SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder

This disorder affects many people, particularly during the winter months or when there is not enough daylight.  People who do not normally sufferer with any mental ill health can, particularly during December and January, suddenly feel very low and somewhat depressed.  For those people who already have mental health issues, the winter months can sometimes cause a deepening of their symptoms.

What causes one to feel SAD ?

A lack of natural, full spectrum light, which reduces the amount of Melatonin secreted by the Pineal Gland.

The Pineal gland (part of the endocrine (hormonal) system) is a small cone shaped organ which sits in the centre of the brain (mystics call this the third eye).  It converts incoming nerve impulses received as bio-electrical messages about the outside environment (full spectrum light) into outgoing hormones in the blood stream (vascular system).

During daylight the Pineal Gland , which is highly responsive to the amount of light to which we are exposed, releases very little melatonin but at night melatonin secretion triples to help regulate our circadium rhythms (internal clock, sleeping and waking cycles).

As melatonin rises and is secreted you begin to experience a hypnotic-like state which helps to bring sleep on.  In the morning when daylight returns melatonin decreases again.

When you get lots of bright sunlight during the day Melatonin is secreted in the hours of darkness.  When not enough full spectrum light is available during the day there will not be enough melatonin to be secreted.  This will cause SAD and/or chronic depression.

There is always more to SAD than the above as one must take into consideration the whole of the person, their lifestyle, medical history, family history, childhood, career, stress and most importantly diet.

I would work on the principle that the person who has SAD will have some form of depression, linked to a hormonal issue and/or any of the above.  More women than men suffer with this problem, or so we think, as men do not often admit to having any problems and this can sometimes be linked to Mothers who spend a lot of time indoors with their children during winter.

A good diet is essential, using wholefoods, preferably organic or better still biodynamic.  These foods should be of the season so typically wintertime roots, leaves, stems, nuts, seeds.

Anyone, particularly with depression or SAD will require regular mealtimes and snacks to keep the blood sugar levels balanced and therefore energy at its peak.

The following is a list of vitamins and minerals specifically required and which foods they are available from.

B Vitamins found in the following foods listed in order of importance in my opinion, preferring more of the first 7 points as these are less taxing on the digestive system and unless the others are organic they can add to the load of not just digestion but the liver and immunity.

• Pulses (beans) lentils, chick peas
• Wholegrains (rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat etc), Wheatgerm
• Vegetables such as dark green leaves, mushrooms, cauliflower, tomatoes, avocado, squash, celery
• Spirulina and other sea vegetables (*see note below for vegan’s)
• Nuts and seeds
• Soya products
• Strawberries, bananas, dried fruits
• Fish
• Eggs
• Dairy products
• Meat and poultry
• Organ meats

A note on B12 for Vegans

Vegans using adequate amounts of fortified foods or B12 supplements are much less likely to suffer from B12 deficiency than the typical meat eater. The Institute of Medicine, in setting the US recommended intakes for B12 makes this very clear. “Because 10 to 30 percent of older people may be unable to absorb naturally occurring vitamin B12, it is advisable for those older than 50 years to meet their RDA mainly by consuming foods fortified with vitamin B12 or a vitamin B12-containing supplement.” Vegans should take this advice about 50 years younger, to the benefit of both themselves and the animals. B12 need never be a problem for well-informed vegans.

*Spirulina – The vegetarian Society says this:

The only reliable unfortified sources of vitamin B12 are meat, dairy products and eggs. There has been considerable research into possible plant food sources of B12. Fermented soya products, seaweeds and algae have all been proposed as possible sources of B12. However, analysis of fermented soya products, including tempeh, miso, shoyu and tamari, found no significant B12.

Spirulina, an algae available as a dietary supplement in tablet form, and nori, a seaweed, have both appeared to contain significant amounts of B12 after analysis. However, it is thought that this is due to the presence of compounds structurally similar to B12, known as B12 analogues. These cannot be utilised to satisfy dietary needs. Assay methods used to detect B12 are unable to differentiate between B12 and it’s analogues, Analysis of possible B12 sources may give false positive results due to the presence of these analogues.

All these tests are, as yet, inconclusive, as are many tests for many reasons but it is worth being as sure as you possibly can and maybe it woulod be a good idea to have a blood test although it is said that a blood B12 level measurement is unreliable test for vegans, particularly vegans using any form of algae such as spirulina and some other plant foods containing B12-analogues (false B12) that can imitate true B12 in blood tests while actually interfering with B12 metabolism. Blood counts are also unreliable as high folate intakes suppress the anaemia symptoms of B12 deficiency that can be detected by blood counts. Blood homocysteine testing is more reliable, with levels less than 10 mmol/litre being desirable.  The most specific test for B12 status is methylmalonic acid (MMA) testing.  If this is in the normal range in blood (<370 nmol/L) or urine (less than 4 mg /mg creatinine) then your body has enough B12. Many doctors still rely on blood B12 levels and blood counts. These are not adequate, especially in vegans.

