Narcissist Trauma Survival and Recovery Community Group
Support for those anyone who is or has been in a relationship with a narcissist. Together we are much stronger than any of us would be alone. A place for non-judgemental mutial support, advice, and comfort.
I got this (below the stars) from the American Academy of Family Physicians website, which I often find interesting little tidbits at. It is actually an end-note on a report of a study on using fish oil to prevent a psychotic decompensation; positive results were noted there as well from the use of fish oil. In case you are interested in reading the whole article it is here: http://www.aafp.org/afp/2010/1101/p1141.html
Basically, it says that the omega 3 fatty acids help your brain make connections and transmit messages. Even if you are not depressed, etc., these fatty acids are necessary for brain health and you can only get them from the dietary sources that contain them; your body can't just take whatever ingredients you throw in to make them itself, as it can other substances. Other studies I have read indicate that the fatty acids found in fish oils can help lower cholesterol, blood pressure and reduce morning stiffness and pain associated with arthritis. I can attest to the fact that they can often knock out severe pack pain in a couple of days that ibuprofen and even a round of cortisone (with multiple side effects on many body systems) didn't touch. In fact, I often get lax or forget to take some of my meds at times, but even so, I haven't had a major problem with back pain now for several years ... and that is something! If you are not into supplements, I think that South Beach diet or similar can probably point you in the right direction as far as doing it nutritionally.
PS: if you eat a lot of processed, pre-made foods, you are likely getting a lot of Omega 6, to get the best benefits from Omega 3s, try to cut back on those "convenience" foods for a bit. Make them yourself, if you must have them, so you can control what goes into them. I have read that many of the problems with the Western diet is that our ratio of Omega 6 is way too high to the amount of Omega 3s we take in, normally.
I am just going to post a few "blurbs" I found on other (apparently reputable) sites, but of course nothing is a "wonder drug" in and of itself, unless there is a real problem ... most of the time, the best benefits will occur if you are doing the best "healthy diet/lifestyle" you can - it was after his heart attack that I REALLY started reading all those labels and realizing how far off my perception of "healthy" was!
"EPA Proves to be a Viable Alternative to Prozac
Recently, a study came out showing that EPA was a viable alternative to Prozac and furthermore, that taking the two together proved even more superior results in resolving or improving unipolar depression."
From: Jazayeri, S., Tehrani-Doost, M., Keshavarz, S. A., Hosseini, M., Djazayery, A., Amini, H., Jalali, M. & Peet, M. (2008). Comparison of therapeutic effects of omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid and fluoxetine, separately and in combination in major depressive disorder. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 42, 192-198.
"Omega-3 Fatty Acids Affect Risk of Depression
COLUMBUS , Ohio – A new study suggests that people whose diets contain dramatically more of one kind of polyunsaturated fatty acid than another may be at greater risk for both clinical depression and certain inflammatory diseases.
The report, published online this week in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, suggests that we need to balance out our intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. The current typical American diet contains 20 times more omega-6 than omega-3, a ratio that researchers say should be lowered to 4-to-1, or even 2-to-1."
From: Ohio State University, study focused on 43 middle aged people who were responsible for care-giving for partners with Alzheimer's or dementia; the study is being enlarged
The only seriously "negative outcome" trial I found was one in which 120 perimenopausal women with major depression were followed for 8 weeks; basically the less distressed the women were to begin with, the better they felt at the end, no matter which treatment group. However, the first thought that came to my mind is that for certain heart benefits, a 12 week trial is the absolute minimum at which you can expect results, so this might be a factor in this study, as well. If I have time, I may look into the lengths of studies which had more positive results, for comparison. Oh, never mind ... I found a nice chart; an Israeli study found improvement in a similar group of women after 3 weeks, but the dosage was 2000mg vs 500mg in the "negative" study ... so length and dosage could both have played a part...
*****************************
editor's note: Although omega-3 fatty acids are most touted for cardiovascular health, their contribution to neuronal synaptic transmission has generated interest in their potential role in psychiatric disorders. For instance, close adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet (which is high in omega-3 PUFAs and monounsaturated fatty acids) has been associated with a greater than 30 percent reduction in unipolar depression.1
A 2006 review and meta-analysis by the Omega-3 Fatty Acids Subcommittee of the American Psychiatric Association concluded that omega-3 fatty acids (especially EPA and DHA) have a protective effect in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression, and that they may be useful as adjunctive therapy for schizophrenia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. They recommended that patients with mood, impulse control, or psychotic disorders consume 1 g total of EPA plus DHA daily. Those with mood disorders may also benefit from omega-3 supplementation (approximately 1 to 9 g per day). Although generally well-tolerated, high doses of omega-3 fatty acids can increase bleeding risk (especially if anticoagulants are also being used), and consuming more than 3 g per day of EPA plus DHA should be monitored by a physician for potential complications.2—k.t.m.
REFERENCES
1. Sánchez-Villegas A, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Alonso A, et al. Association of the Mediterranean dietary pattern with the incidence of depression: the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra/University of Navarra follow-up (SUN) cohort. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009;66(10):1090–1098.
2. Freeman MP, Hibbeln JR, Wisner KL, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids: evidence basis for treatment and future research in psychiatry [published correction appears in J Clin Psychiatry. 2007;68(2):338]. J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;67(12):1954–1967.
