Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory Promoting Healthy & Productive Aging

Functional laboratory assessment can provide you with a solid diagnostic foundation for anti-aging therapies by delineating errors in systemic metabolism in eight important areas:

1. Impaired Mitochondrial Function: The Cellular Energy Profile measures key markers of mitochondrial metabolism and energy production. Once detected, metabolic errors of mitochondrial function can often be corrected, slowing the cellular manifestation of degeneration and aging. The Oxidative Stress Analysis evaluates free radical damage and the body’s capacity for combating oxidative stress. Free radical activity contributes to accelerated aging, age-related dementia, and neurological impairment.
2. Dysglycemia/Insulin Dysmetabolism: The Metabolic Dysglycemia Profile provides early identification of dysfunction related to adult-onset dysinsulinism, Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus and Syndrome X, significant causes of cardiovascular and peripheral vascular diseases, as well as renal failure, neuropathy, and erectile dysfunction.
3. Chronic Inflammation: The Essential and Metabolic Fatty Acids Analysis assesses fatty acids levels and metabolism related to the physiological processes significantly affected by inflammation, including musculoskeletal health, inflammatory cardiovascular disease processes, mood, and cognition.
4. Imbalanced Methylation Reactions: In addition to determining lipid status and analyzing such independent risk factors as C-reactive protein, the Comprehensive Cardiovascular Assessment identifies abnormalities in amino acid methylation, reflected in levels of homocysteine.
5. Inadequate Detoxification Capacity: The Comprehensive Detoxification Profile assesses hepatic function for insight into the body’s ability to convert and neutralize toxins and metabolic products. The Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis reveals the status of the gastrointestinal milieu including markers for digestive capacity, absorption and gut integrity, metabolic factors, microbiology, mycology, and parasitology.
6. Weakened Immune Function: The Food Antibody Assessment pinpoints likely triggers of immediate and delayed hypersensitivities that can be responsible for such conditions as arthritis, depression, unexplained weight gain, and irritable bowel syndrome.
7. Chronic Stress Response: The Adrenocortex Stress Profile analyzes balance and circadian rhythm of the important adrenal hormones DHEA and cortisol. Adrenal hormones exert a profound influence on the body’s carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism, immune response, thyroid function, cardiovascular health, and overall resistance to stress.
8. Hormonal Imbalance: The Male and Female Hormone Profiles assess sex hormone levels that can impact cognitive, cardiovascular, and sexual function. Proper hormone balance can improve mood, influence muscle/fat ratio, and increase the overall sense of well-being. The Comprehensive Thyroid Assessment monitors both central and peripheral dysregulation of thyroid function including the role of reverse T3 and thyroid antibody markers.

1. Are you eating the appropriate diet for your metabolic type?

2. Are you taking the proper supplements to meet your core nutritional or metabolic needs (Targeted Nutrition)?

3. Are you properly digesting and absorbing your foods and supplements?

4. Do you have a balanced digestive tract or are you dysbiotic?

5. Are your toxic pathways functioning properly and in balance?

6. Are your trace minerals and amino acids in balance?

7. Is your bone density normal?

8. Is your endocrine system in balance or are your thyroid and adrenal glands out of sync?

9. Are you reacting to stress normally?  Are your cortisol and DHEA levels in balance?

10. Do you get enough exercise to maintain a “normal body composition”?

11. Do you know your body PH?

12. What about your genetics?

Introduction — The Road to Personalized Nutrition

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you knew exactly what you yourself could do to live a healthier life? How you could make the aging process as graceful and as long as it should be? Which vitamins and minerals and other supplements work best for you — and which don’t?

Well, the wonderful world of genetics is making that possible — today.

Genetics is the most exciting thing that’s ever happened in the world of clinical nutrition and health. Ever! Even if you go all the way back to Hippocrates, nothing is more exciting than what’s going on right now — a total change in the model of health and well-being.

It started in 1990 with the Human Genome Project, an effort to create a roadmap of all our genes. In 2001 the project published a working draft of the map and promised to complete it by 2003. And it did, right on time. As the genome was being mapped, the so-called SNP Consortium started researching differences in our genes that help explain why people respond differently to pharmacological treatment and nutrition. Understanding these differences paves the way to targeted pharmacology and customized nutrition.

It’s happening today. We call the new science of personalized nutrition nutrigenomics or sometimes nutrigenetics or nutragenetics. It’s so new, they haven’t even agreed on the name. In this Introduction to Nutrigenomics I will focus on five topics to explain how your genes, your lifestyle and the environment you live in affect your health and wellness.

Topic #1: We all have unique genes. We obtained them from our mother and our father and, ultimately, from all our ancestors. They are the genetic cards that you’ve been dealt and determine who you are.

Topic #2: Some of us get sick and some of us don’t. Some of us age gracefully and some of us don’t. Why?

Topic #3: Our health is influenced by our eating and living habits. But if you think they’re the habits that our genes are accustomed to, read on!

Topic #4: There are many health factors that we can modify — even without genetic information. We discuss what’s important to our heart and circulatory system, our immune system, the detoxification of our bodies and the removal of oxidative stress.

Topic #5: With genetic information we can personalize our nutritional program. That’s the promise of nutrigenomics. The more we know about our genes, the more targeted will be our efforts to improve our health.

Your genes are as deep as it gets. There is nothing that lives underneath them. This is the future we’re living in. Today.

Topic 1. We all have unique genes.
In a book published in the 1950s entitled Biochemical Individuality, University of Texas scientist Roger Williams argued that each of us has a unique body-chemical makeup that makes us respond in different ways to the foods we eat, the drugs we take and the environments we live in. The reason we are unique is that our genes are unique. In fact, the only people born with the exact same genes are identical twins.

We get our genes at the moment of conception from our mother and our father. The collection of all our genes is the reason why we are unique individuals. ‘It is also the reason why we are similar to our biological relatives — our parents and their parents, our children and their children, and most of all our brothers and sisters. Our genetic traits — the color of our eyes, the way we laugh, the diseases we may be susceptible to — are the end-products of our genes and, therefore, tend to be found more frequently in other members of our family than in the population as a whole. Health-care professionals ask you questions about the health of your siblings and parents because their health is relevant to yours.

A gene is the means by which genetic traits are transmitted from your parents to you and from you to your children.

We have 30,000 to 35,000 different genes, by latest count. Each gene is a blueprint for creating one or more proteins. Our body needs thousands of different proteins to perform most of the essential tasks pertaining to the growth, structure, maintenance, integrity and functioning of our physical self. Virtually every cell in our body — from hair to hormones — is either made of proteins or made by them or both.

Almost every cell — and we have literally trillions of cells — contains its own copy of each and every gene. In fact cells contain not one but two copies of each gene: the copy we inherited from our mother and the copy we inherited from our father. These copies may be identical to each other or they may be different. But even if different, they are copies of the same gene because they produce the same protein or set of proteins.

We can’t change our genes — not yet, at any rate. But we can help them do their job and support them so that they, in turn, can support us and help us live a long healthy life. That’s what the exciting new science of nutrigenomics is all about — helping our own unique genes help us live a healthier life.

Topic 2. Some of us get sick and some of us don’t.
Why do some people in their forties get diabetes or heart disease and some people never do? Why do some of us age gracefully and some of us don’t? Why can some people eat junk food all the time and never get sick while other people never eat junk food and get sick all the time? Each person is unique because each person’s genes are different from any other person’s genes. But what does unique mean? How different are we, really?

It is said that every person’s genes are 99.9 % identical to any other person’s genes. That is, only one-tenth of one percent of all the chemical elements that make up our genes are different from the chemical elements that make up another person’s genes.

But some genes have variations. Indeed, as explained in the preceding topic, the two copies of a particular gene embedded in our cells may not be exactly the same. One may be a copy of one variation of the gene and the other a copy of another variation.

By late-2 000, The SNP Consortium of pharmaceutical and other firms had identified 1.4 million genetic variations in the human genome. (SNP, pronounced like snip, stands for single nucleotide polymorphism, which is a scientific description for common genetic variations.) The consortium found that 93% of human genes contain at least one variation. Viewed from that angle, we are indeed very different from each other.

Why do some people in their 40s have heart disease and others don’t? Why do some people age well and some don’t? The answer may be their genetic differences. A lot of scientific research suggests that genes are involved in heart disease and aging.

Remember the Delaney sisters who wrote a book about their first hundred years? A recent study of 137 people 98 years or older who had brothers or sisters 91 to 109 years suggests that aging is related to genetics.

But of course the answer why some people live long lives and age gracefully and some don’t may not be their genes at all. According to the American Heart Association, the number one risk factor linked to heart disease is cigarette smoking. The answer might then be lifestyle. Or someone could be a nonsmoker who grew up in a smoke-filled house because both parents were both heavy smokers and now his wife or her husband is a smoker. Then the answer might be environment.

In most cases the answer is a combination of genes, lifestyle and environment. Most of the common disorders of adult life are thought to have multiple causes — multiple genetic causes and multiple nongenetic ones.

That’s good news. Even if your genes predispose you, say, to heart disease or Alzheimer’s, you can counteract the genetic risk that you were born with by improving your lifestyle and environment.

Topic 3. Our health is influenced by our eating and living habits.
Let’s repeat the good news. The common disorders of adult life and the aging process are associated with certain lifestyles and environments as well as genetic factors. We can’t control the genetic factors, but we don’t have to accept them as if our parents sentenced us to their illnesses without right of parole.

We can try to improve our eating and living habits. Take regular exercise. Help our genes help us live longer and healthier lives. It’s never too late to take an active and informed interest in your future health.

Take nutrition, since we’re talking about nutrigenomics. What should we eat?

We might start with the food pyramid recommendations of the U.S. Government. As adults we are advised to consume 60% of our daily diet (measured in calories) as carbohydrates, 30% as fats (20% unsaturated, 10% saturated) and 10% as proteins. We should eat

• 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta (down to 8 servings for older adults)
• 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2-4 servings of fruit (down to 2-3 and 2 for older adults)
• 2-3 servings of milk, yogurt and cheese and 2-3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts (down to 3 and 2 for older adults)
• and sparingly of fats, oils and sweets.

Are these recommendations written in stone? Not at all. They have their adherents and they have their critics. They’ve also changed over the years. The current recommendations, made in 1992, are due to be revised in 2005. So how much credibility should we give them?

