Depression Causes
Alleviate the Symptoms.

Depression Causes and Senior Health
The main causes of depression and anxiety are due to nutritional insufficiency.

Your internal nutritional status (your chemical and hormonal balance) is a major factor in how depression may affect you. A consistency in both dietary and nutritional (natural chemical) balances is essential to keep your body and mind healthy.

Many years ago, when food was wholesome and home grown, you would have been able to get all essential nutrients from your diet. Now however soils are depleted, over-farming and over-processed foods are commonplace and those nutrients are no longer readily available. Toxic pesticides and hormones are widely used, stripping your food of nutrient content. Many people suffer massive deficiencies, and incidences of depression and similar states have risen dramatically as a result.

Genetic inheritance and/or vulnerability, environmental factors and physical illnesses are also common triggers of an imbalance in brain chemicals that lead to depression (imbalances can occur in serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine neurotransmitters).

Medications, such as those used in the treatment of high blood pressure, sleeping pills, alcohol, nicotine and mood-altering drugs are all big contributing factors.

In the elderly heart problems, low thyroid activity, a general increase in prescription medications like beta-blockers and heart drugs (digoxin, steroids and sedatives) can all trigger depression.

Certain personality traits showing low self-esteem and dependency are also prone to stress and anxiety, and illnesses such as heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer's disease all put you at a higher risk of developing depressive conditions.

As well as biological factors, causes of stress can include:

* Pressures at work
* Money worries
* Family conflicts
* Divorce
* Bereavement
* Unemployment
* Moving house
* Alcohol or drug abuse.
* A build up of minor irritations.

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