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Recently, the word “depression” has been coming up in casual conversations more and more. A once taboo label is now finally starting to be normalized, discussed, and recognized as a worldwide health crisis. The word “depression” is finally and thankfully losing its stigma, and it’s about time that we start having the conversation. As we emerge from 2020 and round the bases of 2021, odds are, there isn’t one person who hasn’t experienced a bout of depression, or knows someone close to them, who has been battling this silent oppressor of mental health. Depression has the ability, when left unchecked, to take over our thoughts, our minds, our bodies, and even our lives. In this blog, we are going to share with you some proven techniques and tools to help empower you and support you on your path to wellness.
How do you know if you may have depression? Like many mental health disorders, depression symptoms are different for everyone, and it is always best to talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms. Together, you can formulate a plan of action to help get you back on track. You may be experiencing a variety of different symptoms when you suffer from depression. However, the most common symptoms of depression include:
- Difficulty focusing or concentrating
- Reduced energy levels
- Fatigue
- Changes in appetite
- The desire to be alone
- Oversleeping or undersleeping
- Weight gain or loss
- Feelings of hopelessness, guilt, or anxiety
A Clear Path Back To Being You
There are tons of different ways to help overcome depression. One of the most innovative and unique platforms is Brightside.com. A fully integrated support website that specializes in anxiety and depression care. They have a team of experts, doctors, and therapists dedicated to helping you heal and improve the quality of your life. Their assortment of unique and “tailored to you” programs ensures the perfect fit for your needs. Brightside also offers FDA-approved medications to compliment your healing protocol. One of the most beautiful things about Brightside is you receive all your evidence-based therapy from the comfort of your home. Brightside reports that a whopping eighty-three percent of their members feel better within twelve weeks. With the right mental health support, we are much more likely to follow through with our healing plan, and overcome what ails us. As Brightside so eloquently puts it, they can provide “A Clear Path Back To Being You”.
Positive Nutrition For A Positive Mind
From medications, to alternative therapies, exercise, and meditation, to herbs and organ meats supplements, there are many different ways to approach healing your depression. Did you catch that last one? Yes, you read that correctly, I said organ meats. I know what you are probably thinking, but once you read about the amazing and powerful healing qualities of organ meat supplements, you may just have a change of heart!
There’s a very good chance that despite your best intentions to find and consume the highest quality of foods that are available to you, that you still may be lacking key nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Unfortunately many of our foods today lack the nutrient content that they used to have in the past, due to how the majority of farming and food cultivation is done today. As a result, many of our bodies are lacking in vital nutrients and key vitamins that help our minds and our bodies stay healthy, strong, and happy. These deficiencies oftentimes can lead to a myriad of health issues, including depression. While there is often more than one factor that contributes to one’s depression, what we consume and put in our bodies, plays a tremendous role in our overall well-being, mental health, and emotional stability.
It’s In Our Ancestry
Our ancestors sourced and gathered foods directly around them, and many of their key nutrients came directly from, you guessed it, organ meats. Organ meats can include the liver, brain, tongue, heart, tripe, pancreas, thymus, gallbladder, kidney, and other various internal tissues. Organ meats are chock full of highly absorbable and bioavailable nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, and amino acids. Truth be told, that in the modern western world, we generally do not consume an ample amount of many of these vital nutrients. Over the past one hundred years or so, many modern cultures have completely walked away from these nutrient-packed sources, to the point where now if it is mentioned, we generally cringe at the visual thought. Yet at one point, it was the main source of nutrients and energy for our ancestors.
So the question remains, what are we missing out on by not consuming these nutrient-dense foods? To provide a complete answer, we will dive into the history, the nutritional benefits from organ meats, and their ability to promote vitality, elevated mood, gut health, brain health, and more. We will also go into other ways of capturing these nutrients without having to consume the actual meat itself. Organ meat supplements are an excellent way to capture the nutrients from the various organs, while not having to actually find, and eat the organ meats themselves.
We tend to forget that as humans we are all also part of the larger animal kingdom. Many of our fellow mammals have very instinctual hunting practices ingrained into their DNA. There are many animals that prefer the organ meats of their prey more than any other part. As if they intuitively know, that is where the vital and rich nutrients can be found. Of course, there are major differences between the human mammal and animals, but we also share many similarities in what our bodies need to not only survive but thrive.
