Depression. You’d think we all have the same definition for this word, but we don’t. Misery, the blues… Many people think a sad emotional state is equivalent to clinical depression. It is not.
To meet the diagnosis of a depressive episode the following criteria listed in the DSM-V must be met:
Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure. Note: Do not include symptoms that are clearly due to a general medical condition, or mood-incongruent delusions or hallucinations.
Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). Note: In children and adolescents, can be irritable mood.
Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated by either subjective account or observation made by others).
Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5 percent of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day. Note: In children, consider failure to make expected weight gains.
Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day.
Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down).
Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.
Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick).
Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (either by subjective account or as observed by others).
Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.
The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning.
The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., hypothyroidism).
All, or nearly all, of the symptoms people experience during depression or any other mental disorder, are symptoms every person experiences at one time or another. The difference between normal experience and a disorder is the constancy, severity, and combination of symptoms.
Normal experience does not include two straight weeks of sadness so intense it results in an inability to function at work while it is impossible to sleep (or to get out of bed). In addition there is a sudden dramatic loss of weight, movements become slow and deliberate, and thoughts of death or suicide crowd out every thought not associated with self-loathing. (This is an example of five symptoms from the list).
Depression is associated with low serotonin levels and high cortisol levels. Serotonin is known as the feel-good neurotransmitter while cortisol is a hormone known as the stress hormone.
Conventional Treatment for Depression
Since depressed feeling and depression are not always one in the same, what we call depression can be viewed on a continuum. Severe symptoms meeting the criteria for clinical depression would be on one end of that scale while sadness or the blues while general dissatisfaction with life would be at the other. And yet, regardless of where a person is on that scale, there is a high probability that a doctor will prescribe anti-depressants if the patient requests them. Hopefully, psychiatrists would not be as quick to prescribe them.
Generally, any good doctor will at least mention eating a healthy diet, getting exercise, and sleeping 8 hours a night. But too often that prescription pad is pulled out to “help.” Anti-depressants, taken to decrease suicidal thoughts and feelings, can increase suicidal and homicidal thinking and have been linked to both suicides and to most of the mass murder incidents that have occurred in the last few decades.
Alternative Treatment for Depression
As with all aspects of physical and mental health, healing begins with a truly healthy, nutrition-packed diet and exercise.
Diet
A truly healthy diet consists of 80% fresh, raw, organic produce, more vegetables than fruit, a wide variety of foods, healthy fats, and pure water. (Check out the 80% Raw Food Diet for more information).
When any body system is not working properly, increase nutrition and detox. A great way to increase nutrition is to add nutritional powder to your daily routine in juice or a smoothie. To learn how to make your own Total Nutrition Powder, check out Total Nutrition, Make Your Own Multivitamin and Mineral Formula.
More of Shillington’s Recipes:
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When you are eating an organic 80% raw diet that includes plenty of clean water, and foods like onions, garlic, turmeric, and cilantro, you are detoxing on an ongoing basis. But a thorough bi-annual detox is extremely beneficial.
Eating right is more than adding the right foods to your diet. It is just as important, if not more important, to remove the food from your diet that you shouldnoteat. Avoid all artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives, MSG, trans fats, and GMOs. Do not eat corn syrup. Unless it is organic, it’s genetically modified. Avoid or seriously restrict caffeine. Avoid sugar. Conventional sugar has no nutritive value. It harms the body and the immune system in a number of ways and chances are it is genetically modified, as most of the conventional sugar made nowadays comes from sugar beets, a crop that is generally GMO. The easiest way to deal with all of the issues of what not to eat is to eat real food, whole food, and avoid processed packaged foods.
By eating a truly healthy diet, you will be well on your way toward healing your gut. If you have an overgrowth of Candida you will benefit from supplementation and some additional dietary additions and restrictions until you have that overgrowth in check.
Gut health is vital in alleviating depression because the beneficial bacteria in the gut manufacture 80% of our serotonin. When the gut is out of balance due to Candida, parasites, and bad bacteria, serotonin levels suffer, as does the body’s entire hormonal system.
Exercise is essential for several reasons. First, exercise produces endorphins that elevate your mood. Studies comparing exercise to pharmaceuticals have proven that exercise is more beneficial than drugs.
Exercise improves overall health by moving blood and lymph throughout the tissues. This process helps bring nutrients into individual cells while removing waste from the body. The immune system is strengthened and the body and its organs, including the brain, receive the cleansing and the nourishment needed to attain peak performance.
The link between vitamin D deficiency and depression is well documented and even carries its own diagnosis- Seasonal Affective Disorder. Unless you live in the lower portion of the U.S. (draw a line from Los Angeles, CA to Atlanta, GA to mark the line), chances are you do not get enough sun to make adequate amounts of vitamin D. Vitamin D supplementation should always be considered as a first line of defense when symptoms of depression are present. To learn more about Vitamin D, read Sunlight and Vitamin D.
B vitamins are best taken together in the form of B complex vitamins. Never take just one B vitamin alone for any length of time.
B vitamins are essential for many functions in the body. Deficiencies in B5, B6, B7, or B12 cause depression. Daily supplementation will elevate mood, decrease irritability, and improve sleep. To learn more about B vitamins read Mental Health, Physical Health & B Vitamins – Nature’s Valium.
Conclusion
With the right diet, exercise, detoxification, and supplementation, the body is given the resources to heal itself. If loss, abuse, or other life events are contributing to sadness, low self-esteem, or other symptoms, therapy can be an invaluable aid in healing.
Serotonin, What You Need to Know About the Body’s Key to Health and Happiness
We all know that sunny days, sweet treats, warm bread, and the scent of vanilla make most of us feel better when we’ve got a case of the blues, but the reason why is not common knowledge. The answer lies deep in our nervous systems and the intricate communication between nerve cells. Neurotransmitters, chemical messengers that catalyze a myriad of metabolic functions, also affect our moods and behaviors. Some calm the body, promote digestion, and support good immunity while others are involved in keeping memory sharp, triggering the fight or flight stress response, and filling us with feelings of euphoria when we are in love or engaging in daredevil behavior. There are many neurotransmitters, but the body’s heavy hitters are serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, and GABA. All of these are essential to life and well-being and work with each other toward the body’s homeostasis or state of equilibrium.
Poor diet, unrelenting stress, too much coffee or sugar, not enough physical activity, inadequate rest, and predisposed genetic deficiency all contribute to neurotransmitter dysfunction, especially that of serotonin. Inadequate or too much serotonin—as well as impairment of how the body utilizes it—has numerous consequences that can be the underlying factor in depression, anxiety disorders, obesity, Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.), premenstrual syndrome (PMS), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), osteoporosis, chronic insomnia, low energy, compromised immunity, even diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Serotonin disruption can also play a vital role in the insidious development of addiction, eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia, obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), body dysmorphia, and other neuropsychological conditions. In short, proper serotonin levels play a central role in our quality of life, and we do not usually consider it until we are in the grips of its shadow side. If the problem is not addressed early, more and more unpleasant symptoms and syndromes may manifest down the road, consequently affecting other neurochemicals and body systems.
Serotonin is produced in the brain, but ninety-five percent of this neurotransmitter is made and used in the digestive tract along with twenty-nine other neurotransmitters. The human gut is often referred to as our “second brain”, but medically, it is called the enteric nervous system. No wonder our emotions are so often accompanied by physical responses! What is even more profound is the fact that good intestinal flora is essential for adequate serotonin.
