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A Naturopath's Experience Of Lead & People With Diagnosed Mental Illness

fact sheet created 18 December 2006
[LID 8802]

As a naturopath I help a lot of people with diagnosed mental illness. Most patients I see have little understanding of the importance of a proper diet, and the impacts this has on their mental health and well being.

Medical literature highlights that poor nutrition and environmental toxins are factors linked with learning and behavioural problems, as well as depression and mental illness. Confirmation of the research literature has been done by hair analyses conducted on my patients with mental illness who regularly show high levels of toxins such as mercury [Ref. 8], lead [ Ref. 11, 13], arsenic [ Ref. 12] and cadmium [ Ref. 14].

It would benefit patients diagnosed with a mental illness to be referred to a dietician or Naturopath. They should also be encouraged to include some very basic nutritional supplements such as Omega 3 [Ref. 9, 10] and a multivitamin [Refs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6] as part of their treatments, as these have been shown to improve mental health. Patients would also benefit from screening for toxins and being treated appropriately by a specialist in this area.

Having a holistic approach to mental health would benefit patients suffering from mental illness. It may also reduce the number of patients requiring medication, and reduce suffering for them and their family. The benefits of a healthy balanced diet, hydration and regular exercise [3] should not be underestimated.

I have attached a list of articles and research papers supporting these statements.

Regards,

Catherine Hancock N.D,
Naturopath
Good Life health food shop
Shop 7 Dog Swamp Shopping Centre
Yokine, Western Australia 6060
phone (08) 9443 1553

REFERENCES

  1. Dommisse, J. Subtle vitamin-B12 deficiency and psychiatry: a largely unnoticed but devastating relationship? Medical Hypotheses. 34(2):131-140, 1991 - http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.folate_B12.html

  2. Lansdowne, A. T., et al. Vitamin D3 enhances mood in healthy subjects during winter. Psychopharmacology. 135(4):319-323, 1998. Department of Psychology, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan NSW, Australia - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=
    PubMed&list_uids=9539254&dopt=Abstract

  3. De Coverly Veale, D. M. W. Exercise and mental health. Acta Psychiatry Scandinavia. 76:113-120, 1976.

  4. Levenson, C. W. Zinc: the new antidepressant? Nutrition Reviews. 64(1):39-42, 2006  -  http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3624/is_200601/ai_n16078907

  5. Murck, H. Magnesium and affective disorders. Nutr Neurosci. 5(6):375-389, 2002. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=
    PubMed&list_uids=12509067&dopt=Abstract

  6. Benton, D., et al. Selenium supplementation improves mood in a double-blind crossover trial. Psychopharmacology. 102(4):549-550, 1990. Department of Psychology, University College, Swansea, Wales, UK. http://www.springerlink.com/content/y7633404qn8t2611/

  7. Walton, R. G., et al. Adverse reactions to aspartame: double- blind challenge in patients from a vulnerable population. Biol Psychiatry. 34(1-2):13-17, 1993. http://www.mindfully.org/Health/Aspartame-Adverse-Reactions-1993.htm

  8. Silberund, R., et al. Evidence that mercury from silver dental fillings may be an etiological factor in depression, anger and anxiety. Psychol Rep. 74:67-80, 1994.

  9. Arvindakshan, M., et al. Supplementation with a combination of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants (vitamins E and C) improves the outcome of schizophrenia. Schizophr Res. 62(3):195-204, 2003. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=
    Abstract&list_uids=12837515

  10. Nemets, B., et al. Addition of omega-3 fatty acid to maintenance medication treatment for recurrent unipolar depressive disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry. 159:477-479, 2002. http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/159/3/477

  11. H. L. Needleman, J. A. Riess, M. J. Tobin, G. E. Biesecker and J. B. Greenhouse Bone lead levels and delinquent behavior. Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh (Pa) School of Medicine, USA - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/275/5/363

  12. V.M Rodriguez et al. Glutathione reductase inhibition and methylated arsenic distribution in Cd1 mice brain and liver http://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/adstract/84/1/157

  13. Michelle Naylor, Lead Poisoning and the Brain - Cognitive Deficits and Mental Illness, 21 Oct 2005, The LEAD Group Inc - www.lead.org.au/fs/fst28.html

  14. William J. Walsh, Ph.D., Biochemical Treatment of Mental Illness and Behavior Disorders,17 Nov 1997, Health Research Institute Pfeiffer Treatment Center (HRIPTC) - http://www.hriptc.org/BioTreatment.html

The LEAD Group Inc. Fact Sheet Index

1. About the Global Lead Advice and Support Service (GLASS)
2. Main Sources of Lead
3. How Would You Know If You or Your Child Was lead poisoned?
4. Lead aware housekeeping
5. Ceiling dust & lead poisoning
6. Is your yard lead safe?
   
