I am wanting to be the best version of myself. More fit and healthy then in my entire life. Lets talk about: Serotonin, Endorphins, Enzymes.

Serotonin impacts every part of your body, from your emotions to your motor skills. Serotonin is considered a natural mood stabilizer. It’s the chemical that helps with sleeping, eating, and digesting. Serotonin also helps:

• reduce depression
• regulate anxiety
• heal wounds
• stimulate nausea
• maintain bone health

Feel good after a long walk? These biochemicals are called endorphins. While endorphins might make you feel good after a long jog, there’s a lot more to know about the role they play in regulating your body.

Enzymes help speed up chemical reactions in the human body. They bind to molecules and alter them in specific ways. They are essential for respiration, digesting food, muscle and nerve function, among thousands of other roles.

Anyone battling a depressive disorder knows how bleak life can feel. Sometimes, you’d try almost anything to make those black clouds go away. I have helped loved ones battle this, with such a great cost. I wish I knew how to prevent the depression before just treating it. This is where my research is leading me.

Understandably, the idea that a few pills can make you feel better seems too good to be true. 

Unfortunately, this often IS too good to be true. 

Depression is the world’s single largest contributor to disability. It affects an estimated 350 million people globally, which is around 4.4% of the world’s population.

In fact, the number of people with common mental disorders is increasing year by year, with the fastest-growing rates in lower-income countries. The World Health Organization estimates that 10% to 15% of the general population will experience clinical depression in their lifetime – including 5% of men and 9% of women.

Depressive disorders affect people of all ages and from all walks of life, but there are a number of factors that can increase the risk: namely family history, stressful life changes, psychological factors, low socioeconomic status, sleep disorders, and more. 

One of the longest-running theories in depression is of course the brain-chemistry imbalance. 

The role of brain chemistry in depression

Certain neurotransmitters – most notably dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine – play a crucial role in mood regulation. Neurotransmitters are chemical substances that help certain parts of the brain communicate with each other. Low amounts of these particular neurotransmitters are thought to contribute to the symptoms associated with clinical depression.

It’s for this reason that most antidepressants are designed to alter levels of certain chemicals in the brain. Some of these treatments include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs).

Do they work? Well, according to the research, yes they do – but some better than others. 

There are dozens of different antidepressants and “happy pills” available on the market now. The most common drugs used to treat depression include citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), and sertraline (Zoloft).

When antidepressants don’t work

A 2009 study from Northwestern University showed that more than half the people who take antidepressants for depression never get relief. The reason for this appears to be that drugs designed to treat depression are aimed at the wrong target. 

The researchers behind the study believe that antidepressants are ineffective because they treat stress and/or an imbalance in neurotransmitters in the brain. However, they suggest that the biochemical events that ultimately result in depression actually start in the development and functioning of neurons.

Medications focus on the effect, rather than the cause. This is why they take so long to work, and why they never work at all for some people.  

So, if the problem lies in your neurons, how do you treat it?

Well, one possibility could be – providing your neurons with the nutrients and protection they need. 

This is where my research has been leading me – how to cure the depression without medicine. How about, how to prevent depression? That would be the ideal situation. I also have enrolled in some classes, and I am learning new skills. Try taking vitamins regularly and invest in yourself.

Here is my list of needed tools to rebuild the chemistry inside your brain. I have lots more but will add them next post.

COLURACETAM

BACOPA

FRENCH MARITIME

NIGELLA SATIVA

N-ACETYL-L-CYSTEINE

ASHWAGANDHA

FISH OIL

S-ADENOSYL-METHIONINE

GINSENG+GINKGO BILOBA

ACETYL L-CARNITINE

MAGNESIUM

BRAHMI BACOPAA

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Practice meditation , prayer helps. Intense training, less sugar, learning new things, reading books, helping others.

Having pets can help immensely. I am training my bird. She is very intelligent.

Give yourself a chance and let go of the past. It’s always a work in progress. Always remember to love and have empathy and compassion in this world. Forgive others.