How Inflammation Can Intensify Feelings of Depression

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to infection or injury. However, in worse conditions, it can be dangerous to human health. Not only can it trigger physical illnesses such as cancer and diabetes, it has also been linked to mental health issues such as depression.

Cold symptoms or depression symptoms?

Think of the last time you had a bad cold. Can you still remember how you felt? Can you recall the mood changes, reduced appetite, tiredness, sleep changes and heightened pain sensitivity? All these behaviors allow your body to rest and free up energy to fight infection but interestingly, they also resemble symptoms of depression.

Scientists noticed the similarities and for years, they studied the connection between them. Finally, in a recent research, they found the common ground of both conditions – inflammation.

Cytokines and depression

When the body experiences inflammation, it produces chemicals such as cytokines. In several studies, levels of cytokines have been found to be related with depression.

In one research, elevated levels of cytokines have been observed in depressive episodes. In another that involved people with bipolar disorder, levels of cytokines were noted to drop off during periods of remission.

Additionally, completely healthy people who vaccinated for typhoid reported falling into a depressed and anxious state after the vaccination caused a spike in cytokines in the body.

This means that in cases of depression, we should look out for signs of inflammation and identify its causes to come up with a more thorough assessment and treatment plan.

Common causes of inflammation

To understand the common causes of inflammation, we must first learn the two kinds of inflammation. The first kind is acute inflammation which starts rapidly and quickly becomes severe. The second kind is chronic inflammation which basically refers to long-term inflammation. This type lasts for months and even years.

Causes of acute inflammation include:

Acute bronchitis
Infected ingrown toenail
Sore throat due to a cold or flu
A scratch or wound
Intense exercise
Acute appendicitis
Acute dermatitis
Acute tonsillitis
Acute infective meningitis
Acute sinusitis

Meanwhile, chronic inflammation is commonly caused by the following conditions:

Failure to eliminate the cause of acute inflammation
An autoimmune response to a self-antigen
Asthma
Chronic peptic ulcer
Tuberculosis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Chronic periodontitis
Ulcerative colitis
Crohn’s disease
Chronic sinusitis
Chronic active hepatitis

Inflammation and the brain

Inflammation has a profound effect to the human brain. Its effect can be observed in cases involving conditions such as PANDAs and lupus. PANDAs, which stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections, affects children causing mood and behavior changes. Children with the condition exhibit obsessive compulsive behavior, violence, inability to focus and other similar behavior.

The psychiatric symptoms are due to antibodies that mistakenly target the brain. The rare condition is caused by streptococcal bacteria which apparently, can mimic brain proteins causing the body to produce antibodies that attack the brain. The rare condition is easily treated with a combination of antibiotics and dietary strategies that focus on lowering inflammation. As the severity of inflammation decreases, the psychiatric symptoms also gradually disappear. Meanwhile, studies have shown that 70% of people struggling with lupus develop neurological and psychological conditions like depression, anxiety, psychosis and dementia. The systemic inflammation that comes with the autoimmune condition appears to be the cause behind body and brain symptoms.

Food that fight inflammation

While inflammation can be treated with medicine, it is always best to turn to natural ways such as making necessary dietary changes. By avoiding food that can spur inflammation, you can also avoid depression and other mental health issues. Generally, inflammation feeds on foods high in sugar and saturated fat. Such food choices drive the immune system to become hyperactive causing joint pain, fatigue and damage to the blood vessels. So, what kind of food should you eat? Here are some great suggestions.

Fatty Fish

Salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines and other oily fish are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids which have been shown to aid in reducing inflammation. To get the benefits, you must eat fatty fish several times a week and it must be prepared in healthy ways such as baking and boiling. If you are not a fan of fish, you may use fish-oil supplements.

Dark Leafy Greens

Studies have highlighted that vitamin E can protect the body from cytokines, and one of the best sources of this vitamin is dark green vegetables. Add spinach, kale, broccoli and collard greens to your diet to enjoy high concentrations of vitamins and minerals.

Nuts

Nuts are packed with healthy fats that are known to fight inflammation. They make great snacks which you can conveniently carry around wherever you go. Go for almonds which are rich in fiber, calcium and vitamin E, and walnuts which are filled with alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fat.

Garlic and Onions

Both pungent vegetables are known for their immune-boosting properties. Research have shown that garlic works like NSAID pain medications, shutting off pathways that pave the way to inflammation. Onions contain the same anti-inflammatory chemicals and they are also rich in quercetin and allicin which produce free radical-fighting sulfenic acid.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is a main component of the Mediterranean Diet which is known to reduce inflammation in as little as 6 weeks. The extra-virgin variety of this oil is packed with oleocanthal which has a similar effect as NSAID painkillers.

Berries

Berries have amazing anti-inflammatory properties because of anthocyanins, the chemicals that give them their beautiful color. Studies have proven that blueberries help protect the intestines from inflammation and that women who frequently eat strawberries have lower levels of CRP.

If you are struggling with depression caused brought on by inflammation, we at McClellan Natural Health Wellness & Nutrition can help! We specialize in autoimmune conditions and can offer you a variety of alternative modalities.

Click here: Schedule your FREE 45 minute autoimmune breakthrough session today!

Discover how we can help you. Call us at 770-865-7232 or send us a message at bret@mcclellannaturalhealth.com or camille@mcclellannaturalhealth.com.