Did you know that antidepressant drugs are a $10 billion dollar market in America alone? These drugs are based on the chemical imbalance theory stating that low serotonin levels are to blame for anxiety and depression. However, this chemical imbalance theory as a cause has never really been proven. In fact, no study has ever proved that anyone has an ‘imbalance’ of any neurotransmitters or any other brain chemicals. The whole theory was hypothetical.
In recent years, many researchers tried to refute the chemical imbalance theory. According to David D. Burns, (When Panic Attacks)
“This theory is fueled more by drug company marketing than by solid scientific proof. Billions of dollars of annual profits from the sale of antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications are at stake, so drug companies spend vast amounts of money promoting the chemical imbalance theory. They also subsidize a large portion of the budget of the American psychiatric Association and underwrite an enormous amount of research and education at medical schools.”
“Academic research should be all about getting to the truth. Drug company research is all about selling new products.”
“But if I tell you that your depression or panic attacks result from a chemical imbalance in your brain, then I’m telling you something that can’t be proven, because there is no test for a chemical imbalance in the human brain”.
Recent studies have found that depression is an allergic reaction to inflammation
Inflammation is an important bodily process that is caused by processed foods, vegetable oils, sugar, toxins and more. When inflammation is triggered, the body creates various chemicals, such as cytokines. Tim de Chant of NOVA states: “Inflammation is our immune system’s natural response to injuries, infections, or foreign compounds. When triggered, the body pumps various cells and proteins to the site through the blood stream, including cytokines, a class of proteins that facilitate intercellular communication. It also happens that people suffering from depression are loaded with cytokines.”
Inflammation and Gluten
Did you know that the most common cause of inflammation is gluten? Gluten stimulates the release of an inflammatory protein called zonulin that opens up the junctions in the lining of the gut and creates gaps, allowing substances to leak into the bloodstream where they don’t belong. This leads to inflammation. This occurs in people regardless of whether they have celiac disease or not.
Take This Turmeric Complex for Inflammation (here)
Other than being a great anti-inflammatory and pain reliever, turmeric can help prevent and treat heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, depression. Find it here
References:
Brietzke E, Stertz L, et al. Comparison of cytokine levels in depressed, manic and euthymic patients with bipolar disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders, 2009 Aug; 116(3): 214-217.
Harrison NA, Brydon L, Walker C, et al. Neural origins of human sickness in interoceptive responses to inflammation. Biological Psychiatry, 2009 Sept 1; 66(5): 415-422.
http://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety/chemical-imbalance.shtml
