gethealthy

I’ve seen both bad and good reviews on liquid diets. The most recognized type of liquid diet is based on liquid protein rather than actual food.  Currently this type of diet is often prescribed for the clinically obese as an alternative to bariatric surgery.  This allows the patient control over their diet without any invasive treatments.  Many commercial liquid diets claim they are perfectly safe, however many researchers are still skeptical.

You may wonder how a liquid diet can cause you to lose weight.  First off, a liquid diet would severely reduce your fat and calorie intake.  One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories and many of these liquid diets only consist of 800 calories per day.  These diets consist mainly of protein and lack excess calories or fat, allowing the body to begin burning already digested fat immediately.  These diets can often cause a person to feel less energetic, however they do cause rapid weight loss of up to 3-4 pounds per week.

Some of the newer commercial liquid diets consist of 3 stages; a fasting stage, refeeding stage, and a maintenance stage.  During the fasting stage, typically 3 months, a person would only consume up to 800 calories per day.  During the refeeding stage, a person would be allowed to eat sensible meals and finally during the maintenance stage people are allowed to make their own sensible meal choices.

In past years, liquid diets were blamed for serious medical conditions and even death.  However, today many companies stress the importance of maintaining proper nutrition levels and include healthy elements in their shakes such as; complete proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals.  Many of them often contain fiber as well, to aid proper digestion and encourage a feeling of satiety.

Liquid diets are not meant for everyone and you should check with your doctor or health care professional before implementing any new health regime.  This type of diet requires a very disciplined attitude and willpower.

Many people exhibit improvements within a couple of weeks of starting a liquid diet.  Many notice a change in : weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels. This type of diet can be very beneficial in treating: diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity.

One major problem with this diet is that it may be difficult to maintain your desired weight once reached.  It is estimated that out of 100 people that lose weight this way, 95 will regain their lost weight. To gain optimum effectiveness on this diet, it is best to learn to adjust your diet accordingly after completing the fasting period.  It is important to understand what foods are healthy and how to maintain your weight through exercise.

In some people, negative side effects will be exhibited.  Health risks and conditions often arise from people not following directions or not having proper medical supervision while dieting.  Some weight loss experts claim that liquid diets use up too much lean muscle and can cause the metabolism to slow down, making it more difficult to retain weight loss.  In some people, long-term liquid diets can lead to muscle cramps, anemia, menstrual changes, dizziness, and constipation.  It can also lead to cardiac dysfunctions if for example a person who is only moderately overweight looses an excessive amount of lean muscle. In some people the high protein can cause an electrolyte imbalance which may result in an irregular heart beat.  In 25% of people the liquid diet may cause gallstones due to an inability to contract bile.

I recently tried my own liquid diet and intended to remain on it, but was unable due to funding.  I have a bit of training in nutrition and diet so I decided to formulate my own shakes.  However, I decided to increase the caloric intake to 1500 calories per day.

Here was my recipe:

• Soy Milk (either vanilla or chocolate)
• Fiber Powder
• Carnation Instant Breakfast powder (chocolate or vanilla)
• Slim Fast Optimum Powder (chocolate)
• 1 banana
• ice

My plan was to consume 2 of these per day and one low-fat dinner.  I could snack on fat-free jello or pudding, or low-fat yogurt.  I also permitted myself to have any type of fruits, vegetables, or juices from fruits and vegetables.  I may also have some high-fiber whole wheat or whole grain bread. Finally, I was also allowed to have soups as long as they didn’t have large chunks of noodles or meat; they had to be mainly liquid or creamed.

I am classified as clinically obese and I lost 6lbs in one week with this diet.  It does take an incredible amount of will power and restraint to utilize this type of diet.

**Please do not try this on your own, unless you have sufficient training to do so.**

**Please consult a health professional prior to altering your current diet to a liquid diet**

American society is absolutely obsessed with youthfulness.  We will do anything and everything to remain young.  For some this may include surgeries or expensive skin treatments however for some it is a simple as visiting your doctor.