We might ask our genes. Since we are what they made us, who’s better qualified to tell us? Most of our genes had evolved to their present state by the time the human race emerged as a separate species a half-million years ago — and certainly by what evolutionary biologist Jared Diamond calls our Great Leap Forward 50,000 years ago. In those years we were all hunter- gatherers. But after the end of the last Ice Age 13,000 years ago we learned how to domesticate plants and animals. When people could support themselves through agriculture and animal husbandry, they settled down in villages and gave up the nomadic life of the hunter-gatherer.

But according to anthropologist S. Boyd Eaton, 99.99% of the genes we have today never adapted to agricultural life. They supported the diet and lifestyle of hunter-gatherers and they stayed that way. They never adapted to the diet and_ lifestyle of the agricultural age or the industrial age or the post-industrial age. So, we must ask, what was the diet of hunter-gatherers? Hunter-gatherers ate wild meat, fresh fish, and recently picked vegetables and fruits — and got a lot of exercise keeping the wolf from the door. This Paleolithic Diet, as we now call it, is what our genes evolved to expect over millions of years of evolution, and they haven’t changed. They still expect lean meat, fish, fruit and vegetables. Period.

Roughly 25-30% of the caloric energy intake of hunter-gatherers was consumed as proteins from meat and fish — three times as much protein as the government recommends we take. Another 30-50% was consumed as carbohydrates in the form of wild vegetables and fruits, which provided a lot of fiber. Today we consume many more carbohydrates, mostly as refined sugars and starches and processed grains. Hunter-gatherers consumed fat largely as monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats from game meat, fish and nuts. Our fat is mostly saturated rats from dairy products and red meat and trans fatty acids from processed baked goods and junk food. Hunter- gatherer food contained a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, as from fish, but we eat very little of it. The Paleolithic Diet contained perhaps three times the amount of vitamins and minerals as our diet — and more than our recommended daily allowances. Hunter-gatherers consumed a lot of potassium but little sodium. We consume eight times as much sodium and half as much potassium. Our diets are very different.

When we became farmers instead of hunter-gatherers, we started consuming large amounts of grain, milk and domesticated meat. Most of the diseases associated with this diet are diseases of later life. Since they afflict us after we’ve passed our genes to our children, they were never eliminated by natural selection.

Further changes in our diet came with the Industrial Revolution, when we started routinely refining whole grains, thereby removing much of their nutrition value. That’s also when we started refining sugar. The Industrial Revolution, said one nutritionist, created the greatest feeding experiment ever and nowhere more than in the United States.

The latest change came with the growth of fast food products and restaurants. Now we eat much more processed food than natural food.

But our genes are still adapted for natural food — game meat, fish, vegetables, fruits — and the vigorous efforts required to hunt, catch and collect it. No processed foods. No grain products. No dairy products. Not much saturated fat. Not much time off. No TV.

What do our genes think of our diet? They may have already told us. The current epidemic (as some call it) of obesity manifested itself shortly after the government started publishing food guidelines. Obesity is associated with heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Topic 4. There are many health factors that we can modify.
The genes we all carry are hunter-gatherer genes, not modern-age genes. They’re old-fashioned, not well adapted to fast processed food or even to the grains, beef and dairy products of an agricultural-age diet. They disapprove of our sedentary lifestyle. What should we be doing to earn their approval and live healthier lives?

The common diseases of adult life and the aging process have lifestyle and environmental causes as well as genetic ones. Nutrigenomics can help you, after you’ve let it read your genes, but there are steps you can take to live a healthier life that apply to all of us. We are, after all, 99.9% similar to everyone else in genetic terms.

A. Your heart and circulatory system would like you to refrain from cigarette smoking since that’s the number one risk factor in heart disease. Other risk factors are high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. These are all common genetic diseases of adult life like heart disease itself  Men are more disposed to heart disease than pre-menopausal women. The risk in women increases significantly after the protective effect of estrogen is lost. Increasing age is a risk factor. Half of all deaths in developed countries are believed to be caused by heart disease.

Vitamins and minerals that may help prevent the onset of heart disease and related conditions are:

B. Your immune system is your personal Defense Department. There is an ages-old arms race between foreign invaders like bacteria adopting new disguises to infiltrate your self-land unnoticed, and your intelligence agents creating new profiles to recognize the invaders and arrest them. If your defense program is not well balanced and supported by fresh resources and a range of nutritional weaponry, it will lower its guard. If lacking sleep or undernourished, it may overreact to relatively innocent visitors and treat them as enemy allergies. It may even confuse your own agents with enemy agents of similar appearance and name — thinking Andy is short for Andropov, for example — and accuse them of being moles and eliminate them. This type of autoimmune response can cause you so much pain, you will think you have rheumatoid arthritis.

To support your immune system, feed it

Arginine, Carotenes, Cobalamin, NAC, Pantothenic acid, Pyridoxine, Selenium, Vitamins A, C, and E and also Zinc

and get plenty of exercise — the immune system relies on your muscles and activity to circulate the lymph that disposes of cell waste.  A healthy skin is also important since that is the first line of defense.  Stress, on the other hand, seems to impair the immune system.  Your immunity will be better if you are less stressed.

C. The detoxification of your body is performed by every cell, but your liver is your toxic dumpster and also your own personal Environmental Protection Agency.  To maintain balance and support your local superfund, feed the liver

Carotenes, Glutathione, NAC, Liponic acid, Selenium, Vitamins A, C, and E and, in a particularly toxic environment, Silymarin and Zinc.

D. Oxidative stress is the result of the normal activity of cells converting food to energy that they need to fulfill their biochemical functions.  The principal stress busters (antioxidants) that neutralize the stress agents (free radicals) are the water-soluble Vitamin C for the blood, the fat-soluble Vitamin E for cell membranes and the blood fats and Glutathione for the cell interiors.

Combat oxidative stress by taking the following nutrients:

Topic 5. With genetic information we can personalize our nutritional program.
Geneticists are discovering more about us every day. Not too long ago they discovered a gene that makes a protein that takes triglycerides circulating in the blood after eating and breaks them down into fatty acids so that they can be absorbed by the muscle and burned as fuel rather than stored as fat. Another gene makes another protein that absorbs blood sugar into the muscle for fuel instead of being absorbed as fat.

Nice genes. Wouldn’t you like to have some?

You do – trillions of them, a pair of each for every cell. They’ve been hanging out in the human genome for untold thousands of years. But they don’t just sit there all day making proteins. In fact, they don’t do anything unless they’re asked. And who asks them`? You do — by exercising. The genes start making their proteins shortly after you become physically active. They stop after about 24 hours of (your) inactivity.

The promise of nutrigenomics (a subdiscipline of genetics) is that the more we know about our genes, the more targeted will be our efforts to improve our health through nutrition. Nutrigenomics takes what we know about health in general, applies knowledge of your particular genes and comes out with a personal nutritional plan tailored to you.

Let’s take an example. There’s a particular gene that makes a protein given the acronym M-SOD that eliminates oxidative stress in a particular type of cell. Or at least that’s what is supposed to happen. But there’s a common variation of the gene — a SNP, which we alluded to in Topic 2, that is described in technical terms in the box below. The variation produces a deformed version of the M-SOD protein that can’t do its job.

Fifty percent of the population – every other person – carries the variation.

But remember we have two copies of this gene, our mother’s and our father’s, and one good M- SOD can do the job by itself. So no problem. Right?  Not for 11% of the population, one of every nine persons. Both copies of the gene they inherited are the variation. Without the ability to create functioning M-SOD proteins, the normal detoxification process that uses M-SOD to remove free radicals and reduce oxidative stress hardly works at all.

That’s where nutrigenomics springs to the rescue. Once we know that you (or I) lack even one copy of the gene that can produce good M-SOD, we may be able to compensate with nutritional supplements to help the cells get rid of the free radical stressors without M-SOD.

That’s the promise of the science of nutrigenomics: To identify common disorders that (1) are associated with genetic processes and (2) are subject to treatment with nutritional formulations and perhaps also lifestyle and environmental changes.

Stay tuned.

Biochemical Individuality by Roger J. Williams (Keats Publishing, 1956)

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vitamins and Minerals by Alan H. Pressman and Sheila Buff (Alpha Books, 2nd ed. 2000)

The New York Times Book of Genetics edited by Nicholas Wade (Lyons Press, 2002)

Genome: The Autobiography of’ a Species in 23 Chapters by Matt Ridley (HarperColtins, 2000)

Glutathione: The Ultimate Antioxidant by Alan H. Pressman with Sheila Buff (St. Martin’s Press, 1997)

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond (W.W. Norton, 1999)

Neanderthin: Eat Like a Caveman to Achieve a Lean, Strong, Healthy Body by Ray Audette with Troy Gilchrist (St. Martin’s Press, 1999)

Near a Thousand Tables: The History of’ Food by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto (Free Press, 2002)

The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Food You Were Designed to Eat by Loren Cordain (John Wiley, 2002)

* 16 oz green beans
* 1cup chopped celery
* 1 zucchini, sliced
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 cup tomato juice
* 1 cup spring water
* 2 Tbsp raw honey
* 1 tsp paprika
* 1 cup chicken broth
* pepper to taste

Combine ingredients and simmer for one hour until vegetables are tender.

Reversing Kidney Failure
In one remarkable study, Agaricus bisporus extract was given to terminal kidney failure patients who had not responded to any other therapy. For them, death was imminent. For the majority of the patients, the mushroom extract dramatically reduced the creatinine levels in their blood (a measure of the progress of kidney failure), thereby literally extending their lives.

Many factors weaken and damage the kidneys, especially the long term stress of chronic illness. Other common kidney-depleting factors are physical and emotional stress, taking medical drugs on a regular basis (especially antibiotics, pain killers and high blood pressure medication), using street drugs such as marijuana, and eating a poor diet including too much red meat, coffee, fried foods, chips, white sugar, hydrogenated oils, soft drinks, foods with aspartame and other toxic food additives. This mighty little mushroom, agaricus, can help to turn back all this damage by strengthening the kidneys.