Other minerals

Magnesium

• From the food groups listed above

Chromium

• As above but particularly including root vegetables and green peppers

On top of this a good all round range of foods which are in season, ripened naturally, locally grown will enhance mood as will the colour of foods we see influence what we eat, this will be affected by the hormone system which is inextricably linked to SAD.

There are many reasons that people find they have this disorder.  If you feel you have SAD, but are unsure, complete the online profile so that I can detect anything else that may be causing your symptoms and then offer a solution.

Your Amazing Liver Is your bodies own factory.  It takes deliveries, has its own sorting team and efficient distribution mechanisms. It is the largest organ of the body and weighs in at around 3lb

There are portal veins carrying blood from the stomach, spleen, pancreas, and small and large intestines so you can see why it is such an important part of digestion and immune function.

Digestive

• Converts glucose to glucagon so that it can store for future energy production at which point it is converted back to glucose.
• Metabolizes fat, it converts fat to a form in which it can be used by the tissues for energy
• Protein metabolism is the breakdown of amino acids which is the by product of protein if you remember from the digestive system.  Removing the nitrogenous part of the amino acids which is not required to form new protein, then it is turned into urea which is then excreted in urine.  It is also where new, non essential amino acids are formed, those we do not need to get from food because our liver makes them for us.
• Carrots and some green leaves provide us with carotene, the liver synthesises it and give us Vitamin A as we cannot get vitamin A directly from foods.
• Fat Soluble vitamins A D E K are stored as well as copper and iron, unlike most of the other vitamins and minerals which are water soluble.  This is why we must not overdose on ADEK because our liver may be storing them for us.
• Another really important link is that of the Gallbladder – the liver makes bile to be transported to the gallbladder so that it can emulsify fat.

Hormonal and Immune

• Regulates blood clotting
• Destroys erythrocytes and defends against microbes which means it is helping the immune system to be efficient
• Destoxifies all the noxious substances that enter our bodies even those we did not invite in.  Chemicals in the food chain, fetilizers, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides, these could all be on non organic apples !  as well as anywhere else in the food chain.  Hormones, antibiotics and other drugs used in agriculture, flavours, colours, preservatives, solvents, chemicals in the water supply, alcohol and so on……plus all the pollution, body and hair products….the list goes on and your liver has to do ALL of this work, no wonder it gets hot.
• There are two procedures for dealing with the toxins, Activation which gets them out of storage and conjugation which means they are combined with other substances and eliminated as waste.  If the liver is not efficient these toxins can be activated or let loose and cause free radical damage which can affect the brain and mood factors.  So the tidier your factory unit is the easier it can collect, re-arrange and distribute.
• Inactivation of hormones including insulin and glucagon, those involved in the digestive system and also those of the hormonal or endocrine system mainly the Thyroid, Cortisol (stress hormone) and the sex hormones.  So here is an example of how the digestion and hormones are linked.
• The liver also produces heat, as it uses lots of energy performing all the jobs it has to do.

Diseases of the Liver

Alcohol Excess

Fatty liver

A build-up of fat occurs within liver cells in most people who regularly drink heavily. In itself, fatty liver is not usually serious and does not cause symptoms. Fatty liver will usually reverse if you stop drinking heavily.

Alcoholic hepatitis

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. The inflammation can range from mild to severe.

• Mild hepatitis may not cause any symptoms. The only indication of inflammation may be an abnormal level of liver enzymes in the blood which can be detected by a blood test. However, in some cases the hepatitis becomes persistent (chronic), which can gradually damage the liver and eventually cause cirrhosis.
• A more severe hepatitis tends to cause symptoms such as feeling sick, jaundice (yellowing of the skin caused by a high level of bilirubin – a chemical normally metabolised in the liver), generally feeling unwell, and sometimes pain over the liver.
• A very severe bout of alcoholic hepatitis can quickly lead to liver failure. This can cause deep jaundice, blood clotting problems, confusion, coma, bleeding into the guts, and is often fatal.

Alcoholic cirrhosis

• Cirrhosis is a condition where normal liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue (fibrosis). The scarring tends to be a gradual process. The scar tissue affects the normal structure and re-growth of liver cells. Liver cells become damaged and die as scar tissue gradually develops. The scar tissue can also affect the blood flow through the liver which can cause ‘back pressure’ in the blood vessels which bring blood to the liver.
• About 1 in 10 heavy drinkers will eventually develop cirrhosis. It tends to occur after 10 or more years of heavy drinking, although cirrhosis can develop in people who have never had alcoholic hepatitis.
• Persistent viral hepatitis and some hereditary and metabolic diseases may cause cirrhosis, so if you have another persistent liver disease, and drink heavily, you are likely to increase your risk of developing cirrhosis.

Viral Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver caused by a virus)

• Hepatitis (A B C, the most common conditions)
• Hepatitis is a general term that means inflammation of the liver.

Hepatitis A is found in the stools (faeces) of people with hepatitis A. It is transmitted when a person puts something in his or her mouth that has been contaminated with the faeces of an affected person.  The virus can also be spread by eating raw or undercooked shellfish collected from water that has been contaminated by sewage.

