How can exercise and fish oil often be a more effective treatment for depression than antidepressants? Could it be because they are both potent anti-inflammatories? Could it be that depression is a low-grade inflammatory disease of the brain¹?

Let’s look at the evidence.

1. Proinflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6, and TNF α (molecular messengers that set off the inflammatory response) and bacterial toxins (produced in our gut) produce
   symptoms of depression and anxiety.
2. Cytokines overactivate the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis (the stress response) just like we find in depressed patients.
3. Cytokines increase the function of an enzyme (IDO) that breaks down tryptophan, leading to less serotonin in the brain³.
   Serotonin is the happy mood chemical that fights depression.
4. The immune system is overactive in severe depression, producing brain inflammation.
5. Using immune therapy like interferon (a cytokine) for diseases like hepatitis C or multiple sclerosis triggers depression.
6. Depression is more common in inflammatory diseases like autoimmune and heart disease.

As compelling as these pieces of information are, they are not the only indications that depression is caused by an inflamed brain.

A new technique called vagal nerve stimulation is very helpful in depression⁴. The vagus nerve is your calming, relaxation nerve. When you take a deep breath, meditate, or do yoga the vagus nerve is activated, and it releases acetylcholine, which reduces the production of inflammatory cytokines.

There may be many reasons deep breathing and relaxation work, but certainly one of them is the fact that inflammation is reduced.

We also know that omega-3 fats help depression and produce remission⁵. They work by lowering inflammation and also through their effects on cell membranes and cell communication.

Similarly, we know that exercise is an anti-inflammatory and works better than Prozac in treating depression⁶.

Another example comes out of Harvard. A group of researchers there discovered an increased number of “white matter lesions,” or little white spots in the brain
that are seen in autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis in depressed patients. This correlated with low levels of folate, which caused high levels of homocysteine,
a molecule that triggers inflammation in the brain⁷. So being vitamin deficient produces toxic molecules that inflame the brain and cause depression.

Of course, we must ask, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Does depression cause inflammation or inflammation cause depression?”

The answer is yes. It is a vicious cycle. Inflammation leads to depression, which leads to more inflammation.

The message is that to adequately treat depression we must look for, find, and eliminate the causes of inflammation and then help the body create balance in the immune system turning off this vicious cycle.

For more information on depression, please see Dr. Hyman’s new book,The UltraMind Solution.

I am always searching for valuable information to help my coaching clients. Dr. Mark Hyman’s book, The UltraMind Solution is unquestionably one of the best resources that I’ve found for helping those who struggle with anxiety, depression and other mental issues. The truth of the matter is that the mind and the body are undeniably connected. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

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1. Causes of Anxiety and Panic Attacks

From time to time I come across a program within the “self-help” area that I feel really helps people with certain issues and problems. Here, I’d like to share a powerful article (by permission) on Panic and Anxiety, written by Joe Barry – founder of the Panic Away program. I hope you find it as helpful and informative as I have.

Causes of Panic Attacks

The short and obvious answer: panic attacks are caused by high anxiety. But, what exactly is anxiety? Understanding how anxiety crops up will help you defeat panic attacks.

One of the biggest myths surrounding anxiety is that it is harmful and can lead to a number of various life-threatening conditions.

Definition of Anxiety

Anxiety is defined as a state of apprehension or fear resulting from the anticipation of a real or imagined threat, event, or situation. It is one of the most common human emotions experienced by people at some point in their lives.

However, most people who have never experienced a panic attack, or extreme anxiety, fail to realize the terrifying nature of the experience. Extreme dizziness, blurred vision, tingling and feelings of breathlessness—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

When these sensations occur and people do not understand why, they feel they have contracted an illness, or a serious mental condition. The threat of losing complete control seems very real and naturally very terrifying.

Fight/Flight Response: One of the root causes of panic attacks?

I am sure most of you have heard of the fight/flight response as an explanation for one of the root causes of panic attacks. Have you made the connection between this response and the unusual sensations you experience during and after a panic attack episode?

Anxiety is a response to a danger or threat. It is so named because all of its effects are aimed toward either fighting or fleeing from the danger. Thus, the sole purpose of anxiety is to protect the individual from harm. This may seem ironic given that you no doubt feel your anxiety is actually causing you great harm…perhaps the most significant of all the causes of panic attacks.

