Transcript Διαφάνεια 1

Andrea Paola Rojas Gil PhD
Lecturer of Biology and Biochemistry
Nursing School
University of Peloponnese
Sparta-Greece
Annual Conference on Nursing
Institute of Health Studies,
Technical University of Liberec and Regional Hospital of Liberec,
Czech Republic.
“Innovative approaches in nursing”
November 2012
Depression
is a state of low mood and aversion to
activity
 can have a negative effect on a
person's thoughts, behavior, feelings,
world view and physical well-being
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Depressed mood is not necessarily a
psychiatric disorder.
 It is a normal reaction to certain life
events, a symptom of some medical
conditions and a side effect of some
medical treatments.
 Depressed mood is also a primary or
associated feature of certain psychiatric
syndromes such as clinical depression.
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What causes Depression?
 Family
History
 Having a family members who
has depression may increase
a person’s risk
 Imbalances of certain
chemicals in the brain may
lead to depression
 Major
Life Changes
 Positive or negative events
can trigger depression.
Examples include the death
of a loved one or a
promotion.
 menopause, financial
difficulties, job problems,
relationship troubles,
separation and bereavement
 Major Illnesses such as
heart attack, stroke or
cancer may trigger
depression.
 Certain medications used
alone or in combination can
cause side effects much like
the symptoms of depression.
 Use of Alcohol or other Drugs
can lead to or worsen
depression.
 Depression can also occur for
no apparent reason!
Symptoms of Depression
 Vary
from person to
person
 2 key signs are
 loss of interest in things
you like to do
 sadness or irritability
Additional Signs include:
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Changes in feelings which may
include:
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Feeling empty
Inability to enjoy anything
Hopelessness
Loss of sexual desire
Loss of warm feelings for family or
friends
 Feelings of self blame or guilt
 Loss of self esteem
 Inexplicable crying spells, sadness or
irritability
Changes in behavior and attitude
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These may include:
 General slowing down
 Neglect of responsibilities and
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appearance
Poor memory
Inability to concentrate
Suicidal thoughts, feelings or
behaviors
Difficulty making decisions
Physical Complaints
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These may include:
 Sleep disturbances such as early
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morning waking, sleeping too much
or insomnia
Lack of energy
Loss of appetite
Weight loss or gain
Unexplained headaches or
backaches
Stomachaches, indigestion or
changes in bowl habits
Major Depression

This type causes symptoms that may:
 Begin suddenly, possibly triggered by a loss,
crisis or change
 Interfere with normal functioning
 Continue for months or years
 It is possible for a person to have only one
episode of major depression. It is more
common for episodes to be long lasting or to
occur several times during a person’s life
Dysthymia
 People
with this illness are mildly
depressed for years.
 They function fairly well on a daily
basis but their relationships suffer
over time.
Bipolar Disorder
People with this type of illness change back
and forth between periods of depression and
periods of mania (an extreme high).
 Symptoms of mania may include:
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Less need for sleep
Overconfidence
Racing thoughts
Reckless behavior
Increased energy
Mood changes are usually gradual,
but can be sudden
Season Affective Disorder
This is a depression that results from
changes in the season.
 Most cases begin in the fall or winter, or
when there is a decrease in sunlight.
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Professional treatment is
necessary for all these types
of depression.
Treatment for Depression
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Medication
 Antidepressants can help ease the
symptoms of depression and return a
person to normal functioning.
Antidepressants are not habit forming.
Psychotherapy
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This can help many depressed people
understand themselves and cope with
their problems. For example:
 Interpersonal therapy works to change
relationships that affect depression
 Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps people
change negative thinking and behavior
patterns
Food prevention of the
depression
Neurotransmitters

Αre types of hormones in the brain
that transmit information from one
neuron to another.
 Neurotransmitters control major body
functions
 including movement,
 emotional response, and the physical
ability to experience pleasure and pain.
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The most familiar neurotransmitters
which are thought to play a role in
mood regulation are serotonin,
norepinephrine, dopamine,
acetylcholine, and GABA.
Neurotransmitter
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Effects on Mental Health:
· Modulate mood and thought processes
· Control ability to focus, concentrate,
and remember things
· Control the appetite center of the brain
· Regulate sleep
Serotonin
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Serotonin is an inhibitory neurotransmitter involved in
the regulation of
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mood, anxiety, libido, compulsivity,
headaches, aggression, body temperature,
eating disorders, social anxiety, phobias,
sleep, appetite, memory and learning,
cardiovascular function, muscle contraction, and
endocrine regulation.
Proper amounts of circulating serotonin promote
relaxation.
Stress reduces our serotonin levels as our body uses
up serotonin in an attempt to calm itself.
Serotonin is created in the brain in a
long series of reactions involving a
precursor compound, 5-hydroxytryptophan or 5-HTP, and a methyl
donor, S-adenosyl methionine or
SAMe
 The concentrations of these
compounds can affect the synthesis of
serotonin.