Many of our ancestors saved organ meats for sacred rituals to honor their families, their tribes, and as celebrations. Indigenous North Americans once consumed wild moose year-round and even gave it to their animals after a long hunt to replenish and nourish their systems. They even discovered Moose adrenal glands shielded them from scurvy.
Times Have Changed... And So Have We
Fast forward to modern times, and our hunting-gathering mainly consists of grabbing a cart and walking the isles of our favorite grocery store. Essentially we accept the food being offered to us, and pick that food accordingly based on what is available, price, taste and health preferences. When it comes to meats, believe it or not, our offerings are very limited compared to other parts of the world. All internal organs are often labeled by-product or even variety meat, and are usually used for, believe it or not, pet food. There is also a huge difference between farmed animals and wild game, which is what our ancestors consumed. Animals that were free of chemicals, antibiotics, and other additives. They were also free-roaming, and feeding off of the indigenous land that provided the animal itself a wide range of nutrients to thrive, survive and be happy. Generally speaking, the animals are now raised on farms and are fed specifically to increase weight, not nutritional quality.
It seems that the sacred view we once had on organ meats in the past, has been tainted by modern industries, and their less than desirable and sometimes despicable practices. These animals used to be prized, celebrated, and sometimes even worshipped for their therapeutic and medicinal properties. As modern humans, we are missing out on these vital nutrients, and it is beginning to show.
A long known historical understanding has taught us that whole foods are far superior to isolated stand-alone nutrients. Synchronicity™ understands that concept from a Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil perspective, vs an isolated CBD. When you isolate just one compound, generally it does not have the efficacy or the bioavailability of the greater whole, and we lose out on the entourage effect, but more on that later! Our ancestors did not have isolated and adulterated vitamins, they received the entourage of nutrients, that all worked together to provide more bioavailability front these organ meats. As a collective, we are beginning to head back to our roots, and embrace the idea that whole foods, whole plants are far superior in quality and absorption of nutrients than any stand-alone isolated, adulterated nutrient can provide.
Organ meats are by far one of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world. They are naturally infused with the nutrients, as humans, we need to thrive and survive. Organ meats contain an abundance of highly bioavailable A, E, B’s, D, K2, iron, copper, choline, selenium, magnesium, and omegas. That is a plethora of highly potent antioxidants in just one food source. One of the toughest issues today in finding organ meats is quality. Over time these animals can accumulate toxins, inflammatory fatty acids, and a slew of other chemicals and hormones in their bodies from what they are being fed, their lifestyle they are given, and also any antibiotics they are being fed. We highly recommend that if you do decide to try organ meats, do your research thoroughly and purchase from a reputable source that provides happy animals that roam free and are not filled with antibiotics and chemicals. Now, what if the thought of eating a liver, heart, or kidney is not exactly appetizing? Not your jam? We get it. Usually, there are two categories of thought, either: that sounds intriguing, or eww that sounds pretty gross! That is where organ meat supplements come in. All the beneficial nutrients from the animal organs, but without the “meat” per se.
Organ Supplements May Help Your Overall Well Being
There are many different organ supplements on the market today, but here we discuss the most utilized and nutrient-packed organ supplements to help alleviate depression symptoms and support overall optimal mental health
Liver Supplements
The liver helps break down and neutralizes toxins within the body. It is by far one of the highest sources of vitamin A. The liver also provides almost three times your daily requirement of vitamin B12, which is most bioavailable when it comes from an animal source.
Pancreas Supplements
Due to the main role of the pancreas in the body (releases digestive enzymes and produces hormones to regulate blood sugar), it has been used to treat high blood pressure. The pancreas is extremely rich in vitamin B12, B5, B3, C, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, and iron.
Heart Supplements
The heart is by definition, a muscle that delivers vital nutrients around the body. The heart is plentiful with phosphorus, selenium, copper, iron, B12, folic acid, zinc, and coenzyme-Q10. The heart also contains a large amount of collagen, which is beneficial to all our internal organs, skin, and hair.