Dr. Jeffry Life who operates the Cenegenics Medical Institute in Las Vegas, has dedicated himself to helping others retain their youth. At 69, he is an excellent role model for his patients.  Or at least Ed Detwiler, a patient, seems to think so.  Mr. Detwiler has been a patient there for about 3 years.  He says he rigerously follows everything Dr. Life prescribes.  He states, “If I was stooped over and bed ridden what kind of quality of life would that be?”

Patients of Dr. Life’s are prescribed different regimens for optimum health.  For some this may include a change of lifestyle like adopting healthy eating habits and  following and exercise plan. For others it may include supplementation.  Currently for Mr. Detwiler it includes a daily injection of Human Growth Hormone (Hgh) and a testoserone injection weekly.

recently high energy drinks have gained popularity with teens and young adults .  unfortunately to these groups are often unaware of the danger these drinks can cause .  these drinks are known for containing large amounts of caffeine and sugar .  Many of these very sweet drinks contain more caffeine than coffee.
A survey conducted in 2,007 of 496 college students concluded it with 51 percent adding consumed one energy drink in the past 30 days.  Another 27 percent stated they had mixed alcohol with and energy drink at least once in the past month .  What many do not realize is that these energy drinks allow them to feel well enough to drive , when they are actually intoxicated .  Another study of college students who consumed energy drinks , found they may be more likely to use stimulants later on. a group of researchers from John Hopkins university has found some of the popular Energy drinks to contain possibly harmful levels of caffeine , some having fourteen times more caffeine than a regular can of soda, or seven cups of really strong coffee.  41 cases of caffeine abuse from energy drinks were reported to U.S.  Poison control centers between 2,002 and 2,004 .  There were nine cases of negative reactions from and energy drink known as Redline. patients from these cases reported nausea , vomiting , high blood pressure , dizziness , tremors , and numbness .
many feel that Energy drinks should display warning labels to illustrate caffeine content as well as health risks including ;anxiety, insomnia , elevated heartbeat , and tremors.  To however , currently warning labels are not required because energy drinks containing caffeine are not sold as soft drinks .  This means , manufacturers you do not have to comply with the FDA’s restrictions on maximum caffeine content for soda , which is 71 mg per twelve out can.
while some may say they’re not enough restrictions for energy drinks , others feel we’re making a mountain thought of a molehill .  Maureen Storey, Ph.D., a spokeswoman for the American beverage association stated , “its a review , not a study,we need to be careful about taking too much at avoid review .” she also said if labels were required on energy drinks then coffeehouse coffee should also be required to label for caffeine content .
the American beverage association also released a statement that said most energy drinks on the market contain 160 mg of caffeine, which is half of the caffeine content in a sixteen ounce cap of coffee house coffee.  the national institute of health has set moderate caffeine intake as 3 8 oz. cups of coffee per day and excessive intake as ten eight oz. cups of coffee per day.
during the study over 24 energy drink makers were contacted to find out what their caffeine content was. energy drinks that were included were; X505 which contained 505 mg of caffeine per 24 oz serving, Fixx which contained 500 mg per 20 oz serving, No fear having 174 mg per 16 oz serving, Monster and Rockstar contained 160 mg per 16 oz serving, Tab Energy which contained 95 mg per 10.5 oz serving, and Red Bull containing 80 mg per 8.3 oz serving.however , some of the energy drinks contacted had lower caffeine content such as Bomba Energy with 75 mg per 8.4oz serving and Whoop Ass with 50 mg per 8.5 oz serving.
according to researchers the caffeine content of brewed coffee is 200mg per twelve ounce serving , with instant coffee containing 140mg per twelve oz serving , and brewed tea having 80mg per twelve oz. serving.  There are some soft drinks like mountain dew that contain 54 mg per twelve oz. to serving , Dr. Pepper with 41mg per twelve oz serving, Pepsi with 38 milligrams per twelve oz. serving , and Coke with 34.5 milligrams per twelve oz. serving.