Pharmaceutical antibiotics are prescribed in near-reckless proportions, and judging by the fact that it takes up to one year to restore beneficial gut flora after a single round of antibiotic use, it is not surprising that serotonin-related conditions and syndromes both physical and “emotional” are increasing at staggering rates. It is not uncommon for a person who has gone through rounds of antibiotics over a certain period of time to become clinically depressed, but the connection is rarely recognized.
On the other side of the coin, too much serotonin can also be a problem and contribute to digestive woes including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It can also be a contributing factor in osteoporosis and certain types of heart disease. Since serotonin is usually known to be a calming chemical in the body, it is surprising to learn that too much of it can cause certain types of depression and extreme anxiety.
Excessive serotonin leads to depletion of many other neurotransmitters, especially dopamine, acetylcholine, and norepinephrine. On the emotional front, too much of this neurotransmitter can make one incredibly fearful of criticism, easily yielding to anger, feelings of inadequacy, and sadness. Prolonged lack of sleep can also contribute to serotonin excess, which would explain why most people “lose it” emotionally after a period of inadequate rest. Social interaction becomes difficult, though the individual desires it.
Too much serotonin can result by taking pharmaceutical antidepressants in conjunction with each other or combined with natural serotonin-affecting supplements, herbs, or even foods that stimulate serotonin. A medical condition called Serotonin Syndrome is also possible as a side effect of antidepressants, and can be a very dangerous thing. Physical symptoms can include trembling, sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and seizures. In many cases, ginger is given to the person afflicted to counteract the excessive serotonin in the system.
It is a balancing act for many of us to bring this neurochemical into balance. Putting these pieces together, one cannot help but come to the conclusion that supporting and harmonizing the body’s serotonin supply can be an integral piece in achieving better health. Vitamins, herbs, clinical aromatherapy, gentle exercise, Swedish massage, cranial-sacral therapy, meditation, and finding alternatives for prescribed antibiotics can all be mediators in our sometimes-rocky relationship with serotonin and other vital neurotransmitters. The following is a list of modalities, supplements, and tools to better nourish the production and utilization of this precious, life-enhancing neurochemical. Note: if you are taking prescribed antidepressant medication, please consult your doctor before taking any of the following:
Vitamins, Supplements, and Herbs
B6. This B vitamin is essential for nerve health and enzyme production, which are both critical for regulating mood and nourishing and balancing hormone levels, especially that of the female reproductive system. All B vitamins are important for neurotransmitter production and balance, but B6 is essential for serotonin.
Inositol. Inositol, a B vitamin component much like what bioflavonoids are to vitamin C, is a powerful yet gentle supplement for the entire nervous system, including the brain. There are few, if any, side effects with regular to high doses. Inositol can be extremely helpful in the withdrawal of drugs and alcohol, which is especially useful for repairing an overwrought nervous system. Inositol is a reliable supplement for serotonin deficiency and may be extremely helpful for anxiety, panic attacks, trembling, insomnia, chronic pain syndromes, and nervousness that is especially worse in the morning hours and during the hormonal shifts of menstruation and ovulation.
5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan). Derived from the grafonia seed, 5-HTP is a natural amino acid involved in the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin and melatonin. In Europe, 5-HTP is sold by prescription under numerous trade names to treat major depression. Here, in the United States, 5-HTP is sold as a supplement, the most reliable being the enteric coated variety that is not destroyed by stomach acid on its way to the small intestine where it is utilized. 5-HTP is extremely helpful for PMS, general anxiety, irritability, mild-moderate insomnia, certain pain syndromes, and food cravings (carbs and sugar).
Damiana. Damiana, native to Mexico, is an aromatic herb mainly used for sexual dysfunction, but its value goes way beyond the reproductive system. Damiana increases neurotransmitter production including serotonin and dopamine and is reliable in reducing pain, easing anxiety, soothing digestive troubles, and increasing pleasure.
Ginger root. Ginger is an ancient as well as modern remedy for a plethora of ailments and a powerful player in neurotransmitter production. In cases of too much serotonin in the body, ginger is reliable in lowering it. In some people, ginger helps decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Individual chemistry is key, but this herb is definitely one to consider.
Kava Kava Root. Kava kava root is a centuries-old Polynesian herb used in ceremonial drinks as well as a libation in social situations. It is a powerful sedative that not only affects serotonin but other key players in the nervous system. It is reliable for panic attacks, trouble sleeping, and digestive distress related to “nerves.”
Lavender Flowers. Commonly grown for cosmetic and culinary use, lavender flowers can also be made into a tea that will naturally nourish the nervous system, namely serotonin production and utilization. Smaller quantities are recommended for calming the body, as larger doses prove to be stimulating.
Lemon Balm. A common garden herb, lemon balm (also called melissa) is a gentle but reliable remedy to boost serotonin levels in the body. It is highly useful for digestive upsets, insomnia, nervousness, and depressive states.
Olive Leaf. Olive leaf is a wonderful alternative to pharmaceutical antibiotics. It is the strongest antibiotic and antiviral in the plant world and is a powerful warrior against everything from malaria to viruses, the common cold to food poisoning. It is excellent for all bacterial and viral conditions as well as building good microbes in the gut, which is essential for healthy levels of serotonin.
St. John’s Wort. St. John’s wort is an age-old herbal remedy for melancholy, depression, and nervousness. It is valuable in the production of not only serotonin but other neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine.
Foods
Foods that stimulate serotonin production include chocolate, avocado, chicken, turkey and most protein sources, flaxseed, sunflower seeds, sugar and all carbohydrates, wheat germ, and dairy such as cheese and cottage cheese.
Clinical Aromatherapy/Essential Oils
Bergamot Essential Oil. Bergamot essential oil boosts serotonin and is highly useful for depression and lowered immunity. Add a drop or two to a tissue and inhale for 5-minute intervals throughout the day.
Cacao Essential Oil. Essentially chocolate essential oil, cacao stimulates both serotonin and dopamine production and is a good oil to use to curb sugar cravings, ease despondency, and increase feelings of enjoyment and pleasure. It is especially beneficial for premenstrual-related food cravings and sadness. Add a drop or two to a tissue and inhale for 5 minute intervals throughout the day.
Frankincense Essential Oil. Frankincense essential oil is a wonderful ally for all forms of anxiety and is a key oil in aromatherapy for brain and nervous system health. Frankincense helps the body make and utilize serotonin and dopamine. Add a drop or two to a tissue and inhale for 5-minute intervals throughout the day. Frankincense essential oil can also be applied to the soles of the feet for quick absorption and results. Application: apply 3 drops of the essential oil to each sole of the foot 1-2x a day. Allow to absorb before putting on socks and do not shower for a few hours after application.
Ginger Essential Oil. Ginger essential oil can be applied undiluted to the soles of the feet for quick absorption in cases of excessive serotonin. Ginger is an antagonist to the neurotransmitter and can relieve severe anxiety, digestive distress, and other symptoms springing from too much serotonin in the body due to various factors. Application: apply 3 drops of the essential oil to each sole of the foot 1-2 x a day. Allow to absorb before putting on socks, and do not shower for a few hours after application.
Lavender Essential Oil. Lavender essential oil, long associated with calm feelings, is the CEO of essential oils that stimulates serotonin production in the body. It can be used to boost immunity, improve mood, promote sleep, quell general anxiety, and even prevent anxiety from escalating to panic. Add a drop or two to a tissue and inhale for 5-minute intervals throughout the day. Lavender essential oil can also be applied to the soles of the feet for quick absorption and results. Application: apply 3 drops of the essential oil to each sole of the foot 1-2x a day. Allow to absorb before putting on socks and do not shower for a few hours after application.
