Was doing some research recently on Food & Depression and came across a neat site called foodforthebrain.org, that had some online quizzes, which I took.
Here's how results came out ... VERY interesting!!! I red bold faced the ones that came out HIGH!
Questionnaire
This questionnaire analyses your symptoms, diet and lifestyle factors to assess the possibility or probability that you have a biochemical or nutritional imbalance that may be contributing to your mental health. It is not a diagnostic questionnaire, however it can help you identify aspects of nutrition that may be worth your while exploring with your doctor, psychiatrist or nutritional therapist.
Your results
Blood Sugar Imbalance 54% |
Allergies 42% |
Underactive Thyroid 58% |
Need for B Vitamins 52% |
Need for Essential Fats 24% |
Heavy Metal Toxicity 50% |
Pyroluria* 24% |
High Histamine 27% |
Low Serotonin 57% |
Adrenal Excess 51% [Not sure what this is?] |
Adrenal Exhaustion 67% |
Low Acetylcholine 42% |
Detox Overload 27% |
Stimulant Dependence 18% |
High Homocysteine 69% |
The site gave a more detailed analysis of the results and suggestions to improve them, too.
Marci
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Some of these are inter-related. Low adrenals can lead to higher histamine levels. And low thyroid can lead to elevated homocysteine levels.
Also keep in mind that serotonin is produced in two areas of the body for different purposes. The flora generate most of the body's serotonin for things such as intestinal peristalsis and blood pressure control. The brain also generates serotonin for mood, controlling libido, controlling appetite, etc.
Some of the questions were unusual and I had never seen them asked before in a quiz like this. Perhaps, you can shed some light on why they'd ask these questions ... i.e., what are they trying to find out with these particular questions?
For example:
Are you sensitive to pain (low pain threshold? [Stress/Depression connection?]
Do you have itchy ears, frequent ear infections or ringing in the ears? [Allergy/Depression connection?]
Do you have crowded upper front teeth?
Do you have little body hair and a lean build?
Do you have large ears or long fingers and toes? [No clue about these three questions!]
Do you have poor dream recall?
Do you sneeze in sunlight? [No clue on these questions]
Were you shy or over-sensitive as a child?
Do you ever feel ‘unreal'?
Do you ever ‘hear' your own thoughts?
Do you see or hear things abnormally?
Are you naturally suspicious of people? [Again, no clue]
Marci
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Some of the questions were unusual and I had never seen them asked before in a quiz like this. Perhaps, you can shed some light on why they'd ask these questions ... i.e., what are they trying to find out with these particular questions?
For example:
Are you sensitive to pain (low pain threshold? [Stress/Depression connection?]
Depression has many causes. It is not as simple as low serotonin. Although low serotonin is apparently also a factor in fibromyalgia. Another thing that can cause depression is low dopamine. Low dopamine also increases pain levels/sensitivities.
Do you have itchy ears, frequent ear infections or ringing in the ears? [Allergy/Depression connection?]
Allergies indicate adrenal dysfunction and adrenal dysfunction can also contribute to depression. Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) though is most often the result of constriction of blood flow in the ear region. It can also be the result of damage in the ear from things such as loud noises, infection or barotrauma. Now how these are tied together is a little vague. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are well known for causing both tinnitus and depression through the inhibition of prostaglandins. But this does not mean the depression is the cause of tinnitus. It just means they can occur together. And chronic tinnitus itself can be stressful leading to adrenal suppression and depression.
Do you have crowded upper front teeth?
Again the only link I can see is if this is causing pain, which would again suppress adrenal function.
Do you have little body hair and a lean build?
The little body hair could indicate thyroid dysfunction, which in turn can cause depression.
A lean build is pretty vague. An athlete can have a lean build and still not have depression. On the other hand an anorexic could have a lean body and be depressed because of nutritional deficiencies and feeling that they still are not thin enough.
Do you have large ears or long fingers and toes? [No clue about these three questions!]
I have no idea where they are going with this one. Prince Charles has big ears. Does this make him depressed or is he happy being a prince?
Do you have poor dream recall?
Again I think these are ridiculous. If a person is a sound sleeper they are not likely to remember their dreams. On the other end of the spectrum are lucid dreamers, which are in a deeper state of REM sleep while also in a very light stage of sleep where the person is actually aware that they are asleep and dreaming. So whether or not you remember your dreams is irrelevant. If you are in a deep sleep and are suddenly woken by a shock, such as an alarm then that distraction can easily make you forget what you were dreaming about. So can shifting your focus when you wake such as realizing you are late or the kids are crying, etc.
Do you sneeze in sunlight? [No clue on these questions]
Were you shy or over-sensitive as a child?
Do you ever feel ‘unreal'?
Do you ever ‘hear' your own thoughts?
Do you see or hear things abnormally?
Are you naturally suspicious of people? [Again, no clue]
Again I do not see any real tie with these either. Some of these such as "unreal" are vague terms and so can be interpreted in many ways. And things like were you shy as a child........ Most children are pretty shy. Do you "hear" your own thoughts. Doesn't everyone. When you thinking about something, even reading a book don't you "hear" the words? And see things abnormally? Like floaters and flashes that can indicate eye issues, not depression? Again they are making vague references and overall their list is ridiculous. These really are not indicators for depression.