Omega 3 and Its Benefits During Menopause

Menopause is a stage in all women's lives, and while it is neither an illness nor a disease, it is usually not the best time of their lives. Some women sail through menopause without any problems, but for the majority of them It is a challenging time.

Also, for those women in the work place who are reaching the pinnacle of their careers and all the additional stress which that entails, frankly it could not come at a worse time. So any way of helping control the symptoms will be welcomed with open arms.

For a while HRT seemed to be the best option to help control the symptoms of menopause. However, recent research shows that while it reduces hot flashes, it increases the risk of heart disease, breast cancer, strokes and blood clots.

The current generation of menopausal women differs from their mothers in that they do not always feel that chemicals are the best option. Many of them feel that their health should be in their own hands. They are looking for a natural way to deal with the symptoms and are drawn to a more holistic approach.

Clinical tests using natural Omega 3 fish oil have shown that a daily dose of Omega 3 reduces the number of hot flashes, one of the biggest problems for many women, by up to 50%. It doesn't reduce the intensity of the hot flash but, for most women, any amount of reduction in the number of times a day in which they feel about to combust is a huge benefit.

Omega 3, with its additional beneficial impact of lowering 'bad ' cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of heart disease without any of the side effects experienced in latter age compared to those taking HRT, seems like an obvious choice.

When you add to this that the Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that 1mg of EPA - one of the active ingredients in Omega 3 fish oils - is as effective as 1mg of Fluoxetine (a common anti-depressant) in treating the symptoms of depression often associated with Menopause, and that it also helps with the increasingly aching joints that both men and women suffer from through middle age onwards then Omega 3 looks like the informed choice.

Fish Oils and the Relief of Depression

Depression is a word that is often misused. We use it in everyday language to express that we don't feel happy or that we are feeling more than usually blue. But Clinical depression is not a passing feeling or mood.

It is an ongoing mental state involving overwhelming feelings of worthlessness, sadness, inability to concentrated and many other symptoms. It ranges from mild and relatively short lived to severe and lasting for many years.

It is not something people choose to have and may be better understood if it is thought of in terms of a disease rather than a condition.

Work at Harvard has recently looked at the effect of Omega 3 fish oils on people suffering from depression and the results have shown that depression can be significantly reduced if Omega 3 is introduced into the diet.

This is not surprising when you look at cross cultural and global differences in the numbers suffering from depression. There is an amazingly strong correlation between consumption of fish and lower rates of diagnosed depression.

The Japanese eat more than three times the amount of fish in a year than some other cultures and they are less likely to suffer from depression.

We all know that diet can go a long way to keeping us healthy but we tend to separate the mind from the body and often fail to understand that if the body does not get the right nutrients then neither does the brain.

One of the greatest precursors for depression is a lack of Serotonin. This enzyme helps pass impulses from one nerve to another and if the body produces insufficient amounts it can cause depression.

According to the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1gm of EPA (eicospentaenoic acid) which is contained in large amounts in Omega 3 fish oil, has the equivalent effect of 1gm of Fluoxetine, a commonly prescribed anti-depressant.

Further research at Harvard has shown that, unlike St John's Wort, there are no apparent indications that would prevent you from using Omega 3 in conjunction with prescription anti-depressants. Sufferers are not, therefore, subject to the dilemma of drugs over natural remedies as both can be taken together.

Using Omega 3 has many significant health benefits and is a great general health supplement but if you are suffering from depression it may help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. More information on fish oils and how it relates to depression is available at Learn greater detail on how this product may be able to help you if you or someone you love suffers from depression.

Common SSRI Antidepressants and Their Effectiveness in Treating Depression

SSRI antidepressants are a commonly used group of drugs used to treat the symptoms of clinical and situational depression. There are many different groups of antidepressants and they all work in different ways. SSRIs work in a different way than other groups of medication because they only work on the neurotransmitter serotonin, and not on other neurotransmitters. Additionally, SSRI antidepressants offer benefits over other types of antidepressants and have proven to be quite beneficial in the Treatment of depression.

Overview of SSRI Antidepressants

SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The name actually explains what the drug does. They help to stop the absorption of the neurotransmitter, serotonin. Abnormal absorption of serotonin is thought to be one of the main causes of depression as normal amounts of this substance contribute to maintaining a positive mental state.

SSRIs are used mostly to treat depression, but have also been used to treat other mental illnesses such as panic disorder, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and post traumatic stress disorder.

SSRI's side effects are considered to be less severe than those of other depression treatment drugs. Common side effects include nausea, joint pain, upset stomach, insomnia and rashes. These are usually very mild and do not stop a patient from taking the drug.