你的院子是铅安全的吗
7. Health Impacts of lead poisoning
8. Rotary Questionnaire
9. Lead poisoned Pets and Your Family
10. Childhood Lead Poisoning Risk Factor Questionnaire
11. Is Your Child Safe From Lead? - What Can You Do About Lead? pdf
12. Lead in Drinking Water in Australia
13. Have We Really Resolved The Lead Issue?
14. The Importance of the Availability of "Spot Tests" for Lead in Paint
15. Pregnant or Planning a Pregnancy
16. Breastfeeding and Lead
17. Lead in breast milk
18. Beware The Lead In Lead Lighting
19. Renting and Lead
20. What to do if you have too much lead in your tank water.pdf
21. Lead Contamination in Stormwater.pdf
22. Contamination At Shooting Ranges.pdf
23. Banned: Leaded Wick Candles
24. Lead, Ageing and Death
     
铅,衰老和死亡
25. Metal miniatures: How to minimise the risks of lead poisoning and contamination
26. 7 Point Plan for the MANAGEMENT OF LEAD by Australian parents and carers
27. Countries where Leaded Petrol is Possibly Still Sold for Road Use, As at 10th May 2010
28. Lead Poisoning And The Brain - Cognitive Deficits And Mental Illness
29. Facts and Firsts of Lead
30. Lead mining royalties by state and territory
31. Lead Mining Stewardship - Grey Lead and the Role of The LEAD Group
32. Preventative Strategies of The LEAD Group
33. What do Doctors need to do about Lead?
34. A Naturopath's Experience Of Lead & People With Diagnosed Mental Illness
35. Case File: Helping Manage Australian Lead in Petrol - How GLASS Works
36. Glass Web & Service-Users, Experts & Volunteers, by Country; Countries with Leaded Petrol for Road Use & Worst Pollution
37. Lead in ceiling dust
38. Lead paint & ceiling dust management - how to do it lead-safely
39. Esperance parliamentary inquiry follow-up factsheet: Where to from Here??
      
埃斯佩兰斯议会调查后续情况说明书:从这里去哪里??
40. Broken Hill lead miners factsheet 1893 with Note 20081015
41. Helping a Doctor Help 35,000 Lead-Poisoned People Around the Lead Smelter at La Oroya in Peru
      Ayuda a un doctor que ayuda 35,000 personas envenenadas por plomo alrededor de la fundidora de plomo en la Oroya-Peru
     
案例档案:帮助一个医生救助在秘鲁的拉奥罗亚的铅冶炼厂周围的35000铅中毒的人民全球铅咨询和支持的服务机构是怎末工作的
42. Fact sheet for Australian toy importers and traders
43. Iron Nutrition & Lead Toxicity pdf
      Informe de Acciones – Hierro y Plomo en la Nutrición pdf
    
情况说明书铁的营养和铅的毒性 pdf
44. Sanitarium-Are You getting Enough Iron pdf
45. Do-It-Yourself-Lead-Safe-Test-Kits-flyer
46. Blood lead testing: who to test, when, and how to respond to the result
47. Dangers of a blood lead level above 2 µg/dL and below 10 µg/dL to both adults and children pdf
48. Lead Exposure & Alzheimer’s Disease: Is There A Link?  
49. In CHINA - Blood lead testing: who to test, when, and how to respond to the result
     
在中国血铅测试:谁应该去检查,什么时候,如何对待不同的测试结果
50. Why you should have your ceiling dust removed before you take advantage of the Australian government's Energy Efficient Homes Package: Insulation Program
51. Alperstein et al Lead Alert - A Guide For Health Professionals 1994 pdf
52. Ceiling Dust WorkCover Guide Lee Schreiber Final Nov 1999 pdf
53. What can I do about climate change AND lead?
54. The Need for Expert Clinical Assessments in Diagnosis Of Heavy Metal Poisoning
55. Why you should have your ceiling dust removed before you have insulation installed
56. Thirty Thought-Starters on Ceiling Void Dust in Homes
57. Pectin: Panacea for both lead poisoning and lead contamination
58. Nutrients that reduce lead poisoning June 2010
PDF
59. Lead poisoning and menopause PDF
60. Fact sheet For Schoolkids From Professor Knowlead About Lead PDF
 

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Last Updated 18 August 2010
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