Discussing Depression, Unnecessary Drugs and Food
- From: KC <SNIFFFThis@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:13:34 -0800 (PST)
Discussing Depression, Unnecessary Drugs and Food
Professor Gordon Lays Out Dos and Don'ts
By Yuse Lajiminmuhip | Jan 13 2009
James Gordon is a professor in the departments of psychiatry and
family medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center. Since
graduating from Harvard University Medical School, he has spent much
of his career focusing on mind-body medicine and is the founder and
director of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine located in Washington,
D.C.
Gordon has recently held the position of chairman for the White House
Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy and was
the first chairman of the Program Advisory Council of the National
Institutes of Health’s Office of Alternative Medicine. Gordon has
established numerous programs that utilize mind-body healing to combat
chronic illnesses such as cancer and depression, and he now discusses
his accomplishments with THE HOYA.
Why should we use non-drug approaches to treat depression?
The most important reason is the oldest reason — first, do no harm.
Going back to Hippocrates we see that the duty of the physician is to
take the path with the least harmful side effects to the patient.
Drugs do not work very well because doctors are often using incomplete
evidence to support their decision.
Can you give an example?
When you compare all the studies together, you will find drugs by any
measure are only slightly better than a placebo.
What non-drug approaches do you recommend?
Well there are many ways to approach depression, specifically making
people feel better subjectively, without side effects. These include
meditation, exercise, the use of food or herbs, and Chinese
acupuncture.
What about people who follow the dietary regiment yet continually feel
depressed only to find relief through medication? These individuals
strongly defend the use of drugs as the means to treat their own
depression.
Medication does work for some people — there is no question a physical
effect exists — but drugs should be used as a last resort, not as the
first choice. When you give a drug you are telling them, “you have a
disease,” which is wrong; there is not enough evidence to suggest that
it is a disease.
But what about those cases when you do have to prescribe a drug?
As a doctor, my responsibility is to do what will treat you in the
long run. I would prescribe a drug only after trying all other
methods. It is like how I won’t give antibiotics until I know you have
a bacterial disease.
Some people say that they can eat anything and that they even seem
upbeat while others hardly touch candy. Why?
Some people can eat anything and it won’t bother them, but a number of
people are sensitive to large number of sugars or simple carbohydrates
which are only short-term mood lifters. You also have to look at the
entire diet. Those who can eat anything may have an overall balanced
diet while the others do not. In fact, 80 percent of Americans are
deficient in one or more essential nutrients, according to the
Department of Agriculture.
What would you say is one recent example of a food group or type that
counters depression?
Studies have found that people with large amount of omega-3 fatty
acids in their diet tend to be less depressed. The key is looking at
carbohydrates that break down slowly instead of those that burn off
quickly.
An average Georgetown meal plan covers only about two meals per day.
What are the best options for this lifestyle and what should we avoid?
First of all, you should always try to eat three meals a day, but one
particular thing to leave out the diet is monosodium glutamate, or
MSG. Some people tend to get a weird feeling from eating it. Another
thing to avoid is NutraSweet. We do not know for sure how these
additives hurt us but they cannot be good seeing how they tax the
nervous system. But if you are young and physically fit, you can
commit culinary sins and make it up with exercise. You should also
enjoy your food.
We have something called Grab ‘n’ Go at Georgetown, and often students
find it difficult to sit down and eat for an extended time period.
What are your thoughts on that?
An important thing to remember is that people should enjoy eating
meals over very long periods of time. Eating slowly and mindfully
helps the digestion. People tend to eat too much when they are eating
fast.
Assuming Georgetown students are like most college students, what is
one change you would recommend?
Getting rid of coffee from the diet. Studies show people who stop
coffee feel better than they did before.
Do you have any closing advice you would like to give Georgetown
students?
Understand that there is time — do what you feel like doing. … In many
cases people do not hold their choices accountable; do the work you
love and live the life the way you want to live it. It is a question
of waiting a bit to see what you love. I took a year off from medical
school and returned with the passion that brought me to where I am
today. Even in these economic times, do something that you love. Serve
your community and it will very often improve your mood. With Obama
becoming president there is opportunity for opening the unexpected
possibilities.
.
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