The Weightloss Battle

Evolution:

Metabolic compensation is a genetic survival mechanism where a slender physic tends to burn fewer calories during activities than before. The ability to store extra calories as fat, increased the chances of survival during periods of famine, as well as increasing women's ability to reproduce. The human genome is filled with genes that favor storage of extra calories as fat and are less with genes that favor preservation of leanness. Humans have evolved to maintain our survival as a species. Metabolism tends to slow down in response to weight loss while hormone levels that regulate hunger also change. (A)

 

 

 

 

The Human Body and How it Works:

Every human being has a unique body which is determined by genetics and the way in which their muscle mass forms. Subsequently, a larger body needs more calories to operate than smaller ones. If a larger built person becomes smaller, he or she will need less calories than they used to with their previous larger body. There is a very intimate relationship between what we consume for energy and how much we burn off. If a person is to start exercising more, burning more calories, he or she will most likely begin to eat more to make up for the loss of calories. Eating less will cause fewer calories to burn off to compensate for the fewer calorie intake. The internal body system is great for maintaining your weight, but makes it that much more difficult to shed weight off your body. Although, it is possible to lose weight, the body will be fighting back to maintain it's 'normal weight' which is known as 'metabolic compensation'. (A) 

 

Our Inner Animal Instincts:The human body has two hormones that regulate hunger. Leptin and ghrelin work in different ways. Leptin (aka: satiety hormone) is secreted by fat cells and tells the brain when full. As fat cells shrink they produce less and less leptin inhibiting the brain from messages that the body is full. Ghrelin on the other hand is a hunger hormone, it comes from the stomach telling the brain its time to eat or refuel the body with energy. Research has shown that ghrelin increases after weight loss and does not return to baseline in at least after a one year follow up period. (A)

Those hormones have a huge impact on weight regain and weight maintenance, because it’s not just what your metabolism is doing, it’s also your drive to eat. Changes in the brain also have a powerful impact because food has a reward value after you have lost weight. The neural circuitry that’s involved in food restraint becomes less active, you will have to eat more to reach satiation, and you will be less aware of how much you’ve actually eaten. Although, a greater weight loss leads to greater metabolic changes, existing studies haven’t compared changes between groups of people losing weight at different speeds. Research has indicated that individuals who have lost 5 percent of their body weight have no metabolic penalty but that people who lose 10 percent have their metabolism slow by 20 to 200 calories per day. (A)

  Naturally Thin:

Set weight point is the weight that the body wants to stay at (which varies per individual) and as we lose or gain weight, the hormones and metabolism begins to shift back to that number. Every person has their own set point that changes over time depending on genetics, previous weight loss attempts, aging, and hormonal shifts like pregnancy and menopause. The brain calculates the amount of fat mass that the body needs to function properly. Subsequently, some individuals have higher thermostat set at a weight that is much higher than the body needs to survive. How and why does this occur? (A)

 

 

Well, some people's bodies, more specifically overweight individuals have a degree of leptin resistance. The brain is blocked from receiving important messages such as their satiety levels which unfortunately causes the individual to continue eating therefore storing more fat than needed. Animal studies have shown that a person can bring their set point up but not down. Taking anti-obesity medications can lower people's set points which is as successful as weight loss surgery. (A)

 

 

 

The body fat standards for women are higher than men's because women have more fat mass because of the way women's bodies are designed. Because of breasts and hips, fat tends to store itself in order to increase after pregnancy and menopause. The body sees weight loss as an illness and makes it more difficult for individuals who have already lost weight before. The body seems to remember the weight loss attempts (cutting calories, increase in exercise) as well as the hormonal response which end up preventing greater weight loss results. The more fat cells you have, the slower your metabolism is. Men tend to lose weight faster and more consistently than women.(A)

Fighting your Physiology:

There are things you can do to offset some of the adaptations that your body makes to get you back to your set point. It is important to eat protein at every meal and snack, whenever possible. Protein fills you up and is a building block for muscles. When slimming down, the goal is to lose as little muscle as possible because muscle burns more calories than fat. Cardio will lose half of your goal weight, strength training is great way to build muscle which can backfire if used from the very beginning of training. Increasing the resistance in your training causes muscle mass to build but, no fat has been burned because there hasn't been any cardio to melt away the fat. This will reflect on your body as your weight will increase.(A)

Whenever a person undergoes extreme weight loss it is very important to being focusing on resistance training because it is very likely that they have lost a lot of muscle mass along with some of that fat. It is even more important to avoid 'diet' foods that are low in fat to save calories by all costs! similar to the way protein works, the body needs fat to feel full. Many times low fat food are higher in sugar or fake sugar intake than their counterparts to compensate for taste. These foods trick your brain to make you even more hungry.  Processed, packaged foods are also easier for the body to digest which doesn’t help with fullness (or calorie burn). Meal prepping and cooking are definitely the way to go if you want to lose weight. (A)

Concluding Remarks:

When losing weight it is important to be realistic about the results one should expect. Everyone has a unique body and the methods in which one loses a significant amount of weight varies in a case by case bases due mainly to genetics and how our bodies react and what a person can do in response.

