesting, thought provoking article!

And thanks saihome, for the excellent explanation. I think it's really important to understand the biochemistry within our bodies when appraising nutritional benefits/treatments. I hadn't heard of the glutamate factor before.

I drink the occasional cup of St Johns Wort tea when I'm going through a stressful period at work - i.e. 0-1 cups a day over a period of 1-2 weeks. I have 2 questions: is this good or bad? and is the active compound an SSRI or does it act through some other mechanism?

Barbara commented on 24-Jun-2010 11:19 AM5 out of 5 stars
As I understand it thougth...ingesting large quantities of just, say, tryptophan could actually aggravate depression. Tryptophan and tyrosine (both amino acids and precursors to neurotransmitters) compete for the same site of absorption in the brain. Tyrosine becomes norepinephrine and dopamine - leading to a feeling of well-being. So by ingesting larger quantities of either one could upset the balance.
Diane commented on 26-Jun-2010 12:25 AM5 out of 5 stars
Having a history of depression and fibromaylgia, I tried many of the traditional medicines. At one point I was on antidepressants, I went to the local mall when I got out of the car, I had no idea where I was! I abandoned traditional medicine at that point. I thought I would end up on disability. Fortunately, I found a "non traditional" doctor who changed my diet and added some natural supplements. Within a month I had more than a 50% decrease in pain and felt better than ever! I continue to work toward improving my diet and decreasing other ways of being exposed to toxic chemicials. Because of my personal experiences, I am a firm believer that "we are what we eat" and that "our food is our medicine." As a society, I think our 'progress' has been to our detriment.
Wendee Hooper commented on 26-Jun-2010 11:35 AM5 out of 5 stars
You guys are Brilliant,Thank you
Rebecca commented on 27-Jun-2010 12:24 AM5 out of 5 stars
Great article. Thank you also to "Sailhome" who provided additional clarification.

Have a lovely day.
shelley berger commented on 29-Jul-2010 05:13 AM5 out of 5 stars
I'm eating healthier for the first time in too long. I always knew what was best for me and ate what "tasted" best & was easy. Now I take the time to eat well. I still don't exercise. I want to and as I'm very heavy, my body hurts. I could swim ans still don't. I will improve. I agree with many of the comments made about "progress" and also about the use of meds in depression. My husband completed suicided after 3 1/2 weeks on a popular med, after a what I believe was a bi-polar episode that lasted approx. 8 months, ending in severe depression. He did see a therapist for about 6 weeks and a physciatrist once and got the medication. I'm sorry I didn't try the natural way, I don't know what would've made a difference. At the time we were swimming every day for at least 30 minutes, didn't lift his mood and we did this for at least 3 months before his death.
I will say that I now know that a depressed person who has talked of suicide should never be left alone with their thoughts.
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