However, the anxiety that the fight/flight response created was vital in the daily survival of our ancient ancestors—when faced with some danger, an automatic response would take over that propelled them to take immediate action such as attack or run. Even in today’s hectic world, this is still a necessary mechanism. It comes in useful when you must respond to a real threat within a split second.

Anxiety is a built-in mechanism to protect us from danger. Interestingly, it is a mechanism that protects but does not harm—an important point that will be elaborated upon later.

The Physical Manifestations of a Panic Attack: Other pieces of the puzzle to understand the causes of panic attacks. Nervousness and Chemical Effects…

When confronted with danger, the brain sends signals to a section of the nervous system. It is this system that is responsible for gearing the body up for action and also calms the body down and restores equilibrium. To carry out these two vital functions, the autonomic nervous system has two subsections, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.

Although I don’t want to become too “scientific,” having a basic understanding of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system will help you understand the causes of panic attacks.

The sympathetic nervous system is the one we tend to know all too much about because it primes our body for action, readies us for the “fight or flight” response, while the parasympathetic nervous system is the one we love dearly as it serves as our restoring system, which returns the body to its normal state.

When either of these systems is activated, they stimulate the whole body, which has an “all or nothing” effect. This explains why when a panic attack occurs, the individual often feels a number of different sensations throughout the body.

The sympathetic system is responsible for releasing the adrenaline from the adrenal glands on the kidneys. These are small glands located just above the kidneys. Less known, however, is that the adrenal glands also release adrenaline, which functions as the body’s chemical messengers to keep the activity going. When a panic attack begins, it does not switch off as easily as it is turned on. There is always a period of what would seem increased or continued anxiety, as these messengers travel throughout the body. Think of them as one of the physiological causes of panic attacks, if you will.

After a period of time, the parasympathetic nervous system gets called into action. Its role is to return the body to normal functioning once the perceived danger is gone. The parasympathetic system is the system we all know and love, because it returns us to a calm relaxed state.

When we engage in a coping strategy that we have learned, for example, a relaxation technique, we are in fact willing the parasympathetic nervous system into action. A good thing to remember is that this system will be brought into action at some stage whether we will it or not. The body cannot continue in an ever-increasing spiral of anxiety. It reaches a point where it simply must kick in, relaxing the body. This is one of the many built-in protection systems our bodies have for survival.

You can do your best with worrying thoughts, keeping the sympathetic nervous system going, but eventually it stops. In time, it becomes a little smarter than us, and realizes that there really is no danger. Our bodies are incredibly intelligent—modern science is always discovering amazing patterns of intelligence that run throughout the cells of our body. Our body seems to have infinite ways of dealing with the most complicated array of functions we take for granted. Rest assured that your body’s primary goal is to keep you alive and well.

Not so convinced?

Try holding your breath for as long as you can. No matter how strong your mental will is, it can never override the will of the body. This is good news—no matter how hard you try to convince yourself that you are gong to die from a panic attack, you won’t. Your body will override that fear and search for a state of balance. There has never been a reported incident of someone dying from a panic attack.

Remember this next time you have a panic attack; he causes of panic attacks cannot do you any physical harm. Your mind may make the sensations continue longer than the body intended, but eventually everything will return to a state of balance. In fact, balance (homeostasis) is what our body continually strives for.

The interference for your body is nothing more than the sensations of doing rigorous exercise. Our body is not alarmed by these symptoms. Why should it be? It knows its own capability. It’s our thinking minds that panic, which overreact and scream in sheer terror! We tend to fear the worst and exaggerate our own sensations. A quickened heart beat becomes a heart attack. An overactive mind seems like a close shave with schizophrenia. Is it our fault? Not really—we are simply diagnosing from poor information.

Cardiovascular Effects Activity in the sympathetic nervous system increases our heartbeat rate, speeds up the blood flow throughout the body, ensures all areas are well supplied with oxygen and that waste products are removed. This happens in order to prime the body for action.

A fascinating feature of the “fight or flight” mechanism is that blood (which is channelled from areas where it is currently not needed by a tightening of the blood vessels) is brought to areas where it is urgently needed.

For example, should there be a physical attack, blood drains from the skin, fingers, and toes so that less blood is lost, and is moved to “active areas” such as the thighs and biceps to help the body prepare for action.

This is why many feel numbness and tingling during a panic attack-often misinterpreted as some serious health risk-such as the precursor to a heart attack. Interestingly, most people who suffer from anxiety often feel they have heart problems. If you are really worried that such is the case with your situation, visit your doctor and have it checked out. At least then you can put your mind at rest.