Links:
(A)http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/05/weight-loss-metabolism-slows-down-hunger-increases.html

*Please note! These images are not mine. They were found on various tumblr sites! If any are yours please let me know so that I can give you credit for them! Also the people in the images have no relation to the diseases, illnesses, or cancers I write about. Thanks so much & enjoy~

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Magic Mushrooms VS. Depression

 Depression: 

Sadness is a perfectly normal reaction to life’s struggles, setbacks, and disappointments. Many people use the word “depression” to explain these kinds of feelings, but depression is much more than just sadness.  Depression is the overwhelming feeling of sadness when everything in your life seems to be going right.  However,  individuals struggling with depression do not feel sad, instead they feel empty, lifeless, apathetic, or even angry, aggressive, and relentless. 

Whatever the symptoms, there is a very clear distinction between depression and a feeling of sadness. Depression negatively influences people's day to day lives as it interferes with their ability to work, study, sleep, eat, or even enjoy themselves. The overwhelming feeling of helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness are intense with little if any relief.

Over 3 million people suffer from depression in the United States alone. Depression is a mood disorder where one feels sad and experiences consistent loss of interest. Depression is treatable through a medical professional with a medical diagnosis. The reason as to why depression is so common is because the chemical imbalances a brain along with stressful life events are the perfect combination that causes people to develop depression.

Many of these stressful life events, such as losing a family member (aka: a loved one) happens all the time and is considered a part of life. Major depression can lead to a range of emotional and physical conditions. Individuals with major depression often are unable to sleep or concentrate on tasks. They also experience changes in appetite, decreased energy level, and thoughts of suicide. Medications (for example citalopram and paroxetine) that act on the chemical imbalance in the brain are also useful treatments for major depression.

Depression comes in many shapes and forms. The different types of depression have unique symptoms, causes, and effects. Knowing what type of depression you have can help you manage your symptoms and get the most effective treatment. It is normal, in life, to feel sad and happy according to whatever is happening during different periods of a lifespan. It is when feelings of hopelessness, isolation and despair paralyze an individual from living a healthy normal life that is what living with depression feels like. No matter how hopeless one feels, anyone can get better. Understanding the signs, symptoms, causes, and treatment of depression is the first step to overcoming the problem.

Types of Depression:

Major depression is characterized by the inability to enjoy life and experience pleasure. The symptoms of major depression are constant, ranging from moderate to severe. Left untreated, major depression typically lasts for about six months. Some people experience just a single depressive episode in their lifetime, but more commonly, major depression is a recurring disorder. Recurring mild depression is known as Dysthmia. Individuals who suffer from dysthmia feel moderately depressed most days with brief periods of normal mood.

Symptoms are not as severe as major depression, but it's symptoms tend to last much longer. It is very possible for people to experience major depression as well as dysthmia at the same time. This is known as 'double depression'. Many who struggle with dysthmia feel as though they have always suffered with depression or believe that this 'continuous depressed state' is normal. Dysthmia can in fact be treated even if the individual has not been diagnosed and treated for many years.

Cyclic mood changes called 'episodes' that vary from severe depression alternating to manic (euphoric) are characteristic of bipolar disorder (aka: manic depression). Because episodes tend to alternate, many tend to develop impulsive behaviors, hyperactivity, rapid speech, and a minimum to no sleep. Usually the altering of these two extreme moods is gradual. Each manic or depressive episode last only for several weeks. When depressed, a person with bipolar disorder exhibits the usual symptoms of major depression.

Symptoms: 

There are many symptoms to look out for to know if you are suffering from depression. A feeling of hopelessness/helplessness where an overwhelming feeling that nothing will get better and that there is nothing to do to change it. Losing interest in daily activities such as hobbies, past times, and any form of social life. Many times this is associated with losing the ability to feel joy and pleasure. Weight and appetite fluctuations are a big red flag for depression.

Inability to sleep, insomnia, or waking early and even oversleeping are signs of depression. Feeling fatigued, sluggish, and physically drained. When the whole body feels so heavy that performing daily tasks are exhausting and take longer to complete.Feelings of agitation, restlessness, or even violent behavior indicating a low tolerance level, very short temper, and everyone/everything anger you.

Self loathing is also a symptom where an individual has very strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. Difficulty in concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things are also common in have a loved one with depression, take any suicidal talk or behavior seriously and learn to recognize the warning signs. Extreme cases of depression, individuals will feel as though their lives are not worth living and is a major risk factor for suicide.

