A Comprehensive Guide with Solutions

Introduction:

In recent decades, we’ve witnessed a significant increase in diagnosed mental illnesses alongside an increase in the prescription of psychiatric medications.

This alarming trend raises the question of whether we’re truly seeing more mental health issues or if there’s something else at play. According to various studies, the prevalence of conditions like anxiety and depression has notably climbed, with some sources suggesting that one in four U.S. adults now suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder. However, an aspect often overlooked in this diagnosis process is the impact of general health on mental well-being.

The rush to label and treat mental health symptoms with medication, often driven by Big Pharmas financial incentives, might be missing the real causes of the increase in mental illness.

Could it be that what’s perceived as a rise in mental illness is actually a reflection of declining physical health due to factors like hormone dysregulation, liver dysfunction, heavy metal toxicity, and environmental stressors? These physical conditions can manifest in ways that mimic psychological disorders, leading to misdiagnosis or overlooking the root causes.

This post delves into how these four health issues can affect our mood, thinking, and behavior, suggesting that what might appear as an increase in mental illness could, in fact, be a signal of broader health declines. Let’s explore these connections to understand how addressing physical health might be the key to improving mental health outcomes.

Hormone Dysregulation:

Mood and Thinking Impact: Hormones play pivotal roles in our emotional and cognitive states. Here’s how some key hormones affect us:

Estrogen (sex differences - higher in females): Influences mood regulation, memory, and cognitive function. Too little can lead to depression or irritability, particularly during menopause or PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder). Too much might cause mood swings or anxiety.

Symptoms: Mood swings, depression, anxiety, cognitive impairments.

Testosterone (sex differences - higher in males): Affects aggression, mood, and cognitive function, including spatial memory. Low levels can cause depression, fatigue, and decreased libido.

Symptoms: Low energy, depression, moodiness, cognitive fog.

Cortisol (stress hormone): Regulates stress responses. High levels can lead to anxiety, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. Low levels might result in lethargy and depression.

Symptoms: Anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, impaired concentration.

Thyroid Hormones (T3 & T4): Crucial for metabolism, including brain metabolism. Hypothyroidism can cause depressive symptoms and cognitive slowdown; hyperthyroidism might lead to anxiety and rapid thought patterns.

Symptoms: For hypo - fatigue, depression, memory issues; for hyper - anxiety, rapid mood changes, insomnia.

Solutions:

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): For conditions like menopause or severe imbalances.

Diet and Exercise: Can help regulate hormone levels naturally.

Sleep Management: Essential for hormone balance.

Mineral supplementation: Minerals such as zinc, magnesium and iodine are essential to hormonal health and often lacking in modern diets grown on depleted soil.

Next Steps:

Hormone Panel Test: Get a comprehensive test to check your hormone levels. Discuss symptoms like mood changes or cognitive issues with a hormone specialist.

Liver Dysfunction:

Toxin Accumulation & Hormone Processing: A sluggish liver can lead to toxin build-up, affecting your mood and cognition. The liver is a very robust organ. It can take years of accumulation to finally overwhelm the liver.

Testing: Doctors use various tests to assess liver function:

Liver Function Tests (LFTs): Measure enzymes like ALT, AST, ALP, and bilirubin to spot liver damage or disease.

Imaging: Ultrasound or MRI can show liver structure, looking for signs like fatty liver or cirrhosis.

Biopsy: In severe cases, to confirm diagnosis by examining liver tissue.

What They Look For:

Enzyme Levels: High levels can indicate liver cell damage or inflammation.

Bilirubin: Elevated suggests liver isn’t clearing waste effectively.

Protein Levels: Low albumin or abnormal clotting factors can signal liver dysfunction.

Typical Treatments:

Lifestyle Changes: Diet modification, reducing alcohol, and weight loss if necessary.

Medications: To treat underlying causes like hepatitis.

Liver Support Supplements: Minerals such as magnesium, zinc, molybdenum and vitamins such as niacin (vitamin B-3) and lactoferrin.

Next Steps:

Liver Check-Up: Ask for LFTs if you experience symptoms like jaundice, abdominal pain, or unexplained weight loss.

(Hat tip to the Nutrition Detective , Dr. Garrett Smith @NutriDetect)

Heavy Metal Toxicity:

One of the theories about the fall of Rome is that it was connected to the lead pipes used in its water supply. Weather or not this was the cause, lead poisoning certainly didn’t do the Romans any favors.