Neroli Essential Oil. Neroli essential oil reduces stress hormones in the body and is known to increase serotonin. It is almost unequaled in stopping trembling, anxiety, and nervous agitation. It is also used to decrease symptoms of depression and calm an overexcited state. Add a drop or two to a tissue and inhale for 5-minute intervals throughout the day.
Roman Chamomile Essential Oil. Roman chamomile is a wonderful ally for a stressed nervous system and can be inhaled to calm emotions and accompanying, unpleasant physical responses. It brightens the mood and outlook, soothes digestive storms, and promotes a feeling of wellbeing and hope. Add a drop or two to a tissue and inhale for 5-minute intervals throughout the day.
Sandalwood Essential Oil. Much like frankincense, sandalwood is a deeply nourishing oil for the entire nervous system. Add a drop or two to a tissue and inhale for 5-minute intervals throughout the day. Sandalwood essential oil can also be applied to the soles of the feet for quick absorption and results. Application: apply 3 drops of the essential oil to each sole of the foot 1-2 x a day. Allow to absorb before putting on socks and do not shower for a few hours after application.
Sweet Orange Essential Oil. Sweet orange oil is highly useful for decreasing obsessive thoughts and/or behaviors, calming the body, and promoting serotonin and other neurotransmitters. It also quells anxiety, chronic worry, and feelings of dread. Sweet orange oil also elevates the mood and combats depression. Add a drop or two to a tissue and inhale for 5-minute intervals throughout the day.
Ylang Ylang Essential Oil. Ylang ylang essential oil unsurpassed for calming excitatory neurotransmitters and kicking in calming neurochemicals like serotonin. It also regulates adrenaline in the body. Add a drop to a tissue and inhale for 5-minute intervals throughout the day, but no more than 2-3 times or a headache may result. Ylang ylang essential oil can also be applied to the soles of the feet for quick absorption and results. Application: apply 3 drops of the essential oil to each sole of the foot 1-2 x a day. Allow to absorb before putting on socks and do not shower for a few hours after application.
Lifestyle Changes
One can do everything right to have better nervous system health, but without positive, serotonin-friendly lifestyle changes, the body and mind will always fall short of reaching homeostasis. In the quest for serotonin balance, don’t forget to:
Get more rest. 8 or more hours of sleep a night and periods of non-doing during the day are critical in normalizing neurotransmitters and boosting immunity. Non-doing means designating 5-minute intervals to one-hour timeslots to doing nothing but lying back and zoning out without guilt. Insomniacs might find it surprising that non-doing during the day promotes better sleep at night.
Unplug. from the computer, cell phone, iPad, radio, etc. Electronic screens and noise all negatively affect the brain and its chemical activity. Using devices non-stop contributes to neurotransmitter disruption.
Get out into nature. It is proven that being outside, especially in sunlight, or looking out a window onto greenery instantly boosts neurotransmitters. When you are outside, breathe deeply, notice the beauty around you, and take in the soothing sounds of birds, water, or wind.
Do more gentle exercises. Working out in the gym, running for miles, or taking high-energy exercise classes boost stimulating neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine, but our friend serotonin needs yoga, creative movement, ballet, tai chi, qigong, and deep breath work to be utilized in the body.
Receive more massage and bodywork. Swedish massage is known to boost serotonin and other calming chemicals in the body by triggering the autonomic (fight or flight) nervous system to yield to the parasympathetic (rest and digest mode). If you want to stimulate serotonin, avoid deep tissue work or more aggressive modalities. Opt for flowing, gentle massage, preferably set to beautiful music.
Listen to calming music and nature sounds. Ditch the driving percussion of rock music once in a while for more calming music. Even better, listen to real or recorded nature sounds including birdsong, ocean waves, crickets, gentle wind, or streams.
Whatever way you choose to boost serotonin and other calming neurotransmitters, nature will work with your unique chemistry, and it won’t take long for you to know what works best for your body and psyche. Happiness and wellbeing are indeed rooted in the physical; the more harmonious we are on this level, the more harmonious on every other level, even in the face of adversity and stress. With serotonin on our side, come what may- we can be ready!
The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and the material presented in this article is not intended to treat, prescribe for, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease or to replace conventional medical treatments.
Worwood, Valerie Ann. Aromatherapy for the Soul. Novato, CA: New World Library, 1999
Scientists Against GMOs – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research
Biotechnology has long tried to paint the critics of genetic engineering as anti-science. A great effort has been made to convince the public that the majority of world’s scientists support genetic engineering. In reality, GMOs are heavily criticized in the scientific community. Here are the professional opinions of only a few of the thousands of scientists who are both critical and skeptical of GMOs.
There are three things that can’t be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth.” – Buddha
Vandana Shiva, Ph.D
Vandana Shiva was educated as physicist at the University of Punjab. Afterwards she went on to earn a Ph.D. from the University of Western Ontario Canada. Her field of study was known as “Hidden Variables and Non-locality in Quantum Theory”. Her work later evolved into inter-disciplinary research in science, technology, and environmental policy. Dr. Shiva is a courageous and tireless activist, author, scientific advisor, and mother. Forbes Magazine named Dr. Shiva as one of the Seven Most Powerful Women in the World.
Science is derived from the word scire — “to know”. Each of us should know what we are eating, how it was produced and what impact it will have on our health.
The knowledge we need for growing food is the knowledge of biodiversity and living seed, of living soil and the soil food web, of interaction between different species in the agro-ecosystem and of different seasons. Farmers have been the experts in these fields, as have ecological scientists who study the evolution of micro-organisms, plants and animals, the ecological web and the soil food web.
In industrial agriculture, the knowledge of living systems is totally missing, since industrial agriculture was externally driven by using war chemicals as inputs. Soil was defined as an empty container for holding synthetic fertilizers and plants were defined as machines running on external inputs. This meant substituting the ecological functions and services that nature and farmers can provide through renewal of soil fertility, pest and weed control, and seed improvement. But it also implied ignorance of the destruction of the functions by the toxic chemicals applied to agriculture.
This complex knowledge of interacting, self-organizing, self-maintaining, self-renewing and self-evolving systems that farmers have had is now being confirmed through the latest in ecology. At the agricultural systems level, agro-ecology, not the mechanistic and blind paradigm of industrial agriculture is the truly scientific approach to food production.
…Because living systems are not machines, they are a self-organized complexity, knowledge of a small, fragmented part in isolation of its relationships with the rest of the system translates into not knowing.
This epistemic violence is now being combined with the violence of corporate interests to viciously attack all scientific traditions, including those that have evolved from within Western science and transcended the mechanistic worldview.
It is actually becoming anti-science.
…The rhetoric for taking over food systems and seed supply is always based on “improved seed”. But what is not mentioned is that industrial seeds are only “improved” in the context of higher dependence on chemicals, and more control by corporations.
The latest in the anti-scientific discourse of industrial agriculture is about reducing everything to genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
“Intelligence” is based on the Latin word inter legere which means “to choose”. From the slime mould and bacteria, to plants and animals, including humans, intelligence is the choice we make in order to respond to changing contexts. Life is a cognitive system with communication constantly taking place in a network on non-separable patterns of relationship. Living beings innovate all the time to deal with environmental challenges that face them.
…Humans as a species are falling behind slime mold and bacteria to make an intelligent response to the environmental threats we face. And our intelligence is being thwarted by the false construction of the living Earth as dead matter, to be exploited limitlessly for human control, domination and greed.