Introduction:

Magic mushrooms have lifted severe depression in a dozen volunteers in a clinical trial, raising scientists’ hopes that the psychedelic experiences beloved of the Aztecs and the hippy counter-culture of the 1970s could one day become mainstream medicine. According to what history tells us, humans have been consuming psychedelic mushrooms for thousands of years. However, it wasn't until the 1950s that scientists began examining psilocybin and its possible therapeutic properties.

In the first theory, the memory of the “trip” — which can be a profound and extremely meaningful experience — could have a strong psychological effect on people, lifting their moods for months at a time. Alternatively, there may be a biological explanation: It’s possible the binding of psilocin to the serotonin receptor sets off a cascade of yet-unknown chemical reactions that persist for weeks or months.

  Magic Mushrooms:

Magic mushrooms are known to cause the mind to experience a recreational hallucinogen effect. Studies have recently shown that these mushrooms can have a powerful pharmaceutical effect for people diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression. Mushrooms from the genus Psilocybe contain psilocybin which is broken down by the human body into psilocin.

This psychedelic substance then crosses the blood-brain barrier and binds to a specific serotonin receptor known as 5-HT2A. A great change in consciousness occurs that is describe by people as a mystical event, a spiritual journey, or  a 'trip'. Psychedelic compounds in LSD, ayahuasca, and mescaline bind to this same receptor. (A)

It is illegal to buy Psilocybin for personal use in US and is subsequently extremely difficult in obtaining psilocybin for research studies. If the results from this pilot study show positive results, patients suffering from severe depression will be able to take doses of psilocybin with psychological support after they have been screened thoroughly and properly for the treatment.

The ultimate goal is to treat patients whose symptoms can be decreased through treatment-resistant depression at least temporarily for now. There definitely needs to be much more research before this treatment can be used safely and properly by the 15.7 million people who are struggling with depression. Once psilocybin becomes FDA approved, it is predicted that this will be the new treatment for depression. (A)

Research: Study No. 1: 

Six men and six women with chronic, treatment-resistant, moderate to severe major depression consented to take two different doses of psilocybin (10 mg and 25 mg), separated by one week. There was no control group, and the participants and in what’s called an “open label trial,” the investigators all knew that they were either taking or administering psilocybin. During the dosing sessions, participants relaxed on a bed in a room with dim lighting and listened to music through earphones. Supervisors monitored their blood pressure, heart rate and the psychoactive effects of the compound intermittently for up to six hours after they took the pills, while psychiatrists offered support but mostly let patients have their own “inner journey,” as the study put it, without interruptions. (A)

Results:

None of the participants experienced serious or unexpected negative side effects that required medical intervention from the dosing, though some reported mild anxiety, confusion, nausea or headache. The psychedelic effects peaked about two to three hours after dosing and then became negligible after about six hours. Most significantly, eight of the 12 patients responded extremely well to the psilocybin, meeting the criteria for remission from depression one week after the two treatments. After three months, five of them remained in remission, while another two continued to show improvement in their depression symptoms compared to baseline. Overall, all 12 patients showed at least some improvement in their symptoms for up to three weeks after the dose. (A)

The results seem promising, but there are some caveats. The overall positive response to the dosing treatment could in part be chalked up to the fact that the participants actively sought out the psilocybin trial and were probably expecting the medicine to work on some level, creating a bias in favor of the intervention. Indeed, five of the participants had already tried psilocybin at least once — one just six months before the experiment, others ranging from 14 to 48 years prior. His past experience with a drug and its presumed positive effects could increase suggestibility and expectancy in people, which could affect the results. Double-blind trials in which neither patient nor therapist knows which intervention they received or administered, as well as the inclusion of a control group, could address these issues in future experiments. (A)

Concluding Remarks:

These results gives hope for people with depressive symptoms for treatment-resistant depression which is a condition that does not respond to traditional antidepressant medication and therapy. Before the experiment, participants of the study reported that they had tried at least two courses of traditional antidepressants that were unsuccessful for them. Eleven of these participants received some kind of psychotherapy where the average amount of years of psychotherapy for depression was 18 years.

 

Because depression can be so chronic and relentless the possibility of psilocyin could soon be the huge shift in psycho-pharmacological treatment for depression. Especially since it works so quickly and the length of time it worked. The trips can sometimes be negative and extremely scary for some people and patients with treatment-resistant depression seeking psychological insight with a less exciting trajectory might consider the slow route offered by traditional dynamic psychotherapy.

 

Links:
(A) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/magic-mushrooms-show-promise-in-first-ever-depression-treatment-trial_us_573a5c2be4b077d4d6f3d5fd
(B)https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/may/17/magic-mushrooms-lift-severe-depression-in-clinical-trial
(C)https://projecthelping.org/the-symptoms/
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