Letters

Depression is quite simply an imbalance in the neuro-transmitters in the brain.

It stems from periods of prolonged stress and living an unbalanced life that erodes healthy dopamine and serotonin production.

The solution is simply stated:

1.   identify the source of stress

2.   implement a plan to address the stress

3.   get off the dopamine roller-coaster

4.   and invest in steady-state serotonin production

SSRIs, SNRIs, electro shock treatment, vitamin injections and/or a long holiday may help.  Often they just kick the can down the road.  I would recommend investing in a series of small steps that address the underlying problem and begin the journey back to a healthy, productive mind.

I think you'll be surprised what your mind can achieve after a good re-boot.

Hi Fred,

It was good chatting yesterday.

Caveat:  I don't have a complete life history on you and an understanding of all the events, chemicals and spiritual forces that have shaped your neuro-chemistry.  There are several variables in there that I can't speculate on. Albeit, I do see an intelligent man with a propensity for overthinking that probably should learn to simplify the variables and start making better choices going forward.  We can't change the past, we can only change the trajectory each day.

I sincerely believe:

  a.  this phase will pass

  b.  you will see the old Fred return,

  c.  you will probably see an even better Fred emerge

  d.  it will take a month or so to turn the corner

I have a formula that simplifies the variables and builds a solid foundation for good mental health:

1.   Invest in routine - whether you feel like it or not

2.   Invest in aerobic exercise every morning

3.   Invest in clean food - ideally home-grown and free of herbicides and pesticides - no cheap carbs (sugar, flour, alcohol etc).

4.   Invest in good quality sleep in a cool, dark, quiet room - no caffeine (or nicotine) after 10AM.

5.   Invest in the God Most High - El ELyon - God The Father - not the lesser, deceitful spiritual beings

6.   Invest in new skills, a hobby or an important cause that's outside of you - ideally, something you're passionate about

7.   Take littel steps to build balance.

I've been working on a website to build better men.  It's called www.MyBloodLine.org.  It's not my magnum opus ... it's just a collection of really useful tools from a range of specialists.

About half-way down the front page you will see a sub-header "Be Present, Be Real".  The third container in that section is "Manage Your Thinking" by Mel Robbins.

I think it's a great tool to get your head around.

I'll get to work on DBT.

Harv.

Fred,

I love collecting wise quotes.

Lao Tzu is quoted with numerous wise sayings.

Perhaps his most famous saying is the "journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step".

A lesser known quote ascribed to him is:

If you are depressed, you're living in the past.
If you are anxious, you're living in the future.
If you are at peace, you're living in the present.

I know only too well what it means to be both depressed and anxious.  There are days when you flip between the two and there is no rest in the middle.  Both feelings suck.

Part of my journey was to learn to take Jesus at his word.

In Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7, Matthew records Jesus sermon on the mount.  It was one of Jesus few recorded public teachings and it went for several hours.   (He spent much of his time investing in the twelve disciples and healing people in each town that he visited.)

The now famous "Sermon On The Mount" was quite clever in that was delivered to two audiences simultaneously.

There were profoundly simple messages for the common man.  Simple in terms of God's priorities ... truth, honesty, simplicity, forgiveness and purity of heart.

To put it in todays vernacular ... Jesus cut through all the legalism of the day and made it very clear that He was committed to walking each day with the common man ... irrespective of his sin.

In Matthew Chapter 6 he moves gently and thoughtfully from analogy to analogy, metaphor to metaphor.

In verse 25 he speaks into anxiety ...

Do Not Be Anxious

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

If I was presumptuous enough to try and summarise the entire bible into one sentence it would probably read like this "God is seriously committed to His creation ... each and every one of us AND he wants us to walk in his provision / guidance / love / family each day ... one day at a time".

Part of your journey of a thousand miles is to:
  a.  consciously push the past out of your mind,
  b.  don't waste energy overthinking the future AND
  c.  learn to live in the present.

It's a 5 second rule thinking change:

What can you do in this moment to act in your very best interest?

What can you do in this moment that will improve your diet, fitness and tonight's sleep?

What can you do today to prepare for the life of service/ministry that God has in store for you?

I have learned ...
I can't change the past ... it's gone, finished.
I can't live in tomorrow.
I can only live in today and make good decisions that I can build on tomorrow, when it's time to live that day.

Don't be afraid to take God at His word.   That's why He came in person.

H.

Hi Fred,

I understand funds are tight and there's not a lot of free cash.

