Dr. Weil & Dr. Amen, Natural Cures for Depression

Wow!  I usually am not interested in the Dr. Oz show, but today I watched clips on his website of Dr. Andrew Weil talking about his own experience with depression.  Dr. Weil had mild/moderate depression and anxiety in his 20s, and in his 40s he was given a prescription for antidepressant medication.  Dr. Weil could only tolerate the medication for five days, because he felt that the medication numbed his body and mind. 

Dr. Weil explains that there is a mass epidemic of depression in America with 1/10 adults on medication for it.  He says, however, that the pharmaceutical industry is pushing medication for ordinary sadness, so perhaps a third of those cases may be unnecessarily medicated.  Dr. Weil also suggests that mood shifts are normal and that some temporary mild depression occurs naturally from time to time.  However, Dr. Weil does offer a host of natural solutions for ongoing mild/moderate depression.

Weil holds that the greatest solution for depression is exercise.  He also recommends daily dietary supplements of 2-3 grams of  fish oil, 2000 iu of Vitamin D, 50 mcg of B6, 100 mcg of B12, and 400 mcg of folate.  He also recommends a daily multivitamin.

Other tactics to heal depression include cutting back on caffeine because it affects moods.  Weil recommends eliminating processed foods.  Artificial foods can lead to inflammation in the body, and this can cause depression.  He also suggests getting off the computer by 8pm information overload affects the brain. 

More remedies include acupuncture with a practitioner experienced in treating depression and touch in general which produces oxytocin, the feel good hormone.  Weil recommends standing with an erect posture, because people with depression often stand with a sunken chest, which can alter thoughts towards depression. 

He also suggests feeling and expressing gratitude often along with forgiveness and reparation of damaged relationships to remove emotional stress.  He contends that "social connection protects us from depression."  He explains that massive depression is unheard of in primitive cultures for many reasons--healthier eating, physical exercise, being exposed to natural light cycles and social support.

Dr. Weil recommends experimenting with Ashwagandha if depression is associated with anxiety.  This is a natural substance that is also called Indian Ginseng and is safe for long term use.  Weil calls Ashwagandha "stress protective with a mild relaxive effect."

Another supplement Weil describes as "quite safe" is SAMe (S-adenoslymethionine), which is fast acting.  It takes effect within 24-48 hours.  It can be stimulating and is not to be taken at night or by people with a bipolar disorder.

Rhodiola, an herb native to Tibet, is another supplement that is mood elevating and leads to more mental clarity and focus. 

Weil cautions not to take more than one of these at a time (Ashwagandha, SAMe, Rhodiola)  He says to experiment with each one separately and then discover if they are effective.

Dr. Daniel Amen is another Western Medical Doctor that recommends natural remedies for depression.  He has been a practicing psychiatrist for over thirty years, and ultimately turned towards natural solutions for depression/anxiety after years of prescribing pharmaceutical medication. 

Amen uses brain scans to view the entire brain and then make recommendations for supplements.  According to Amen there are many types of depression which are often coupled with anxiety.  He defines pure depression as a state of sadness, low energy and hopelessness. (He treats this with SAMe)

Dr. Amen also describes the state of pure anxiety as one where a person usually predicts the worst outcome in many situations.  (Amen uses L-Theanine, Guava, B6, Magnesium, Valerian, and Cava Cava to treat this.)

Amen talks about a state of mixed anxiety and depression. (treated with L-Theanine and SAMe) 

Another condition he explains is overfocused anxiety and depression, where one can't let go of worry and holds grudges, often getting into arguments.  (treated with St. John's Wort, 5htp, Saffron, and serotonin medication)

He talks about a cyclic state such as severe PMS or bipolar disorder. (treated with Guava, Fish oil)

Another mode is unfocused anxiety and depression. (treated with Green tea, Ginseng)

Dr. Amen has several offices around the country where he does the brain scans in order to make recommendations.  Interestingly, he says that pharmaceutical medication is only effective on one out of the seven kinds of depression/anxiety, which is the over focused type.   He is also able to scan for ADHD and Alzheimer's, and offers natural supplements for treating those as well.

He also suggests eating 4-5 meals a day, because blood sugar is crucial to brain health.  He recommends getting at lease 6 hours of sleep, exercise, and also getting lab tests for medical issues of low thyroid, low testosterone, and low vitamin D, which can lead to depression.  He also uses medical hypnosis to help his patients.

I highly recommend going to Dr. Amen's website for more information, because my information is based on notes I scrawled during an interview I heard with him on the Internet, which I think is no longer available.  I think it is very interesting to have these two alternative viewpoints by Dr. Weil and Dr. Amen to add to the mix of conventional western medicine in the treatment of depression.

I haven't tried any of these supplements except for the usual-- fish oil (krill oil in my case), vitamin D (I take 4000IU daily per research done by Dr. Mercola), and B supplements/a multivitamin.  Neither Dr. Amen--in the interview I heard--nor Dr. Weil (on Dr. Oz) recommended dosages.   

More information can be found at www.AmenClinics.com and in Weil's new book Spontaneous Happiness.  I am not recommending either of their treatments, but it is great to have alternative viewpoints being presented to people who can then decide for themselves which treatment route to take.

I would probably not go to one of Dr. Amen's clinics, because, if health care doesn't cover the expense, the cost is a little over $3000 for a comprehensive evaluation--plus, I am leery of having a radioactive isotope injected for the scan--even if it is a very small amount.  From my previous blogs, you may have read that I like to err on the side of caution.  If I were to try any of these treatments, I would probably follow the more cost effective suggestions offered by Dr. Weil--but I would only take them with the support of a Holistic Health Practitioner.

A Votre Sante (Here's to Your Health), Alix