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Depression, is it in your blood?
(This is part 2 guest blog series by my nutrition intern Kyria Edwards. Enjoy!)
In case you missed it, my last blog post on the root causes of depression taught you that depression is often just a symptom of various other underlying issues (NOT low serotonin!). These root causes range from nutritional deficiencies, toxic exposure, and other underlying health issues like blood sugar and thyroid imbalances.
But how can you figure out WHICH potential cause of depression is affecting you?
Keep reading!
For the rest of the series, don’t forget to check out:
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Part 1: FIVE ROOT CAUSES OF DEPRESSION THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS TODAY
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Part 2: DEPRESSION, IS IT IN YOUR BLOOD?
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Part 3: BE A DIY DEPRESSION DETECTIVE: HOW TO FIND THE ROOT CAUSE OF DEPRESSION
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Part 4: THREE OF THE TOP RESEARCH-PROVEN STRATEGIES TO HELP SOOTHE YOUR DEPRESSION
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Part 5: Click here to download the Free Webinar Video: Holistic Approaches to Support your Healing Process out of Depression
What does depression look like?
Depression is a daily struggle for those who are diagnosed, and one that affects the economic, social, and mental health of our nation. The DSM-V lists a wide range of criteria for depressive episodes that includes:
- depressed mood or irritability
- decreased interest or pleasure
- significant weight change (5%) or change in appetite
- change in sleep
- change in activity
- fatigue or loss of energy
- guilt/worthlessness
- diminished ability to concentrate
- and suicidality among additional markers
From these aforementioned symptoms alone, it is clear that depression is a powerful threat to one’s own well-being. When we consider that one in ten Americans are currently struggling with this condition, it is also a national threat to the well-being of our country. It is absolutely imperative that a holistic solution be offered to support those struggling with depression so that they may return to a life well lived.
Holistic vs Conventional Approach: What’s The Difference?
In the conventional approach to depression, a doctor diagnoses depression by asking specific questions, doing a psychiatric evaluation, using the criteria noted above in the DMS-5, or by doing a physical exam. They can also do lab tests and blood work to assess if there are other underlying diseases. The treatment is then typically medication or psychotherapy.
In the holistic approach, functional blood chemistry analysis (FBCA) can help clients pin point the root cause of their mental health issues. FBCA is an alternative approach to the conventional method of interpreting blood test results. Imagine taking your car into the mechanic and getting a diagnostic of what is going on under the hood. It is like that, only for your body. You get the inside scoop on what is happening to your health, on a cellular level.
Holistic = Optimal Health
FBCA is single handedly one of the most powerful tools for helping you with your health because it is 100% based off of your own individual blood work, making it easier to take direct action in the ways that your body needs it the most. One of the current issues in the medical model today is that antidepressants are served as the catch-all for anyone suffering from depression. In addition, the depressive symptoms are almost always a result of a deeper undiagnosed psychiatric or physical issue that could be highlighted through the blood work. In other words, for many people the depressive symptoms themselves are not the only health problem, but they are usually a symptom of a deeper underlying issue.
Conventional = Diagnose Disease
The conventional medical model uses blood tests, too, but they use diagnostic lab ranges with the intention of diagnosing their patients. On the other hand, the functional model looks to prevent disease and promote optimum health by using functional lab ranges. The main focus is that functional nutrition is less concerned with simply treating symptoms and more concerned with assessing the underlying cause and mechanism of those symptoms. Through use of FBCA, individuals can best be supported to attain their optimum health by gaining clear insight of the physiology of their body.
Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis: The Solution to Discovering Your Root Cause
There are numerous markers that can be assessed to identify where the issue may be coming from systemically in the body, and even what prescriptions may not be effective, simply by running a blood test. For example, studies have shown that high levels of inflammation found in blood tests correlate with lower success rates in treatment. When considering that more than half of all clients will not respond to first-line antidepressants, such as Prozac and Zoloft, it is evident that a new approach is needed. FBCA is an effective tool for those combating depression because they will be supported with the health education necessary to make the dietary and lifestyle adjustments needed to support their healing process.
What’s In My Blood?
You probably know that your blood is the red liquid that flows from your head to your toes, carrying oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the tissues of your body. But did you know that it can also be an essential tool in checking your current health status? Your blood test is a detailed snapshot of your current state of health. The comprehensive blood test that I recommend to all clients provides information on over 200 biomarkers, including:
- a cholesterol screen
- fasting glucose
- iron studies
- mineral markers
- immune system markers
- thyroid panel
- full liver screen
- kidney screen
- complete blood count
- and more
The following are among the most essential to screen in a blood test when looking for root causes of depression:
- thyroid function, vitamin B12
- high-sensitivity C-reactive protein
- fasting glucose/insulin/hemoglobin A1C
- and vitamin D
Aren’t conventional blood tests and FBCA tests the same?
