Dr. Stephen J. Kaufman
Doctor of Chiropractic and Nutritionist, Acupressure and Acupuncture, Applied Kinesiology                     
2693 South Niagara St.                          
Denver ,Co. 80224
(303) 756-9567

 Depression 

   One of the worst illnesses we can suffer from is depression.  It takes all the good things in our life and makes them seem meaningless.  It is so much worse than most physical problems.  I have a lot of sympathy for patients that feel they need anti-depressant medication to get by.  However, many people are not aware that there are excellent alternative natural approaches available.  We’ll discuss some of them here.

   Anti-depressant medication works by increasing the level of certain chemicals, called neurotransmitters, in your brain.  These include serotonin, epinephrine (or adrenalin), norepinephrine, acetylcholine, dopamine, etc.  Serotonin is currently considered to be the neurotransmitter most involved with depression.  Normally when your brain cells make these chemicals, they are active for a short time and then destroyed by other brain cells.  Prescription medication works by blocking the destruction of neurotransmitters, thus they build up to higher levels in the brain.  Unfortunately all medications have side effects.  They are powerful chemicals that your body has to deal with.  The long term effects (and they may be deadly) of using these chemicals is largely unknown.  

   Instead of interfering with the destruction of neurotransmitters, there is another, more natural approach.  This works by increasing the manufacture of neurotransmitters.  Research has shown that acupuncture may be very helpful in this regard.  Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of a certain type of acupressure for depression.  Also, we can supply more of the substances that the body uses to make its own neurotransmitters.  These are called “precursers”.  This consists of a large list of substances including:

          5-HTP

          Phenylalanine

          Glutamine

          S-adenosyl methonine

          Vitamins C, D,B1, B₂, Niacin, B₆, B₁₂ and Folic Acid

          Gingko

          Ginseng

          St. John’s Wort

          NADH

          Garum amoricum

          EPA and DHA

          Chromium

          Boron

          Selenium

          Potassium  

          Magnesium

          Trimethyl Glycine

          Coleus Forskolii

          Rubidium

          Lithium Orotate

          Iron

          Acetyl L Connective

          N Acetyl L Tyrosine

          Biopterine

          Thyroid extract

          Adrenal extract

          Betaine Hydrochloride

          Anti candida measures  

   Each patient receives an individualized prescription based on his particular biochemistry.

   There are kinesiological treatments that I have developed specifically for depression.  They work by stimulating acupressure points which effect different areas of the brain, and effect hormone balance. There is quite a lot of research showing acupuncture to be effective for depression. Over the past 25 years, I have treated many people with depression.  Most of them have shown great improvement, even people who were depressed from birth.     

   Anti-depression drugs usually take 1-3 months to build up a large enough level in the brain to start working.  One of the advantages of our treatment is that results may occur much more quickly, often within a few weeks.  However, patients vary and it may take longer for some people.  

   Other factors important for good moods are regular aerobic exercise (60-90 minutes a week) and daily exposure to sunlight for at least 30 minutes, especially in the winter. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day helps to dilute some toxins in the blood stream and may ease depression.

   Sometimes depression comes from past emotional trauma.  We have the very best treatment in the world for relieving the effects of past trauma or unresolved grief (also know as post-traumatic stress.)  

   Many who suffer from depression suffer from the “disease of having to be right all the time”.  We are in a constant battle with others; we are right and they are wrong”.  We have frequently unmet expectations.  People don’t do what we want, and we are often disappointed by that and are unhappy.  Basically we feel that we are not in control off our life.  This can cause emotional pain.  

    In fact, the only thing we are ever really in control of is our reaction to life.  We can choose how to react to the things that happen to us.  We can decide whether we will be angry and irritated by everything that anyone says or does that we don’t like, or we can decide to develop tolerance.  Of course we need to be tolerant to ourselves first and foremost.  We have the ability to choose how we will react.  When we learn that this most important “ability” is always within our control, life becomes much, much easier.  

  The supplements mentioned are all available from Natural Ways,  619-275-2293.