Ok, this is the last installment of the anti-cancer diet posts.  The last think I want to touch on is exactly which foods are anti-cancer and the main outline for the anti-cancer diet plan.

Anti-Cancer Vegetables:

• broccoli
• brussel sprouts
• cabbage
• carrots
• cauliflower
• eggplant
• green beans
• kale
• red onions
• peppers
• radishes
• soy
• squash
• sweet potatoes
• tomatoes

Anti-Cancer Fruits:

• apricots
• blueberries
• grapefruit
• grapes
• lemons
• mangoes
• oranges
• papayas
• peaches
• persimmons
• organic strawberries
• tangerines

Below are the 10 steps for the Anti-Cancer Program:

1.  Lower your stress levels
2. Maintain a healthy weight
3. Exercise more
4. Limit your fat intake to no more than 20% of your total calories and less than 10% coming from saturated fats.  While your at it, throw out the hydrogenated fats.
5. Eat more fiber, between 25-35 grams per day.
6. Fill up on fresh fruits and vegetables
7. Eat anti-oxidant rich foods (beta carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C, and vitamin E)
8. Eat more seafood and soy and less red meat
9. Eat calcium rich foods
10. Take a daily supplement of:

• Vitamin C - 500mg
• Calcium - 500mg
• Flaxseed meal - 30g
• Acidophilus powder - 1 tsp.
• Vitamin E - 200 IU
• Selenium - 100 mcg

Following the steps and information in these 5 posts can help you to reduce your risk of cancer, avoid cancer, or maybe even help heal cancer you already have.

This is the third installment of the Anti-cancer diet.  Today I’m going to focus on vitamins, minerals, and supplements.  Regardless of the fact that vitamins, minerals, and supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry; people still over look the value that these simple compounds can do for our bodies.

• Put More Calcium in Your Diet:  Previous studies have concluded that populations like those in Sweden who consume high amounts of calcium have a lower incidence rate of colorectal cancer.   Calcium works by controlling the multiplication of  epithelial cells that line the colon.  When these cells reproduce quickly the risk for cancer increases.  Calcium also helps to prevent cancer by binding bile acids that can irritate the colon wall and cause cancer.  It has been shown that consuming on average 1,200 mg. of calcium per day reduced the risk of colorectal cancer by 75%.  If you are already at risk, one study suggests that consuming 2,000 mg. of calcium carbonate decreased the risk of colorectal cancer by inhibiting uncontrolled growth of cells that line the colon.  Basically, if you want to lower your risk be sure to consume between 500 and 1,000 mg. of calcium carbonate or calcium citrate per day. In addition, some great food sources for calcium are dairy products and bony fish.
• Up Your Antioxidants: Antioxidants such as; beta carotene, vitamin c, and vitamin E can lower your risk of colorectal cancer.  Consume lots of fruits and vegetables is a great way to up your antioxidant intake.

Antioxidants work to protect agains cancer a few ways:

1.  The protect the membrane of intestinal cells
2. The prevent reactions from free-radicals that can result in bowel contents becoming carcinogenic.
3. They prevent metabolism failure inside the cell, which can cause a cell to become carcinogenic.

• Increase Your Beta carotene: Beta carotene works a few different ways to fight against cancer.  First it works by enhancing the immune system and also by blocking the release of a chemical called tumor necrosis factor. This means that cancer can prevent the growth of cancerous cells.  To prevent cancer the recommended dosage of beta carotene is 15-25 mg. per day or about 30,000 IU.  This amount is about 10 times what the average American would consume through their diet.  This may make it seem like it would be difficult to derive beta carotene though the diet, but this is simply not true.  It is actually quite easy to attain this amount of beta carotene though the diet. Some of the best sources for beta carotene are: sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, pumpkin, winter squash, broccoli, mango,  and papaya. You can get enough beta carotene to have a protective effect by consuming : 1/2 a sweet potatoe, 1/2 cup pumpkin, 2 medium sized carrots, 1/2 cup cooked spinach, or 2 medium size mangos.

