Kim lived with depression for 23 years. After medication didn’t work, she decided to try to “just live with it”. Eventually, she discovered the connection between nutrition and mental health, and her life improved. This eventually led her to Truehope, and her life has never been better.
I am a 44-year-old woman who for 23 years has suffered with chronic low grade depression. I spent 15 of these years “hiding in the house”, only going out for basics and walks. I socially isolated myself for this time, and I would often not answer the phone or door for days on end.
My symptoms included lying on the bed often for parts of the day in a trance, unable to move because I didn’t have the energy, and I would have to lean on the basin or sink because I didn’t have the energy to stand when washing up. I was confused, I had extremely high anxiety or stress levels, and my mind would race everywhere. I often felt “unreal”, like I was not grounded. I was very tired all the time.
I was a very miserable person; I walked around with my mouth turned down at the corners for all these years.
At one stage, my skin was grey, I often ate very little and didn’t have enough sleep. This wears you down after years. I had other symptoms, such as aggression, obsessiveness, and, at times, paranoia.
I chose not to go on conventional medicines after the last antidepressant I tried gave me a bad reaction; I just lived with my symptoms and plodded along day after day. I knew I had to do something to help myself, so 5 years ago, I went to a health food shop and was quite taken when they showed me a book linking depression with diet. It talked about eating natural whole foods and taking nutritional supplements. At the time, my diet was high in animal protein and processed foods such as red meat, cheese, milk, bacon, butter, white pasta, and rice and about 2 liters of Coca Cola a day in the summer.
I bought cans of fish, chicken, nuts, seeds, wholemeal bread, brown rice, wholegrain oats, fruit and vegetables, olive oil, and soya milk. I started to eat like this overnight and suddenly felt more “alive” in my brain, and colours seemed a lot brighter. I now know this was from all the nutrients hitting my brain cells. I also started to drink water, starting off with 2 glasses and increasing this to 8 a day; this was a shock to my taste buds after all that Coca Cola.
I have since modified my diet to more vegetarian foods, such as lentils and beans, and as much organic food as I can afford, and I feel so much healthier.
All the toxins from my unhealthy diet of 20 years were then excreted through the pores of my face skin for 6 months. This was horrible as it seeped out of me as pus. Thankfully, this finally stopped. At the health shop, they had a free in-store naturopath that day who gave me some little tests , including iridology, and she said that I was lacking in all the B vitamins, magnesium, omega 3, and coenzyme Q10, and that I had a sluggish liver, which wasn’t surprising considering my diet.
Another added bonus was that I lost 40 kilos of weight over a year; this just melted off. Although the weight lost made me psychologically happier, I was still chronically depressed.
So I went to a practicing naturopath for a quote for treatment, which included having my hair analyzed for vitamin and mineral deficiencies, toxic overload, food allergies, and any supplements I might need. Alas, W.I.N.Z were not prepared to pay for this. Luckily, they were prepared to pay for a supplement from Canada called Empower. This was because of the scientific research behind the intensive vitamin and mineral micronutrient treatment EMPowerplus they have been published in psychiatric journals with very promising results.
I did not have my health back then, so I researched all of the information I could on this subject. There are over 600 references in scientific journals linking mental illness with nutritional deficiencies. In June 2004, with a Disability Allowance from W.I.N.Z of $52 a week, I started taking 3 EMPowerplus a day and quickly building up within a week to the then recommended 18 pills a day.
To be honest, I didn’t think the EMPowerplus was working, but then a couple of months later, I noticed small, subtle changes. I didn’t seem to be so confused or tired anymore. How I really realized that EMPowerplus was working with me was with my periods.
Before EMPowerplus, I had spent 5 days in bed because I had no energy to move, and I had such terrible “brain fog” and was so depressed, that I wanted to be on my own. Every month taking these nutrients, I slowly became better, and I am certainly not in bed anymore!
I have had no side effects ever in the nearly years I have taken this “natural medicine”. I need to have nutritional support for the rest of my life, otherwise my symptoms will return. I know this for a fact because about 15 months ago, I cut down to 10 pills a day from my usual 15 as I was feeling so well. I was fine for a few weeks, then my period came. I had no reserves and I felt strange, depressed, and exhausted again. I upped my dose and within a month I was feeling well again. This gave me a big scare, because I realized how unwell I really was without my nutrients, but it also reminded of how much I relied on them; otherwise my symptoms would return and I would feel like I did years ago.
I am nearly symptom free. I just feel I need a couple more months to totally heal. About 2 and a 1/2 years ago, I felt whole, happy and complete for the first time in 23 years. I walk daily and jog, cycle, and dance regularly. I also help run a “Food and Mood” workshop, and I look after my partner, who suffers with schizophrenia, which is pretty stressful.
I feel full of energy and vitality, and I feel I can take on the world, whereas I once hid from life. I feel that nutritional support has not changed my life, but “saved my life”. About 10 months ago, I started taking coenzyme Q10, which really finely tuned me, and omega 3s, which I know are essential for mental health. I now sleep 8 hours a night and eat regularly and I function through the day.
—Kim Newton