thisthis information is considered educational only and is not an attempt to diagnose or treat any disease.
When I was 24 I performed CPR on my father who died as a result of a doctor's error in prescribing a deadly mix of drugs. I assumed the leadership role at our family's business and within a short time began to experience very bad depression. I was urged to seek a psychiatrist who filled me with the old school antidepressant Imipramine, a tri-cyclic antidepressant. I liked the way that it helped my sleep but did not appreciate any of the other effects on the brain in which case I dropped the drug and the psychiatrist.
My neurological symptoms persisted as in sleep difficulties in which I was diagnosed as having a sleep disorder and was given tryptophan as the remedy. This was before the small outbreak of a bacteria that contaminated a specific batch of tryptophan and it was quickly removed off the market. Conspiracy theorists believe that the contamination was deliberate, that is was from the competing pharma interests in which the next generation of drugs were due to arrive.
Little did I know that the core of the problem had to due with unrelenting stress that my body was unable to cope with. Lots of cortisol is secreted during these stressful events and by drowning this body with this hormone biochemical changes take place. Of course I sought out spiritual help, and everything else that someone in this situation would do, thankfully I never indulged in drugs or alcohol which would only further exacerbate the problem.
Americans are woefully ignorant in these matters and the popular media only contributes to this ignorance. Americans have been trained that the popular medical system and its drug suppliers has all the answers it needs to solve these problems. This is simply not true in many circumstances but they won't tell you that.
When I was taking the drugs, it was unusual for people to see psychiatrists - I was considered taboo to say the least, people laughed at me. Now it is almost chic to be on mind altering chemicals, the medical system is widely influenced by pharma interests and they have designed elaborate marketing campaigns to convince both the medical practitioner and the patient that drugs are good. I am not going to knock anyone who is using these substances to help in their situation, but they should be educated to other modalities of treatment.
Back to my situation. Cortisol is a hormone that is designed to help us in times of stress or emergencies, in fact emergency rooms use cortisol as a powerful drug. The bad thing about cortisol is if left running it presents many problems. Cortisol not only helps in the physical part of the body such as improving eyesight or forcing blood into the muscles to help in times of emergency but cortisol is a powerful neurotransmitter.
Orthomolecular medicine is a form of medicine that looks at nutrition to bring a resolution to an ongoing problem as opposed to drugging the body with synthetic chemicals. The brain is not a separate entity from the rest of the body but is an organ like any other organ system. It is subject to the same biochemical activities of the rest of the body. Cortisol causes havoc in this organ (the brain) by causing anxiety, mood disorders, sleep problems and depression. Reducing stress = reducing cortisol = better moods.
Magnesium is the mineral needed by so many parts of the body including the brain. Magnesium is shown to reduce the onslaught of cortisol, relax the nervous system, help in the cardiovascular system, manufacture vital glutathione and so many other things.
Magnesium is lost under high cortisol as well as many other nutrients*which need to replenished. Without these vital nutrients, the body is unable to repair and the manufacture the needed processes for a healthy system.
*Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin D3, B vitamins, Vitamin C, essential minerals etc.
Psychotropic drugs can be a vital help for some people but is not the end of the road for many people, nutrition offers a more complete solution for these issues.
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