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Contact: Dr. Carl Hangee-Bauer, SOMA Acupuncture and Natural Health Clinic: 415-643-6600, www.somaacupuncture.com

With the onset of holiday depression and an alarming rise in psychiatric emergencies and suicide, new natural treatments and trends in medical care are giving hope to the afflicted. Trends in California for healthier lifestyles, yoga, and exercise have consumers demanding natural medical treatment offered by the state’s newly licensed Naturopathic Doctors.

THE FACTS ABOUT HOLIDAY DEPRESSION

Thousands of men and women in the Bay Area experience holiday depression, loneliness, and anxiety induced by added stress coupled with fatigue, overwhelming expectations, facing losses of loved ones, or isolation.

Common health disorders are seen by Physicians and by California’s newly licensed Naturopathic Doctors. Symptoms increase in holiday months as evidenced by SOMA Acupuncture and Natural Health Clinic’s Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Carl Hangee-Bauer; “Depression is also known to weaken the immune system, making the body more susceptible to physical illness. Thyroid conditions, female hormone imbalances, grief or loss can cause mental depression as can chronic pain, some medications, genetics, and infections.”

In any given year, about seven percent - between 13 million and 14 million people - will experience a depressive disorder.

TIPS FOR COPING WITH HOLIDAY DEPRESSION

1. Set realistic expectations. The holidays can be busy and stressful times that can easily overwhelm us all. Setting realistic expectations about how much you can accomplish, how many gifts you can prepare, and how much time you can spend with friends or family can help you keep a sense of balance and control over your life.

2. Practice moderation with your diet. During the holidays we are surrounded by high fat, high sugar and simple carbohydrate foods and alcohol. Excessive sugar, alcohol and carbohydrates can exacerbate depression and cause blood sugar swings that can cause feelings of anxiety and depression. Make sure you eat regular healthy meals rich in vegetables, healthy sources of protein such as fish and eggs, and whole grains, which will decrease your cravings for sweets and fats and make it less likely for you to overindulge. Typical teenage diets should particularly be monitored since up to 8.3 percent of adolescents in the US suffer depression.

3. Don’t overextend yourself. It’s common for people to overspend during the holidays creating significant stress when the bills come in. Set a realistic budget for your gifts to decrease your financial burden. Remember, it’s the thought that counts and thoughtful inexpensive gifts can be well received and appreciated. In my household, we make some of the gifts we give which lends a personal touch (and saves money) and have agreed with some friends and family to not exchange gifts and instead find time to get together and do something fun, such as going on a hike or having a home cooked dinner together. Our relationships with other people are more important than material gifts we give and receive.

4. Stay active. Regular activity helps us manage our blood sugar more effectively, improves energy levels, gives us a sense of well-being and relieves feelings of depression. If you can get some exercise outdoors, such as a brisk walk or a hike, exposure to the sunlight during this dark time of year can be very effective in curing the winter blues by increasing the pineal gland’s production of melatonin.

5. Drink adequate water. Drink at least eight 8oz. glasses daily. Water reduces our tendency to overeat and over-drink and increases our sense of well-being. Studies have shown that people who drink adequate water report fewer aches and pains, better energy levels, and improved mental function. Alcohol, on the other hand, is a known aggravator of depression. If you tend to overindulge in alcohol, try drinking a glass of water when you first arrive at a party and have another glass of water between each drink of alcohol through the course of the event.

6. Spend quality time with friends and family. Emotional support from friends, loved ones and health professionals is a known critical factor in preventing suicide in people with severe depression. Connecting with other people is always important for all of us and especially for people with depressive tendencies.

7. Get a massage or acupuncture treatment. Both of these therapies have been shown to help relieve stress and tension while improving moods. Acupuncture is especially useful for helping people manage mild to moderate depression. It has been shown to stimulate endorphins to improve moods and mental function and create a sense of well-being through its balancing effects. Only 20% of women with depression will receive adequate treatment, and since their role is often the social organizer around holidays, they often need extra counseling, acupuncture or nutritional support.

   NEW SOURCES OF HELP FOR PATIENTS

   With recent licensure of Naturopathic Physicians in California, insurance companies are jumping on the natural health bandwagon. George DeVries, President of American Specialty Healthplans, covering 11.5 million members with alternative health plans explains; “It is the more educated, empowered consumer who is more likely to use non- traditional forms of healthcare, like naturopathic medicine, acupuncture, and chiropractic options. Healthcare plans haven’t kept pace with how consumers view their own healthcare.” Landmark Healthcare conducted a study of HMOs perception on alternative care finding that 38% of the HMOs surveyed who offer alternative care do so because their members, employers and groups asked for it.

   With CDC studies showing 50% of the population utilizing some form of alternative healthcare, the insurance companies and health plans are the first indicator of this move to promote newly licensed Naturopathic Doctors. DeVries notes that; “Other factors driving coverage of alternative/complementary medicine are more studies on efficacy of these treatments, and increased number of states mandating or licensing practitioners.”.

   IMPACT OF NATUROPATHIC DOCTORS

   Naturopathic Doctors are natural medicine’s version of primary care doctors. Licensed in 13 states and 4 provinces in Canada, Naturopathic Doctors are trained in much the same post-graduate medical schooling (including cadaver dissection) as an allopathic M.D., with additional training in nutritional counseling, homeopathy, botanical medicine and use of several treatment modalities.

   Bruce Wapen, M.D., an emergency physician in San Francisco, comments that traditional M.D.s will be turning to Naturopathic Doctors to fill a need once they better understand naturopathic medicine because their patients are asking for this; “Patients come into their doctor’s offices now with a list of nutritional supplements they are taking, and the doctors don’t know anything about it, so patients are going to other practitioners willing to work with alternatives.” Wapen, like other doctors, express concern that patients are trying to manage their own healthcare, rather than work with trained M.D.s or Naturopathic Doctors.

   “Our legislators have finally seen the wisdom of licensing Naturopathic Doctors (N.D.s)” comments Dr. Hangee-Bauer, a longtime proponent of licensing N.D.s in California. “Now patients will have greater control of their medical needs, learning to become their own advocates.” A forward-thinking leader in his field, Dr. Hangee-Bauer has played a central role in the process of legislating licensure for N.D.s in California.

   Dr. Carl Hangee-Bauer, founder and past president of the California Naturopathic Doctors Association (CNDA), is a Naturopathic Doctor at SOMA Acupuncture & Natural Health Clinic in San Francisco, and author of numerous papers on natural health. In the late 80’s, he started working on legislation to license naturopaths, who previously had been ignored by the medical establishment in California. Contact SOMA Acupuncture & Natural Health Clinic: 415- 643-6600. www.somaacupuncture.com

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   SOMA Acupuncture & Natural Health Clinic Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc 1615 20th St • San Francisco CA 94107 • 415-643-6600 Website: www.SOMAacupuncture.com Naturopathic Medicine • Acupuncture • Herbal Medicine • Supplements Nutrition • Women's Health • Weight Loss • Breast Thermography Smoking Cessation • Work-Related Injuries