Respiratory Effects

One of the scariest effects of a panic attack is the fear of suffocating or smothering. It is very common during a panic attack to feel tightness in the chest and throat. I’m sure everyone can relate to some fear of losing control of your breathing. From personal experience, anxiety grows from the fear that your breathing itself would cease and you would be unable to recover. Can a panic attack stop our breathing? No.

A panic attack is associated with an increase in the speed and depth of breathing. This has obvious importance for the defense of the body since the tissues need to get more oxygen to prepare for action. The feelings produced by this increase in breathing, however, can include breathlessness, hyperventilation, sensations of choking or smothering, and even pains or tightness in the chest. The real problem is that these sensations are alien to us, and they feel unnatural.

Having experienced extreme panic attacks myself, I remember that on many occasions, I would have this feeling that I couldn’t trust my body to do the breathing for me, so I would have to manually take over and tell myself when to breathe in and when to breathe out. Of course, this didn’t suit my body’s requirement of oxygen and so the sensations would intensify—along with the anxiety. It was only when I employed the technique I will describe for you later, did I let the body continue doing what it does best—running the whole show.

Importantly, a side-effect of increased breathing, (especially if no actual activity occurs) is that the blood supply to the head is actually decreased. While such a decrease is only a small amount and is not at all dangerous, it produces a variety of unpleasant but harmless symptoms that include dizziness, blurred vision, confusion, sense of unreality, and hot flushes.

Other Physical Effects of Panic Attacks:

Now that we’ve discussed some of the primary physiological causes of panic attacks, there are a number of other effects that are produced by the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, none of which are in any way harmful.

For example, the pupils widen to let in more light, which may result in blurred vision, or “seeing” stars, etc. There is a decrease in salivation, resulting in dry mouth. There is decreased activity in the digestive system, which often produces nausea, a heavy feeling in the stomach, and even constipation. Finally, many of the muscle groups tense up in preparation for “fight or flight” and this results in subjective feelings of tension, sometimes extending to actual aches and pains, as well as trembling and shaking.

Overall, the fight/flight response results in a general activation of the whole bodily metabolism. Thus, one often feels hot and flushed and, because this process takes a lot of energy, the person generally feels tired and drained.

Mental Manifestations: Are the causes of panic attacks all in my head? is a question many people wonder to themselves.

The goal of the fight/flight response is making the individual aware of the potential danger that may be present. Therefore, when activated, the mental priority is placed upon searching the surroundings for potential threats. In this state one is highly-strung, so to speak. It is very difficult to concentrate on any one activity, as the mind has been trained to seek all potential threats and not to give up until the threat has been identified. As soon as the panic hits, many people look for the quick and easiest exit from their current surroundings, such as by simply leaving the bank queue and walking outside. Sometimes the anxiety can heighten, if we perceive that leaving will cause some sort of social embarrassment.

If you have a panic attack while at the workplace but feel you must press on with whatever task it is you are doing, it is quite understandable that you would find it very hard to concentrate. It is quite common to become agitated and generally restless in such a situation. Many individuals I have worked with who have suffered from panic attacks over the years indicated that artificial light—such as that which comes from computer monitors and televisions screens—can can be one of the causes of panic attacks by triggering them or worsen a panic attack, particularly if the person is feeling tired or run down.

This is worth bearing in mind if you work for long periods of time on a computer. Regular break reminders should be set up on your computer to remind you to get up from the desk and get some fresh air when possible.

In other situations, when during a panic attack an outside threat cannot normally be found, the mind turns inwards and begins to contemplate the possible illness the body or mind could be suffering from. This ranges from thinking it might have been something you ate at lunch, to the possibility of an oncoming cardiac arrest.

The burning question is: Why is the fight/flight response activated during a panic attack even when there is apparently nothing to be frightened of?

Upon closer examination of the causes of panic attacks, it would appear that what we are afraid of are the sensations themselves—we are afraid of the body losing control. These unexpected physical symptoms create the fear or panic that something is terribly wrong. Why do you experience the physical symptoms of the fight/flight response if you are not frightened to begin with? There are many ways these symptoms can manifest themselves, not just through fear.

For example, it may be that you have become generally stressed for some reason in your life, and this stress results in an increase in the production of adrenaline and other chemicals, which from time to time, would produce symptoms….and which you perceive as the causes of panic attacks.