The US Centre for Disease Control data shows that on current trends one in two children in the US will be autistic in a few decades. It is not an intelligent species that destroys its own future because of a distorted and manipulated definition of science.
As Einstein had observed, “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity and I’m not sure about the universe.”
Thierry Vrain, Ph.D
Dr. Vrain was formerly the Head of Biotechnology at Agriculture Canada’s Summerland Research Station. It was his job to address concerns regarding the safety of GMOs. He did his job faithfully for many years, assuring the public and other scientists of the safety of GMOs. Now, years after his retirement, he has reversed his position.
In the last 10 years I have changed my position. I started paying attention to the flow of published studies coming from Europe, some from prestigious labs and published in prestigious scientific journals, that questioned the impact and safety of engineered food.
I refute the claims of the biotechnology companies that their engineered crops yield more, that they require less pesticide applications, that they have no impact on the environment and of course that they are safe to eat.
…The Bt corn and soya plants that are now everywhere in our environment are registered as insecticides. But are these insecticidal plants regulated and have their proteins been tested for safety? Not by the federal departments in charge of food safety, not in Canada and not in the U.S.
Genetic engineering is 40 years old. It is based on the naive understanding of the genome based on the One Gene – one protein hypothesis of 70 years ago, that each gene codes for a single protein. The Human Genome project completed in 2002 showed that this hypothesis is wrong.
Richard Strohman, Ph.D.
Dr. Richard Campbell Strohman, was a professor emeritus of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley. He was an avid critic of the idea that genes determine destiny. Dr. Strohman died July 4, 2009.
When you insert a single gene into a plant or an animal, the technology will work. You will be able to move that gene from organism A to organism B. You will be able to know that the transfer was successful. You will be able to know that the gene is being expressed, and even that the function of the gene is being expressed. So you’ll get the desired characteristic. But you will also get other effects that you couldn’t have predicted from your original assumptions. You will have also produced changes in the cell or the organism as a whole that are unpredictable. And that’s what the science is having to deal with.
…Genes exist in networks, interactive networks, which have a logic of their own. The technology point of view does not deal with these networks. It simply addresses genes in isolation. But genes do not exist in isolation.
…We’re in a crisis position where we know the weakness of the genetic concept, but we don’t know how to incorporate it into a new, more complete understanding. Monsanto knows this. DuPont knows this. Novartis knows this. They all know what I know. But they don’t want to look at it because it’s too complicated and it’s going to cost too much to figure out. The number of questions, the number of possibilities for what happens to a cell, to the whole organism when you insert a foreign gene, are almost incalculable. And the time it would take to assess the infinite possibilities that arise is beyond the capabilities of computers. But that’s what you get when you’re dealing with living systems.
Gilles-Eric Seralini, Ph.D.
Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini is a biologist at the University of Caen. He was the first scientist to do a long- term, GMO, chronic toxicity study. His study was originally published in Food and Chemical Toxicology. After the study was retracted, it was later republished in Environmental Sciences Europe.
Agricultural GMOs are loaded with pesticides. Three-quarters of all GMOs contain large amounts of Roundup, the main pesticide in the world, designed to kill weeds. These plants have been genetically modified for this, such as Roundup-tolerant soybean and corn. The GM provides in this case the possibility to apply Roundup, whenever and as much as you want, because the plant will tolerate it. If one gives such a large dose of pesticides to a normal plant, it dies. GMOs facilitate intensive farming methods.
Agricultural GMOs do not exist independently of pesticides. We do not know enough. Three-quarters of them absorb pesticides, and the last quarter, like Bt corn, produce their own insecticide. There is already a toxicity due to pesticides within these GMOs, which is new in our diet. Before GMOs, we have never eaten such high levels of Roundup residues. Same for insecticides. Yes, GMOs are especially dangerous because they contain pesticides, but not only because of that. Our team also found toxic effects of GMOs without pesticides.
Our team is the most-published in the world on the impact of GMOs and pesticides on health. We have done studies on human cells and on rats, both short- and long-term (two years). Regarding studies in rats, we were the first ones to study so many parameters (tens of thousands for blood and urine) and for so long. These rats consumed regularly GMOs with pesticides, and at the same doses, GMOs without pesticides. The aim was to find out where any toxicity came from. We were the only ones in the world to do this, as companies and health agencies had never ordered tests lasting longer than three months. But the study was retracted with great violence by the journal which published it after a former employee of Monsanto was introduced onto the editorial board of the journal. He is the former head of GMO toxicology dossiers at Monsanto.
…GMOs contain pesticides that go into the food chain and accumulate. On the other hand, they make animals seriously ill, and to eat sick animals is very harmful for health. They may be more susceptible to infections and diseases. Eating them should be banned. Pesticides accumulate in the food chain and in the animal’s fat, at higher levels than in the treated plants [themselves]. Before, the debate focused on the possible dangers of GMO DNA getting into the food chain. This is not the problem. Nobody had shown that these animals [that eat GMOs] were sick. We showed that. Due to the nature of industrial production and the short lifespan [of livestock animals], we do not see it. And they are not differentiated from others.
Dr. Seneff is a senior research scientist, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT. Dr. Swanson is a business owner, consultant (Optics), and author. Dr. Chopra was formerly with Health Canada (Senior Scientific Advisor, Microbiology) and is also an author. Dr. Balatinecz is an emeritus professor (Forestry), at the University of Toronto. The following are quotes from the collective group and quoted material from an opinion paper they wrote.
We are experiencing an autism epidemic in the US and the mainstream media won’t touch it. There is much hand-wringing over the latest numbers, but any suggestion of environmental toxins is considered off-limits.
The following opinion piece, written by four scientists (myself included), was submitted to the Toronto Star on April 9, but they refused to publish it because it is “too controversial.” It was then submitted to the New York Times on April 11, but they have not responded at all. It seems there is a media blackout on this topic.
What sort of world are we living in where our children are at risk and we refuse to even look at all possible solutions because they are “too controversial”? How did the chemical and drug industries come to wield such totalitarian power that the press won’t dare to expose them? We are a nation in grave danger. The press and the government refuse to confront the issue for fear of antagonizing the corporations whose bottom line trumps all.
…the US Centers for Disease Control released a new report stating that the prevalence of autism is now one in 68, up 30% since the reported estimate of one in 88 two years ago. (Our current rate of autism in the U.S. is 1 in 50) The rate was one in 10,000 in 1970.
…The recent dramatic increase in the rates of autism cannot be explained on the basis of genetics alone, so there must also be significant environmental contributions.
One of us (Dr. Stephanie Seneff) has considerable direct research experience concerning autism and its probable environmental causes. About seven years ago she became very alarmed by the strong evidence of an increase in autism rates in the US and, in collaboration with Mr. Anthony Samsel and Dr. Nancy Swanson, she decided to systematically investigate possible links with environmental toxins. Dr. Swanson has shown extremely strong correlations between glyphosate usage on corn and soy crops in the US and the increasing incidence of autism, along with obesity, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, senile dementia and others. Correlation does not necessarily mean causation, but when statistically significant correlation coefficients of over 0.95 are calculated for a list of diseases that can be directly linked to glyphosate, via its known biological effects, it would be foolish not to consider causation as the most plausible explanation of the correlations.