Stinky Toxins In Your Bowels
More than 100 trillion bacteria exist in the intestines. Certain bacteria, such as E. coli, decompose protein and fat from your diet, releasing foul-smelling breakdown products in your intestines. These putrid chemicals, such as ammonia, indoles, skatoles, triptamine, mercaptan, hydrogen sulfide, and amines, can be absorbed through the bowel lining into your blood. Once in the blood, these harmful chemicals can go all over the body and cause distress. They can travel to your brain and create depression, foggy thinking, anxiety or poor memory. They can create chronic fatigue, kidney stress, aching joints, saggy skin, liver stagnation, rapid aging and much more.

Agaricus can dramatically purify the blood. Research shows that it can radically reduce or completely eliminate putrid chemicals in the blood. In one study, animals were fed a large amount of amino acids. After the animals were given agaricus, two major waste products from amino acid breakdown (indoleacetic acid and tryptamine) were completely eliminated from the blood. Agaricus was able to detoxify the putrid by-products in the bowel so that they were not absorbed into the blood. By clearing toxic bowel chemicals, agaricus supports clean, healthy intestines.

In a study with elderly patients, agaricus extract reduced blood levels of ammonia (a toxic waste product) by 52% in just 30 days (from an average of 93 ug/dl to 45 ug/dl.). This means a reduced burden on the kidneys and liver which must continually detoxify these foul chemicals.

Constipation and Body Odor
If you have constipation (lack of a complete bowel elimination every day), you are most likely absorbing toxic bowel wastes into your blood. Do you have foul-smelling bowel eliminations? If so, you may have a toxic bowel, clogged with old waste products not being properly eliminated. Agaricus was effective in significantly reducing offensive bowel odors in only 30 days.

Foul mouth and body odors are caused mainly from putrid by- products of protein in the intestines that are absorbed into the blood and then circulated throughout the body. Over time, these toxic chemicals can lead to reduced kidney function and later, chronic disease. Those with chronic disease commonly have “filthy blood,” blood which is full of toxic waste products. To effectively clear toxic body waste, Agaricus bisporus is a proven super detoxifier.

In one study, agaricus extract was given to elderly patients with chronic loose stools or diarrhea. In just 30 days, 100% of them improved. Their stools became more shaped or completely normal and the foul fecal odor was reduced. The majority of them also gained improvement in their digestion. In another study with college students, agaricus extract was 92% effective in alleviating offensive mouth odors.

Super Allergy Fighter
Agaricus extract may be one of the most powerful anti-allergy substances ever discovered. Research has shown agaricus extract works better than cortisone (a steroid drug) to reduce leucotrienes, allergic substances generated during the onset of asthma. Agaricus cleared 4 different types of leucotrienes by 82% (on average), while hydrocortisone averaged only 69%.

The Return of Kidney Power
Taking agaricus extract can return power to your kidneys. This can mean dramatic help to overcome chronic disease and get well. This extract contains unique phytonutrients known to powerfully boost kidney and liver function, clear putrid chemicals from the blood, help reduce high cholesterol, lower blood pressure, help clear allergies, regulate the bowels and bolster immunity against viruses. It also contains high quality protein, 6.5 times more protein than milk. Agaricus is a powerful, multi-talented super-nutrient — badly needed in this toxic century.

Cordyceps
The Super Kidney And Lung Tonic

Gaining The Athletic Edge
This amazing mushroom extract has made international sports news. After regular consumption of cordyceps, a team of Chinese women runners shattered 9 world records, breaking the record for the 10,000 meter run by an unprecedented 42 seconds (Chinese National Games, 1993). In another example, a Boston marathon runner who had been taking cordyceps, cut an unbelievable 25 minutes off his time and placed in the top ten winners.

Premier Kidney and Lung Tonic
The use of cordyceps dates back to ancient China as a famous kidney and lung tonic. It was used to rebuild the body after long term illness. Excellent clinical results in recent times have been reported for those with weakened kidneys, even those in chronic kidney failure.

Research has shown it can increase 17-hydroxy-corticosteroid and 17- ketosteroid levels, acting like a nontoxic super-cortisone. Other kidney- re-lated problems (according to Chinese Medicine) which the mushroom extract can help overcome are chronic fatigue, back and joint pain, tinnitis (ringing ears), anemia, and many types of sexual problems such as impotence (which is classically related to deficient “chi” of the kidney).

The mushroom has a sterling reputation in helping to overcome chronic lung problems, such as asthma and persistent coughs, due to its ability to relax the bronchial passages and improve respiration.

Natural Anti-Cancer Agent
Cordyceps is a well-known anti-cancer, anti-tumor and anti-enfective agent. The extract has been shown to significantly boost depressed immune function (it boosts both B and T-cells).

It has shown outstanding results with lung cancer and lymphoma patients. Fascinating research shows that the mushroom has no effect outside the body, such as in a test tube. Instead, it works only inside the body by upregulating the body’s immune system to overcome disease.

Building Super Blood And Brain Relief
Cordyceps is a premier blood builder. Studies show it can clear anemia due to its ability to build bone marrow and platelet counts. It has also significantly helped normalize arrhythmia (irregular heart beats) and improved blood flow to the heart.

Even chronic hepatitis B patients found the extract increased their blood albumin levels as well as improving their liver and protein metabolism. Other human trials show that cordyceps can also lower high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Cordyceps is a natural tranquilizer, having an inherent sedative action due to its amino acids, glutamic acid, tyrosine and L-tryptophan. Cordyceps also has an excellent potential to fight depression since it naturally inhibits monoamine oxidase in the brain without side effects.

Consumer Alert
The best cordyceps is low-temperature extracted from mycelia which have been specially fermented, not just whole mushroom powder.

References
Shiigai, T. Dietary treatment of Renal Failure, 2nd Edition, Tokyo lgakusha Press, 1996.

Stamets, P., “Cordyceps Sinensis,” in Mycomedicinals, MycoMedia: Olympia, WA, 1998, p. 22-23.

For the majority of people, allergies begin in infancy or childhood. Parents raising an allergic child are faced with the difficulty of handling a child who can turn from delightful to cranky and teary-eyed in the blink of an eye. Add a runny nose, sneezing, itchy skin, and a rash, and you get a not-quite-so-pleasant picture.

All parents want their children to be happy and healthy. During times of impaired health, parental support is more important than ever to accomplish such goals. When children are suffering from allergies, not only are they physically ill, but they are probably angry and upset about it. After all, if life is fair, why can’t Susie or Jimmy: play in the grass and not break out in hives? Coping with your child’s allergies isn’t going to be easy, but there are enough treatment options to make it less difficult. Understanding the roots of allergies and why they affect your child in particular ways is a major step toward helping your child live comfortably with the condition. Since allergies affect infants and children in different ways than they affect adults, this chapter will offer solutions that are tailored exclusively for them. After reading this chapter you will feel more confident about having the necessary tools to help your child play, sleep, and generally spend the day more comfortably. There is no cure for allergies, but there are ways to make the symptoms almost disappear.

EXPLORING THE ROOTS OF JUVENILE ALLERGIES

Allergic disorders have the dubious distinction of ranking first among children’s chronic diseases. Allergies start early. Infants often develop allergic reactions to milk that result in bloody diarrhea, weight loss, and other symptoms. Cradle cap -the scaling of the skin on an infant’s scalp- is a form of allergy, often referred to as atopic dermatitis. Sniffles, coughs, and diaper rashes can all be caused by allergies.

Children have immune systems that are still developing and that are much more sensitive to illness and less effective than adult systems in fighting it off. Their skin is also more fragile than that of adults. It is important to recognize and treat the symptoms of allergy in order to minimize the damage from repeated assaults on the immune system and other body functions.

Although some of the following symptoms may have a variety of causes, your child may suffer from allergies if you notice:

• itchy, watery eyes
• dark circles under the eyes that resemble “shiners” • recurrent sinus or ear infections
• watery, clear nasal discharge
• breathing from the mouth and frequent clearing of the throat
• rashes on the skin, hives, eczema
• a chronic cough, wheezing, and/or chest congestion
• diarrhea, bloating, gas; nausea, vomiting
• symptoms that recur seasonally
• hyperactive behavior, temper tantrums, irritability

There are many types of allergies, and we are going to touch on the most common in this chapter. We suggest that you also read chapter l, “Introduction to Asthma, Allergies, and Food Sensitivities,” for a more comprehensive view of what allergies are about, as well as the chapters on juvenile asthma; food allergies; skin allergies and eczema; and hay fever and allergic rhinitis. The topic of allergies is very complex and requires a broad range of theories and factors to fully explain or explore it. What we have done in this chapter is to condense the vast amount of research, theory, and clinical insights on allergy as it applies particularly to infants and children and their unique treatment needs.

MILK ALLERGY AND LACTOSE INTOLERANCE

Milk is a common allergen in children and in infants. Symptoms are severe in infants, often taking the form of diarrhea, rashes, asthma, and a variety of infections worrisome enough to give parents some sleepless nights. Since milk allergies in infants are a serious problem, a physician should be consulted at once. A number of factors contribute to an infant’s developing an allergy to milk. They include: heredity; introduction to solid foods too early; and being fed cow’s milk rather than breast milk, which may prevent the infant from developing the necessary antibodies.

Sometimes what is thought to be a milk allergy is actually lactose intolerance, which can be determined by many tests. One test measures the pH level in a fresh stool sample to determine whether or not glucose is present and the stool is acidic. An acidic stool is an indicator of lactose intolerance.

For further information about lactose intolerance, refer to the chapter on food sensitivities in this book.

SKIN ALLERGIES

Skin rashes and irritations have a variety of causes. Ironically, some medications that are supposed to cure us-such as penicillin, sulfur, insulin, and antibiotics-may actually cause hives, the itchy, raised bumps that may appear suddenly and just as suddenly disappear. Other causes for this reaction may be allergens, such as food additives or foods, including berries, nuts, and chocolate, among others. Hives may also appear after exposure to certain plants, insect bites, pollen, injections, changes in temperature, and chemicals. In acute cases, hives may result in severe allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis, which can interfere with breathing or swallowing. Get emergency help immediately.

ALLERGIC RHINITIS AND HAY FEVER

Children suffering from allergic rhinitis or hay fever tend to develop a recognizable look; that is, they tend to have dark circles around their eyes; and, because they wipe their noses often and vigorously, there may be a crease between the tip and bridge of the nose. You’ll notice sneezing and sometimes a buck-toothed expression that comes from prying open their mouths with their fingers in order to breathe more easily.