This increased adrenaline can be maintained chemically in the body, even after the stress has long gone. Another possibility is diet, which directly affects our level of stress. Excess caffeine, alcohol, or sugar is known for causing stress in the body, and is believed to be one of the contributing factors of the causes of panic attacks (Chapter 5 gives a full discussion on diet and its importance).

Unresolved emotions are often pointed to as a possible trigger of panic attacks, but it is important to point out that eliminating panic attacks from your life does not necessarily mean analyzing your psyche and digging into your subconscious. The “One Move” technique will teach you to deal with the present moment and defuse the attack along with removing the underlying anxiety that sparks the initial anxiety.

Learn more at http://www.panicaway.com.

Joe Barry is an international panic disorder coach. His informative site on all issues related to panic and anxiety attacks can be found here: http://www.panicaway.com.

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I write a lot about getting rid of stress and anxiety in my blogs, articles and e-books. In fact eliminating stress and anxiety in crisis is probably the biggest reason that I’m writing my “10 Crucial Steps to SUPERCHARGE Your Life” e-book. You see, typically when I take on a new client for wellness coaching, crisis management, or spiritual counseling, many times I find that his or her stress level is so high that they’re at the point of extreme anxiety. In fact, many are having panic attacks on a fairly regular basis and DON’T EVEN KNOW IT!

What does all of this stress & anxiety talk mean for you?

Well, I’m glad you asked. Chances are that you’re reading this blog because you’re searching for help with an issue, a problem or a crisis. That being the case, think of what you’re reading now as a wake-up call, a WOW moment. It might be that in the midst of your crisis, you’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety and panic and DON’T EVEN REALIZE IT.

Why is this important?

The truth – stress kills and anxiety and panic can cause some pretty scary and REAL body symptoms. The last thing a person needs while they’re trying to work their way out of crisis is to be feeling physically awful and paralyzed by panic attacks and NOT EVEN REALIZE IT.

I’ve been there, many, many times. I know what it feels like to have problems or be in personal crisis and also be crippled by gripping anxiety and panic symptoms and NOT EVEN REALIZE IT.

Ok, so here’s the practical part for you. It’s just one question for you. And it’s really important that you know the answer. Because if you know the answer, then the simple knowledge of just knowing, will make your life much simpler for solving the crisis that you’re dealing with – NO MATTER WHAT YOUR CRISIS MAY BE.

Are You Having Anxiety or Panic Attacks?

Ok, before you answer the question, make sure that you first check with your physician to make sure that you don’t have some underlying illness or condition (since the following can be caused by serious medical conditions as well). If your doctor doesn’t find anything, then read through the anxiety symptoms below. If you answer “yes” to at least a couple of them, then chances are, you could be dealing with anxiety and/or panic and NOT LOSING YOUR MIND.

• Chest pains or palpitations?
• Muscle pains, tingling, numbness?
• Shortness of breath or smothering sensations?
• Stomach or bowel problems?
• Sweating, insomnia or tiredness?
• Dizziness or feeling faint?
• A spacy, hollow or vibrating feeling in your head?
• Feeling disconnect or like you’re not real?
• Disturbing or confused thoughts?
• Depression, anger or irritability?
• Feeling alone, isolated or desperate?
• Fears or Phobias like agoraphobia or social phobia?

You’ve heard the saying “Knowledge is power.” This is true, but I believe that knowledge is only powerful if you know what to do with that knowledge. The fact is, many people in crisis are paralyzed by anxiety and panic and DON’T EVEN REALIZE IT.

If you’re in crisis mode and experiencing the above panic and anxiety symptoms, there are very effective methods to help these symptoms subside. Furthermore, just the simple knowledge that you recognize that the above symptoms are due to anxiety and panic will make working your way out of crisis and finding renewal much easier.

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These are three words that “pack a wallop”, especially in today’s world. It seems like these days we’re continuously being bludgeoned with news of more and more financial woes, the Stock Market plummeting, the latest bank failure or how Congress and the president have yet another “stimulus” bailout package that’s going to fix everything. And dare I even mention all of the other negative stuff that’s going on in the world? I have to admit that there are times when listening to the news, that even I get depressed and fearful for my own well-being. It can be pretty overwhelming.