It is noteworthy that the rapid increase in autism rates coincides with the introduction of industrial agricultural practices such as the widespread use of herbicides (like glyphosate-containing Roundup), and pesticides, as well as genetically modified (GMO) crops (initially corn, soy and canola). GMO crops are engineered to resist glyphosate so that the herbicide will only kill the weeds and not the crop species. As a consequence, GMO foods are laced with glyphosate residues, a contaminant for which they are not required to be tested as products in our food chain. Sadly, the general public does not know this. What makes this even worse is that GMO foods are not required to be labeled by law in our two countries. Furthermore, it has become common practice to spray grain, dried pea & bean and sugar cane crops with glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant. What makes glyphosate especially dangerous is that it is generally viewed as being nearly harmless to humans and is therefore handled carelessly. Its effects work cumulatively and insidiously over time to erode health.
…The original approval process of glyphosate as a “safe herbicide” was based on misdirected and inadequate science & safety testing by the FDA. Corporate political lobbying was also part of the mix. The voice of an independent and diligent media has been conspicuously absent. Now, 25 years later, we are all paying the price for those misdeeds. Likely victims are the millions of innocent autistic children.
Autism symptoms also include: disrupted gut bacteria and inflammatory bowel disorder; defective aromatase (CYP) enzyme; high serum nitrate and ammonia; impaired immune function; chronic low-grade inflammation in the brain and deficiencies in sulfate, methionine, seratonin, melatonin, zinc and iron. Compare these to some negative biological effects of glyphosate. Glyphosate kills beneficial gut bacteria, thereby depleting aromatic amino acids. This leads to reduced serotonin availability. Serotonin deficiency is linked not only to autism, but also to obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and violent behavior, all of which are increasing in frequency today in step with increased glyphosate usage. Glyphosate chelates (traps) zinc, manganese, iron, cobalt, and molybdenum, which leads directly to a deficiency in these essential nutrients and widespread health consequences. Glyphosate also disrupts important enzymes in the liver leading to an inability to detoxify other toxins as well as an inability to activate vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is now widespread in North America.
… we believe that the biggest environmental factors linked to autism are the following: glyphosate (by far #1), mercury (in vaccines and dental fillings) and aluminum (in vaccines, antacids, antiperspirants, drugs and sunscreen). Mercury and aluminum act synergistically with glyphosate; e.g., the number of adverse events reported for vaccines in the US CDC VAERS database has risen over the past decade in step with the increased use of glyphosate.
David Suzuki, Ph.D.
David Suzuki, is the co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation, an environmentalist, scientist and broadcaster who is most well known for his radio and television programs that explain the complexities of the natural sciences in a compelling, easily understood way.
Dr. Suzuki is an award winning scientist – a geneticist and a recognized world leader in sustainable ecology. He is the recipient of UNESCO’s Kalinga Prize for Science, the United Nations Environment Program Medal, UNEPs Global 500, and the 2009 Right Livelihood Award. He is now a professor emeritus at UBC.
By slipping it into our food without our knowledge, without any indication that there are genetically modified organisms in our food, we are now unwittingly part of a massive experiment.
The FDA has said that genetically modified organisms are not much different from regular food, so they’ll be treated in the same way. The problem is this, geneticists follow the inheritance of genes. What biotechnology allows us to do is to take this organism and move it horizontally into a totally unrelated species. Now, David Suzuki doesn’t normally mate with a carrot and exchange genes. What biotechnology allows us to do is to switch genes from one to the other without regard to the biological constraints. It’s very, very bad science. We assume that the principals governing the inheritance of genes vertically, applies when you move genes laterally or horizontally. There’s absolutely no reason to make that conclusion.
In a different interview he said:
I believe that until the science is mature—that is, until we can take a completely specified sequence of DNA, insert it at exactly a specified sequence in a recipient and predict completely its behavior—the science is not ready to be applied. When we can do that, we won’t be able to publish, because we publish papers when we get results that we didn’t expect. Last time I looked, the papers and journals in biotech were exploding. To me, it indicates we must not know a helluva lot. In any revolutionary area, most of our current ideas are wrong. That’s how science proceeds—by invalidating, altering and discarding our current ideas. What we believed in 1961 when I graduated with a Ph.D. in genetics seems ludicrous today, and so will today’s ideas in 20 years.
Jane Goodall, Ph.D.
Before Jane Goodall’s work, our definition of mankind was “man the toolmaker.” Dr. Goodall has made many important scientific discoveries. She proved that chimpanzees use tools, that they eat meat, and that they have a complex social system. She earned her Ph.D. in ethology from Oxford University.
I well remember how horrified I felt when I learned that scientists had succeeded in reconfiguring the genetics of plants and animals.
The first genetically engineered (GE) plants were created in the 1980s, but I did not hear about them until the 1990s when they were first commercialized.
It seemed a shocking corruption of the life forms of the planet, and it was not surprising that many people were as appalled as I was – and that these altered organisms became known as ‘Frankenfoods’.
In fact, there were good science-based reasons to mistrust the new foods; yet GE crops have spread throughout North America and several other parts of the world. How has this come about?
As part of the process, they portrayed the various concerns as merely the ignorant opinions of misinformed individuals – and derided them as not only unscientific, but anti-science.
Engineering ‘concensus’ – where none exists
They then set to work to convince the public and government officials, through the dissemination of false information, that there was an overwhelming expert consensus, based on solid evidence, that the new foods were safe.
…the advocates of genetic engineering have steadfastly maintained that the crops created by this radical technology are essentially similar to those from which they have been derived, that the process is splendidly exact, and that GE foods, therefore, are if anything safer than their traditionally bred ‘parents’
In fact, there’s significant dissimilarity, the process is far from exact, and the risks are greater, especially the risk of creating unexpected toxins that are difficult to detect.
And what of the role of the media? How have the American public been so largely kept in the dark about the realities of GE foods – to the extent that until quite recently, a vast majority of the populace did not even know they were regularly consuming them?
But it seems to me that it is not those who point to the problems of the venture who are anti-science: it is quite the other way around.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho, Ph.D.
Mae-Wan Ho earned her degree in Biology in and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry in the 1960s from Hong Kong University. Early in her academic career she won a competitive fellowship of the U.S. National Genetics Foundation. Afterwards, she became a senior research fellow in Queen Elizabeth College in the United Kingdom. Dr. Mae-Wan Ho then became a lecturer in Genetics in 1976 and then a reader in Biology in 1985 in the London Open University. Dr. Ho retired in June 2000 and remains a Visiting Reader in Biology at the Open University and is a visiting biophysics professor in Catania University, Sicily. Today, Dr. Ho’s work includes close to 300 publications and 47 experimental works.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho is a highly-consulted scientist, one of the most influential figures in the scientific community. She has been ardently opposed to the use of genetically modified organisms. In 1999, she founded ISIS, which stands for the Institute of Science in Society in London.
If there is one thing that distinguishes the Third World from the industrialized countries, it is that they take science a lot more seriously than we do in the GM debate.
I was researcher and university lecturer of genetics throughout the mid-1970s to the early 1980s when new discoveries on the fluid genome made headlines every week. Researchers back then were building a new paradigm, dispelling once and for all the notion that a gene is constant and independent of context. The thought that a gene could be patented as an invention probably never crossed their mind. And if it did, they would have dismissed it as a joke.
…The paradigm change that should have occurred, did not. On the contrary, the scientific establishment remained strongly wedded to genetic determinism, which has misguided genetic engineering, making even the most unethical applications appear compelling, such as ‘therapeutic’ human cloning, for one [2]. Bioethics became a contradiction in terms as rampant commercialization of science took hold.
For the past seven years, I have had to follow developments in genetic engineering science much more carefully and extensively than many of the practitioners, only to find that all my fears concerning the problems and dangers of genetic engineering are being confirmed.
