     |
Chemicals Affect Mental HealthI have a personal involvement with mental health, as my mother was schizophrenic. The results of my years of searching for an answer as to why this happened to our family are compiled here along with personal experiences and observations. My mother was in her final year of college in Beloit, Wisconsin as a dental student when she was diagnosed as “schizophrenic.” The era was the sixties, when the effects of toxic chemicals and metals weren’t really known. It is interesting to note that back then they didn’t wear the protective masks, gloves, and take the cautious measures they do today to protect themselves from the toxic metals involved. Fast forward to the late 1990’s. I was working in my first holistic health center when I met someone whose son was schizophrenic and was diagnosed as having heavy copper toxicity. The father said he did a three month cleanse program and it helped – but only temporarily. My feeling was that three months wasn’t long enough since metal cleansing usually took a minimum of six months and longer. I also met a young boy of four years old and his mother who was exhausted. Apparently the boy had ADHD and NEVER sat still according to his mom. She even told me that no one understands how bad her situation is – she couldn’t even get a nanny or sitter to help her, as he was so out of control. But she refused to give him drugs. He was tested through hair analysis and found to have overloads of toxic metals. Herbal and vitamin/mineral supplements were made specific for him to help his little body eliminate (cleanse) the excess metals. Three months later I saw his mom. She looked beautiful, refreshed and happy as she told me how he was such a wonderful child - still her little boy, but without the hyperactivity. She had actually been able to hire a babysitter. During the time that I worked as a therapist, clients constantly reported feeling happier, calmer and less stressed after cleansing. This raised my curiousity. It is now well known that mental disorders including schizophrenia and bipolar depression are mainly caused by imbalances of brain neurotransmitters. The brain is the greatest generator of electricity in the human body. Electrical currents that control every function of our brain are sent throughout the entire body via neurotransmitters, which are the brain chemicals. The four major biochemicals are dopamine, serotonin, GABA and acetylcholine. Modern treatment for mental disorders includes the use of powerful drugs, which focus on the adjustment of disordered brain chemistry. Designer drugs are being developed that alter the functioning of specific neurotransmitters. Unfortunately, it is already known that the results will only help a little. It is also known that the results will alter some of the dozens of other neurotransmitters resulting in the patient becoming only a shadow of his or her former self. Molecular biology hopes to eventually identify basic causes of the chemical imbalances, which may lead to better treatments. I think the treatment is here, however. Linus Pauling (1901-1994), coined a term years ago called “orthomolecular medicine” that uses nutrition as the basis for treatment of mental and physical disease. He also pointed out a very simple but extremely over-looked fact – that if the body uses electrical impulses to function, the nutrients needed to make the electrical connections need to be available. In addition, metals interfere with electricity. So it is only natural that external pollutants, which include metals, will have an effect on the body’s electrical circuitry. Knowing this – you can see the connection of the patients described earlier and why metal toxicity and the cleansing of the excess metals would have an effect on mental health. There is much research about moods, mental health and nutrition. If you haven’t read it already, my article Stress Management and Cleansing, , which addresses how nutrition has a direct impact on moods including depression. You can learn to use cleansing and high quality nutrition to enhance your mental health. Stay in touch and stay healthy - sign up for the FREE SCC Newsletter. You will receive a Password that gives you access to a member's area with exclusive articles, special offers and free e-book offers just for our Springclean health and cleansing community. Benefits of signing up include:
Return to the Chemicals and Mental Health Home Page
|