Somewhere on your walk you will want to invest in a reliable copy of the Bible.

There are literally dozens of versions and hundreds of print variations in 20 different font sizes.

Most versions are variations of the original King James Version (C.1611) that came from Hebrew via Greek to Latin to Old English into modern English and lost a lot of nuanced meaning along the way.

Most churches today will use the NIV - The New International Version -  it's an American transliteration that comes from the KJV.

I would strongly recommend buying a copy of the English Standard Version.

  a.  it was written by English / Hebrew scholars, not Americans.

  b.  it draws heavily from the original Hebrew scrolls that were found in the caves of Qumran from 1947 to 1956.

Those scrolls have become known as the Dead Sea Scrolls and have been proved to be reliable copies of the original texts.

You can buy an ESV from Koorong Book Store anywhere between $15 through to $182.

Bargain basic ESV $14.99

Hardcover ESV Study Bible $64.00

Fancy-pants leather covered ESV Study Bible $109.99

and my favourite, the Evangelical Parallel Bible $182.00

The Evangelical Parallel Bible lets you read what others are reading and see the differences in translations, transliterations and a reliable paraphrase.

There are several "used" copies available on Amazon and Abe Books etc etc.

There are also reliable online bible resources.

BibleGateway.com has a copy of every version and facilitates the integration of commentaries, dictionaries and parallel versions.

It's worth book-marking the site.

Harv.

From Medical News Today June 2023

Tryptophan is an amino acid important for the production of serotonin in the body. It is also key to brain function and plays a role in healthy sleep.

The body cannot make tryptophan, so people must obtain it from their diet.

Tryptophan can be found in food, whereas serotonin cannot.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an essential way to support mental and physical health. Including sources of tryptophan in the diet can have positive benefits on energy levels, mood, and sleep.

8 foods that naturally boost serotonin

Tryptophan, which goes into making serotonin, is commonly found in foods that contain protein. Although meat is often a key source of protein for many people, there are also many vegetarian and vegan sources.

The following foods are good sources of tryptophan:

1. Salmon

This oily fish is also a source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for health. These fatty acids can help support strong bones, healthy skin, and eye function.

Salmon is also a source of vitamin D, which is essential for strong bones and teeth and healthy muscles.

Eating 2 portions of oily fish per week should provide enough tryptophan for most people. Vegans and vegetarians can get omega-3 from pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and soya.

2. Poultry

Poultry includes chicken, turkey, and goose. Lean poultry, such as chicken breast, is usually high in protein and low in fat.

Turkey, especially, is a good source of tryptophan.  (I buy turkey mince from Aldi)

3. Eggs

With eggs, some preparation and cooking methods are healthier than others. Frying an egg adds a lot of fat, making it a less healthy option.

Boiling or poaching an egg does not add any additional fat. Making an omelet and eating it with a salad can be suitable for a light meal.

4. Spinach

Dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, are a source of tryptophan.

Spinach is also a good source of iron. Iron helps the body to make healthy red blood cells. A lack of iron in the diet can lead to anemia, low energy, or difficulty breathing.

5. Seeds

Seeds do not contain as much tryptophan as oily fish, poultry, or eggs. However, they are a good source of tryptophan and protein for vegetarians and vegans.

Some easy ways to eat more seeds include:

• sprinkling seeds onto a salad

• mixing nuts and seeds for a snack

• choosing seeded bread

• adding seeds to cereal, porridge, or yogurt

6. Milk

Milk is also a good source of calcium, which helps build healthy bones and teeth.

Choosing a low fat option can be healthier than full-fat milk, particularly for people monitoring their saturated fat intake.

7. Soy products  (I DISAGREE WITH SOY FOR MEN BUT THERE ARE CONFLICTING STUDIES)

Products containing soy, such as tofu, soya milk, or soy sauce, are a source of tryptophan. These can be a suitable option for vegetarians and vegans.

I do eat lots of beans - red beans, white beans, garbanzo beans 

8. Nuts

Nuts are a good source of protein, healthy fats, and fibre. Snacking on a handful of nuts between meals can help a person to feel fuller for longer.

Hi Fred,

I could probably begin each of these emails with the statement "the single most important thing I've learned is ...".

BUT there is no single most important thing.  It's a series of small steps on the journey of a thousand metres (miles sounds too far).

There were two dietary changes I made that had a significant impact early in my recovery.

1.  Get off the high-GI carbs ... white bread especially.  

Anything with flour, sugar and alcohol dragged me down. As the years went buy I learned I could introduce potatoes, sweet potatoes, sourdough bread and rough-rolled oats (not quick oats).

