Cutting-Edge Treatment for Depression (without drugs)

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I recently read an article in Dr. Weil’s Self Healing Newsletter that offers hope for the millions of men and women suffering from depression. The article is based on a study by Kansas University professor Dr. Steve Ilardi who has developed a new approach for treating depression based on the practices that go back to our hunter/gatherer roots.

Dr. Ilardi’s treatment approach mimics the habits of our hunting and gathering ancestors of 2 million years ago. He argues that depression has become epidemic — One in five Americans have experienced an episode of major depressive illness — because our brains and bodies aren’t designed for our 21st century lifestyles.

"The human brain has been sculpted by 2 million years of life within a hunter-gatherer context. Agriculture has only been around for 10,000 years, and it’s only been since World War I that we’ve become truly toxic," Ilardi says. "We were never designed to be so sedentary, so socially isolated."

Depression, he said, is the evolutionary consequence of a person’s brain being out of synch with their social environment.

"There’s a mismatch," Ilardi says.

Ilardi has come up with a six-part regimen designed to reconnect depression sufferers with their hunter-gatherer roots — more exercise, more sunlight, more sleep, more fish oil, less isolation and fewer negative thoughts.

He calls his system Therapeutic Lifestyle Change or TLC.

Therapeutic Lifestyle Change or TLC is a treatment for depression based on the idea that the human brain is still wired for life in the Stone Age and altering one’s lifestyle is better than relying on medications. It’s a simple, straight-forward approach, but there is solid science behind it.

The six TLC essentials:

• EXERCISE: Aerobic exercise is a potent antidepressant. Elevate your pulse between 120 to 160 beats per minute for 35 minutes three times weekly.

• SLEEP: Chronic sleep deprivation puts one at risk for depression; get 7 or 8 hours nightly.

• SUNLIGHT: The brain needs 2,500 lux for 30 to 60 minutes per day. Spend a half hour outdoors on a sunny day or in front of a 10,000 lux light when it is overcast.

• EAT FISH: 1,000 milligrams daily of Omega-3 type EPA fatty acids has been shown to relieve depression. It is found in highly concentrated fish oil, also in tuna, mackerel, sardines, lake trout and salmon.

• SOCIALIZE: Social support helps prevent depression during major losses. Separation from friends and family is a common trigger for depression.

• THINK POSITIVE: Don’t dwell on repetitive, negative thoughts. Learn to redirect attention to more engaging activities.

One of the major benefits of this program is that medications are not required to treat depression. "I’m not anti-medication," Ilardi says. "It’s just that for a lot of people they don’t work — and if they do work, it’s short-term. Relapse is a huge issue. So, if you can achieve the superior results long-term without medication, the advantage seems pretty clear."

A new beginning

Jane, who asked not to be identified, said the program gave her hope.

"I’d been depressed off and on for like eight or nine years," she said. "It’s horrible. I used to sleep all the time — when I wasn’t sleeping, I’d wish I was. I was tired all the time. I couldn’t stay interested in anything. I wasn’t really anti-social, I just didn’t want to be bothered. Nothing was fun."

Now, she said, "I’m happy. I just graduated from KU and I’m really looking forward to moving, finding a job and starting my life."

If you, or someone you love, has dealt with depression, this program might be of value to you. What do you think?

For more information or to apply for participation in Steve Ilardi’s depression study group, contact project coordinator Leslie Karwoski, 218-6336 or karwoski@ku.edu.