1. 1 medium sized carrot contains 4.4 mg of beta carotene
2. 1 medium sweet potatoe contains 12 mg of beta carotene
3. 1/2 cup of winter squash contains 2.4 mg of beta carotene

Lycopene aids the absorbtion of beta carotene.  Eating cooked tomatoe products alongside foods containing beta carotene for an added boost.

• Boost Your Vitamin C: Vitamin C is an awesome vitamin. It has been shown that people who consume large amounts of vitamin C have a lower risk of intestinal cancers.  Vitamin C works by blocking the development of nitrosamines in the digestive system.  Nitrosamines are powerful carcinogens that are made from nitrates found in foods like processed meats.  Vitamin C also helps to prevent cancer by boosting the immune system and increasing the creation of lymphocytes.  The best sources of Vitamin C are fruits and vegetables or you can take 1,000 - 2,000 mg. of vitamin C daily.
• Increase your Vitamin E: Since Vitamin E is another antioxidant it has similar anti-cancer properties to that of vitamin C.  A 10 year study that tracked 21,000 men with high levels of vitamin E in their diet.  It concluded by illustrating a 30% lower risk for all types of cancer.  Another study showed that women with low levels of vitamin E in their bloodstream were at 10 times greater risk of developing breast cancer.  In a study conducted at the University of Toronto, colon cancer patients were administered vitamins C and E after surgery.  Two years later it showed that the supplements reduced the recurrence of precancerous polyps by 20%.  It is suggested that a person consume between 200-400 IU of vitamin E per day to help prevent cancer.  However, this is nearly impossible to attain through diet.  You may only be able to derive 10% or less from your diet.
• Try to Avoid Alcohol: Consuming alcohol will slightly increase your risk for colorectal cancer and the alcoholic drink with the strongest link to this type of cancer is beer.  Beer is said to contain nitrosamines, which are a carcinogen that is activated in the intestines.  Tannins are another carcinogenic compound in alcoholic drinks like wine, coffee, and tea. Eventhough red wine has been praised for its health benefits, you would still be better off eating the grapes to obtain the protective phytonutrients.
• Some Other Important Cancer Preventing Nutrients:  Vitamin D, which you synthesize naturally from sunlight and fortified foods has anti cancer properties.  It works by suppressing angiogenesis, or the creation of new blood vessels that tumors need to survive.  In areas where people receive the most exposure from the sun; the rates for breast, prostate, and colon cancer were lower.Selenium: This often overlooked mineral is a powerful antioxidant and scavenger of free radicals.  Research has illustrated a lower incidence of colon cancer in those who regularly take a selenium supplement of 100  - 200 mcg. per day.  Other studies have shown that those with low levels of selenium in their bodies are more likely to develop colon polyps.  Selenium works best when taken in combination with Vitamin E.  Some great food sources for selenium are: fish, lobster, shrimp, whole grains, vegetables, brown rice, cottage cheese, lambchops, chicken, sunflower seeds, and garlic.  Acidophilus is another great substance with anti-cancer properties.  This intestinal-friendly bacteria helps to encourage growth of healthy bacteria in the colon.  It also reduces the conversion of bile acids into carcinogens. Research has illustrated that taking dietary supplements of lactobacillus acidophilus can significantly reduce the level of colon enzymes that work to make carcinogenic waste from food.
  
  

  
  

Another key in reducing the risk of cancer or reducing the formation of cancer is to switch to a plant based diet.  One main area to focus on is switching your red meat consumption to seafood or the complete switch to an all plant based diet.  You want to try to get as close to totally plant based as you can.