 By increasing the synthesis, it may be
possible to increase the concentration
of serotonin in the brain.
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Serotonin
Proteins and healthy fats are pro-serotonin
foods
 while things like caffeine, soda, coffee, fake
sugars, and processed foods are all antiserotonin foods.
 Our serotonin levels become depleted
when we are not consuming a balanced
diet.
 A low-calorie, low-fat, low-carb, or lowprotein diet can significantly alter our
serotonin levels and affect our mood
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Tryptophan is an essential protein that we
must obtain from the diet.
It is found in high-protein foods such as
turkey, chicken, pork, beef, seafood and
eggs.
In addition, a diet high in essential fats will
support an increase in the availability of
protein in the brain for serotonin production.
Vitamins and minerals, which are obtained
from plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, are
needed to convert the tryptophan to
serotonin.
The B-Complex Vitamins
The B-complex vitamins are essential to
mental and emotional well-being.
 They cannot be stored in our bodies, so
we depend entirely on our daily diet to
supply them.
 B vitamins are destroyed by alcohol,
refined sugars, nicotine, and caffeine so
it is no surprise that many people may
be deficient in these.
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Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
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The brain uses this vitamin to help
convert glucose, or blood sugar, into
fuel, and without it the brain rapidly runs
out of energy.
This can lead to fatigue, depression,
irritability, anxiety, and even thoughts of
suicide.
Deficiencies can also cause memory
problems, loss of appetite, insomnia,
and gastrointestinal disorders.
The consumption of refined
carbohydrates, such as simple sugars,
drains the body's B1 supply.
Vitamin B3 (niacin)
Pellagra produces psychosis and
dementia
 Many commercial food products
now contain niacin, and pellagra
has virtually disappeared.
 However, subclinical deficiencies
of vitamin B3 can produce
agitation and anxiety, as well as
mental and physical slowness.
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Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid):
Symptoms of deficiency are
fatigue, chronic stress, and
depression.
 Vitamin B5 is needed for
hormone formation and the
uptake of amino acids and the
brain chemical acetylcholine,
which combine to prevent
certain types of depression.
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Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine):
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This vitamin aids in the processing of
amino acids, which are the building
blocks of all proteins and some
hormones.
It is needed in the manufacture of
serotonin, melatonin and dopamine.
Vitamin B6 deficiencies, although very
rare, cause impaired immunity, skin
lesions, and mental confusion.
A marginal deficiency sometimes
occurs in alcoholics, patients with
kidney failure, and women using oral
contraceptives.
Vitamin B12:
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Because vitamin B12 is important to red blood
cell formation, deficiency leads to an oxygentransport problem known as pernicious anemia.
This disorder can cause mood swings,
paranoia, irritability, confusion, dementia,
hallucinations, or mania, eventually followed by
appetite loss, dizziness, weakness, shortage of
breath, heart palpitations, diarrhea, and tingling
sensations in the extremities.
Deficiencies take a long time to develop, since
the body stores a three- to five-year supply in
the liver.
Since intrinsic factor diminishes with age, older
people are more prone to B12 deficiencies.
Folic acid
This B vitamin is needed for DNA
synthesis. It is also necessary for the
production of SAM (S-adenosyl
methionine).
 Poor dietary habits contribute to folic acid
deficiencies, as do illness, alcoholism, and
various drugs, including aspirin, birth
control pills, barbiturates, and
anticonvulsants.
 Folic acid deficiencies have been linked to
depression in clinical studies. Folic acid
deficiency causes serotonin levels in the
brain to decrease.
 Psychiatric patients with depression have
much higher rates of folic acid deficiency
than the general public
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Asparagus
Bananas
Broccoli
Spinach
Dried beans
Oranges
Peanuts
Peas
Omega-3 fatty acids,
Eat foods that are high in Omega3 fatty acids, have been shown to
raise serotonin levels in the brain,
which may reduce the feelings of
depression.
 These foods include nuts, grains,
seeds, beans and deep-water fish
such as salmon, mackerel,
sardines and herring.
 This is a more natural alternative
to antidepressants
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Magnesium
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According to the most recent researches low
magnesium plays a crucial role in the development
of depression, attention deficit disorder, heart attack
and diabetes.
Magnesium is essential:
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for the formation of healthy bones and teeth
in the transmission of nerve impulses
mostly for the relaxation of muscles
in activating several enzymes
in the conversion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins into
energy.
Several hundred bodily functions require
magnesium, as blood coagulation, insulin
production, normal heartbeat, muscle and nerve
functions.
Magnesium
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The symptoms of magnesium
deficiency include
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anxiety, depression,
restlessness, confusion,
irritability, brain fog,
fatigue
irregular heartbeat and tight
aching muscles.
cold hands and feet, muscle cramps in legs
or feet
Magnesium
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Treat depression by adding foods that
are high in magnesium to your diet,
since magnesium deficiencies have
also been recently linked to this
condition.
