The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

Twyla Holstein — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 16:34:24 GMT

I have also used Co-Q-10 for a number of years because I had angina occasionally, since I was 40. I feel it has helped me in many ways. In 2007 I suffered a heart attack on the interstate, (79 yrs.). After that I doubled my daily dose of Co-Q-10 to 200 mg. for six months and also took liquid Hawthorne prn any time I had even slight chest pain. I also take 2000 mg. of Cod Liver Oil twice a day. (I live in Mt.) I decreased the Co-Q-10 to 100mg. daily post heart attack after 6 months because I began bruising easily. Since the Co-Q-10 also thins blood it should not be overdone. Using bruises as a guideline has worked for me. I have had no recurrent problems post heart attack. I am now 81 and feel fine. I currently take A Hawthorne pill twice a day. I keep a bottle of liquid hawthorne for prn use, but need it only rarely.

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

somdbob — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 04:14:13 GMT

Duparc,

I expect you are right about 'sunlight thru glass' lacking some of the goodies of 'pure' summer sunlight.

But, hey, it seems to me that basking in the winter sun thru glass while scantily clad for perhaps an hour or so may have as much or more efficacy as a tanning bed, and almost surely more than just being around the best full spectrum bulbs..

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

charmus — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:24:56 GMT

I think animal fat intake is certainly the most important factor, exercise another one. I have never used full spectrum lights, never taken any vitamin D supplements. There have been many days where I didn't get outside in winter or where it was just constantly cloudy and I never had depression or "SAD". Again, vegetarians may disagree, but proteins and fats are what our bodies need to function properly. You can only get the right protein fat combination in animal based products (not from soy!!!). All my life I've been eating high quality meats, drinking non-homogenized whole milk (sometimes raw, when available). In the past 6-7 years I have had no soda (except for Hansen's natural soda once in a blue moon), and hardly any sugars, certainly no artificial ones and been eating mostly organic. Also I watch alot of "smart comedy", and I indulge in very good high quality food - food for your soul (e.g. try Häagen-Dazs once in a while, it tastes great, has nothing artificial (only 3 or 4 ingredients) and not as much sugar). You have to find the right balance and not exaggerate with the sweet stuff (PS: If you take no meds, your throat will tell you when to stop eating sweets, it will start burning lightly). I have ideal weight, lots of energy, sleep very well (fall asleep within 3-5 min), and no depression - need more evidence?

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

somdbob — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:58:35 GMT

My question has been asked several times--but no response has ever been notied.

Once again. Is it possible to gain a worthwhile degree of Vitamin D and other benefits of sunlight from sunlight coming through a glass window??

After all, a whole industry --the plant nursery business--relies mainly on suinlight coming thru glass.. Is a human body's need for sunlight that different..

An indoor swimming pool I visit in winter has a splendid glass window with strong sunlight--on sunny days--with enough sun strength coming thru to feel warm. This is pleasant enough, but it wouild be even better if it involved catching some Vit D rays.

Another thought, tho--what can be said for the millions of humans, worldwide, that live--and seemingly thrive-- in the far north or far south. and presumably never get that much sunlight on their bods?? By Doc Mercola's reckoning they should all be short-timers.??

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

ConfusedEater — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:58:04 GMT

I bought some of Mercola's bulbs. I haven't installed them yet, but I am now worried about the Mercury. How do I safely dispose of the bulbs once they burn out?

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

isoptera — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:38:20 GMT

There is another item that has been shown to be involved in depression and that is magnesium deficiency. Our junk food diet insures that this nutrient will be very often deficient in our society.

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

mohammad kazemi — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:31:26 GMT

Benfotiamine a fat soluble B vitamin is suppose to be really good for over all health. Dr. Mercola could you please give us insight on what you know about this. Thanks.

Kevin,

Incandescent is not full spectrum.

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

curious7 — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:30:46 GMT

Are not plant based oils just as effective, such as Omega 3-6-9?