Just as important as the blood test is the health practitioner that you are working with to interpret the results. As noted above, both a conventional doctor and a holistic practitioner may look at the same exact blood work and have a different reading based on the lens of optimal health vs diagnosis. Whether you are looking to understand your health problems from a deeper level or you simply want to check your progress on your current health regimen, FBCA is a powerful tool that can give you the behind-the-scenes-peek at your own physiological well being.
FBCA practitioners use optimal ranges for lab result assessment instead of conventional disease-finding ranges. If your conventional lab results come back with a stamp of “everything looks great” from your doctor while you are still feeling terrible, FBCA optimal ranges can give you a deeper look into what might be going on.
How Can Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis Help Me?
FBCA is a key tool in the functional nutrition model. Conventional medicine typically looks at the symptoms a patient is experiencing, connects these to a diagnosis of a disease, and treats the disease through treatment plan often including the use of pharmaceuticals. Functional nutrition, however, is keenly focused on identifying the root cause of the issue, preventing disease, and helping to promote optimum health and well-being. FBCA is an essential tool to any warrior on the health quest because it supports the holistic drive toward optimum health, not merely the absence of depressive symptoms.
Stay tuned for the third blog post in this 4-part series coming up next week! It will be all about connecting the power of this functional blood chemistry analysis with the root causes of depression so that you can take a closer look at your own blood work with optimal lab value ranges. At the end of this series, we are going to have a free hour-long webinar covering depression live on February 27th and 28th. Save the date!
Make sure you don’t miss the rest of the depression series:
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If you are interested in getting your own functional blood chemistry analysis with Kyria, click here to learn more, and get a discounted offer for Lori Holistic Rose readers to start the new year off with vibrant vitality!
If you found this helpful, please share with your friends and on social media. You never know who really needs to read this the most.
Curious if depression is in your blood?
Sign up for your functional blood chemistry test with Kyria here.
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Or check out my podcast with Weight Free Wellness here!
You can learn about my e-book, Herbs for Energy, here.
Kyria supports her clients on their health journey through holistic nutrition, functional blood chemistry analysis, and health coaching to establish nourishing life-long habits. Through her Master’s program in Health Education and Holistic Nutrition from John F. Kennedy University, Kyria has gained the skills necessary to fulfill her life’s passion: to spread the love of health. She recognizes that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to health and that each individual is unique. It is her great joy to help others accomplish their personal health goals while also honoring their body, heart, mind, and spirit. You are invited to join her fun facebook group and download her free 30 Day meal plan with delicious recipes that you can make in 30 minutes or less.
Lori Valentine Rose, PhD, CNP, BCHN, FDN-P, RH (AHG), NBC-HWC, is a college biology, nutrition, herbal, and wellness instructor, national board certified nutrition professional and holistic nutrition consultant, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® Practitioner, board registered herbalist, national board certified health and wellness coach, wife, mother, organic vegetable, fruit, and medicinal herb gardener, school garden planter, city class teacher, and passionate Zumba dancer! She created, developed, and instructs the Hill College Holistic Wellness Pathway, the most thorough, affordable, degreed wellness program in the country. She also has a video podcast here where she interviews people that have helped her truly embrace real mind-body-spirit holistic wellness. She loves spreading love and light, and helping others feel awesome on the inside and out so they can live their dreams and make this world more awesome! Lori Rose Holistic does not replace medical advice or working with your doctor, and she does not diagnose, treat, or cure disease. Her goal is to educate, and any actions you take are voluntary and of your own free will.
If you are tired of doctors that only spend 5 minutes with you only to give you medications that are band-aids and don’t address the root cause of your issues,
If you are tired of counting calories and failed diets,
If you are tired of feeling overwhelmed, helpless, and hopeless with exhaustion, pain, and illness,
If you are looking for a practitioner to finally take the time to listen, empathize, encourage, and empower you with the tools to take control of your life again,
If you are ready to start feeling awesome so you can start doing awesome,
Then you have come to the right place! I am a passionate, educated, skilled practitioner that promises to work on an individualized plan designed just for you so you can start feeling like yourself again!
If you are ready to learn the tools and skills needed to get the vitality back into to your life then email me at loriroseholistic@gmail.com to set up your free 15 minute introductory consult!
Read reviews from my clients here!
LET’S GET YOU FEELING AWESOME SO YOU CAN DO AWESOME!!!!
helping you find hope and freedom from the despair of your chronic health issues so that you feel good enough to love life again! 