Kidney Supplements
The kidneys are mainly known for removing waste from the body. The kidney also helps regulate calcium, potassium, and sodium levels in the body. They are rich in vitamins D, A, B12, niacin, zinc, copper, potassium, selenium, and phosphorus.
There are many different factors that play into an individual’s experience with depression and how they reached that point. From environmental factors, situations, substances, and foods, to traumatic events, genetics, society, and of course gut and brain health.
Healthy Gut, Healthy Mind
There have been many studies done on gut health as it relates to depression. There is plenty of documentation that finds direct relationships between our digestive tract and our brain; new studies are indicating a connection between a healthy gut and a happy brain, with gut discomfort and inflammation a likely cause for anxiety and depression. What do our guts require to not only function properly but operate and on an optimal level?
In addition to probiotics and healthy flora production, Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil may be extremely beneficial in maintaining good gut flora. When taking Hemp Oil, you are actually harnessing all the potentially powerful cannabinoids residing in the nearly miraculous Hemp plant, which then delivers to you a True Entourage Effect™. Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil is overflowing with omegas, fatty acids, B complex vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, iron zinc, and amino acids just to name a few. Biased though we may be, we are not the only enthusiasts who believe in the power of cannabinoids as it pertains to positive gut health… so do many researchers who are uncovering exciting discoveries about cannabinoids, gut health, and depression. In terms of gut wellness, both as a goal to attain and a state to maintain, we are strong believers that several top-quality Synchronicity Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil products may fit the bill.
B vitamins are crucial in overall gut health. These vitamins help the body create red blood cells and gain energy from food. In addition to B vitamins, iron supports the good bacteria in the gut. Vitamin C, selenium, magnesium vitamin D, and zinc are also beneficial to a healthy gut biome. Notice anything familiar about this list? These are the same crucial vitamins and vital nutrients that organ meat supplements can provide, while maintaining the highest bioavailability ensuring little to no amount of these precious vitamins and minerals are wasted. If you would like to learn more about healthy gut microbiomes, hop over to our blog: Living The Good Gut Life to learn more.
Vitamin And Mineral Deficiencies May Play A Direct Role In Depression
B-Complex Vitamins
B vitamins are absolutely necessary for your overall emotional, physical and mental state. A deficiency in just one B vitamin may lead to fatigue, insomnia, depression and neurological symptoms. B vitamins are water-soluble, which means your body does not store or hold onto them. This also means you must take them daily to get your recommended amount. Alcohol, refined sugars, nicotine, and caffeine have also been known to deplete B vitamins. An overabundance of any of these can play a significant role in a B-vitamin deficiency.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential to the body in many ways. Your body needs this vitamin to efficiently absorb calcium. Your bones need vitamin D to stay healthy and strong, your cells need it to grow properly, your nerves require vitamin D to carry messages between the brain and other body parts, and your immune system needs it to fight off bacteria and viruses. There has been more and more emerging research on the connection between lack of vitamin D and depression.
Minerals
Deficiencies in a number of different minerals have also been linked to symptoms of depression as well as physical issues.
One of the most abundant minerals in the human body is magnesium. Magnesium is mostly stored in your bones. Health issues, like diabetes and alcoholism, as well as certain medications that interfere with the absorption of magnesium in your body, can also cause a moderate deficiency. A deficiency of this vital mineral has been linked with mental ailments and mood changes, including apathy, depression, agitation, confusion, and anxiety.
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. Similar to magnesium, it is mostly stored in the bones and teeth where it helps with structure and strength. It also impacts muscle contraction, nervous system function, blood clotting, and hormonal secretion. All essential functions of the body that when out of balance can feed depression. Studies have shown that a diet that is low in calcium has also been shown to increase depression in middle-aged women.
Selenium is what’s called a trace mineral, which means that your body only needs a small amount to function correctly. Selenium is absolutely necessary for normal thyroid function, reproduction, and DNA synthesis. One study linked too high and also too low levels of selenium in young adults to an increased risk of depression.
Our bodies need zinc for normal growth and a healthy immune system. Zinc is also a trace mineral and is involved in protein production, DNA synthesis, and cell division. It also helps with your sense of taste and smell. Zinc deficiency is among the most common nutritional deficiencies in the world.