There are two main inhalant allergies that could be making your child miserable. Allergic rhinitis can be seasonal (occurring in the spring and fall), due to exposure to pollens, grasses, or weeds; hay fever is caused by seasonal pollens such as the infamous ragweed plant. On the other hand, perennial allergic rhinitis occurs with exposure to indoor allergens such as pet dander, dust mites, and other offenders. These two allergies spring from different causes, but they are equally annoying.

Allergies should never be ignored in the hope that they will go away. Allergy symptoms such as mouth breathing have serious long-term implications. The continuous air pressure it causes can change the way that the soft bones of your child’s face grow, abnormally elongating the face and forcing the teeth to come in at incorrect angles. This will create dental problems, such as an overbite, and your child may need braces as a result. Chronic dental problems such as tooth decay are another side effect of untreated allergies. Ear infections that are chronic and untreated can lead to hearing loss, which can lead to poor grades, loss of confidence, and poor speech. Toddlers and small children with runny noses often stuff their noses with tissues, which can result in a discharge from the affected nostril. Untreated allergies can interfere with normal childhood activities and leave your child feeling a bit like a wallflower. These are just some of the reasons why it is so important to take your child to a physician or allergist as soon as allergies are suspected.

FOOD ALLERGY

You can’t fool Mother Nature, especially when it comes to feeding your newborn infant; mother’s milk is the perfect food for a newborn infant, and in the interest of protecting your child from allergies it is advisable to breast-feed for the first year if possible. Mothers who are breast-feeding should avoid foods that are likely to cause allergic reactions. Try not to eat milk, eggs, peanuts, fish, citrus fruits, wheat, beef, and chicken — or any food to which your other children may be allergic, since your infant may have the same allergies. As the infant grows, it is best to feed him foods such as carrots, pears, rice, and lamb, for example, that generally don’t cause allergic reactions in adults. Avoid foods -particularly wheat, eggs, corn products, citrus fruits, sugar, and chocolate- which are known to cause allergic reactions, until the infant’s system is more developed. Solid foods should be introduced slowly and in small quantities. Observe your child to see if there are any adverse reactions to foods as they are introduced into the diet. As the child becomes accustomed to a variety of foods that do not commonly cause allergies, foods such as wheat and eggs (after the child is about a year old) can be introduced.

Food allergies play a major role in childhood asthma and hay fever. Common allergens are milk, nuts, eggs, fish, shellfish, nuts, and peanuts, as well as food colorings. The sooner allergies are caught and treated, the better for your child’s general health and well-being. If you suspect allergies, take your child to a physician or allergist to be tested and treated. A severe reaction to a food allergen -peanuts, for example- can lead to anaphylactic shock, which is life threatening.

Infants and young children usually don’t miss the foods that they are allergic to, but older children who suffer from food allergies often feel deprived. The truth is that most people crave the foods they’re allergic to, and kids are no different. Try to make the new diet as much fun as possible, and offer substitute foods that taste good. Eventually your children will learn to love the foods that are good for them and will lose their taste for the food that they cannot tolerate. When you first withdraw problem foods, however, there will be a difficult period of physical and mental withdrawal that may include sulking and temper tantrums. Explain to your children that they will feel better and be able to play longer and harder if they stick to the foods you are giving them. Once they begin to feel healthier and their allergy symptoms are reduced, the children will realize that you are telling the truth. And after all, no one wants to return to a stuffy nose, headache, and other allergy symptoms.

Traditional Treatments

If you suspect that your child may suffer from allergies, go either to your primary health care provider or to a physician whose specialty is juvenile allergies. Once you have identified the offending allergens, you can take measures to remove or eliminate them from your child’s environment or diet. Skin testing for allergies is preferable to blood tests – although, in the case of food allergies, it is possible to have a positive test to food that is not causing symptoms. Changes in diet should not be based on skin tests alone, but on a combination of tests and other evaluations. If a skin test for food allergies is positive, the next diagnostic step should be a double-blind challenge to make sure that the diagnosis is correct. Many health care providers, both traditional and alternative, will prescribe some form of the elimination diet to test for food allergies. See chapter 6 for a detailed discussion of the elimination diet.

If environmental factors, such as dust mites, mold, or pet dander, are a problem, you should make sure that your child’s teacher and school nurse are aware of the situation. Some environmental allergies are easier to control than others. You simply take small and common-sense measures, such as having your child sit away from the blackboard if there is a sensitivity to chalk dust, or having your child take a bath before bedtime to avoid bringing allergens into bed. At home, you can remove feathers, down, carpets, heavy drapes, pets, and even stuffed animals from your child’s bedroom, since these are favored haunts of the dust mite.  Clean and vacuum closets regularly, disinfect your bathroom, and keep your home well ventilated in order to make it less hospitable to mold. Additional measures that you can take to rid your child’s environment of allergens are outlined in chapter 3, on juvenile asthma, of this book.

Medications

In the allopathic medical tradition, your child’s allergy symptoms will be treated with various medications. Children are somewhat more limited here than adults, since adult allergy medications are not suitable for use by children. However, there are certainly enough medications available, prescription and nonprescription, to treat symptoms such as chest congestion, skin rashes, hives, runny noses, and watery eyes. When taking any medication, your child should always be observed closely to see if an unusual reaction occurs. Nasal sprays can be addicting and are often overused, which results in a “rebound” effect that clogs the nose and puts you right back where you started. If your child uses a medicated nasal spray, you might buy a bottle of saline nasal mist for occasional use to soothe the delicate nasal membranes, which can get irritated from the overuse of nasal sprays and decongestants.

Following is a list of the most commonly used medications for children:

Corticosteroid Nasal Sprays Prescribed for children (age six or older) to reduce inflammation in the nasal passages caused by hay fever and allergic rhinitis, corticosteroid nasal sprays work to relieve the symptoms of congestion, sneezing, runny nose and itching. Beclomethasone products (Vancenase and Beconase AQ) are the only nasal sprays approved for children as young as six years of age. They can also be used by adults

Nasal Corticosteroids Not to be confused with anabolic steroids, the drugs used by some athletes to build muscle and bulls, nasal corticosteroids have been found to be safe and effective, although some patients do experience side effects, such as sneezing, irritation of the nose, dryness, and nosebleeds. In the case of hives that do not respond to treatment with antihistamines, many physicians will prescribe corticosteroid drugs to be used in conjunction with the antihistamines.

Antihistamines Antihistamines work to reduce the action of histamines, which are produced when your child inhales pollen, dust, mold, or other inhalants. They are most effective in treating such allergy symptoms as itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and other symptoms of hay fever and allergic rhinitis. Nonprescription antihistamines can have unpleasant side effects, however, such as drowsiness, dizziness, and dry mouth. If your child is using antihistamines, you should notify the child’s teacher and ask to be contacted if your child has trouble concentrating or participating in school activities. Non-sedating antihistamines are available by prescription for children age twelve and older, and they can be a good alternative medication for older children who wish to avoid the side effects of over-the-counter antihistamines.

Cromolyn Sodium Nasal Sprays A cromolyn sodium nasal spray, such as Nasalcrom®, is often used to prevent nasal inflammation that results in congestion. Although side effects are very rare, some people experience side effects that include sneezing, a burning sensation in the nose, nasal irritation, and headache. If your child shows any of these symptoms while using the spray, stop using it at once.

Hydrocortisone Applied topically for its anti-inflammatory qualities, hydrocortisone is used to treat skin allergies such as eczema

Decongestants Taken by, mouth or applied locally through nasal sprays or drops, decongestants are often prescribed to eliminate the nasal congestion caused by allergies.

lmmunotherapy (Allergy Shots) This process of allergy injection is a long-term commitment not generally advised for most people. If you feel that your child’s allergy symptoms cannot be controlled by changes in the environment or medication, then this might be a last-resort option. Refer to the discussion of immunotherapy in the adult asthma chapter for more details.

Alternative Treatments

Selecting alternative treatments for your child’s allergies is a difficult task. You want to do the best thing for your child, and you’re pulled in many directions. The allopathic medical world will tell you that without proper treatment and medication -cortisone, antihistamines, and decongestants- your child’s allergies will not only fail to get better but they will eventually get worse. On the other hand the natural, chemical-free appeal of alternative remedies may seem like a “kinder, gentler” approach. What should you do?

First and foremost, your child should see an allopathic physician for the initial allergy treatment. There are many reasons for this recommendation, not least of which is the necessity of diagnosing the presence of life-threatening allergic reactions known as anaphylactic shock. Once you have a prescribed (medically approved) diagnosis and treatment plan in hand, you may begin to discuss alternative options with your primary health care provider. Your pediatrician or allergist can help you choose treatments that will not react or interfere with the basic therapies he or she is administering. Most people don’t realize it, but even the seemingly benign practice of adding vitamins to your diet can interfere with prescribed medications or other medical treatment. However, you probably will find a way to integrate natural and allopathic treatments if you and your doctor work together toward that goal. Having witnessed the long-term futility of over-prescribing antibiotics and other medications for colds and infections, more and more allopathic health care providers are open to discussing natural therapies in an overall allergy treatment plan.

Herbal Treatments

Herbs can be used to relieve various conditions – for instance, nasal congestion, nausea, and diarrhea – stemming from food allergies; they can also ease the itch and irritation resulting from hives and other skin allergies. Children need to take special precautions when being treated with herbs because their other organs and skin are more fragile than adults’, and remedies must be tailored to their special needs. Following are some general guidelines:

Ginger * Ginger is a warm herb that has been used as a tonic for centuries. It can safely reduce the symptoms of food allergy, such as indigestion, nausea, and gas. To make the perfect cup of ginger tea, put cold tap water into a kettle and bring it to a boil. Measure one teaspoon of commercially prepared dried ginger root into one cup of water, let steep for five minutes, and then strain into a mug. Serve several times a day or until symptoms are relieved.

*Ginger is not recommended for use by children under three years of age

Calendula (Pot Marigold) Often sold in creams for external use on skin allergies such as eczema, Calendula (also known as pot marigold) has anti-inflammatory effects.

Comfrey Comfrey can be used in salve form to cover skin inflammations such as eczema. You can find Comfrey salves ready-made in health food stores.

Burdock The leaves, roots, and seeds of the burdock are used for various treatments, including topical applications that heal skin eruptions, psoriasis, and eczema.

