Sunday, May 1, 2011

Housecleaning

A little post to keep me somewhat organized - though in many respects I don't like organization as it stomps my thinking patterns a bit. However, as life gets more complex, organization keeps the head above water.  So here we are!

1) Contacting me - through the Psychology Today blog and through some comments on this blog I do receive requests for contact.  Unfortunately, these requests quickly drop off the top of my email list as I usually think - okay, will get back to that when I have time - and then I don't end up having time!  I can tell you I am much, much more likely to answer a specific, narrow question that can be dealt with quickly, or anecdotes about how some aspect of paleolithic/traditional-style diets either worked or didn't work for you (best left in a comment for everyone!).  Contacts that sound like you want a full psychiatric consultation will likely not be answered.  I would love to help, but can't do a proper job of that without taking a lot of time that I typically do not have.  Also, I'm not likely to do that without getting paid, and it's illegal and bad practice to do it (except in certain very specific contexts) in states where I am not licensed.  I can't practice medicine over the internet.  Typically, the questions are something like:  "Have you heard of such and such supplement and what do you think of it? Or "do you know any other psychiatrists who practice like you do in [enter your city here]."  The answer is usually no to both questions, for better or worse. 

In addition, there are often transference issues and other relationship issues that are very important in psychiatric treatment and questions, and often someone will seek my help because their relationship with their doctor or therapist has something broken - I can tell you right off that I am not the solution in those cases - the best thing to do is to talk to your own doctor or therapist explicitly about the broken part.  If a mental health professional doesn't jump on that as a very important and interesting part of your treatment, time to maybe look around for someone else (in your area).  Often the most exciting and helpful changes occur after someone tells me how I am not helping them.

2) Comments on Old Posts - There are many fabulous, detailed comments left on old posts, and some with very good questions.  If the winds are blowing right, sometimes I have the time to answer them - often I don't.  I do generally address questions in comments left in the most recent posts.

3) To Do - Last time I left a to do list, I don't think I did much of it (yet) with the biggest bugaboo being thyroid (still working on it).  However I have some very specific ideas in mind now and some of the papers already lined up - here's what I would like to cover next:

a) Diet and violence 2
b) More basic science and genetics/epigenetics of mental health (that is probably a couple of posts - frontal networks, Caspi 2003 paper, etc.) *Dr. K thinks I don't pay enough attention to epigenetics ;-)  - I do think about it a lot but don't always address it necessarily, especially in the generational context as I prefer to focus on things we can change, and I can't do anything about what my grandfather ate.
c) Cannabis, psychosis, and COMT genetics
d) Paper Melissa posted on at hunt.gather.love about acne/brain/gut axis.
e) Trace lithium and suicide again, and lithium and dementia. 
f)  Oxytocin and attachment
g) Frantic, anxious mice and chronic cardio (don't worry, blogblog, I'll try to use a mouse whisperer context)

Usually people bring other papers to my attention that jump the queue - which is fine by me.  But all these papers and subjects are interesting, topical, and will broaden our understanding of all the connections and WHY nutrition is an important piece of the brain environment when one takes a biologic and holistic/scientific approach to maximizing brain health.

Whew.  Time to start cleaning the real house - happy Sunday early morning!

7 comments:

  1. Dr. Deans, I'm looking forward to your posts.

    You made a comment at Hyperlipid about PUFA levels and female complaints. Any chance of a post on that?

    Thanks very much for your work and your labors of love in writing all these things. I appreciate it.

    Happy May Day wishes! :) I hope you have some beautiful flowers to look at, and scrumptious things on the menu today.

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  2. Hi H - thanks so much! Hope you are having a lovely May Day. Here's a link to Julianne's blog about her success with a paleo diet and women's health: http://paleozonenutrition.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/pre-menstrual-syndrome-and-menstrual-cramps-how-i-eliminated-them-completely/

    I'm fairly certain there is no study of such a thing (except there are some with omega 3 and vit D) and paleo diet, but her experience is typical of many women if you look at various paleo forums (not being a scientific sampling, of course!)

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  3. Happy May Day to you!
    I just read your comments on the Hyperlipid blog. Complex carbs for PMS! Wow! All my mood-swings PMS in origin or premenopausal in origin are gone on ketogenic diet together with long list of other medical issues, not to mention some fat. Is it possible there are females who may need more carbs to ease PMS? Do you plan to response to Judith Wurtman's speech?
    I am sure that conference will provide you with a lot of ideas for future posts.
    Can't thank you enough for your super informative blog, I also like your writing stile.

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  4. Hi Dr. Deans. Just a May Day note to thank you for all you're doing. Your blog is a must-stop site for me and I always find something interesting to chew on. I've been eating a "traditional" Paleo diet for three months now and have had great developments with my rheumatoid arthritis, which was bad enough I've a titanium rod in place of part of my ulna. But I feel healthy eating this way and numbers, knock wood, are great. The gut aspect I find especially fascinating. Please keep it up! Best to you. Susan.

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  5. Dr. Deans, thanks very much for posting the link to Julianne's blog, and for your kind wishes. Julianne's is the only Paleo blog post on the subject I'd had bookmarked.

    I'll take a look at the Paleo forums.

    I appreciate your taking the time to post. :)

    All best wishes!

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  6. Wurtman did not speak - her research was referenced and it turns out a friend of mind worked in her lab, so perhaps I will focus more on her in the future (and try to get the inside scoop).

    Personally I have used a lot less ibuprofen in the year since I turned paleo. My issues weren't huge but were typical, I imagine - discomfort and a bit of crankiness in the days prior to menstruation. Now gone. I imagine this is the wild-type (stands to reason) but who knows?

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  7. Here is interesting another blog post from Dr Vikki Peterson about gluten, adrenal stress and PMS:
    http://www.healthnowmedical.com/blog/2011/04/18/gluten-intolerance-pms-whats-the-association/

    I can say without doubt - every woman I have seen with menstrual issues, PMs or menopausal problems who has reduced carbs, improved fatty acids and cut neolithic foods has experienced great improvements.

    Check out Jamie's post on histamine intolerance and it's affect on menstrual issues too http://thatpaleoguy.blogspot.com/2011/04/histamine-intolerance.html

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