• Lay off the Red Meat - Switch to Seafood: It has been proven by watching populations that those who eat less red meat and fat in their diet have a lower risk of developing colon cancer.  You can still consume some red meat, but choose to make it an accent to a plant based dish. Combining an unhealthier meat with vegetables and grains like a stir-fry or pasta.

• In 1976, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health began to study the role that diet plays in the formation of colon cancer.  They also set out to test theories that had been suggested by other studies.  Researchers studied 88,000 healthy women age 34-59.

The discovered:

1.  Women who consumed beef, pork, or lamb as a main dish daily, had a 2.5 times higher risk of developing colon cancer than those who consumed those meats only once a month.
2. The amount of animal fat present in a person’s diet is directly linked to the risk of developing colon cancer.
3.  Eating red meats and especially processed meats was greatly linked with an increased risk of developing colon cancer.  However, eating meats such as fish and chicken has shown a decreased risk.
4. The amount of fiber a person consumes is directly linked with the risk of developing colon cancer.

• In another 14 year study of 16,000 Swedish men and women it was discovered that foods such as beef and lamb are associated with the highest risk of colon cancer.
• Red meat itself can be carcinogenic, but how it is prepared can add to the risk of cancer.  Grilling red meats under high heat like searing or flame-cooking to a well-done consistency can cause the meat to release carcinogens into the meat called heterocyclicamines, which cause damage to cellular DNA.  A better choice for cooking meats is to use poaching, stewing, microwaving, slow-cooking, or low-heat cooking.

• Throw out the meat and eat your plants!  Some of the most interesting research regarding the link between diet and cancer are ones where people ate a plant-based diet. People who commonly eat a plant-based diet like vegetarians and Seventh Day Adventists have a very low risk of cancer.  The reason that foods derived from plants have a lower incidence of cancer causing agents is due to 3 health-promoting factors: plants contain less fat, more fiber, and more phytonutrients.  Aside from offering fiber; legumes have anticancer properties called protease inhibitors; shown to reduce the growth of cancer of the breast, colon, and skin cancer.

• Eat more Soy: There are many reasons for eating soy.  Soy is  a better choice for a source of protein. Also, soy contains phytonutrients which prevent the growth of new blood vessels that tumors need to survive. Soy also protects the colon by blocking bile acids that can have carcinogenic effects.  Another element in soy are isoflavones, that help regulate sex hormones that could reduce your risk of breast or prostate cancer. Studies have shown that women in America whose diets are low in soy products are 4xs more likely to die as a result of breast cancer than Japanese women whose diets are filled with soy.  Soy also appears to protect against other types of cancer such as; lung, rectal, colon, stomach, prostate, and breast.

1. One serving of soy (1/2 cup cooked soybeans, tofu, tempeh, one cup soy milk) each day can reduce your cancer risk.
2.  Read up on how your soy products are manufactured.  You want to ensure that they use a water extraction process and not an alcohol extraction process because it removes genistein from the soy.

• Time to Change Your Oil: You want to shift towards using more oils that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids due to their anti-cancer properties.  It has been shown that supplementing the diet with fish oil will cause fewer colorectal tumors. Oils found in fish and flaxseed work to produce phytochemicals which help fight cancer.  Flaxseed also contains another phytonutrient, lignan; which helps to fight cancer.  Your best bet is to ensure your diet contains more omega-3 than omega-6. Great sources of omega-3s are coldwater oily fish like salmon and tuna.
  Flaxseed or flaxseed oil is another great source of omega-3’s.  You will want to reduce the amount of vegetable oils you consume because they contain large amounts of omega-6 fatty acids. Another important type of oil is monounsaturated oil, like olive oil.  These oils also play a role in the prevention of cancer. In populations where the consumption of olive oil is rich, there is a lower incidence of cancer.  In fact, Greek women who consume a diet rich in olive oil have a very low risk for breast cancer. One study on oils discovered a connection between the amount of hydrogenated oils a woman consumes to the incidence of breast cancer.  It is always best to avoid trans fats, hydrogenated oils, partially-hydrogenated oils, and saturated fats.