SSR's have also been linked with two very serious side effects, but these are also very rare. The causes are known, so these are avoidable. Serotonin syndrome is caused by dangerous levels of serotonin in the brain. It causes confusion, hallucinations, and seizures and can lead to a coma. It is usually a result of drug interaction, which can be easily avoided with proper guidance from a qualified medical provider.

The other issue is that, in some cases, SSRIs can cause an increase in depression or suicidal thoughts. This occurs usually as a result of changing doses and, with careful monitoring by a doctor, can be resolved.

The use of SSRI antidepressants is often the first option considered by doctors. The patient is heavily monitored when beginning the medication for side effects. If no side effects occur the treatment continues and usually is effective as a depression treatment.

History of SSRI Antidepressants

SSRI antidepressants are considered a new class of antidepressants. They were first introduced in 1987 with the first type of SSRI to be used and still the most commonly prescribed is fluoxetine, sold under the brand name Prozac.

SSRI antidepressants became rather popular due to the relative safeness of the drug and lack of severe side effects. There is a low risk of overdose with a rare risk of death by overdose, and SSRIs are not addictive as are other depression treatment drugs. They are now a commonly prescribed treatment for depression.

Common Types of SSRI Antidepressants

There are five types of SSRIs:

Citalopram - sold as Celexa
Escitalopram - sold as Lexapro
Fluoxetine - sold as Prozac
Paroxetine - sold as Paxil
Sertrline - sold as Zoloft

The different types of SSRIs all have been proven to provide the same treatment affects. The main difference is the possible side effects a person may have. Usually the choice of SSRI is based solely upon the reaction of the patient to the medication.

Effectiveness of SSRIs as treatment for Depression

SSRIs are often used because they carry fewer risks than other treatment methods. However, patients need to work closely with a doctor when changing medications, or deciding to stop taking SSRIs due to withdrawal symptoms.

General Information On Separation Anxiety

It is natural for human beings to dislike the notion of being separated from someone they care about, or feel connected to in some way. The idea of no longer having significant contact, particularly physical contact, with someone that has become a part of our life, as some might say, often results in some unpleasant emotional reactions.

This negative emotional response prompts us to attempt to avoid such thoughts and possibilities whenever we can, as a means of preventing or escaping the associated discomfort. However, for some people, the idea of losing someone they care about takes on the form of a near-constant obsession. This condition, known as separation anxiety, is a complex psychological matter.

People who have separation anxiety still feel the usual dislike and discomfort when considering the potential loss. There is still a general sense of sorrow and bereavement when the possibility is brought up, and it is still considered to be a negative event. However, separation anxiety has patients virtually obsessing over that distinct and unpleasant facet of life.

The condition is characterized by behavior that may or may not be considered odd by the untrained observer. It often includes constant worry and anxiety over the possibility of losing an important person, typically a mother or father figure. Some argue that separation anxiety is a sign of excessive dependence on the physical presence of an individual, as a means of reassuring the patient of their own stability. Emotional distress during a period of separation is the most common sign, with a sudden lifting of the patient's mood once the object of their focus is once again nearby. Another common sign is the patient showing more physical cues that are similar to withdrawal from narcotics or alcohol whenever the target is not present.

People suffering from separation anxiety have a tendency to turn inwards when separated, letting the disorder have an adverse effect on their emotional condition. Cases have been reported where patients exhibit sudden signs of partial social withdrawal, or a sudden drop in one's ability to interact socially during the separation period. In some instances, it may also have a physical effect, with movements being sluggish and the body having languid, lifeless movements. It is not only during periods of separation that symptoms are exhibited, however. According to recent findings, separation anxiety also manifests itself as an inability to sleep without the presence of the target person or object.

A patient that has separation anxiety is often also diagnosed with various other disorders, such as ADHD and bipolar disorder. Bipolar personalities have been shown to have a statistically high number of patients who also have separation anxiety, with the shifts between manic and depressive behavior being linked to the presence of a certain figure or object.

In rare cases, dissociative identity disorder also stems from separation anxiety. This occurs when the brain gradually develops alternate personalities that are more capable of handling the separation than the actual persona. This is a rare instance, however, as DID sufferers generally develop the second personality to adapt to a specific childhood trauma, such as sexual abuse.

According to some unconfirmed reports, there is a small percentage of stalkers who have separation anxiety. Supposedly, this occurs because the obsession with keeping the person close by has started to form a compulsion to prevent any form of prolonged separation. In essence, the person has become obsessed with staying close to an individual whenever possible, and has taken measures to minimize, if not outright eliminate, the chances of the two being disconnected.