Iron is essential for the production of hemoglobin, a protein that enables red blood cells to carry oxygen to every part of your body, as well as myoglobin, which is found directly in the cells of your muscles. One particular study found that seventy-two percent of participants with depression had iron deficiency anemia (IDA) compared to sixteen percent of non-depressed participants.
Potassium is essential for optimum health, including proper heart, kidney, and brain function, nerve transmission, and also muscle growth. A deficiency in potassium can come from a low-carb diet but is also linked to certain conditions, such as kidney disease, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and people who use laxatives or diuretics.
The Importance Of A Balanced Diet
The most obvious thing we would like to point out is that nothing takes the place of having a balanced diet full of proteins, healthy carbs, fruits, and vegetables. Incorporating a healthy balanced diet into your daily routine ensures your body is getting all the necessary vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that it requires to operate at an optimal level inside and out. There is a plethora of information out there about which diet could be more beneficial to your mental health when battling depression and anxiety. Whether it is Paleo, plant-based or somewhere in between, the most important thing to ask yourself is, does it make you happy AND healthy? Oftentimes, we settle into the latest eating fad, or pressure ourselves to tackle a diet that is extremely difficult to follow and adhere to, all for the sake of “bettering ourselves”, all the while, we are miserable. The simplicity of it all is finding a balanced diet full of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals while limiting “outside substances” such as alcohol, and getting some sort of physical activity at least three days a week. This physical activity can also be supplemented with activities that feed your soul such as breathing exercises, grounding, meditation, and journaling.
It also bears mentioning that there are many wonderful plant-based supplements out there as well, that also have a high bioavailability when it comes to their vitamin and mineral content. Making them a perfect supplement for those turned off by organ meats, or those who are vegetarian or vegan. It is all about finding what works best for you and your body. Before making any drastic changes to your diet or supplements you are taking, you should always consult your physician first, and together you can formulate the best plan tailored to your direct needs.
Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil And CBD For Depression
So why did we choose to cover a topic like organ meat supplements and Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil for depression? Well, the answer is actually quite interesting. Both practices have some major similarities and hold a tremendous amount of potential positive wellness benefits for your body, mind and spirit. Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil seems to play a direct role in our overall well-being, including our mental health and emotional status, just like organ meats. Beyond the wealth of anecdotal evidence surrounding Hemp Oil and mood disorder treatment, there’s a fair chunk of science backing up its efficacy.
This is in large, due to the direct interaction that Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil and CBD have on a complex biological system known as our Endocannabinoid System.
Your Endocannabinoid System contains CB1 and CB2 receptors, as well as a variety of other microbiological components. In fact, CB1 receptors are the most abundant neuro-modulatory receptors in your body. There are more Endocannabinoid receptors in your body than all other receptors combined. So, it’s safe to say that your Endocannabinoid System plays a critical role in your body.
From memory to metabolism, appetite, and the immune response, Endocannabinoid receptors have been scientifically proven to be critical to physical and mental wellbeing. And, as the name suggests, Endocannabinoid receptors respond to cannabinoids — the compounds found in the Hemp Plant.
In total, there are over 100 cannabinoids present in Hemp. Obviously, the two most popular cannabinoids are Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). These two yin-yang compounds get most of the media attention. THC is the cannabinoid responsible for the “high” you get from marijuana. Meanwhile, CBD is responsible for the stress reduction benefits of many natural health products. But, those are only two compounds in Hemp. There are others, and each of them plays a synergistic role in our bodies.
Hemp Oil And Mood
According to research, Hemp Oil — which contains under 0.3% THC — can play a significant role in controlling mood. Research suggests that Hemp Oil regulates serotonin uptake, and human studies suggest that Hemp Oil can help regulate mood. This all happens due to Hemp’s interaction with our Endocannabinoid System.
Those 100+ phytocannabinoids (plant-based cannabinoids) in Hemp all play a synergistic role in our bodies. Research on the Endocannabinoid System is ongoing, but there’s already convincing evidence that consuming a variety of these cannabinoids (as opposed to using isolates like CBD) creates a synergistic response that brings a wealth of benefits.
Where There Is Hope, There Is Help... Therapy, Organ Meat Supplements, And Hemp Oil
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