Would you believe me if I said there is an anti-cancer diet.  This diet helps prevent, heal, and keep cancer in remission.  According to Dr. Bill Sears, there is a diet that can do all of these things.  Below I will go over the first part of the elements to the diet and how it works.

BASIC PRINCIPLES:

• Maintain a diet low in total fat as well as very low in saturated fats.

1. There are 2 ways that fat contributes to cancer.  Tumor cells require low density lipoproteins to grow. So eating a diet low in LDL may keep cancer cells from growing.
2. Consuming fat stimulates the production of bile.  If a large amount of bile is allowed to sit in the intestines it will be converted into apcholic acid, a carcinogen or cancer causing agent.

TIPS:

• Eat less total fat: limit your fat intake to no more than 20% of your total food calories. So if you usually eat 2,500 calories/day, fat should not provide any more than 500 calories. This would translate to about 55g of fat per day.
• Eat the right fat: If you are eating the wrong kind of fat you may be doing more damage than eating too much fat in general.  Researchers noticed that the incidence of most cancers is far less in some cultures that consume a high-fat diet like Eskimos and Mediterraneans.  However, the key is in the fat they do consume.  Eskimos consume a diet rich in seafood that is packed with omega 3 fatty acids and the Mediterranean people consume a high-fat diet that is plant-based but high in monounsaturated oils.  This means that some types of fat do not lead to cancer but may actually have anticancer properties:

1. Unsaturated fats derived from plants like legumes
2. Monounsaturated fats found in vegetable oil, olive oil, and canola oil. * *
3. Omega 3 Fatty Acids found in seafood like salmon and tuna
4. Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids found in oils like flaxseed, pumpkin seed, canola, soybean, walnut, safflower, sunflower, sesame, and virgin olive oils.*

*Greek women who consume a diet high in olive oil often have a low incidence of breast cancer.
* A study conducted in 1998 illustrated that men who consume less fat from animals and more from vegetables were at less risk for prostate cancer.
* However when vegetable oils are heated at high temperatures it can alter fatty acids rendering them carcinogenic.  Extra virgin olive oil as well as peanut oil work best for cooking, but remember to stir often to prevent burning.

STUDIES AND RESEARCH:

• In animal based experiments it was shown that animals that received a fish-oil supplement developed less colorectal tumors.
• Omega 3 Fatty acids  are the most heart-healthy fats and may have anticancer properties.
• Eskimo women who consume a large amount of omega 3 fatty acids have a lower incidence of breast cancer.

Avoid bad fats:

• It is important to strictly avoid fats and oils high in saturated fats like palm, palm kernel, coconut, and cottonseed.
• You also want to avoid all hydrogenated fats.  These fats are also referred to as Trans fats, they have been chemically altered changing them from unsaturated to saturated fats. These fats have a hydrogen molecule added to them, possibly making them carcinogenic.  The hydrogen molecule interrupts the normal cell metabolism in the body, setting the stage for cancerous changes in cells.  Be sure to read the labels, if a food contains anything hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, or has trans fats leave it on the shelf.

Recent news from The American Academy of Pediatrics says that children age newborn to teenagers should actually be getting double the amount of vitamin D that is recommended for preventing disease.

To meet these new guidelines of 400 units per day, children will need to take supplements of vitamin D.  This requirement also includes infants who are breastfed or drinking particular types of formula and teens who drink little to no milk.

Eventhough breast milk is recommended for the first year, it can be lacking in vitamin D, which would warrant supplementation.  Many formulas already contain the new recommended dosage of vitamin D, and would require no additional supplementation

Many teens and children still consume some milk and even though it is fortified with vitamin D, they do not drink enough of it to attain the 400 units per day.  To reach those limits they would need to consume at least 4 cups of milk per day.

The cause for these new recommendations is due to a studies that were conducted that concluded that most children are lacking in vitamin D.  Also, there have been recent cases of rickets, which is a bone disorder that causes warped bones is continuing to occur today.