Diet and Nutrition

Alternative health care providers believe that the causes of systemic allergies almost always result from the diet. Allergies may be linked to pollens and other allergens in the environment, but they would never develop if foods that offend the immune system were not eaten. In other words, the problem dates back to the initial feeding process, usually with the introduction of cow’s milk, formula, and solid foods before the digestive system has matured. Food allergens are thus introduced into fragile systems that are simply not equipped to handle these substances, and allergic reactions may develop in response.

Alternative health care providers base their treatment of allergies on their suspicion of food allergy as the underlying cause. Given this basic premise, the alternative practitioner diagnoses and treats juvenile allergies with special diets, nutritional and vitamin supplements, and herbs. An elimination diet is based on foods not likely to cause an allergic reaction in the child (see the discussion of food allergies in chapter 6 for step-by-step instructions). As toxins are removed from the child’s system by adherence to this diet, additional foods are reintroduced after a week or more. If an allergic reaction occurs, the new food is quickly withdrawn.

An alternative health care provider may also prescribe a rotation, or “rotary,” diet (see chapter 6 for details) to treat food allergies. The theory behind such a diet is that lessening exposure to known allergies will prevent new allergies from forming. Foods that are tolerated are eaten once every four to seven days, giving the body time to clear out antibodies that may create symptoms. Foods that have been eliminated for a period of time can gradually be reintroduced. This diet involves a great deal of planning, and you may even require a nutritionist to help design it. Although once a rotation pattern has been established, it becomes easier to plan a menu around the diet, it does take time and effort to make it work. Additional dietary measures may be necessary to clear up skin allergies, and the consumption of essential fatty acids found in salmon, tuna, and other fatty fish are often recommended.

Homeopathy

Most homeopathic physicians will recommend finding the source of an allergy and then avoiding it or removing it until symptoms clear up. However, there are times when they will provide custom remedies to combat the symptoms and treat the underlying systemic imbalances. A homeopath who mixes a combination remedy to relieve a broad range of symptoms – sneezing, headaches, watery eyes – assumes that the body will assimilate what it needs to heal and reject what it doesn’t. Because homeopaths treat each case as unique, remedies are usually based on extensive evaluation of factors such as symptoms, lifestyle, stress levels, and environment. Standard formulas are not simply doled out as a matter of course, but rather are carefully concocted to treat individual needs.

Some typical homeopathic allergy remedies that may be given to children include the following:

• Pulsitilla: used for treating allergies and ear infections when the child is tearful and upset

• Sabadilla: a common remedy for symptoms of allergic rhinitis and hay fever, such as runny nose, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes

• Wyethia: used to treat a runny nose, and dryness in the throat and nasal passages

• Arsenicum album: used to treat allergic symptoms such as a runny nose, headaches, and coughing as well as asthma

• Chamomila: used to calm irritable, fussy children

• Apis: demonstrating quite clearly that what can kill you can also cure you, this remedy contains a substance derived from bee venom – effective on very itchy hives worsened by exposure to warmth or changes in the weather

• Anacardium: used for symptoms such as blisters filled with yellow fluid

TREATMENTS FOR JUVENILE ALLERGIES

Combined Treatments

As we have mentioned, juvenile allergies should always be treated by a medical doctor. There is no question that allopathic treatment plays a vital role in treating allergies, particularly in severe and acute cases. First, allergies must be identified through medical tests. Then, it is best to avoid or eliminate allergens from your child’s environment and life. After those two vital steps have been taken, however, alternative therapies can be implemented to assist in healing.

The best way to treat allergies in the first place is to begin a program of allergy prevention in the infant’s early years. When pregnant, try to avoid eating large amounts of foods that can be passed on to the child as allergens, such as chocolate or peanuts. Breast-feed your baby to boost the fragile immune system, which is so susceptible to allergens. Don’t introduce solid foods into the diet before your infant is mature enough for them.

Your child’s allopathic program can include prescription or nonprescription medication to relieve symptoms, avoidance of the allergen and, if everything else has failed, allergy shots. You can turn to alternative medicine to complement such treatments. For example, your child may have been using a nonprescription nasal spray to relieve congestion. In order to avoid the “rebound” effect that is caused by overuse and over-sensitivity to the medication itself, you might want to alternate it with use of an herbal tea suited for relieving congestion.

Here are some other suggestions for adding allopathic or alternative therapies to your child’s treatment program:

• In place of hydrocortisone, which can thin the skin if overused, use herbal skin creams such as comfrey, burdock, and marigold for external treatment of skin irritations.

• To complement an allopathic treatment program, meet with a homeopath to discuss homeopathic remedies for treating allergy symptoms such as runny noses and itching.

• Work with a nutritionist to design a healthy, allergen-free diet for your child.

• Use bodywork to relieve your child’s allergic symptoms and reduce the stress of living with allergies.

• Alternate commercially prepared herbal teas with antacids to relieve upset stomach and gas that accompany food allergies. For allergies such as hay fever, consider using homeopathic nasal sprays (such as Similasan Nasal Spray) sold in health-food stores as an alternative to chemical sprays, thus avoiding the “rebound” effect.

• Supplement your child’s diet with nutritional supplements, such as evening primrose capsules, to treat skin allergies. Good nutrition is a firm foundation for any medical plan.

• Learn more about alternative therapies that may be beneficial for your child. If one treatment does not work, don’t be afraid to explore related options. For example, if you take your child for an acupressure massage and your child doesn’t like it, you might try a Swedish massage the next time, or ask the practitioner to recommend another type of bodywork that will suit your child’s needs.

• Enjoy learning more about health care and make it fun for your child too. A good attitude is an essential part of any medical program, so don’t let anxiety about your child’s condition rub off on your child. Smile.

Note: The information on this website is not a substitute for diagnosis and treatment by a qualified healthcare provider.

Note: The information on this website is  not a substitute  for the advice of  & treatment by a qualified professional.

Chapter Five
Part 1: Diagnosis

Treating Depression with St. John’s Wort (Hypericum Perforatum)

In a 4-week treatment study, 900 mg. of hypericum [daily] was associated with a significant reduction in the total score of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Overall, hypericum was well tolerated and therefore the data suggest that pharmacological treatment with hypericum may be an efficient therapy in patients with SAD [seasonal affective disorder].

Pharmacopsychiatry Journal
September 30, 1997

The American Psychiatric Association estimates that about one in four women and one in 10 men will experience a significant depression in their lifetime. In fact, in any given year in the United States, an estimated 18 million people suffer from depression and over half of them never receive treatment. Among those people who are most seriously depressed, more than 30,000 will take their own lives. Depression the most common of mental illnesses and a serious medical condition that takes an enormous toll on personal and professional lives is notoriously underdiagnosed and undertreated. One reason for this is the social stigma still attached to mental illness. Another equally insidious reason is the fact that depression simply goes unrecognized. In an increasingly chaotic, fragmented, and high-stress world, many of the symptoms of depression masquerade as “normal” conditions. Recognizing depression, therefore, is the first step toward treatment.

Recognizing Depression

All of us have times in our lives when we feel sad, confused, anxious, angry, lonely, and lost. These are normal reactions to the grief and madness contemporary life throws our way. Death, illness, loss, betrayal, separation, poverty, aging, violence  are just some of the things that suddenly can turn our lives upside down. Faced with any of these challenges, it is natural for us to turn away from the world for a while, take time to regather our strength and our spirit, and then learn how to carry on for another day. Slowly we begin to enjoy life anew, to take pleasure in our families and friends, and to look forward to the future.

When we cannot shake off life’s indignities, when day after day rolls by wrapped in a dark cloud, when seemingly nothing brings us pleasure or solace, we have moved from simple sadness and grief to the state of depression. And we need help.

Defining Depression

Depression is a serious medical illness. Most medical practitioners define it as a mental state characterized by an inability to derive any pleasure or happiness from the simple things in life; like spouses and lovers, children, friends, sex, food, work, music, nature. And while it’s normal to have a day or two when nothing makes us happy, the inability to enjoy life for a prolonged period of time is not normal. It is a red flag that something has gone terribly wrong inside us.

Still, we often excuse or ignore this key marker for depression because it may masquerade as one or more of a constellation of symptoms, many of which we accept as normal in our hectic world: no appetite, no energy, no interest in anyone or anything; sadness, sleep difficulties, confused and foggy thinking, anger and irritability; vague aches and pains that never go away; seeking solace in drugs, alcohol, and sex; and at the darkest end of the spectrum, recurrent thoughts of death and suicide. These are all recognized medical symptoms of depression.

As for what causes depression to begin with, most research seems to indicate that the causes are a complex blend of psychosocial influences (what happens to us and what we learn as children and adults), biochemical responses (how our bodies and brains respond to what happens in our lives), and genetic predisposition (whether depression runs in our families). The fact that there may not be any one cause or reason for depression can make diagnosis and treatment difficult and long-term.

For some of us, the symptoms of depression begin as natural reactions to a life-changing event or unpleasant incident. But instead of going away with time, they become ingrained in the very fabric of who we are and how we view the world. For others of us, living with these symptoms is a lifelong challenge that may start as early as childhood. The number of symptoms we have, how intensely we experience them, and how long they have lasted all determine a diagnosis of depression.

Diagnosing Depression

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have issued guidelines for diagnosing depression also called mood disorder or clinical depression and among the major symptoms they list are:

• feeling sad or depressed for most of the day
• loss of appetite, overeating, or other eating disorders, including sudden weight loss or weight gain
• feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or hopelessness
• sleep difficulties, including insomnia, inability to stay asleep through the night, or oversleeping
• inability to concentrate, slowness in thought, loss of energy, general fatigue
• loss of interest or pleasure in everyday activities
• vague or chronic body aches and pains that appear to have no physical origin and don’t respond to standard treatment
• irritability and agitation
• recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or attempted suicide

Furthermore, there are four basic types of depression, each one distinguished from the other by the nature and number of the above symptoms that are present, the severity or intensity of those symptoms, and how long they have been present.

The four major types of depression are: major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, bipolar disorder (manic-depression), and cyclothymic disorder. Let’s look briefly at each one.

Major Depressive Disorder. According to the APA and NIH diagnostic guidelines, a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (major depression) should be considered and a thorough medical evaluation conducted if a person has four or more of the above symptoms nearly every day for more than two weeks, or to such a degree that they significantly affect family, work, and other areas of the person’s life. Additionally, one of the symptoms experienced must be either sadness or depression for most of the day, or loss of interest/pleasure in everyday activities.