Foods that are high in magnesium
include fish, barley, artichokes,
buckwheat, oat bran, almonds,
cashews, pine nuts, black beans, white
beans, cornmeal, spinach, tomatoes,
pumpkins seeds and soybeans.
You can also take a magnesium
supplement as well, either isolated or
as part of a multi-vitamin formula.
Selenium
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is an antioxidant which assists vitamin E to
protect cells from damage from free radicals.
Selenium plays and important role in
supporting the immune system and in a
healthy cardiovascular system.
Low levels of selenium have been linked to
increased risks of cancer, inflammatory
diseases and cataracts.
It is also important as it is necessary in the
production of thyroid hormone. Selenium also
helps to protect against heavy metal damage.
Selenium
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One symptom of hypothyroidism, or low
thyroid function, is depression.
For the synthesis, activation, and
metabolism of thyroid hormones, selenium
is required.
Deficiencies in selenium could exacerbate
the affect thyroid disease has on mood.
Selenium deficiency has been linked to
depression in adolescents who abuse
alcohol.
Alcohol depletes minerals, such as
selenium. Some people, such as those who
have had gastrointestinal bypass surgery or
have Crohn's disease, absorb selenium less
efficiently and are at risk.
Meat and seafood are the best sources of
selenium, and vegetarians may be at risk of
low dietary intake and deficiency.
Selenium
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Lack of can cause bad moods.
Individuals suffering from a lack of
selenium have been shown to be
more anxious, irritable, hostile, and
depressed than their non-lacking
counterparts.
Correcting deficiencies normalizes
mood, but getting more does not
elevate mood further
Be sure to get your daily dose by
eating a Brazil nut, or tuna
sandwich, sunflower seeds, whole
grain cereals, or swordfish.
CHROMIUM
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This mineral is vital for keeping blood sugar level stable
because insulin, which clears glucose from the blood, can't
work properly without it.
Chromium helps maintain normal serum cholesterol levels
and also helps to control the production of insulin.
It increases immunity, regulates blood sugar, food
cravings, and the body’s use of proteins, carbohydrates, and
fats.
It also helps in protein synthesis.
Certain chromium compounds are being used to prevent
memory loss and arrest deterioration due to Alzheimer’s
disease.
Chromium deficiency
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Symptoms
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Fatigue, Anxiety, Depression, Hyperactivity,
Irritability, Bipolar disease, Mood swings,
Learning disabilities,
Glucose intolerance,
Elevated blood cholesterol and triglycerides
Coronary blood vessel disease,
Stunted growth, Infertility,
Obesity, Neuropathy,
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In fact it turns out that just supplying proper levels of
chromium to people with atypical depression can make a
big difference.
Chromium
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Food sources of Chromium include:
Whole grains, Bread, Brown rice, Meat,
Broccoli, Mushrooms, Green beans,
Brewer’s yeast, Beef, Beer, Chicken breast,
Chicken legs, Calves’ liver, Cereals, Cheese,
Eggs, Fish, Sea food, Corn, Potatoes, Diary
products, and Fresh vegetables.
Herbs are also rich in chromium. Herb
sources of chromium include:
Wild yam, Nettle, Catnip, Oat straw, Licorice,
Horsetail, Yarrow, Red clover and
Sarsaparilla.
About Chocolate???
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Some of dark chocolate’s benefits come from
resveratrol, an antioxidant (immune system
booster) found in red wine, among other
products.
Its mental health benefits include the ability to
boost brain levels of endorphins (natural
opiates) as well as serotonin (a mood-altering
chemical on which many antidepressants act).
Because it can increase serotonin levels in the
brain, dark chocolate also may increase
serotonin production in the gut, and thus help
your immune system.
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The recommended dose is one ounce per day.
it may help reduce blood pressure and
increase arterial blood flow, reduce the chance
of blood clots and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
 Eating too much chocolate each day can cause
complications including
 migraines, weight gain,
 digestive tract problems (such as diarrhea),
 kidney stones and heartburn
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Dark chocolate seems to have less of an
impact on heartburn than milk chocolate and it
may also be less of a problem in gallbladder
disease, but no promises there.
And all chocolate contains caffeine, which is a
problem for some as well.
What to avoid!!!
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Reduce the amount of stimulants in
your diet, such as caffeine and high
amounts of sugar.
While these substances may
provide a temporary mood lift and
an increased amount of energy,
they may also cause insomnia,
disruptive sleep patterns, irritability
and moodiness that can easily
aggravate the symptoms of
depression
Food & Mood Rules
① Take it slow.
② Eat well and spread it out.
③ Cut back on sugar, caffeine, &
saturated and trans fats; eat more ω-3
rich foods
④ Lace a real-foods diet with super mood
foods
⑤ Exercise!!!
⑥ Drink water.
⑦ Supplement responsibly.
Take it easy and enjoy your life!!