Human symbiosis of health

Have you suffered challenges to your mental health?

Depression has the third highest burden of all diseases in Australia (13%) [1] and also third globally [2].

Almost half (45%) Australians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime [3].

One in five, about 20%, Australians aged 16-85 experience a mental illness in any year:

• 11.5% have one disorder and 8.5% have two or more disorders.
• 14% of Australians suffer from anxiety disorders.
• 6% depressive disorders [4].

The age with the highest prevalence of mental illness is between 18-24 years of age.

21.2% of adolescents between 15-19 years of age met the criteria for a probable serious mental illness [5].

Six Australians die from suicide every single day, with a further 30 people will attempt to take their own life [6].

Suicide is the leading cause of death for people Australians aged 25-44 and the second leading cause of death for young people aged 15-24 [7].

Australians are more likely to die by suicide than skin cancer.

Indigenous Australians experience double the rate of suicide when compared to non-indigenous Australians [8].

The LGBT community experiences four times the rate when compared with those identified as heterosexual [9].

In 2011, men accounted for 76% of deaths from suicide [10], yet an estimated 72% of males don’t seek help for mental disorders.

54% of sufferers with mental illness do not seek treatment [1], which is only compounded by the delay in treatment due to problems with detection, social stigma and accurate diagnosis.

Individuals with mental illness accessing treatment are half that of people seeking treatment with physical disorders [11].It’s time to raise awareness for mental health.

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References

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2014). Australia’s Health 2014. AIHW: Canberra.
2. World Health Organisation. (2008). The global burden of disease: 2004 update.
3. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2009). National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results, 4326.0, 2007. ABS: Canberra.
4. Kitchener, B.A. and Jorm, A.F. (2009). Youth Mental Health First Aid: A manual for adults assisting youth. ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne.
5. Ivancic, L., Perrens, B., Fildes, J., Perry, Y. and Christensen, H. (2014). Youth Mental Health Report, June 2014. Mission Australia and Black Dog Institute, Sydney.
6. The Australian Senate. (2010). The Hidden Toll: Suicide in Australia Report of the Senate Community Affairs References Committee. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.
7. http://www.aihw.gov.au/deaths/causes-of- death
8. Australian Bureau of Statistic. (2012). Australian Health Survey: First Results. ABS, Canberra.
9. National Mental Health Commission. (2013). A Contributing Life, the 2013 National Report Card on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. NMHC, Sydney.
10. Department of Health and Ageing. (2013). National Mental Health Report 2013: tracking progress of mental health reform in Australia 1993 – 2011. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.
11. Commonwealth of Australia. (2010). National Mental Health Report 2010. Canberra, Australia.

Are you currently exposed to phthalates on a regular basis? Were you exposed during early developmental stages—for example, through maternal exposure such as a mother working in a hair salon while pregnant? Have you noticed symptom improvement after reducing phthalate exposure?

Higher phthalate levels have been associated with a two-fold increase in the rate of endometriosis. Phthalates are present in almost anything fragranced and are widely used in soft plastics, vinyl, cleaning products, nail polish, and perfumes. As early as 2002, environmental groups reported that over 70% of personal care products contained phthalates. Today, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 470 million pounds of phthalates are produced each year.

Phthalates are now officially recognised as reproductive toxins throughout both the European Union and the United States. Animal studies show that rats given high doses of certain phthalates stopped ovulating altogether. Phthalates reduce oestrogen production by ovarian follicles—oestrogen being one of the primary drivers of follicle growth and egg development in both animals and humans. Suppression of oestrogen by follicle cells would be expected to impair follicle growth, helping explain why women with endometriosis often exhibit significantly higher phthalate levels than those without the condition.

Potential sources of exposure are extensive. Plastics can leach into food, particularly when food is packaged while hot or stored in plastic for long periods. Personal care products are a major contributor, including cosmetics, hair products, lotions, infant care products, medications, medical devices, nail polish, and perfumes.

Vinyl products are another source, such as shower curtains, flooring, wallpapers, blinds, diaper mats, rain gear, inflatable mattresses, school supplies, car interiors, and yoga mats. Additional exposures may come from air fresheners, electronics, plastic jewellery, sex toys, and children’s toys.

Given their prevalence and biological impact, understanding and minimising phthalate exposure is an important consideration in hormone and reproductive health.

If you are unfortunate and have had your palatine tonsils removed or have reoccurring infections with your tonsils, this may just help …

The group of tonsils provide:

• Protection against pathogens and toxins
• Lymphatic detox
• Excretion organ
• One of the greatest immune modulators
• Supporting the brain's glymphatic system

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This last point is massively overlooked, here’s why …

The glymphatic system is essential in mitigating risk against neuro-developmental disorders and degeneration, this ranges from Autism, Alzheimer’s through to some categories of depression.

This system clears the brain during sleep (mostly delta-wave sleep) of harmful proteins (such as amyloid-beta) and waste products by pumping the cerebral spinal fluid through the brain’s tissues. This flushes the waste into the body’s circulatory system in which it eventually reaches the liver where it can be eliminated.

This process is roughly 10 times more active during sleep as opposed to when awake. The brain also shrinks by around 60% of its original size to increase the efficiency of waste removal.

The removal of tonsils will also reduce the efficiency of the immune system, resulting in an increased chance for the development of food intolerances and possibly acting as a contributing factor towards autoimmune diseases (the severity of this risk is not currently quantifiable). If you have had your tonsils removed, there are several options you can do.

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In my opinion, here are two of the most important:

• Massage the intracranial lymph (around the jaw and neck) to improve glymphatic circulation and possibly decrease neuroinflammation
• Ensure you have a good duration and quality of sleep (promoting delta wave sleep through binaural beats, gratitude logs or specific devices may help)

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* The group of tonsils provide direct lymphatic drainage through the cribriform plate to Waldeyer’s Ring – this is a formation of lymphatic tissue situated in and around the:

• Pharyngeal tonsils (adenoids)
• Two tubal tonsils (posterior to Eustachian tu)
• Two palatine tonsils (this is what the tonsils is most commonly referred to)
• Lingual tonsil (base of tongue)
• Laryngeal tonsil (near the vocal cords in the larynx)