…The basic tools of genetic engineering are bacteria, viruses and other genetic parasites that cause diseases and spread drug and antibiotic resistance. All that fall into the hands of genetic engineers are exploited. Genes from dangerous agents, including antibiotic resistance genes, are profusely mixed and matched, or recombined. As every geneticist should know, recombination of genetic material is one of the main routes to creating new strains of bacteria and viruses, some of which may be pathogens. (The other route is mutation.) Moreover, the predominant orientation of genetic engineering in the past two decades has been to design artificial GM constructs and vectors that cross species barriers and invade genomes, both of which will enhance horizontal gene transfer and further increase the chance for recombination.
Instead of tightening the guidelines, our regulators have relaxed them.
My colleague, Prof. Joe Cummins has summarized more up-to-date literature showing that all GM crops may be unstable.
…The US Department of Agriculture has approved field release of GM pink bollworms this summer, made with a mobile genetic element, piggyBac, already known to jump many species. The element was first discovered in cell cultures of the cabbage looper, where it caused high mutations of the baculovirus infecting the cells, by jumping into the viral genome. In experiments in silkworms, researchers already found evidence that the inserts were unstable, and had a tendency to move again from one generation to the next.
These artificial transposons are already aggressive genome invaders, and putting them into insects is to give them wings, as well as sharp mouthparts for efficient delivery to all plants and animals… The predictable result is rampant horizontal gene transfer and recombination across species barriers. The unpredictable unknown is what kinds of new deadly viruses might be generated, and how many new cases of insertion mutagenesis and carcinogenesis they may bring.
…We must abandon GM crops and all other attempts to genetic engineer plants, animals and human beings with a technology that is widely acknowledged to be unreliable, uncontrollable and unpredictable.
Even the corporations are coming around to the view that “Food biotech is dead”. One by one, Aventis, Monsanto and Syngenta have announced they will concentrate on genomics and marker assisted conventional breeding. Though meanwhile, they are still forcing the world, especially the Third World, to accept GM crops.
But the whole world is in revolt.
…Organic and sustainable agricultural practices and technologies are succeeding, documented in study after study, despite the appalling lack of research funding compared to the hundreds millions that have gone into biotech. At least 3% of the arable land, some 28.9m hectares in Africa, Asia and Latin America are already farmed sustainably, with impressive gains in crop yield as well as social, economic and health benefits. Organic farming is also working well in the United States and Europe, with yields matching and even surpassing agrochemical agriculture. Organic farms are good for wildlife, supporting many more species of plants, songbirds butterflies spiders, earthworms. We need organic farming for the world to feed itself and for the planet to regenerate and thrive.
Sustainable agriculture is also important for alleviating, if not reversing global warming. A new report shows that sustainable agriculture can contribute significantly, not only to reducing consumption of fossil fuel, but increasing sequestration of carbon in the soil.
The new genetics is radically ecological, organic and holistic. That is why genetic engineering, at least in its current form, can never succeed. It is based on misconceptions that organisms are machines, and on a denial of the complexity and flexibility of the organic whole.
The challenge for western scientists is to develop a holistic science to help revitalize all kinds of non-corporate sustainable agriculture and holistic medicine that can truly bring food security and health to the world.
David Schubert, Ph.D.
Dr. Schubert, a biochemist, is a professor and the head of the Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory at the Salk Institute. Much of his research has been in studying hormones and other substances that affect the survival and function of brain cells.
Given the fact that genetically modified plants are going to make proteins in different amounts and perhaps totally new proteins than their parental species, what are the potential outcomes? A worst case scenario could be that an introduced bacterial toxin is modified to make it toxic to humans. Direct toxicity may be rapidly detected once the product enters the marketplace, but carcinogenic activity or toxicity caused by interaction with other foods would take decades to detect, if ever. The same outcomes would be predicted for the production of toxins or carcinogens via indirect changes in gene expression.
Finally, if the above problems are real, what can be done to address these concerns? The issue of secondary modification could be addressed by continual monitoring of the introduced gene product by mass spectroscopy. The problem is that some secondary modifications, like phosphorylation or sulfation can be lost during purification. However, the best, and to me the only reasonable solution, is to require all genetically engineered plant products for human consumption be tested for toxicity and carcinogenicity before they are marketed. These safety criteria are required for many chemicals and all drugs, and the magnitude of harm caused by a widely consumed toxic food would be much greater than that of any single drug.
Patrick Brown, Ph.D.
Dr. Brown is a professor in The Department of Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Science at the University of California. Dr. Brown is an agronomist who earned his Ph.D. from Cornell University.
This issue requires immediate and thoughtful attention from plant scientists. We must recognize that our knowledge of the processes that regulate gene incorporation and expression are in their infancy and that our capacity to manipulate the plant genome is crude. Given this current lack of understanding it is certainly possible that the current regulatory safeguards are inadequate and may not be offering sufficient protection against inadvertent creation of health and ecological problems.
Since the public education and research system is based upon a foundation of public trust, it is essential that we recognize and admit the unknowns associated with molecular biology and act with caution and integrity.
Five Things You Can Do to Help Your Child Manage ADHD Naturally
If your child is challenged with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, chances are you have both doctors and educators demanding you put your child on medication. Take heart. There are natural ways to help your child.
First and foremost, diet plays a crucial and primary role in managing your child’s health and symptoms. Diet management is simple, but overarching. Your child needs the healthiest possible diet, but then again, don’t all of us?
Diet
The healthiest possible diet consists of 80% raw, fresh, organic produce – more vegetables than fruit. This means salads, chopped up veggies to snack on, carrot slaw, coleslaw, kale salad, spinach salad, apple salad, fruit salads, smoothies and more. Whole foods are both nourishing and healing. If you eat meat, be sure it is organic. If you eat dairy, choose goat or sheep milk and cheese. Be sure to include healthy fats in the diet like coconut oil, avocados, and flax seed oil or a high quality, beneficial fatty acid supplement. Make sure your child’s diet is high in B vitamins or supplement B complex. Of course choose a whole food vitamin if you are supplementing – never synthetic.
If your current diet resembles the American Standard Diet, you’ll be focusing more on what not to eat that what to eat. To begin with, eliminate all artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. No BHA, BHT, MSG, trans fats, GMOs, high fructose corn syrup (or any corn syrup), and seriously limit or eliminate all sugars except raw honey. Never, under any circumstances, feed your child artificial sweeteners. It wouldn’t be a bad idea (at least in the beginning) to eliminate gluten as well. After several weeks on a really clean diet, you could add it back in and monitor results.
If your child has any known food allergies, completely eliminate offending foods.
Detox
Children with ADHD often have issues with heavy metals and other substances they need to detox. For children, it is best to work with a knowledgeable health care provider who practices chelation therapy and detoxification protocols.
The proper diet (as mentioned above) provides on-going detoxification the natural way. Make sure your child’s diet includes fresh garlic, onions, and cilantro – all of which aid in detoxification and chelation.
Sleep
Adequate, quality sleep is essential for ADHD challenged children to maintain impulse control and focus. Do you know how many hours your child requires? Do bedtimes in your home allow for this much sleep, including wind down time to fall asleep?
Age 3-5 years: 11-13 hours
Age 6-13 years: 9-11 hours
Teenagers 14 and up: 8-10 hours
If your child has difficulty sleeping, again, this is another area where B vitamin supplementation may help.
Exercise and Earthing
Hyperactive children need to run and play. The more they exercise, the better they sleep and the more control they have over their bodies and their attention.
