Depression is a very common complaint these days. Just look at the number of magazine and TV ads for antidepressants - you'll wonder if the whole world is suffering from depression and needs the latest drug. In today's society there are many reasons why you might be depressed: too much stress, too many bills, too little money, too much to do, too much frustration; the list is endless. But did you ever consider that the problem may be in your body, that these "toos" would be manageable if your body were healthier?

Look at your food intake
Are you on the Standard American Diet (SAD) with a lot of refined calories eaten on the run? A diet heavy in coffee, sugar, and refined carbohydrates can upset your body's glucose balance, leading initially to high blood sugar and a burst of energy, followed by a drop in blood sugar one or two hours later characterized by depression, anxiety, fatigue, shakiness and often headache. Simply removing these three dietary components can start you on the path toward feeling better because your blood sugar is more stable; your body and brain have a steadier supply of fuel, with fewer ups and downs.

As well, many people skip breakfast, this tends to lead to an afternoon slump and increases the tendency to snack in the evening. Start the day with a high protein breakfast to adequately fuel your brain and body.

Consider food sensitivities
Sugar, dairy products and grains, particularly wheat, are the most common food sensitivities. It has been known for many years that food allergies can trigger depressive symptoms when the brain is the target organ, called a cerebral allergy.

One young man who had been depressed all his life came to see Dr. Hoffer and I some years ago. His history of infantile colic, frequent colds and earaches, as well as other symptoms, suggested that he may be sensitive to dairy products. We recommended that he abstain from all dairy products for one month, after which he was to consume some dairy, called a challenge test. Within two weeks he was completely well. For the first time in his life he felt normal - not depressed - and he was thrilled. He couldn't wait for a month to test whether dairy was the culprit, so he ate a big bowl of ice cream. Within an hour he was deeply depressed; by the third hour he was terribly upset and even fearful of his parents, wanting to run away from home. His parents were so worried that he would hurt himself they called the police. The police came and reassured to him, staying with him until he fell asleep. He awoke late the next morning, recovered from his ordeal. To my knowledge, he has never again consumed any dairy products and has remained well.

This is a dramatic example of cerebral allergy and not everyone reacts this strongly, but many people are made unwell by staple foods they consume frequently and they don't even realize it. Depression may be more about what you're eating, than what's eating you.

Check your vitamin intake
Depression is also a common symptom of vitamin deficiency, where the diet is lacking sufficient nutrients; or dependency, when the nutrient content of the diet may be okay but is not sufficient for that person's needs. The symptoms of a shortage in such vitamins as vitamin C, almost all the B complex vitamins (particularly B1, B3, B6 and B12), and vitamin D, include depression, anxiety and inability to deal with stress. Sometimes one must take many times the RDI in order to alleviate symptoms, which is best done under the care of a professional trained in the use of nutrients and nutrition for normalizing one's nutritional biochemistry.

Frances Fuller had the unique experience of working shoulder-to-shoulder with a pioneer and cornerstone of orthomolecular medicine, the late Dr. Abram Hoffer. Her contact information is in the HANS Wellness Directory at www.hans.org under Orthomolecular Medicine.

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