In modern times, lead poisoning from leaded fuel had significant effects on the Baby Boomer generation, particularly those born from the mid-1940s to the mid-1960s, when leaded gasoline was widely used. Here’s an overview of the impacts based on available research with some help from Grok:

Cognitive Effects: IQ Reduction: Studies suggest that exposure to lead from gasoline fumes could have reduced the IQ of many Baby Boomers. Research indicates a potential loss of approximately 2.6 IQ points per person on average, with some individuals experiencing losses up to 7 points or more, especially for those born during peak lead exposure periods in the 1960s and 1970s. This was linked to the high levels of lead in the environment due to leaded gasoline use, which was eventually banned in the U.S. in 1996.

Mental Health: Behavioral and Psychological Issues: There’s evidence linking early childhood lead exposure to long-term psychological effects. This includes increased risks for neuroticism, lower agreeableness, and reduced conscientiousness, which are traits associated with less adaptive personality profiles. There’s also been a connection drawn between lead exposure and higher rates of mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and even criminal behavior in adulthood. The neurotoxic effects of lead are thought to have contributed to these outcomes by affecting brain development and neurotransmitter function.

Personality Traits: Long-lasting Personality Changes: A study involving over 1.5 million people across the U.S. and Europe showed that those exposed to higher levels of atmospheric lead during childhood had less mature, less psychologically healthy personality traits in adulthood. This included being less agreeable and conscientious, with higher neuroticism, suggesting that lead exposure might have played a role in shaping the collective personality of this generation.

Societal Impact: Crime Rates: There’s a hypothesis known as the “lead-crime hypothesis” which posits that the rise in crime in the U.S. during the 1960s to 1990s might be partially explained by lead exposure from gasoline, with crime rates dropping as lead was phased out. This theory suggests that childhood lead exposure could lead to behaviors associated with crime, like lower impulse control and increased aggression.

Generational Health: Legacy Effects: The impact of lead exposure is not just immediate but has potential lifelong health consequences, including increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and other chronic health issues in later life. This means that the effects of lead exposure from their childhood might still influence the health of Baby Boomers today.

Key Metals and Effects:

Lead: Can cause irritability, depression, memory problems, and even psychosis in severe cases.

Symptoms: Headaches, memory loss, mood swings, lethargy.

Mercury: Affects the nervous system, leading to anxiety, mood swings, and cognitive decline.

Symptoms: Tremors, irritability, memory issues, depression.

Cadmium: Linked to neurological impairment, including mood disorders and cognitive dysfunction.

Symptoms: Fatigue, irritability, cognitive impairment, depression.

Copper: Excess copper can lead to neurotransmitter imbalances, causing mood instability and cognitive issues.

Symptoms: Emotional volatility, brain fog, anxiety, depression, potentially leading to severe neurological problems in some cases.

Solutions:

Chelation Therapy: Medical treatment to remove heavy metals from the body.

Dietary Changes: Antioxidant-rich foods can help detoxify.

Antagonistic mineral supplementation: Example, Zinc supplements bind with copper and can reduce copper levels.

Next Steps:

Toxicity Screening: If you’ve had exposure, ask for blood or urine tests for heavy metals.

Environmental Stressors:

Environmental stressors encompass a wide array of external factors that can profoundly impact our mental and physical well-being. Because they are “in the background” we tend to ignore them as having an impact on our health and wellbeing.

Examples:

Noise Pollution: Constant noise can elevate stress.

Air Pollution: Can affect mental clarity and mood.

Crowding: Overcrowded spaces can increase stress and anxiety.

Digital Overload: Too much screen time or constant notifications can lead to mental fatigue.

Solutions for Reducing Stress:

Create Quiet Zones: At home or work, have areas where noise is minimized. You can even use ear plugs, white noise generators and sun glasses to reduce incoming stimulus.

Nature Exposure: Spend time in natural settings to reduce stress. We are made to be outside in the sun and wind.

Physical exercise: Humans are made to move and when we dont, every part of us suffers, including our mental health.

Digital Detox: Set times to disconnect from devices.

Organize Space: A clutter-free environment can reduce stress.

Magnesium spray: Using a magnesium spray can help to calm the central nervous system and increase our resistant to environmental stress.

Next Steps:

Stress Audit: Reflect on your environment and identify stressors. Make practical changes like noise-canceling headphones or organizing your space.

General Next Steps:

Medical Consultation: Discuss symptoms with a healthcare provider for thorough testing.

Journal Symptoms: Track when and how symptoms occur to aid in diagnosis.

Holistic Approach: Combine medical advice with lifestyle adjustments for the best outcome.

Recognizing these factors can help us understand why we might feel or act in ways we don’t normally. A holistic approach can help us save thousands of hours searching for a mental cause when we might have a simple physical cause to our mental anguish.

Many marriages could be saved if only couples would both monitor their health more closely.

Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. You can’t diagnose or treat most of these issues without help. Let’s take these steps to ensure our physical and mental health are in harmony.

You’re doing an excellent job by exploring these issues. Keep nurturing your health, and you’ll find your way to balance.