While skateboards, roller skates, bikes, trampolines, and the like will all be great aids for these kids, don’t forget that lack of impulse control leads to risky behaviors. Increased supervision may be required.
Encourage contact with the ground. Barefoot in the grass, laying in the grass, connecting with the earth – however it is done can help. (see below).
Unconditional Love and Positive Regard
Identify and celebrate your child’s strengths and unique abilities. Your child needs to develop a healthy self-esteem and there is little to no chance this will happen through the school system.
Throughout this child’s formative years, the message from most of the adults in his or her life will be one of disappointment, disapproval, and possibly disbelief ADHD is real.
Your unconditional love, respect, and appreciation will provide the emotional foundation your child needs to develop a healthy sense of self.
Conclusion
ADHD is caused by poor functioning of the frontal lobes of the brain. Everything that can be done to improve gut health, hormonal balance, and overall health, will help control symptoms. Grounding or Earthing may help as well.
I know most of my posts have to do with emotional health and feeling good. This week I wanted to share with you a secret (I’ve been writing a book!) and offer you a sneak peek. One of the things I have been writing about is food. We all need it for energy; the brain the body need fuel to function. Simple enough, right? Sure, but if we know food is about function, why is there is so much food addiction?
For those of us who work with food and wellness, it’s no surprise our society is more overweight than ever before (I’ll be writing more about this soon). Even though we have more information and knowledge than ever before, food allergies and sensitivities, and emotional disorders ranging from depression to ADD are on the rise. What gives?
We are hungry for and actually starving for a nutrient dense diet.
Some many clients that would be considered obese laugh when they hear they are actually starving. How is that possible? Think about this scenario. A person who is always hungry, looking for something – even after they eat. The question is, what are they eating? The state of our food is embarrassing. The nutrient load is incredibly low, our grocery aisles are stacked with GMOs (mostly in packaged foods), and hybridization has left us with strange fruits and veggies. Who needs an orange the size of a head? And then there are the chemicals in and on our food. All of these things together don’t allow for the brilliance of our inner systems to actually absorb food. Instead they respond as if the food we eat is foreign and potentially harmful.
Many people say, “I can’t afford to eat organic” or “I don’t have time.” Well, I agree, it’s challenging at times, but can we really afford not to? After an incident with a walnut ladden russian tea cake over the holidays, my niece recently discovered she is highly allergic to tree nuts. Overloaded and overstressed, her little system started to shut down and go into shock. Real food does not do this. Our body is looking for the real deal. Nutrient rich, whole, natural foods click into our cells’ receptors like a lock and key, nourishing us on a deep level. At the very least, buy organic fruits and veggies on the dirty dozen list. You can download an app to help you remember which ones to avoid. For more insights on eating a nutrient rich diet, follow Chris Kressor. His weekly emails are full of insights and new science on eating for health.
We Are Hungry For Connection
So lets’ say you are eating right and you are still hungry. You buy all the right foods, you eat well, and are taking care of yourself, and still you find yourself plowing through nuts or a bag of pita chips when you know there isn’t any way you could need more food. It’s all about connection, baby. Food is one of our very first comforts. Think of a nursing babe. Not only is feeding one of the first things we do, but it’s one of our first ways of communicating. Early on, we form a strong association between physical and emotional nourishment. Food is delicious, delightful, and we need it. And, food can also be soothing when we would rather not face a situation or feel an emotion. Food is an effective distraction. But, using it as a crutch just leaves us empty.
I found that when I really understood what was motivating me to eat, I was no longer inexplicably hungry all the time. Explore your own relationship with food and emotion with Karen Koenig’s the Food Feeling Workbook.
So, next time you go for a second helping or midnight snack when you know you don’t need it, ask yourself, “What is it that I really want?” It could be touch, or a good chat with a friend, or even confronting something you’ve been avoiding. Feed yourself with the love that you need and deserve.
We Are Hungry For Happiness
You’ve got a gut feeling, turns out that’s not just a phrase, there’s a real gut-brain connection. Scientist are now confirming that our brains are more influenced by our bodies than we had thought. There was a misconception for years that our brain’s emotional chemistry–the happy hormones like dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin–was made in our brain (because that’s where it is found), but it turns out this is untrue. These hormones are born and bred in our tummy, well, our intestines, actually.
There’s a lot going on in our gut. If we don’t have the healthy bugs (you know, probiotics) in our gut we not only can’t digest and absorb the nutrients from our food, but our bodies also can’t create those happy hormones for good emotional health. So if the environment in your gut (your gut’s microbiome) is not a friendly place for the good stuff to grow, you may suffer from mood swings or even weight gain.
Taking a daily probiotic is one step toward good gut health. Eating a nutrient rich, low carb diet, like a paleo diet, is another way. Robb Wolf came up with the paleo diet after a number of near death health issues. He found that what he was eating was actually killing him.
Think you might have gut issues and want to explore more? Find a functional medicine doctor in your area or follow Robb Wolf who co-founeded the paleo movement with Mark Sission, biochemist and biologist.
We Are Hungry For Safety
When we have fear in our bodies, our sympathetic nervous system has two options: fight or flight. If we cannot escape the situation, we have to fight, or so our body thinks. Of course, this reaction is instinctual. We don’t actually know this is happening; it’s hardwired into our bodies. So, when we feel afraid, we seek protection. Sometimes we arm up by getting the hockey stick out; other times we do it with food. Taking on weight creates a layer of “Don’t look at me,” or “I can’t feel what you said,” or “I don’t need that kind of attention.” It’s your bodies way of trying to help. Sometimes help is not helpful. In reality, the weight gain causes a loop of self loathing and frustration, not to mention health issues. If you don’t feel safe, rather than run, call up a good therapist and start sharing. If you don’t feel that brave yet, start with a friend or a journal. Let it out before it eats your aliveness.
We Are Hungry For Satisfaction/Reward
Weight is also wait. When we are overweight, we are actually putting something off. What do you want that you are afraid of stepping into? Don’t delay. Do the thing you are denying yourself – right now. It’s amazing how we can sabotage ourselves from getting the exact thing we desire. Just decide to stop waiting and start living now. You don’t have to do everything at once, but take just a small step. Send one email, spend five minutes on the treadmill, skip dessert. You get the picture. This is your life. Start living it fully.
You don’t need to radically change your diet or lifestyle overnight, but you deserve to know that you can set yourself free. Here are a few places to start:
DO: Shop from the perimeter of your grocery store – where the real food lives
DO: Eat less processed, boxed, or packaged foods
DO: Eat up your connection to friends, family, and fun daily
DON’T: Skip a daily dose of healthy probiotic with bifidus on an empty stomach.
DON’T: Stuff your underlying issues around body image, safety, and old tapes of fear.
DON’T: Waste one more day weighting/waiting…
This is your life, my friend. Go live it.
Caught This
So, turns out that what I have known intuitively to be true my whole life is now scientifically validated. A few days ago I caught the tail end of an interview about widows and widowers on NPR. I was about to change the station when I heard scientist Nicholas Christakis (professor at Harvard Medical School) say, “We find emotions are being spread like any other virus.” Oh yeah. You know it. Brilliant. But I’m not the only one who has experienced this. You have, too.
“Everyday interactions we have with other people are definitely contagious, in terms of happiness,” says Nicholas Christakis, a professor at Harvard Medical School and an author of the study.
It’s like this: you walk into a room and before anyone says a word, you immediately catch the vibe of the room. Maybe you feel comfortable. There’s a warm and welcome feel. Or you experience judgment, or catch a sense of worry. Maybe it’s not that clear for everyone, but haven’t you ever had that gut feeling before a meeting starts like, “Yes, this is place I want to be,” or “Hell no, how do I get outta here?”