Basically, it says that the omega 3 fatty acids help your brain make connections and transmit messages. Even if you are not depressed, etc., these fatty acids are necessary for brain health and you can only get them from the dietary sources that contain them; your body can't just take whatever ingredients you throw in to make them itself, as it can other substances. Other studies I have read indicate that the fatty acids found in fish oils can help lower cholesterol, blood pressure and reduce morning stiffness and pain associated with arthritis. I can attest to the fact that they can often knock out severe pack pain in a couple of days that ibuprofen and even a round of cortisone (with multiple side effects on many body systems) didn't touch. In fact, I often get lax or forget to take some of my meds at times, but even so, I haven't had a major problem with back pain now for several years ... and that is something! If you are not into supplements, I think that South Beach diet or similar can probably point you in the right direction as far as doing it nutritionally.
PS: if you eat a lot of processed, pre-made foods, you are likely getting a lot of Omega 6, to get the best benefits from Omega 3s, try to cut back on those "convenience" foods for a bit. Make them yourself, if you must have them, so you can control what goes into them. I have read that many of the problems with the Western diet is that our ratio of Omega 6 is way too high to the amount of Omega 3s we take in, normally.
I am just going to post a few "blurbs" I found on other (apparently reputable) sites, but of course nothing is a "wonder drug" in and of itself, unless there is a real problem ... most of the time, the best benefits will occur if you are doing the best "healthy diet/lifestyle" you can - it was after his heart attack that I REALLY started reading all those labels and realizing how far off my perception of "healthy" was!
"EPA Proves to be a Viable Alternative to Prozac
Recently, a study came out showing that EPA was a viable alternative to Prozac and furthermore, that taking the two together proved even more superior results in resolving or improving unipolar depression."
From: Jazayeri, S., Tehrani-Doost, M., Keshavarz, S. A., Hosseini, M., Djazayery, A., Amini, H., Jalali, M. & Peet, M. (2008). Comparison of therapeutic effects of omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid and fluoxetine, separately and in combination in major depressive disorder. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 42, 192-198.
"Omega-3 Fatty Acids Affect Risk of Depression
COLUMBUS , Ohio – A new study suggests that people whose diets contain dramatically more of one kind of polyunsaturated fatty acid than another may be at greater risk for both clinical depression and certain inflammatory diseases.
The report, published online this week in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, suggests that we need to balance out our intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. The current typical American diet contains 20 times more omega-6 than omega-3, a ratio that researchers say should be lowered to 4-to-1, or even 2-to-1."
From: Ohio State University, study focused on 43 middle aged people who were responsible for care-giving for partners with Alzheimer's or dementia; the study is being enlarged
The only seriously "negative outcome" trial I found was one in which 120 perimenopausal women with major depression were followed for 8 weeks; basically the less distressed the women were to begin with, the better they felt at the end, no matter which treatment group. However, the first thought that came to my mind is that for certain heart benefits, a 12 week trial is the absolute minimum at which you can expect results, so this might be a factor in this study, as well. If I have time, I may look into the lengths of studies which had more positive results, for comparison. Oh, never mind ... I found a nice chart; an Israeli study found improvement in a similar group of women after 3 weeks, but the dosage was 2000mg vs 500mg in the "negative" study ... so length and dosage could both have played a part...
*****************************
editor's note: Although omega-3 fatty acids are most touted for cardiovascular health, their contribution to neuronal synaptic transmission has generated interest in their potential role in psychiatric disorders. For instance, close adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet (which is high in omega-3 PUFAs and monounsaturated fatty acids) has been associated with a greater than 30 percent reduction in unipolar depression.1
A 2006 review and meta-analysis by the Omega-3 Fatty Acids Subcommittee of the American Psychiatric Association concluded that omega-3 fatty acids (especially EPA and DHA) have a protective effect in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression, and that they may be useful as adjunctive therapy for schizophrenia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. They recommended that patients with mood, impulse control, or psychotic disorders consume 1 g total of EPA plus DHA daily. Those with mood disorders may also benefit from omega-3 supplementation (approximately 1 to 9 g per day). Although generally well-tolerated, high doses of omega-3 fatty acids can increase bleeding risk (especially if anticoagulants are also being used), and consuming more than 3 g per day of EPA plus DHA should be monitored by a physician for potential complications.2—k.t.m.
REFERENCES
1. Sánchez-Villegas A, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Alonso A, et al. Association of the Mediterranean dietary pattern with the incidence of depression: the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra/University of Navarra follow-up (SUN) cohort. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009;66(10):1090–1098.
2. Freeman MP, Hibbeln JR, Wisner KL, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids: evidence basis for treatment and future research in psychiatry [published correction appears in J Clin Psychiatry. 2007;68(2):338]. J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;67(12):1954–1967.
She is now almost 18 years old. For years there has been no sign of ADHD. She is a tall (5'9) lovely young woman with a flawless complexion. She has just completed a modified grade 10. She has excellent secretarial skills, is a good cook and houskeeper and has a part time job. Far from being a "vegetable"! The younger child, the little Princess is on the same diet because that is the way we all eat at our house now.. Her story is not complete yet...but they did not expect her to live, let alone walk. There is a little person racing at full speed past my computer at the moment so it is obvious she can not only walk she can run!
Perhaps this has been good for all of us. At almost 73, I do not have arthritis or any of the other old age "miseries". I do have a few grey hairs at my temples but other than that, no grey. People guess my age to be somewhere in my 50's. Why do I mention this? Everything we do for ourselves is important. My health was "lousy" when I was with my ex. As I read post after post here, ill health is a "harvest reaped" from abuse. Doing all we can diet wise to help our bodies heal goes a long way to getting over a painful past.