The Secret to Getting Rid of Anxiety and Depression
The Secret to Getting Rid of Anxiety and Depression
There are many people today who are suffering anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and more. Unfortunately, when they go into the conventional medical system the only real solution they are presented with is to take some kind of drug. These medications often come in the form of antidepressants or anti-anxiety medicines.
There are a number of functional medicine solutions to treating anxiety and depression as well, all of which are backed by research. In a functional medicine treatment plan, we would look at your entire bodily systems as a whole to figure out why you are experiencing these symptoms. Often, anxiety, depression, and panic attacks are neurological problems which are linked to one, or multiple of your body’s many systems. Figuring out these “weak” links can provide us with an idea of how to treat your problems without having to resort to medication.
The research I am about to show you has helped hundreds of people recover from anxiety and depression.
The Vocabulary
Before we go too much further, we need to discuss some of the vocabulary. Microglia are the active immune defense (or white blood cells) that work in your brain. These cells float through the blood system in the brain searching for anything needing to be removed.
Another word we need to understand is lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Very simply put, this is bacteria poop. Dr. Perlmutter, a well-known and widely published doctor, wrote in his book The Brain Maker, “If there were ever a clear biological villain that flips on the inflammatory pathways in the body, it would be the lipopolysaccharide.” We also call these types of compounds “endotoxins.”
LPS and Your Gut
Looking at your intestinal system, the barrier between your bloodstream and the digestive system is only one cell thick. If there are gut problems such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, etc., then you likely have what we call a “leaky gut.” Essentially, this means there are small holes in this barrier.
Approximately 80-90% of your immune system is located in your digestive tract, which is 36 feet long. With a leaky gut, the bacteria that are normally healthy and helpful in your digestive system can leak into your bloodstream. Here they excrete waste, and cause you to have a wide range of health issues including (but not limited to) anxiety and depression.
The Research
Microglial Response and Inflammation
Looking at MRI scans, we can tell when people suffer from anxiety and depression. A typical colorized MRI scan can show us what a “normal” brain looks like. In the attached photos it has a lot of green (which is good). Brains of people suffering from anxiety or depression often show up with lots of red, signaling inflammation. This means we can see a physical response in the brain to an otherwise completely mental or emotional condition.
Additionally, we know what LPS looks like in the system. Because of this, we can specifically look for LPS and track its link to some of these mental/emotional conditions.
During one study, patients had MRIs taken when they had low levels of LPS in their systems. After these scans, they were injected with LPS, and scanned again. After being injected with the endotoxin, their brains lit up with significant signs of inflammation.
This response was due to the activation of their brains’ microglial (immune) cells. This caused inflammation, which in turn caused symptoms of depression and anxiety. Additionally, inflammatory markers around much of the rest of the body were noted, and patients reported symptoms of sickness, including anxiety and depression.
Leaky Gut and Depression
Another study showed a strong link between depression and leaky gut. This study also linked the problems of leaky gut to inflammation caused by the presence of LPS in the bloodstream due to intestinal mucosal dysfunction.
In other words, patients with leaky gut reported higher levels of mood disorders than patients who had healthy digestive tracts.
The authors of this study wrote, “There is now evidence that major depression (MDD) is accompanied by an activation of the inflammatory response system (IRS) and that pro-inflammatory cytokines and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) may induce depressive symptoms.”
If your anxiety and mood disorders are being caused by a leaky gut, then using a medication that targets your brain functions will only have a minimal effect.