If I eat white bread now, even a Bunnings snag, I can feel the grey cloud looming on the horizon.

2.  Introduce good gut flora ... and that can take many forms.

I have a small piece of tasty cheese with my starter coffee each morning.  Mature cheese has good bacteria.

I eat Aldi (or Coles) Greek Style yoghurt with some Coles matcha tea powder for breakfast.

I do make sauerkraut with home-grown cabbage BUT it's not a fool-proof process.  It's a 50% success at best.

I've not yet tried to make kimchi.

AND ...

3.  I feed the good gut flora with lots of plant fibre - greens, (spinach, silver beat, rocket, parsley etc), brassicas (cauliflower, broccoli, brussels), beetroot, cucumber, avocados, onions, garlic, tomatoes, apples and oranges.

Tropical fruits including bananas, pineapples, rock melons and water melons are good ... but not mangoes ... they are very rich in fast sugars. 

4.  I dropped red meat for 12 months - beef, lamb AND pork.  

Pork can set me back a day or two even now.  

Chicken is ok.  

Turkey is very good ... it contains more tryptophan.  Typtophan is the precursor amino acid to serotonin.

5.  AND I eliminated all fast food except fish = no Maccas, no pizza, no KFC, no pies or sausage rolls.

If I come back to my basic formula ... diet, exercise, sleep, screens, mental fitness and spiritual fitness ... then good gut flora is the key to some of the biggest gains.

Good gut flora produces the quickest results. 

If you stick to it, you will notice a difference in a week.

Harv.

Hi Fred,

Today's email is on sleep.

After diet and exercise, good quality sleep is next on the list of variables to optimise.

There are lots of advisors, clinicians and influencers out in YouTube land handing out advice.  I think it boils down to the following elements:

  1.   No alcohol for this stage of your life.

  2.   Get out and enjoy strong morning light when you wake up.

  3.   Stop drinking caffeine before mid-day (I stop by 10am)

  4.   Stop watching screens (phone, TV, laptop) after 6:30-7pm

  5.   Read/study a good book (ideally non-violent fiction) using an incandescent light (no LEDs or flouros)

    You can still buy 15w incandescent bulbs at IGA (not sure about SPA)

  Read read read and fill your head with new stuff.

  Romans 12:2 "be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind"

  6.   Stick to a regular bed-time eg. 9pm

  7.   Leave your phone well away from the bed so you're not tempted to reach for it during the night.

  8.   Sleep in a dark, quiet, cool room ... ideally about 16-18*C

  9.   Avoid doonas/duvets/eider downs ... they're too hot.

  -  use breathable cotton blankets and sheets.

  10.   Set your alarm for 6am (or earlier) to get out and enjoy the morning light

Getting To Sleep 

I have no problems falling asleep around 8:30-9:00pm.  I go to bed at 8:30 and read a fictional novel usually fall asleep in a few pages.  It's a lifelong habit.

If I find it difficult to get to get to sleep from time to time ... then I use a sleep aid such as Restavit (doxylamine succinate) at about 11pm ... but no more than half a tablet ... they seriously knock me out the next day.  Every six weeks I might take a quarter of one tablet to reset my sleep clock.

Staying asleep

One of the hall marks of depression is light sleep and finding it difficult to stay asleep.  You may find yourself waking several times during the night.

In my darkest hours I used the time to write.  I would wake up after a single 90 minute sleep cycle, get up, sit at the kitchen table and write for 90 minutes and then comfortably fall back asleep having got a massive load off my mind.

I wrote a 400 page (A4) book about my 14 years with a profoundly narcissistic wife.  The term "narcissism" was not bandied around as much as it is now ... but on reading the DSM 4 model the pieces began to fit together. 

Getting Back To Sleep

Today, I usually wake about 2:30am and read for one hour,  I have done so ever since I was at law school back in the early 1980s.  I love it.

I use the hour to:
  a.  change the air in the room
  b.  read a good book and/or read the bible
  d.  pray

To get back to sleep, I use the armed-forces sleep anywhere method, I count backwards from 300 by 3s.  I rarely get to 249.

Other interesting quirks ...

a.   I have experimented with delta waves and had the deepest, soundest sleep ever ... totally zoned out.

