Blood pressure, Depression and heart disease are linked through impaired blood vessel function

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http://www.mercola.com/2002/nov/16/depression.htmDepression, Even if Treated, Increases Your Heart Disease Risk Researchers are not sure whether the impaired artery function is caused by depression itself, drugs used to treat it or a combination of the two, but the abnormality may help explain why the risk of heart disease is doubled in people with depression.As impaired artery function is a companion to coronary artery disease, this new research compared artery function in people being treated for depression. The researchers also had a control group of 10 other adults that went through artery testing.How did the researchers measure and find the impaired artery function?The researchers looked at flow-mediated dilation in the brachial artery. Flow-mediated dilation is a measure of how well the endothelium, the lining of the blood vessels, acts to keep blood moving by widening the vessel. This artery in the arm is often used to evaluate vessel function because it is accessible, and its function reflects that of other arteries in the body. The researchers also tested the baroreflex system, which controls heart rate in response to changes in blood pressure.What were the results of the arterial function testing for those subjects with depression?Arterial function was "significantly impaired" in the individuals with depression, but there was no difference in the baroreflex differences between the control and test groups.Why don't arteries work as well in people with depression?The researchers aren't sure why arterial function was impaired. They point out that a previous study found that arterial function was also reduced in depressed people who had not yet started treatment. It's possible, according to the report, that people with depression are prone to impaired vessel function even when their depression symptoms are under control. But the investigators cannot rule out that antidepressants may play some role.Regardless of the cause of the impaired vessel function, this abnormality may partly explain why people with depression are at increased risk of heart disease. Impaired artery function is the same problem found in smokers, those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes -- all conditions that make one significantly predisposed to heart disease.Other researchers point out that depression is linked with a wide variety of effects, including blood and immune system abnormalities. They believe it's possible that treatment for depression won't reduce the risks of coronary artery disease unless it addresses the link between depression and impaired arterial function.Heart November 2002;88:441-443, 521-524Dr. Mercola's Comment:Powerful evidence that when your mind is short-circuited by previous unresolved emotional traumas, very real physical damage may occur.Fortunately, Omega-3 supplementation can help repair some of the underlying physical and emotional aspects of the cardiovascular impairment. There are a number of studies that show that the use of fish oil, rich in essential Omega-3, is associated with decreased depression.Dr. Andrew Stoll is the director of the psychopharmacology research lab at Boston's McLean Hospital and assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He discusses the use of omega-3 extensively in his book The Omega-3 Connection. He reviews the new evidence supporting the use of omega-3 oils for mental illness. Previous studies have also confirmed the usefulness of omega-3 fats as a primary prevention tool for heart disease.The book is excellent, but Dr. Stoll is seriously misinformed about cod liver oil. This is especially true for schizophrenia; this disease seems to respond particularly well to therapeutic doses of vitamin D.After several years of research, I now offer Carlson’s brand fish oil and cod liver oil on my website. I’ve found that Carlson’s offers the most superior quality. Their fish oil and cod liver oil in liquid form contain the highest levels of essential Omega-3 and follow the strictest purity guidelines. Visit the website store to make a convenient purchase.The dose for both the cod liver or plain fish oil liquid is about one teaspoon for every 50 pounds of body weight per day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds that would be about one tablespoon (three teaspoons) per day. This is the equivalent of 15 typical fish oil capsules. This is a good initial dose for most people, but if you notice any belching or repeating it is likely your gallbladder is not digesting the fish oil properly and you may need to take a high potency enzyme with plenty of the fat digesting enzyme lipase.If you continue to have nausea with the fish oil, it is probably wise to activate the Listen to Your Body Principle and avoid the fish oil until you can be evaluated by a competent natural health care practitioner.Many people are confused about the difference between fish oil liquid and cod liver oil. It helps to consider cod liver oil as fish oil Plus. The two are the same except that cod liver oil has natural vitamin D and A. This is an important factor to consider as most of us don’t get enough sun exposure during the winter months. Therefore, we don’t generate enough vitamin D to provide us with all the health benefits it has to offer.I recommend taking fish oil during the warm weather months, when vitamin D supplementation is not necessary, and cod liver oil during the winter, cold weather, months. It’s important to remember that cod liver oil will provide you with vitamin D, so taking it during the summer months when sun exposure is high could result in an overly high vitamin D level, which can be harmful. If there is any question about your vitamin D levels, have them measured. Ideally everyone should. If you overdose on vitamin D you can actually cause osteoporosis and hardening of your arteries. Unfortunately very few physicians test for vitamin D levelsPsychological acupressure tools, such as EFT, are nothing short of miraculous at helping to resolve the emotional short-circuiting in a rapid and permanent fashion. You can download our recently updated EFT manual free of charge, or if you seek more in-depth knowledge of the EFT technique, my EFT Video series is available on DVD or VHS. If a serious depression is present, it would certainly be wise to consider using a trained professional to help resolve this challenge.Return to Table of Contents #377Return to Table of Contents #377Print this PageE-mail to a Friend