Omega 3 EPA: Nature's Very Own Antidepressant - By Dave McEvoy

Since Dr Malcolm Peet, a consultant psychiatrist at Sheffield swallow court hospital released his findings about the effects of Ethyl Epa and its effects on people suffering from depression and low moods, many other studies have been performed using Ethyl Epa to help treat depression and related disorders. The vast majority of the studies that have been performed consistently confirmed that Ethyl Epa, a natural substance found in omega 3 fish oil, helps relieve depression and low moods.

The idea that high grade omega 3 EPA could be used to help combat depression and other related disorders came from the late Dr Horribin, who as early as the 1970s was a pioneer in lipid research involving the brain and central nervous system. Since the findings at Sheffield, studies have been conducted round the world, Harvard university 1999, London Hammersmith hospital 2001 and Israel Ben Gurion University 2002 to name but a few.

EPA As Part Of A Healthy Diet

EPA is part of the Omega 3 chain of ecosanoids and is most commonly found in fatty fish such as fresh salmon, mackerel, pilchards and sardines. Over the past 100 years the diet patterns of most people in the west has shifted dramatically to include far more hydrogenated oils and Trans fatty acids (bad fats) this is largely due to the increased consumption of fast food and ready made meals. Even people who think they eat a healthy diet consume way too much omega 6 and not enough omega 3.

Researchers have recently found that a diet high in Tran’s fatty acids could affect the mood stabilizing hormones within the brain, this is thought to be due to the saturated fats slowing down the messaging system within the brain, should this happen then the onset of depression could occur.

How Does EPA Work?

While the benefits of high grade EPA have been well documented, the scientific community still don’t know exactly how EPA works on the brain, one theory released by Dr Basant Puri is that it eases the passage of the signals over the tiny gaps in the brain called synapses. Another theory was that the high Grade Epa actually worked similar to lithium and had anti depressant properties of its own.

Until recently it was widely accepted in the medical community that once a human reached maturity that the adult brain could not grow anymore, in a recent paper just released by Dr Puri his findings show other wise. Dr Puri scanned a 21 year patient before treating him with high grade Pure Epa, after the course of treatment he rescanned the young man only to find that the grey matter of the brain had increased in size.

Omega 3 EPA And The Body

As well as EPA being very good for helping to balance mood it has other well documented effects on the body, these included:-

• Blood thinning properties
• Decrease risk of heart attack
• Decrease growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque
• Slightly lower blood pressure

There is also some limited scientific evidence to show that high grade EPA has helped people suffering from:-

• Bipolar disorder
• PMS
• Chronic fatigue syndrome / ME
• Huntington’s disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Obsessive compulsive disorder
• Schizophrenia
• ADHD
• ADD

Although more research needs to be done in these areas, the current evidence looks very promising.

EPA Versus DHA

Omega 3 fish oil contains another omega 3 nutrient called DHA, there is a currently a controversial argument as to which omega 3 nutrient is the more beneficial in dealing with depression and related disorders. This Argument is born from doctors who have used high grade Epa , Horribin, Puri and Peet They claim that the higher the ratio of Epa to Dha the more effective the results have been, just recently Dr Andrew Stoll has also come out in support of this theory.

EPA From Food

Any good doctor or nutritionist will tell you that the best way to get any nutrient is to eat a very balanced diet of the correct amount of carbohydrates , protein and omega essential fatty acids. In the case of Omega 3 epa this would be in the form of fish, unfortunately due to the high concentration levels of epa needed to obtain a therapeutic dose you would have to consume a large amount of oily fish daily and sadly due to the pollution levels found in our oceans today this is not advisable.Omega 3

Epa can also be found in high doses in certain fish oil supplements, when choosing a fish oil supplement you should choose only the fish oil of the highest quality it should also have as high an EPA to DHA ratio as possible,for maximum therapeutic effect.

Conclusion

The large majority of scientific trails using high grade Omega 3 Ethyl Epa point towards this natural oil being very beneficial for many conditions. The argument about the DHA rages on and probably will until some solid scientific evidence is presented to us .In the mean time a product with a high EPA to DHA ratio is considered more beneficial by some leading UK doctors.

The Author

Dave McEvoy: A great resource for high grade omega 3 Ethly EPA fish oil in a vegetable shell with a 90% concentrate of EPA and Zero DHA visit http://www.mind1st.co.uk

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Depression Cures That Are Drug Free- By Donny Lowy

Depression cures come in every form, manner, and shape that you can imagine.

Depression cures in the form of medicine are available, as well as herbal remedies, electromagnetic equipment, and even computer software.

Depression cures are in increasing demand as society faces a higher degree of depression and anxiety due to terrorism, job insecurity, and natural catastrophes.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent annually in an attempt to find depression cures.

While there are no guaranteed depression cures available, there are medicines and therapies that can work to help individuals cope with their depression.

Here are some steps that I have found to help alleviate temporary depression and anxiety.

1. Walk. Taking a nice long walk has always yielded a break from anxiety, and a resulting lifting of the spirits. By walking you are changing your surroundings which helps your mind switch tracks.

2. Meditate. Meditation can be as simple as sitting down and thinking of something positive. As your mind drifts back towards a negative thought you need to refocus on a positive thought. Many people repeat a positive phrase until they feel their mood improve.

3. Exercise. A steady exercise routine will improve your mood, calm your senses, and make you happier. There are physical and psychological reasons for this, but I can assure you that even a small amount of daily exercise can do wonders.

4. Socialization. Studies repeatedly show that being around people leads to healthier lives. The more people you talk to, the more positive and exciting your day will be. Of course, talking the right people makes a world of difference.

5. Having a hobby. Having a hobby can help depression and anxiety sufferers because it gives them another outlet for their energies. In addition, instead of being focused on a negative feeling or event, the person will be involved with another activity.

Donny Lowy runs an online resource to combat depression: http://www.curemydepression.com

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