When travelling, I
  ~ travel with two Bose portable speakers
  ~ use the Bose app to establish a stereo Bluetooth connection
  ~ use a delta wave generator to avoid YouTube ads

  ~ put a speaker on each bed-side table and play delta waves for 4-5hours

It induces deep deep sleep at a low volume

b.  I get up around 2am and reoxygenate the air in my room. 

c.   If I'm wound up before bed, I put lavender drops on the groove in the upper lip that runs up to my nose (it's called the philtrum).

d.   A bag of fresh of lavender hanging on my bedhead also induces deep sleep.

e.   I sometimes fall asleep listening to Dr Michael Heiser's lectures.

Lots to take in and sift.  

Take what you want.

H.
 

Hi Fred,

I'm a great believer in using all the tools at our disposal to improve our quality of life ... sustainably (physically and psychologically).

Our goal is to reset your serotonin and dopamine neuro-chemicals back to normal levels.  Your levels are out of wack due to stress, diet, sleep, exercise, dopamine short-cuts and, potentially, spiritual opposition.

This email is about the supplements I use to help reset my neurotransmitters based on my reading and personal experience.  There may be others that I am not aware of ... but be careful of the thousands of snake-oil sales campaigns promising herbs from Nepal, Tanzania and Mars.


Vitamin B+C

To kick-start physical energy levels, I found the simple Coles B+C vitamin shot, taken at the beginning of each day, to be a great booster.

I don't take them regularly ... only when I feel the grey cloud looming on the horizon ... and I only ever have half a tablet.

I'm sure there's an experimental path ahead to work out what works for you at each stage of your recovery.


Magnesium

The second supplement I have learned to value is magnesium.

Magnesium comes in many compound forms as per my spreadsheet.

There are two compound forms of interest that deliver different results.

Magnesium Aspartate (and Magnesium L Threonate not available in Australia) work as a cognitive stimulants.  A small dose at the beginning of each day imrpoves cognition.  Caruso's has a good general magnesium supplement with lots of Aspartate

Magnesium Glycinate and Magnesium Bisglycinate act as a relaxants.  A small dose at the end of each day will you get to sleep and stay asleep.

Casein

Casein is the addictive element in cheese that triggers the brains opioid receptors.

I have one small [matchbox size] piece of cheese every day with my first cup of coffee.

I am aware that I use it medicinally for (i) cognitive stimulation (ii) gut-flora benefits (iii) and to delay breakfast for 3-4 hours.


Caffeine

Yes, I am addicted.  I have several espresso shots every morning between 5:30am and 8:30am .

In the early days of my recovery I eliminated coffee totally and lost a lot of weight. I was running every morning and got a natural endorphin high.


That's it for me.  I have experimented with green tea, Matcha tea powder, zinc and vitamin C -  they are all good for general health but had no noticeable impact on my depression.

Harv.

Hi Fred,

The following email has taken two days to craft in my head weighing up how to broach the subject.

I believe the spiritual realm is real. There are physical beings that inhabit the physical world. There are spiritual beings that inhabit the physical and non-physical world.

Why do I believe that:

  1.  Personal experience

  2.  Biblical teaching

  3.  Non-biblical literature

I'll approach this email from a Biblical perspective. It's my best authority based on the premise that it is the word of God.

In Christendom we can group believers on multiple axes (plural of axis).

The more important axes include:

 a.  Believers AND those who are yet to believe.

 b.  Those who walk in the Spirit vs those who walk in their own flesh/head/understanding.

 c.  Those who honour the word of God as authoritative vs those who don't.

 d.  Those who take the word literally vs those who look deeper.

 e.  Those who limit themselves to the modern American translations of the Bible vs those who look to more accurate translations AND understand the Hebrew culture/language in which it was written.

For example, IF I have little or no education and I come from a fundamentalist/literalist Church, then I am more likely to adopt a literal verse-by-verse interpretation of the Bible and omit to take into consideration the context in which the passage was written, the audience that it was intended for, the nuances of the Hebrew language AND the other messages of the Bible that may help balance a fundamentalist's zeal.

IF I come to Christianity with a conservative, educated, questioning mind, then:

I don't accept literal translations at face value.

I tend to balance all of scripture.

I look deeper into the linguistics

AND I wrap cultural and contextual understanding around the messages.

Why is that important?

A literalist will summarise the spiritual beings in the following narrative.

  God created heaven and earth

  God created man

  Satan tempted man (including woman)

  Man succumbed

  Sin entered the world

  Satan then used a 1/3 of the angels (from Revelation 12) to mess with God's creation and usurp his authority.

  The 1/3 of the angels are the demons that Christ and subsequent disciples have cast out of humans.