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

moo_203 — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:27:35 GMT

i'm wondering if its possible to get too many omega 3 compared to omega 6.?

i don't eat any processed food except one slice of whole wheat toast in the morning so i don't get much omega 6 there... for salad dressing i use oilive oil which is mostly omega 9 with a bit of vinegar or mix it with one tsp. of reg organic salad dsg. so not much if any there but i take 2 fish oil capsules or krill daily.

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

Mr.AK — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:55:21 GMT

EMF's from fluorescent bulbs or any electrical device generally have a range of 2-3 feet, so keep ALL electrical appliances at least that far away.

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

Heather Marsh — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:14:22 GMT

As the old light bulbs are being phased out in Australia we are steadily replacing the ones at home with the small fluoros. But I have heard some horror stories about mercury poisoning from broken ones.

I hope the LEDs become affordable or I might just have to go back to farmers' hours and candle light!

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

Reverend Alan — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:53:22 GMT

I replaced every bulb in my house with full spectrum bulbs and now I am replacing them with LED bulbs. Neither really makes me feel 'normal'. Neither do anti-depressants.

What has helped me more than anything is taking the natural mineral Lithium Orotate. My depression is always worse in the winter, I may have SAD in addition to the depression associated with CFIDS/MS and Aspartame poisoning, but the Lithium Orotate helps all year long. It just clears my head of doom and gloom.

Even though the full spectrum bulbs did not seem to help me, they are a vastly superiour light and for that reason alone I am glad I switched to them.

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

Verleen — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:43:25 GMT

Because of Dr. Mercola's articles, I have been afraid of taking Vitamin D supplements, even though blood tests (yes, I've had the correct one done) show that I'm significantly deficient. Every year in November, I get SAD and high blood pressure. My hyroxy Vitamin D tested very low in November. So I again read more up-to-date articles in medical journals. It seems there is evidence and recognition that we need more vitamin D that originally believed. So my doctor advised me to begin vitamin D supplementation, but left the amount up to me because of my reading these articles. I have been taking 2400 IUs daily via cod liver oil since 2005. And still my vitamin D is low. I've added another 5,000 IUs to my diet and will get retested in February. I am feeling much better, my blood pressure has come down, and my blood sugars are close to normal now. During summer, I sit outside in the sun and feel pretty good, but my vitamin D is still not in the normal range. I wonder how many people out there have vitamin D deficiencies and everyone is afraid to treat this because of the worry about vitamin D toxicity. I also use Mercola's full spectrum bulbs, and still have low vitamin D..

Damage to my hypothalmus may be playing a part in my own situation. I have post polio syndrome and use a power wheelchair. I may not be getting correct signaling from the hypothalmus to the parathyroid which plays a part in vitamin D synthesis. I have to thank Dr. Mercola for guiding me to cod liver oil in 2005. I suffered from deep depression for over a year (I had been taking the statin drug Lipitor for 10 years). After reading articles on Dr. Mercola's site, I stopped the Lipitor and began taking 2 TBS of cod liver oil. In one week, my depression lifted. Because the result was so immediate and profound, I swear by cod liver oil. Apparently for me, this has been a good decision because of my chronic low serum vitamin D. Verleen

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

Kevin Carmody — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:59:12 GMT

There are incandescent full spectrum light bulbs. They allow you to avoid the mercury issue that Dr. Mercola mentions. I use Chromalux bulbs made by Lumiram and would never consider fluorescent bulbs.

re: The Bright Idea Behind Treating SAD

Duparc — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:58:26 GMT

My understanding of omegas is that the body requires only minute amounts and which can, infact, be produced by the body from saturated fats if and whenever necessary. Regretfully I cannot today provide the reference to the supporting research. Another crucial point that was mentioned was the need to have it in the proper balanced amounts which our diets and supplementation fail to provide.

Exercise is dependent on one's energy level but especially if one has excess enegy then it is easy to exercise but the opposite is equally true; it is then that one needs to rest or sleep.

Not so long after Q10 became available on the market and when the right maintenance dose became recognised, I started taking it (in its dry powered form) at 100 mgs daily. Not only did it increase my energy but it rid me of those 'dismal Johnny' days of suffering from low-level depression during the long winter months. Although some may regard this as a drug it is however benign and I would recommed it, especially for its broad health utility.