• People who are infected can start spreading the infection about 1 week after their own exposure. People who do not have symptoms can still spread the virus.
• Anyone contracting Hepatitis A will have the ability to overcome this as the liver will completely heal itself.  Unlike the following B & C

Hepatitis B is contracted through with an infected person, also semen and saliva which may contain some blood.  This is a very infectious disease, sometimes the carrier does not show any signs of sickness but they can transmit it to other people.

The acute phase means that most people will recover completely, if for some reason the situation becomes  chronic  the infection may never go away and it will cause all manner of other illnesses.
The younger you are when you become infected with the hepatitis B virus, the more likely you are to develop chronic hepatitis B. The rates of progression to chronic hepatitis B are as follows:

• 90% of infants infected at birth
• 30% of children infected at age 1-5 years
• 6% of people infected after age 5 years
• 5-10% of infected adults

Hepatitis C
If the inflammation is not reversed, it becomes ongoing and can cause chronic liver disease, which can be serious or even fatal.

• At least 75% of people infected with hepatitis C develop chronic hepatitis C.
• If the disease progresses to the point at which the liver begins to fail the only treatment is liver transplantation.
• Hepatitis C is an increasing public health concern in the United States and throughout the world and  is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease in the United States and the most common cause of chronic viral hepatitis
• About 4 million people in the United States have antibodies to HCV, meaning they have been infected with the virus at some point; as many as half of them do not know they have the infection.

Liver Cancer
There are two types

• Primary liver cancer – Cancer that begins in the liver known as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); a cancer that begins in the main cells of the liver which are known as the hepatocytes.
  HCC is responsible for 1,500 deaths in the UK each year. It is more common among men, and those over the age of 60 are more likely to be affected by it.
  Another type of primary liver cancer is cholangiocarcinoma, which also known as cancer of the bile duct.
• Secondary liver cancer – Most cases of liver cancer are known as secondary this means that the cancer started somewhere else in your body before spreading (metastasising) to your liver.

There are of course many other symptoms which are a by product of a compromised liver and these include:

• Allergies and Intolerances
• Anxiety attacks
• Brain fog
• Candida
• Lack of energy
• Poor eyesight
• Headaches and Migraine
• Heart Problems
• High Blood Pressure
• Menopause and PMT
• Mood swings
• Fluid retention
• Hypoglycaemia
• Osteoporosis

You might be saying – we have read about these symptoms elsewhere so how can these be related to the liver – simply because the liver is your factory and if it is full of toxic garbage it cannot fulfil its role in manufacturing, storing and distribution of nutrients to support the body.

This all sounds gloomy, well let me tell you it is !  You cannot possibly live a full and healthy life if you put garbage in your mouth, do not get fresh air, fresh water and exercise in the right combinations.

First thing to do is follow the 30 day programme, this will get your liver cleansed and working efficiently.

How to have a healthy eating programme and still be on a detox ! Yes it is totally doable!

What is all this nonsense about detoxing, the body does it naturally, that is what our elimination organs are for – you know the ones – the liver, kidneys, bowels and lungs – BUT wait!

Guess what? the poor dietary habits of most people has led to a SEIZURE of these vital organs, they CANNOT take any more junk food and drink – plus the amount of pollution in not just the atmosphere but at home too – you know, all those deodorant sprays, household cleaners and polishers, plug in air freshners to-boot!

So! We need to detox – but NOT to get rid of last night’s food and alcohol binge! It is much more than that, the accumulation of toxins over a period of time that has led to you feeling under par at best, or sick with some kind of symptoms that are causing you a health concern…..

And you think you can do it in 1-2 Days ! NOT a chance – so don’t even bother trying or wasting your money on a quick fix – there isn’t one!  I can guarantee that.

Guess what though, I am here to save your life, provide you with a step by step programme that is doable, no starvation and plenty of nutrients, to not only give your body the nutrients that it is lacking through poor dietary habits but to help to cleanse and heal your body, get it into an alkaline state from a very acidic state and to bring about that health and vitality that you have long forgotten.

I know, through my vast experience with many hundreds of clients that have come to me feeling unwell, that the only way forward is to “clear the decks”  you know, like when your kitchen sink is full, the dishwasher wants emptying, the kitchen bin is full and the floor is covered in toys, shoes or whatever, you need to “clean the decks” before you start anything else.

It is the same with your body you have to clean up before you can expect it to perform as it should.  In order to “clean the decks” you must not throw any more rubbish at it – the 30 day, step by step programme, that I have worked with clients hundreds of times does exactly that!  You don’t have to think about anything, just follow the plan and you are guaranteed results.

Once you have completed this task you will feel so much better and actually alive, but you will have learned to listen in to what your body is trying to tell you – remember the article I wrote on “are you eating with your brain”?

You should never need to detox again – because hopefully you will continue to work with this programme whilst adding in some of the foods you would like to have – BALANCE is the key to good health.