  Angels out number demons 2:1

An evangelical Bible scholar will give you a more comprehensive answer:

  God created heaven and earth.

  God created the spiritual realm and the physical realm.

  God created spiritual beings (elohim) to image him (do his work) in the spiritual realm  (Psalm 82 ESV).

  God created man to image him (do his work) in the physical realm. (Genesis 2 ESV).

  Yes, the "Nacash" (the bright, shining one) tempted Adam and Eve.

  Yes, they succumbed and lost their privileges

Disobedience was brought into the physical world by disobedient spiritual beings.  However, that was the first of several falls.

In Genesis 6:1-4 we read where the Sons of God had sex with the daughters of man. They produced the Nephilim - hybrid humans with extraordinary height and physical power.  They were the "men of renown", the warriors, the Titans, the characters immortalised in Greek and Roman mythology

In Genesis 10 we read where civilisation had deteriorated so much under the influence of the Sons of God (Watchers in the book of Enoch) and the Nephilim, that God chose to wipe out civilisation with a flood and start over. 

The flood story is known in the bible as Noah's flood.  It's known in Mesopotamian and Ugaritic literature as the flood of Gilgamesh (a known nephilim).  It's known to science as a deposit of silt around the globe.

During the flood, the Nephilim drowned physically but lived on in a hybrid spiritual state ... with nothing to do, nothing to lose and no hope of salvation.

It is my understanding that those homeless/disembodied beings have become known as today's demons that conveniently do Satan's dirty work in the lives and minds of believers AND non-believers.  They have a preference to inhabit physical beings which is why we see Jesus early ministry casting them out of victims and casting them into pigs.

In addition to the [disobedient] Sons of God (Psalm 82) that were assigned to look after individual nations (Deuteronomy 32:8-9), the disembodied demons are a menace to creation.  They mess with people's heads in order to usurp God's authority and .

Paul summarises it best in Ephesians 6:12  (ESV) ...

 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

I believe the spiritual forces of evil mess with our heads AND they can be relentless at times.

I believe the only way to deal with them is to do what Jesus did and quote the Word of God back at them.  When Satan tempted Jesus three times in the desert prior to His crucifixion, Jesus stood his ground and quoted God's Word back at Satan and resisted him.

My favourite quote, when I know I am being attacked is to repeat "in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I rebuke you Satan/satan for it is written "If I resist you, you will flee"".  It might take 2 or 3 passes but they will leave you alone for a day or two or three BUT they will return when you are most vulnerable.

We need to remember that Satan and his demons are liars.  Satan is the father of lies.  All they want to do is twist the truth and usurp God's purpose for His creation which is ultimately to live in His love.  They want to drag you down.

Your challenge is to put on the whole armor of God and defend against their attacks:

Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.  To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Now, as for the third of the Angels mentioned in Revelation 12 above, that's an email for another day.

Harv.

Music is a big subject worth researching further.  There are lots more peer-reviewed papers out there to comb through.

What I have found so far:

Healing Frequencies:

1.   Wholetones are a sales gimmick to sell CDs.  There is no ancient wisdom or biblical tradition. 

2.   Healing frequencies are equally unsupported by science.

3.   Except ... one peer-reviewed RCT established that the 528hz frequency had the same effect as classical music in creating a peaceful and alert state in the brain.
   
   

Classical Music

1.   Classical music is good for your soul and assists in serotonin production.

2.   Playing an instrument is good for your soul and assists in serotonin production.

3.   Playing classical music to plants improves their growth rate (for what that's worth).

4.   Playing classical music to ice and snow flakes produces extraordinary beautiful crystal structure.

Classical music rocks!

I love listening to Khatia Buniatishvili on Spotify.

Binaural Beats

There is significant scientific evidence to support binaural beats.  Dr Andrew Huberman is a big proponent of 40hz gamma waves to aid concentration.  I have found it works for me.   I play 40hz binaural beats in background at my desk with good quality stereo speakers.

I sometimes use delta waves to aid deep sleep.

Beat patterns include:

• Gamma Waves = 30-100 hz ... 40 hz produce the best focus and cognition

• Beta Waves = 12-30 hz ... alertness

• Alpha Waves = 8-12 hz ... creative relaxation

• Theta Waves = 4-8 hz ... visualisation / trance / dreaming

• Delta waves = 0.5-4hz ... deep sleep

Binaural beats only work with stereo sound sources.

Here's a deeper dive on the subject ... www.DIYGenius.com