Sometimes it just seems like our whole world has gone nuts over the last 6 months or so. The truth is – NOBODY among us knows for certain what’s going to happen next. We don’t know if a depression is looming or if the Dow is going to rise or fall today. Unfortunately though, I’m finding that many of us fear the worst. We begin to focus on this “what if” uncertainty and then punish ourselves with panic and worry in the process. The sad part is that there really are people losing their jobs and facing crisis situations. I suppose many of us wonder if it’s going to happen to us next (if it hasn’t already).

So, there in the midst of this chaos, in the middle of all the -

DOUBT – FEAR & UNCERTAINTY . . . What’s a sane, rational person to do?

Well, I just wanted to take a moment – to pause and reflect on a very comforting verse in the Bible – from Proverbs 3:5 & 6.

It’s so important for each of us NOT to lose heart in the midst of crisis. In fact, if we reflect upon history, if we reflect upon the Scriptures, we find that it’s in these moments of fear, angst and doubt that some of God’s most amazing and powerful works are done. Remember the stories of Joseph, Moses, David and Goliath and of course the miracle of Christ’s death and resurrection.

I would remind you to heed the words of the above highlighted Scripture. Let’s trust in God with all of our hearts. Let’s not fall into the trap of trusting in only what we can see with our finite pea brains. God is much bigger than any solution that we’ll ever be able to come up with and imagine. Let’s acknowledge God’s power and presence throughout the course of our “crises” and allow Him to guide us along the way.

Acknowledging God’s amazing power and control over our lives and over the course of this world, while trusting Him along the way will quickly take the sting our of those three words – doubt, fear and uncertainty.

Could our lives be any better if God Himself is directing our way?

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Undoubtedly the fastest way to reduce stress and feel better now, short of taking a Valium, Xanax, Lexapro or some other anxiety or depression medication, is to get off your “derriere” and do some sort of exercise. And, as the saying goes – “the more the merrier”. Whatever you’re feeling, whether it be emotional, physical, mental, or spiritual – STRESS or ANXIETY – the quickest and best way to feel better right now is to EXERCISE. You need to think of exercising as your quick fix – the first bullet in your arsenal, your 911 call. This may sound overly simple, but I can tell you, after coaching and counseling lots of people (who just want to feel better now) that exercise can be an immediate fix for feeling better NOW – no matter what the problem is.

Will exercise solve your problem? No, but it will make you feel better right away AND help you think clearly – 2 Things that are really helpful when it comes to problem solving.

You see, doing some vigorous exercise releases something called endorphins. Endorphins work as “natural pain relievers” and have a “pain killer” affect on the body. If you don’t believe me, you can read about them on Wikipedia by clicking here. At any rate, if you’re feeling stress, anxiety, depression, etc. you want it to stop now – the natural, healthy way. Your best bet – kick in the endorphins.

So EXERCISE.

Ok, so what kind of exercise do you do? Well, I have lots of programs that I could recommend, but I’ve found that the most effective and healthiest kind you can do (to feel better right away) is interval exercising.

When you begin, you need to keep in mind that your anxiety, fear, depression, turmoil – whatever – is the enemy. As you begin to work up a sweat, imagine that the more effort you put forth, the more you will crush that enemy – the bad feelings (anxiety, fear, depression, panic, problems or whatever). The harder you work during your exercise routine, the better you’re going to feel when you’re done. Here is where you’ll take out your frustrations. Here is where you’re going to burn away the stress, the negativity, the anxiety, the bad emotions, the worry, the doubt, the fear. Here is where you begin to feel better.

Interval Exercise to Reduce Stress & Feel Better Now

Below is my prescription for an effective “Feel Good” exercise routine. I’ve done a lot of different types of exercise programs. There are lots of good ones out there. But, the one I’m sharing with you below is one that I know will bust through the stress and make you feel better immediately. And, of course you’ll get all of the health benefits from doing it as well. It’s one I discovered while doing the Body for Life exercise program and it works particularly well for reducing stress.

Now, keep in mind, it can be as easy or difficult as you want, but I guarantee that you’ll feel better after trying it. And the harder you work at it, the better you’ll feel afterwards, which should be your goal. I do this type of interval exercising myself just about every day and it makes me feel great! Don’t worry if you don’t do it perfectly. The important thing here is that you do what you can. Try to follow it as best as you can. Refer to the following chart for guidance. Doing this the interval way will help you immediately blast away the cortisol in your body, which usually is a major contributor to your physical symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression or panic.

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