Major depressive disorder is the most commonly diagnosed depression and is characterized as either mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the number and intensity of the symptoms. The majority of major depressive disorders fall into the mild-to-moderate range and 80 percent of these are fully treatable.

There are also several subgroups of major depressions, including the postpartum depression experienced by many women during the first weeks or months after childbirth, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the depression seasonally-triggered during autumn/winter that appears to be related to diminishing sunlight.

Dysthymic Disorder. With dysthymic depression, a person experiences a number of the classic symptoms of depression but at a much lower intensity than in a major depressive disorder. However, this “low-level” functioning form of depression is present almost all the time, every day, over a very long period of time a minimum of two years at least. In fact, many dysthymic depressions begin in childhood and continue throughout a person’s life. Later in life, they often progress to a major depression, and when that happens, a person is diagnosed with having “double depression.”

Bipolar Disorder. Also known as manic-depression, bipolar disorder is chiefly characterized by alternating periods of extreme emotional highs (mania) and severe emotional lows (major depression). Bipolar depression appears to have a clearly biochemical and/or genetic basis. It is a far less common type of depression, affecting only about one percent of the population, and it often requires lifelong medication lithium is usually the drug of choice as well as careful medical supervision.

Cyclothymic Disorder. Similar to dysthymic depression’s relationship to major depression, cyclothymic disorder is a milder form of bipolar disorder. A person with cyclothymic disorder also experiences alternating periods of emotional highs and lows, but at a far less intense level than in classic manic-depression. Also like dysthmymia, cyclothymic depressions may begin in childhood or young adulthood and frequently progress to bipolar disorders.

It’s important to note here that the extensive body of research confirming the effectiveness of St. John’s wort in treating depression has focused exclusively on treating mild-to-moderate forms of major depression, dysthmymic depression, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Before we discuss the use of St. John’s wort as an alternative treatment for those types of depression, we need to look at some of the conventional forms of treating depression.

Part 2: Treatment

Conventional Treatments for Depression

Conventional medicine traditionally has treated depression with psychotherapy, antidepressant drugs, or a combination of both. For many mild-to-moderate forms of depression, particularly those which are “reactive” in nature that is, those which arise in response to a life-changing event psychotherapy alone may be sufficient. When psychotherapy alone isn’t enough, a treatment plan combining therapy and antidepressant drugs is often the next best course. Far too frequently, however, antidepressant drugs are prescribed alone, often by a family physician, without the crucial backup of at least some initial psychotherapy. Since all depressions have both a psychosocial and a biochemical component, both modes of treatment are usually needed.

Let’s take a look at the psychotherapeutic approach first.

Using Psychotherapy to Treat Depression

Psychotherapy, or what is commonly called “talk” therapy, focuses on the verbal and emotional interaction between a trained therapist and a patient. Through mutual talking and listening, the patient and the therapist work together to help reframe the patient’s view of, and response to, the world. Patients are guided toward creating better coping mechanisms, finding workable solutions to their specific problems, and repairing or strengthening their personal relationships.

Three basic forms of psychotherapy are used to treat depression: cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, and interpersonal therapy.

Cognitive therapy focuses on helping patients change their negative or depressive views and thoughts about the world and about specific social situations.

Behavioral therapy focuses on helping patients transform negative or self-defeating behaviors into positive and self-affirming behaviors.

Interpersonal therapy focuses on helping patients improve their personal relationships.

Most psychotherapy for depression is short-term, lasting usually no more than 20 visits of one hour each, and improvement is usually felt in two to three months. When therapy sessions aren’t enough to ease the symptoms of depression, or when symptoms are more severe, antidepressant drugs are frequently prescribed as an adjunct to psychotherapy.

Using Antidepressant Drugs to Treat Depression

Antidepressant drugs have revolutionized the treatment of depression because they so effectively and dramatically relieve or stabilize many of the physical and emotional symptoms of depression. And when a depressed person is feeling better physically and emotionally, they are also better equipped to make the psychosocial changes necessary to alleviate their depression.

The symptoms of depression are in part caused by complex biochemical changes or imbalances in the brain’s chemistry. Biochemicals called neurotransmitters are responsible for harmoniously processing the billions of chemical “messages” that the brain transmits throughout the body from moment to moment. Many of these chemical messages concern emotions, memories, stress responses, general well-being, pleasure, and pain.

Three key neurotransmitters have been associated with the symptoms of depression. They are serotonin, which is associated with a general sense of well-being; dopamine, which is directly responsible for pleasurable feelings; and norepinephrine, which affects mental alertness and physical energy.

When these neurotransmitters are functioning well and are at optimal levels in the brain, we experience a sense of happiness, well-being, security, balance, clear-thinking, and boundless energy. But when the neurotransmitters malfunction, or their levels significantly drop or rise, our thoughts, emotions, sense of well-being, and even physical health are affected in turn.

Antidepressants are designed both to restore equilibrium to the neurotransmitter system and to act directly on the biochemicals responsible for feelings of depression, pleasure, and well-being.

Three major groups of antidepressants have been used over the last thirty years. They are the monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), the tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). All the antidepressants are slow-acting drugs and must be taken for several weeks before their effect is appreciably felt. Let’s take a look at how each class of antidepressant works in the brain.

MAOIs. This group of antidepressant drugs increases the levels of serotonin in the brain by suppressing (inhibiting) an enzyme called monoamine oxidase. Monoamine oxidase breaks down serotonin and thus decreases the quantity of serotonin available in the brain. Serotonin is a powerful neurotransmitter responsible for general feelings of physical and mental well-being and emotional stability. Normal levels of serotonin contribute to our feeling good, but low levels can cause anxiousness, anger and irritability, and a generally depressed feeling. By inhibiting the action of monoamine oxidase on serotonin, the MAOIs in effect raise serotonin levels and the pleasurable feelings that go along with them.

Examples of popular MAOIs are Nardil (phenelzine) and Parnate (tranylcypromine), both of which are quite effective in treating depression. But the MAOIs, like all prescription antidepressants, have bothersome and sometimes serious side effects and aren’t tolerated well by some individuals. The major drawback of the MAOIs, however, is how they interact with certain foods, beverages, and prescription and over-the-counter drugs that contain the enzyme tyramine. Examples of tyramine-containing substances include aged cheeses, red wines, soy sauce, salami, some cold medications and some antibiotics. When combined with any of the tyramine-containing substances, MAOIs can produce dangerous and potentially life-threatening reactions. These include a sudden rise in blood pressure, chest pain, nausea, and possible stroke. Because people taking MAOIs must avoid a significant number of foods, drinks, and medications, these antidepressants are now less frequently prescribed.

TCAs. The tricyclic antidepressants, named for the unique three-ring structure of their chemical composition, are a first-generation group of antidepressants that date back to the 1950s and which were very popular in the ’70s and ’80s. The TCAs work directly to increase the levels of the neurotransmitters epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine also called catecholamines. Norepinephrine and dopamine are critically involved in regulating both the central nervous system and the cardiovascular system.

Some well-known TCAs include Elavil (amitriptyline), Sinequan (doxepin), and imipramine (Tofranil, SK-Pramine) considered the “gold standard” of antidepressants and the one against which the effectiveness of other antidepressants, including St. John’s wort, have been tested. The TCAs are remarkably effective in treating depressions, particularly those that involve weight loss, depressed moods, and the inability to experience pleasure. But the TCAs also have been associated with some serious side effects, including sexual dysfunction, confusion, blurred vision, sluggishness, low blood pressure, rapid heart beat, and very rarely, seizures. Further, they are not recommended for people with cardiac and urinary tract problems, and this proviso excludes many older patients.

SSRIs. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the newest and most popular class of antidepressants. They block the natural reuptake (absorption) of serotonin into brain cells and thus keep the levels of circulating serotonin high. The SSRIs appear to be better tolerated than the other groups of antidepressants, though they can cause insomnia, jitteriness, impotence, dry mouth, and diarrhea. The SSRIs also must be used cautiously with older people or those with kidney or liver problems.

Two popular SSRIs are Prozac (fluoxetine) and Zoloft (sertraline), with Prozac by far the most popular and most prescribed of the two. It is also prescribed for obsessive-compulsive disorder and bulimia, particularly when they are associated with symptoms of depression.

Prozac appears to have somewhat less intense side effects than the other antidepressants, but it remains in the body for a long time after a person stops using it. Therefore, caution must be used when switching from Prozac to another serotonin-based antidepressant. And many people do in fact stop taking Prozac. It doesn’t work for all depressions, and some of its side effects are disturbing, including possible rapid weight loss and insomnia. These same people are often subsequently prescribed an MAOI, but the combination of the two antidepressants can cause a potentially fatal condition called serotonin syndrome. With serotonin syndrome, too much serotonin floods the body, causing agitation, tremors, muscle spasms, abrupt changes in blood pressure, and sometimes coma.

Drug manufacturers caution physicans and patients alike to wait at least five weeks after stopping Prozac before taking another serotonin-based antidepressant such as an MAOI. Alternatively, people stopping an MAOI should wait at least two weeks before taking Prozac.

All antidepressants were originally formulated to be taken on a short-term basis one year at the most and as an adjunct to psychotherapy. Many people, however, take antidepressants for much longer periods of time, even over the course of a lifetime. This is often not necessary for mild-to-moderate depressions. And as with all prescribed medications, long-term use of synthetic drugs also raises the spectre of increased and more serious side effects as people get older. Antidepressant drugs are expensive too, some costing from two to three hundred dollars a month for a daily regimen.

That’s why the news of a natural antidepressant like St. John’s wort has met with such enthusiasm and generated a wealth of research. It is comparable in effect to Prozac, perhaps more effective than imipramine, is far less expensive than prescription antidepressants, and has fewer and milder side effects. And as we will soon see, St. John’s wort has even more to offer in the treatment of depression. It may combine the best of all three classes of antidepressant drugs, while also targeting some of the physical causes of depression that prescription antidepressants do not.

Using St. John’s Wort to Treat Depression

As we mentioned in chapter one, St. John’s wort has been used medicinally in traditional Western herbal medicine for almost two thousand years. One of its primary uses for centuries has been as a nervine. In herbal medicine, the nervines are plant herbs that nourish and strengthen the nervous system and are used to treat sadness, stress, tension, insomnia, and anxiety, all of which are known symptoms of depression. The nervines also act as “tonics” in the body. That is, they not only treat specific conditions anxiety, for example but they simultaneously strengthen (“tone”) the body overall by nurturing and supporting the immune system.