Hooper’s Medical Dictionary of 1811 defines placebo as “an epithet given to any medicine adapted more to please than benefit the patient.”   This was meant to cause a therapeutic effect to cause the patient to have faith in their doctor and belief in their treatment.  A great example of a placebo is when a parent places a bandage on their child’s”boo-boo,” when there is not present need for one.  However, it makes the child feel better.

Placebos are notably used as a control in research for new drugs or treatments.   If the patients who were administered the experimental drug or treatment do better than those on the placebo, then the study proves the effectiveness of the treatment.

In addition to being used in studies, placebos are commonly used as a treatment.   In a recent study it was discovered that over the past year, more than half of the doctors in the U.S. often prescribed placebos and rarely told the patient they were doing so.

Scientists from the National Institute of Health, Harvard Medical School, and the University of Chicago surveyed 1,200 U.S. internists and rheumatologists from a national list of doctors, of which 679 responded.  Of those who responded, 58% stated that they had prescribed placebos on a regular basis, and 62% believe that it is ethically acceptable.

Only 5% of doctors stated they would tell their patients that they were receiving a placebo. 68% stated they told patients the placebos were a “potentially beneficial medicine or treatment not typically used for their condition,” 18% called it”medicine,” and 9% said it was “medicine with no known effects for your condition.”

So what are the most commonly prescribed placebos?  Over-the-counter pain relievers were prescribed the most at 41%, then vitamins at 28%, 13% were antibiotics or sedatives, 3% were saline solution, and 2% were just sugar pills.  Many doctors stated they would often prescribe a sugar pill for patients with chronic pain conditions if there was any proof of effectiveness.  About half of the doctors claim they used the treatments to promote positive patient expectations more than once a month.

With the dark months of winter looming over us, we may begin to feel a bit depressed.  Some people are highly affected by the decrease in sunlight throughout the winter months.  The name for this disorder is SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder.  This condition causes  a portion of the population to become down and depressed and they may need assistance to deal with their symptoms for the 3 winter months.

There are a few ways to treat SAD.  It can be alleviated with a concoction of vitamins, nutrients, simulated sunlight, or a combination of these.   However, some of us still carry depression the other 9 months of the year, but there may be a healthier way to treat year-round depression, with St. John’s Wort.

St. John’s Wort is an herb derived from the plant, Hypericum perforatum or the hedgerow plant.  This herbal supplement has a large following and is often used as a sleep aid and has been used for centuries to alleviate mild forms of depression.

German scientists from the Centre for Complementary Medicine in Munich gathered information from 29 studies conducted in a variety of contries using different St. John’s Wort extract and using 5,489 volunteers who exhibited moderately severe depression.

In one group, they replaced the groups regular anti-depressant with St. John’s Wort.  In other groups they either administered a placebo or they received either a common old or new anti-depressant like Prozac over a determined length of time.

Prozac, as well as many other common types of anti-depressants are SSRIs, or Selective Seratonin Re-uptake Inhibitors.  They are widely used to enhance mood, but often cause the user to experience side effects such as; drowsiness, a drop in libido, anxiety/panic attacks, flu-like symptoms, confusion, balance problem, and more.

In Germany, St. John’s Wort is a common household name is often given to children and teens for mild depression or to treat sleep disorders and causes little or no side effects when being taken by itself.

Dr. Klaus Linde from The Centre says, “Overall, the St. John’s Wort extracts tested in the trials were superior to placebo, similarly effective as standard antidepressants, and had fewer side effects than standard antidepressants.”

If you have depression, Dr. Linde suggests that you should consult a doctor prior to taking any combination of drugs or herbal supplements.  In the past, St. John’s Wort has been linked to creating negative reactions when taken with other prescription drugs.  Medications for lowering cholesterol, oral contraceptives, and blood thinners have all been proven to interact negatively with St. John’s Wort.