Depression - Beyond the Chemical Imbalance (Part 1)

Today we go back to the basics of depression.  Borodin's Nocturne (right click to open in new tab).I would say there are three main theories held by the general public about the causes of depression:1) Bootstrap theory:  you are a lazy good-for-nothing who just needs to snap out of it and get up and get yourself better.2) Trauma theory: too much stress, death, trauma, etc.3) The chemical...

Read More..

Tales of the Metabolically Deranged

Happy Thanksgiving!  I'm probably in too good of a mood to write this post properly, but I have a moment right now and must seize the opportunity, and I'm going to try to make this short but cogent.  A few days ago I noted that I don't agree with Mercola and Rosedale about their characterization (paraphrased, as it wasn't quite as black and white) of glucose as toxic and human beings as...

Read More..

Soda Begets Zombies

Okay, not likely.  But the sugary variety might well be causing depression in those vulnerable to fructose malabsorption.  Have a look at my previous post on the subject.Today I have a mere observational study that adds to a pile of evidence that soda ain't the best thing in the world to be drinking, behaviorally speaking. "The Twinkie Defense: the relationship between carbonated non-diet...

Read More..

Handel and the Biology of Allergy, Atopy, and Suicide

With respect to classical music, I'm a much bigger fan of the classical and romantic composers (Mozart, Beethoven and all those Russian guys like Rimsky-Korsakoff) than the earlier baroque composers (such as Bach and Handel).   Baroque is beautiful and often awe-inspiring, but too structured for my taste --  like a doily or a stained glass window in a church.  Back then gardens were...

Read More..

Sniffles and Suicide

Let's revisit the basic premise, my hypothesis we are searching to disprove.  Humans are not broken, but we are not optimized for our current environment, whether it be modern stress, modern social structure, modern diet, modern sleep, or modern activity.  Perturbations from the homo sapiens "norm" of paleolithic life (minus the few adaptations we have accumulated in the recent...

Read More..

Is Postpartum Psychosis an Autoimmune Disease?

Here's an article for the "everything is connected" file.  Also for "yes, psychiatric disease has biologic underpinnings and is medical illness" file.  Also the "inflammation in the wrong place at the wrong time is super-bad" file.  And it may be of interest to anyone who has had symptoms of autoimmune disease helped by an anti-inflammatory (paleo-type) diet.Postpartum psychosis is...

Read More..

Evolutionary Psychiatry and Bipolar Disorder

A couple of papers came to my attention this week that relate to what I consider "real" evolutionary psychiatry.  That is, what are some evolutionary reasons we might have genes that make us vulnerable to psychiatric disorders.  The "real" evolutionary psychology academics consider this discussion to be "Abnormal Psychology,"  and like all evolutionary psychology, it is somewhat controversial....

Read More..

Offline

Hi all! A snowstorm took out myhome Internet service a week ago, and it is still not repaired. I have a post written for when service is restored, but in the mean time, be sure to check out the "map" at the upper right for some pertinent archives. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPh...

Read More..