If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the beyond amazing film called Flight of the Butterfly (if you are in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area it is part of OmniFest at the Science Museum, a series of five large format films on until February 19th). In the film, there is shot of a single monarch butterfly, thousands of feet above the ground, migrating for the winter months. This fragile creature uses her antennae, a complex navigation device, to gauge and track the exact placement of the sun. She picks up signals from her environment and is so innately tuned in to what her antennae are telling her that they alone will guide her 2500 miles from where she was born to a single hilltop in Mexico where she will hibernate along with millions of other monarchs who all made similar journeys.
In case you didn’t catch that, a butterfly, thousands of feet above the ground, uses subtle clues from the sun to make her way thousands of miles from her birthplace. So, that makes me wonder. If this tiny insect is picking up on signals, and these signals are what guide her, are we so different? What signals are we getting, and how do they affect us? What if we could spread happiness or laughter or peace? What if it passed between people just like a disease?
It turns out our vibes and signals are not only present in our interactions with friends and family members, but are also in our environment. We catch the signals from our greater community just like a monarch butterfly catches signals from the sun. If that is true, that we can catch these signals from our environment, then does that mean that they have form, like a virus, or energy, or the rays of the sun? What if happiness is a physical element that exists outside of our body? Is it made of atoms? Does it have a cellular structure? How does it pass between one person and another?
We don’t know how, just yet, but scientists are theorizing it has to do with mirror neurons. When you smile at someone their mirror neurons activate and they automatically smile back. Ta da! A smile infection. Dr. Emma Seppala, social connection genius, explores this process in her work as the Associate Director of the Center for Compassion at Stanford.
It turns out that we are built to catch other peoples’ vibes. Not just the sense of the room, but we are highly tuned into the five people we spend the most time around. This is not necessarily our five emotionally closest people, but the ones we are actually around the most. Think work environment! The health, attitude, financial stability of those five people are a strong predictor of our own health, weight, lifestyle, and wellbeing. Even our earning potential is related to the average income of those five people. Interesting, right? So, could their influence on us (and our influence on them) be more than peer pressure? Could it be actual transmission?
Yes. And, it doesn’t stop at transmission by proximity.
According to Christakis, this effect extends beyond people within that small radius; it reaches out into our network. “When one person becomes happy, the social network effect can spread up to 3 degrees — reaching friends of friends,” he says. So, your happiness may, indeed, result in a ripple that puts a smile on the face of Kevin Bacon (you know, we’re all only 6 degrees away from Kevin Bacon….or anyone else, for that matter!).
So what you are feeling and experiencing RIGHT NOW is not only affecting you, but your community and all those people’s peeps, and those people’s people’s peeps as well. Whew.
Here is my question and challenge, for you. Do an experiment this week to see how your happiness or lack of it changes the people (and things) around you. Don’t say anything or even tell anyone you are doing it. Whether you take on smiling at strangers, giving compliments, or talking positively about yourself and others, spread the love and let’s see what happens. Keep asking yourself, “What vibe am I spreading?”
Marathon Running: The New Counseling for Couples?
Relationships are hard work. Sometimes they suck. But sometimes (most of the time, hopefully), you wouldn’t want to be with anyone else. Everyone faces the same difficulties from time to time. Arguments can happen. They’re normal, but they shouldn’t be tolerated.
That’s why I want to talk to you about how marathon running can help your relationship. Whether it’s the strongest it’s ever been or you’re nearing a divorce, marathon running, as a couple, could be the best thing you could do for your relationship. Literally, the best thing.
Getting your spouse to run will be half the battle, and convincing them can seem as plausible as convincing them you’re a witch with eight toes and can fly on a broom. But it must be done.
Here’s a list of reasons why marathon running can help your relationship:
1. You’re in it together
Cheesy or not, it’s true. You’re not alone, and you’re not just friends. You’re with someone you’ve dedicated your life to – someone who understands you. Someone who feels the same as you do about them.
You’re going to experience some rough patches, times when you want to rip your partner to shreds. It’s all part of the journey, the journey that you will be embarking on together. Together is the key word here. You’ll both smell worse than the breath of a dog after eating its own excrement, but at least you’ll smell like it together. That’s all that matters.
Put all that behind you, and it can be fun. You’ll each have your own goals. You’ll be more empathetic with one another. If nobody can be bothered to cook or clean, it won’t result in a fight. But it will result in “put your feet up and watch TV for a while.” When times get tough, you’ll begin to appreciate one another more. Who needs conventional counseling when you can run a marathon?
2. Anger outlet
Being angry is never a good thing. It sucks, and it’s the root of all evil.
Imagine this. You’ve had a rough day. Your boss is annoyed that you didn’t finish your report on time. Your friends don’t have time for you right now. There’s absolutely nothing good on TV for you to watch. You just got a bill from your credit card company that seems like someone’s playing a nasty trick on you. As you can imagine, you’re having a bad day.
Now, DO NOT let your anger get the better of you. Go for a run with your partner. Discuss your feelings. Use this as an opportunity to show a bit of that good ol’ emotion. You’ll feel resoundingly better afterwards, and you probably won’t even care what your boss has to say. You could even turn it into a game: just don’t get fired.
3. The marathon itself is worth it
The training is just the start. The 26.2 mile race is just a distant thought. But when you’ve done the training, you’ll know you’re ready for the marathon. The journey with your partner only gets better from now on.
Not only will you be running alongside your partner, but also the thousands of other runners in the race. Not to mention all the people watching – chanting your name as you run past them.
The excellent thing about this is that your partner feels the same. You’ll be running together and get to experience the same emotions. Nothing says, “true love” more than enduring torture together and getting through it. Just remember that it gets easier. Not only the running, but being a couple. Because being with one person can be hard sometimes.
And, just a warning: crying like a baby at the end is not uncommon. I don’t care how much of a man (or woman) you are. Don’t hold back. Don’t be emotionless. If you cry, you cry. If you’re a “man,” you may feel your masculinity take a hit, but who cares? Don’t try and please other people. If they mock you, then stuff ’em.
4. Sharing travelling experiences
We know marathon running is a continuous, never-ending sport. If you’re lucky, you’ll be 90 before you consider taking a much needed break. You don’t just run one marathon and stop there. That’s not how it works. If you’re a serious runner, you’ll run as many different races as you can. This means you’ll have to travel. A lot. To other countries, states, and cities.
But it doesn’t stop there. You’ll be with your partner the whole time. Providing the plane or car doesn’t crash in the process, you’ll find yourself traveling the globe in search for the best marathons. And you’ll run them together. Sure, it can be expensive, but so can any other hobby. The experiences are ones you’ll never forget.
Just don’t spend your days away from home cooped up in your hotel room. Get out. Experience the culture. Do something you’ve never done before. Go skydiving. You only get one opportunity. Don’t waste it. Do something fun with your partner. It’ll be worth it.
Conclusion
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Marathon running is, in time, going to be something that couples participate in to grow, heal, and strengthen their relationships. Think outside the box. Make your spouse read this article, from top to bottom. It could be the start
Have your spouse read this article, from top to bottom. It could be the start of something great, even if you feel your relationship is as healthy as it will ever be.
Vandana Shiva, Ph.D
Richard Strohman, Ph.D.
Gilles-Eric Seralini, Ph.D.
David Suzuki, Ph.D.
Jane Goodall, Ph.D.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho, Ph.D.
David Schubert, Ph.D.
Patrick Brown, Ph.D.