While the use of St. John’s wort for all its applications fell out of favor for a time in English-speaking countries, it was frequently prescribed for its nervine properties in non-English-speaking countries, most notably Germany. There it soon became the most widely used medication for mild-to-moderate depression (prescribed by both conventional and alternative practitioners), outselling Prozac, for example, by nearly fifty percent.

With more than twenty million German people taking over sixty million doses of St. John’s wort daily, Germany led the way in pioneering research on the herb’s effectiveness compared to standard antidepressants, its safety and side effects during use, and the possible biochemical mechanisms by which it worked. Their conclusions indicated that compared to conventional antidepressants, St. John’s wort was equally effective in treating mild-to-moderate depression, remarkably safe, and significantly less costly. In other parts of the world, researchers, medical practitioners, and people living with depression (not to mention pharmaceutical manufacturers) began to take notice.

During the last twenty years, a wealth of research has been conducted investigating the antidepressant effects of hypericum (St. John’s wort) and many of its constituents both in vitro and in numerous animal studies and patient trials. To date, hypericum’s effectiveness has been studied in over 5,000 patients in more than 25 clinical trials, half of which were double-blind studies. That is, the patients and researchers both did not know which medication was being taken by either study group hypericum or a conventional antidepressant. The results of all these studies indicate that hypericum is an effective antidepressant for mild-to-moderate depression and is well tolerated by patients.

Based on these initial results, the National Institutes of Health and their Office of Alternative Medicine will soon conduct a multimillion dollar study of hypericum’s antidepressant action in multiple clinical trials throughout the United States. In the meantime, new research findings on hypericum’s therapeutic properties are published every few months. We have already highlighted some of those findings in Chapter Two. The balance of this chapter focuses exclusively on the use of hypericum to treat depression.

How Hypericum Treats Depression

While recent research has categorically shown that hypericum is a very effective antidepressant, what still isn’t clear is just how it treats depression. But researchers are getting closer to that answer every day.

The scientific approach to deciphering how hypericum works has typically been a conventional one. Researchers have isolated and tested single chemical constituents of hypericum for their specific therapeutic properties, hoping to find the one or two chemical agents uniquely responsible for its antidepressant actions. We detailed this conventional approach to studying plants in Chapter Two and pointed out why it’s not the best approach to understanding how plant herbs work. Practitioners of traditional herbal medicine believe the therapeutic properties of most plants are dependent on the synergistic interaction of all the chemical constituents in the plant.

The most recent research into hypericum’s antidepressant properties tends to confirm the traditionalists’ point of view. Numerous biochemical studies of the plant’s constituents have yielded increasingly diverse information about all of hypericum’s therapeutic properties, but particularly about its antidepressant actions. What’s particularly interesting about those actions and unique to hypericum is the fact that it seems to treat depression on two fronts. It targets biochemical imbalances in the brain just as standard antidepressants do. But hypericum also treats the physical symptoms of depression by boosting the body’s immune system. Let’s take a brief look at both those actions.

Treating The Brain: The MAOI vs. SSRI Controversy

In early studies of hypericum, scientists focused on two of the plant’s primary chemical constituents, hypericin and pseudohypericin, with hypericin being studied the most frequently. Researchers isolated these constituents from other chemical compounds in the plant and studied them singly either in natural form or in synthetic variations.

Hypericum as an MAOI. The results of these preliminary studies, which used high doses of the chemical constituents, indicated that both hypericin and pseudohypericin were MAOIs that is, agents that raised serotonin levels by inhibiting the action of the enzyme monoamine oxidase (which breaks down serotonin). The hypericum plant (along with its primary consituents) was therefore initially labeled an MAOI, similar to Nardil and Parnate. This was mostly good news. The MAOIs are excellent antidepressants, and hypericum has far fewer side effects than prescription MAOIs.

Unfortunately, as we talked about earlier in this chapter, the MAOIs are also associated with additional and potentially fatal side effects when combined with certain foods and other drugs. Hypericum, as an MAOI-like plant herb, inherited the same negative associations with potentially serious side effects.

Subsequent research pointed out, however, that the earlier research had been erroneous, largely because it used such high doses of hypericin isolated from other constituents in the plant. Nevertheless, much of the hypericum literature, including several books, warn people to avoid the same substances that individuals taking prescription MAOIs do. It’s important to note here, that there is no evidence, scientific or anecdotic, to support this warning when hypericum is taken at normal doses of 900 milligrams daily. The MAO-inhibiting effect in hypericum is very mild and just one component of the plant’s antidepressant action. Indeed, other constituents in the plant subsequently exhibited stronger MAO-inhibiting effects than hypericin did but still at mild levels among them, pseudohypericin, quericitin, and the xanthones plus they were demonstrating other antidepressant properties as well.

Hypericum as an SSRI. In fact, a second wave of research studies in the late 1980s and early to mid-1990s strongly indicated that the antidepressant action of hypericum, in its fully extracted form (with all its plant constituents), was most like Prozac and the other SSRIs, but with milder side effects. This was even better news than the first round of information, because the SSRIs are the most well tolerated of the antidepressant drugs. Like Prozac and the other SSRIs, hypericum helps to prevent the reuptake (absorption) of serotonin by brain cells and to keep levels of serotonin high. Hypericum’s flavonoids, specifically amentoflavone, the xanthones, and GABA-binding receptors were all believed to be partly responsibile for hypericum’s serotonin effect.

Hypericum as an SNDRI? Then a third wave of research studies, some just completed in late 1997, produced even more startling information about hypericum’s antidepressant properties. Not only did whole hypericum extracts inhibit serotonin reuptake, they also appeared to directly affect the levels of norephinephrine and dopamine in the brain, and these powerful neurotransmitters are crucial to a healthy central nervous system. Now hypericum was looking more like the classic tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) which we discussed above! In fact, in at least one study of over 200 patients, it outperformed and was safer than imipramine, the “gold standard” of all antidepressants.

If these latest research results are validated by other studies, hypericum will become the only commercially available antidepressant that acts as a serotonin-norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (SNDRI) and one of the few, if any, therapeutic agents that specifically treats dopamine deficiencies.

Treating The Body: Hypericum as an Immune-Modulator

Russian and German research has confirmed that hypericum is a significant immune-modulator: it both stimulates the immune system when infection and inflammation are present, and it suppresses an overstimulated immune system that has been stretched to its maximum capacity by physical and emotional stress. (This is one of the primary reasons why hypericum is also an excellent antiviral and antibacterial agent.)

As is increasingly evident from studies of stress-induced illness, there is a significant link between emotional well-being and physical well-being. As it turns out, the immune system is just as seriously taxed by depression as it is by viral or bacterial infections which threaten the body. In depression, unfortunately, the communication between the brain and the body is often a question of mixed signals that do neither the brain nor the body any good.

The biochemical imbalances in the brain that typify major depression trigger neurotransmitters there to send a message to the immune system that something is wrong throughout the organism. The immune system responds by producing interleukins, the chemical messengers of the immune system that go into alert mode whenever infection threatens healthy cells.

But in depression, the interleukins are really responding to distress signals from the brain, not from the body, and when they cannot find a physical infection to mediate, they send a message back to the immune system center that they need more help. Interleukin production goes into overload, and the body is flooded with confused and misdirected chemical messengers who have nowhere to go and nothing to do but sit there. The integrity of the immune system is compromised and the system effectively shuts down. The body, in turn, is now ripe for opportunistic infections. That is one of the primary reasons why people with major depression are besieged by chronic infections and nonspecific aches and pains.

Hypericum, as a powerful immune-modulator, both decreases the excessive quantities of interleukins throughout the body and strengthens and supports the beleaguered immune system. As interleukin production decreases and the immune system as a whole is restored to balance, many of the physical symptoms associated with a person’s depression are relieved. In fact, with hypericum, the physical symptoms of depression are often the first to go. This is another aspect of the plant’s antidepressant action that is, like it’s SNDRI-effect, totally unique to hypericum.

Much of this new research is extraordinary news indeed for the millions of people who live with depression, even when further studies are definitely called for. What is important to repeat here is, that based on all these research studies, there is absolutely no doubt about hypericum’s effectiveness in treating mild-to-moderate depression for a significant number of people. And it will treat such depressions safely, inexpensively, and with far fewer and milder side effects than prescription antidepressants. So let’s move on to the who, what, when and how of treating depression with hypericum.

Part 3: Using Hypericum

Using Hypericum to Treat Your Depression

Depression is a serious disease, and hypericum is potent medicine. These two facts cannot be repeated often enough.

Too much of recent mainstream literature about St. John’s wort has a “jump-on-the-bandwagon” mentality. Some writers and alternative medicine advocates seem to suggest that just because hypericum is a natural herb with mild side effects it can be used by most anyone who is experiencing some depressive symptoms. This simply isn’t true.

In the most scientifically rigorous of the clinical trials involving patients, hypericum was effective in 75 percent of cases at the most. And these were patients who had been thoroughly evaluated by medical doctors beforehand, who had received a clinical diagnosis of major depression, and who were closely monitored throughout the trials. Depression is difficult to treat, and finding the optimal antidepressant for a person unique set of symptoms is often the most difficult part of that treatment. Like the synthetic antidepressants, hypericum is not always effective in treating some mild-to-moderate depressions.

With those warnings, please bear the following in mind . . .

If You Are Already Taking A Prescription Antidepressant

Don’t stop taking it! If you are interested in using hypericum as an alternative antidepressant, talk to your medical practitioner first. All the pro-and-con scientific evidence about mixing hypericum with other antidepressants isn’t in yet. Some research implies that hypericum can be used as adjunctive (supportive) therapy with a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, such as Prozac. Other research strongly suggests that it is best to gradually withdraw from a prescription antidepressant before beginning a treatment regimen with hypericum. Again, working with a qualified medical practitioner conventional or alternative is the best and safest course of action when switching from a conventional drug to hypericum.

If You Suspect You Have A Depressive Disorder

Don’t self-medicate with hypericum! Review the guidelines for major depression, then talk to a qualified medical practitioner and get a thorough evaluation of your symptoms. Remember, hypericum has been tested only in patients with mild-to-moderate depressions. Also, many milder forms of depression don’t require an antidepressant at all; psychotherapy alone can produce wonderful results in some cases. The bottom line here is that hypericum is medicine, and you shouldn’t take medicine you don’t need.

If You Have Mild-to-Moderate Depression And You Are Working With A Qualified Medical Practitioner

Do try hypericum after reviewing all your treatment options and after discussing with your practitioner other medications you may be taking or other medical conditions you may have, such as high blood pressure. Also review our descriptions of the possible side effects of hypericum in Chapter Two and our guidelines for buying and using research-grade hypericum in Chapter Three.

The most up-to-date research on hypericum and depression recommends the following as optimal daily doses for treating mild-to-moderate depression:

Tablet or Capsule Forms: 300 mg. of hypericum extract standardized to 0.3 percent hypericin, three times a day with meals, for a total of 900 mg. daily.

Liquid Extract Form: one-quarter teaspoon (approximately 20 drops) of hypericum extract standarized to 0.3 percent hypericin, three times a day in distilled water, with meals, for a total of three-quarters of a teaspoon daily.

Like the other antidepressants, hypericum is a slow-acting therapeutic agent. You should wait at least four to six weeks for its full antidepressant effects to be felt. However, you may notice some physical effects sooner than that.

Improved sleep patterns may occur as early as seven days after beginning treatment. Furthermore, hypericum does not interfere with normal dream patterns, as do synthetic antidepressants, nor does it produce the intense and vivid dreams associated with prescription antidepressants.

Eating disorders, including both poor appetite and overeating, may improve as early as two weeks after beginning treatment. Fatigue, exhaustion, and low energy levels may also improve as early as two weeks after beginning treatment. The “blues” or depressed mood may improve as early as three weeks after beginning treatment. A general sense of well-being may also occur as early as three weeks after beginning treatment.

After you have been on hypericum for a while, you will probably also notice that you feel physically stronger and healthier. And in fact, you may well be both. Hypericum’s potent immune-modulating properties, as well as its antiviral and antibacterial action may make you more resistant to run-of-the-mill colds and viruses and help you recover quickly when they do occur. This is another “bonus” of hypericum treatment that other antidepressants don’t offer!

Length of Treatment: Current research strongly suggests that hypericum be taken for no more than a year. This recommended duration of treatment is actually standard for all the antidepressants.

What to Do if Side Effects Occur: If bothersome side effects occur while you are taking hypericum, you do not have to taper off the herb, as with some other antidepressants. It can be stopped immediately. If you are going to try another antidepressant, however, you and your practitioner should wait the recommended two to four weeks before beginning a new treatment regimen, particularly if you are planning to use one of the serotonin-based drugs.

Using Hypericum To Treat Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) also known as major depression with seasonal pattern, seasonal depression, or simply the “winter’s blues” is a subtype of major depression that generally occurs in the late fall or winter and completely disappears in the spring. It appears to be related to decreasing sunlight as the winter days grows shorter.

The symptoms of SAD are the same as those for mild-to-moderate depression, and include mood swings, depressed mood, sadness, fatigue, general physical debilitation, sleep disorders (especially oversleeping), eating disorders (especially overeating and craving sweets and starches), weight gain, and listlessness.

Conventional Treatments of SAD

Conventional treatments of SAD include a number of the same antidepressant medicines described earlier for use in treating mild-to-moderate depression, phototherapy, or a combination of medication and phototherapy.

Phototherapy, also called light therapy, has become the preferred treatment option. It is a fairly new therapeutic approach which was devised because SAD occurs primarily during the winter months and is believed to be related to diminishing sunlight. Phototherapy treatment involves exposing people with SAD to a very bright and broad-spectrum artificial light which contains all the wavelengths of sunlight. The light is dispersed by means of a special box or by a visor that attaches to the individual’s head.

Phototherapy treatment is usually monitored by a specialist in that field, although portable home devices are also available. Treatment sessions are generally administered on a daily basis for 30 minutes to two hours per session, depending on the severity of symptoms. Phototherapy, on its own, is quite effective for some people, though other individuals may need a combination of antidepressants and light therapy to fully relieve their symptoms.

One of the drawbacks of phototherapy is that it can be quite time consuming and intrusive. Another concern is that its long-term side effects are not known since it is a relatively new treatment form, and there is some concern that permanent eye damage may be a problem. Short-term side effects of phototherapy may include headache, irritability, strained eyes, and sleep disturbances.

Treating SAD With Hypericum

Hypericum’s effectiveness in treating SAD was documented in a 1994 single-blind study conducted in Germany, where hypericum has long been used to treat the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.

Two groups of outpatients who had been diagnosed with SAD were each prescribed hypericum (300 mg., three times a day). One group also received broad-spectrum phototherapy for two hours each day. The other group didn’t. Instead, they received a non-therapeutic “dim” light treatment that mimicked phototherapy.

At the end of four weeks, both groups of patients showed a significant improvement in their depressive symptoms, based on the Hamilton Depression Scale, and they experienced minimal side effects. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in improvement rates between the two groups. In other words, the patients who received hypericum only improved just as much as did those patients who received hypericum and phototherapy!

Based on the results of this specific study, as well as the larger body of research on hypericum and major depression, you may want to try using hypericum alone for your SAD symptoms under a practitioner’s care, of course. We recommend that the following daily doses be taken for a six-month period, from September through March.

Tablet or Capsule Forms: 300 mg. of hypericum extract standardized to 0.3 percent hypericin, three times a day with meals, for a total of 900 mg. daily.

Liquid Extract Form: one-quarter teaspoon (approximately 20 drops) of hypericum extract standarized to 0.3 percent hypericin, three times a day in distilled water, with meals, for a total of three-quarters of a teaspoon daily.

Since the full effects of hypericum may not be felt for four to six weeks, we recommend you starting taking it in early September. That way, by the time the days begin to significantly shorten, you will be receiving the full therapeutic effects of the herb.

Depression is a daunting and insidious disease for those who live with it, who live around it, and who treat it. Not only is it difficult to diagnose and treat, it may also go unrecognized for years on end, effectively placing a stranglehold on millions of human lives during their most formative and productive years.

But this is one serious medical condition that is highly treatable and often curable. Their are many treatment options available to those who live with depression, not the least of which, now, is hypericum. The appearance of St. John’s wort on the therapeutic landscape, as an effective, natural, safe, and inexpensive antidepressant, may be the most heartening medical development to occur in the field of depression for years.

Remember, too, that depression is a quintessentially body-mind-spirit disease, with physical, mental, and emotional components. Alternative medicine, therefore, with its emphasis on holistic treatment and total health, has much to offer in the support of depression, besides the benefits of hypericum.

For one, many other herbs combine well with hypericum in teas and tonics which can provide additional short-term support during treatment for depression. Some of the herbs that share hypericum’s calming properties are valerian (Valeriana officinalis), lobelia (Lobelia inflata), hops (Humulus lupulus), rosehips (Rosa canina), and balm (Melissa officinalis). Herbs that share hypericum’s immune-strengthening and energy-enhancing actions are echinacea (Echinacea augustifolia), ginseng (Panax ginseng), ginger (Zingiber officinale), and cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylandicum). Check your local health food stores for teas and tonics containing these herbs, or try one of the recipes we share at the end of this chapter.

Good nutrition, nutritional supplements, gentle body-mind exercises such as t’ai chi, chiropractic manipulation, massage, and meditation techniques all can add immeasurably to physical and emotional well-being. Many of the reference books we list in the back of the book, particularly those under Chapter One, provide wonderful instruction in using the therapeutic tools of alternative medicine to help treat depression.

St. John’s Wort Calming Tea

This is a soothing tea for body and soul during particularly stressful times, or when you are feeling especially anxious. Use dried herb for the ingredients.

• 2 teaspoons St. John’s wort
• 1 teaspoon rosehips
• 1 teaspoon balm
• 1 teaspoon valerian
• 4-5 cups pure spring water, boiled

Place all the dried herb ingredients in a large glass or enameled teapot that you have prewarmed with hot water. (Discard the hot water before adding herbs.) Pour boiling spring water over the herbs, cover the pot, and allow tea to steep for 15 minutes. Strain into a cup or mug and season to taste with honey.

Drink three to four cups of this tea evenly spaced throughout the day, between meals. You may leave the pot out on your kitchen counter and drink the tea at room temperature. If you prefer your tea hot, gently warm (not boil) the tea in a glass or enameled pot on top of the stove, or add 1-2 teaspoons boiling water to a cup of lukewarm tea. Never microwave herbal tea. Discard any leftover teas and grounds at the end of the day.

St. John’s Wort Restorative Tea

This tea is a true tonic. It has both a balancing effect on the emotions and an energizing effect on the body and brain. It’s especially good for those days when you are feeling physically low and mentally fuzzy, but still need to get things done! Use dried herb for the ingredients.

• 2 teaspoons St. John’s wort
• 1 teaspoon lavender
• 1 teaspoon peppermint
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 4-5 cups pure spring water, boiled

Place all the dried herb ingredients in a large glass or enameled teapot that you have prewarmed with hot water. (Discard the hot water before adding herbs.) Pour boiling spring water over the herbs, cover the pot, and allow tea to steep for 15 minutes. Strain into a cup or mug and season to taste with honey.

Drink three to four cups of this tea evenly spaced throughout the day, between meals. You may leave the pot out on your kitchen counter and drink the tea at room temperature. If you prefer your tea hot, gently warm (not boil) the tea in a glass or enameled pot on top of the stove, or add 1-2 teaspoons boiling water to a cup of lukewarm tea. Never microwave herbal tea. Discard any leftover teas and grounds at the end of the day.

1. I’m eating much more (or much less) than usual.
2. I’m sleeping more (or less) than usual.
3. I’m sad most of the time.
4. I feel worthless and often guilty.
5. I often feel tense and irritable.
6. I have no energy, even when I get up in the morning.
7. I have lost interest in most of the activities I used to enjoy.
8. I feel hopeless about the future.
9. I have trouble concentrating, making decisions, or remembering.
10. I cry a lot.
11. I have persistent aches and pains.
12. I think about death or suicide. (If you answer yes, seek immediate help, regardless of your answers to the other questions.)

According to the National Foundation for Depressive Illness, you could be suffering from depression if you have experienced two or more from the preceding list of symptoms for at least two weeks in a row.  If so, call your physician.