Dr. Vijaya Sathe, CAMH Resource Center, Pune, on 23rd August, 2004

Dr. Vijaya Sathe is trained as an allopath. Her educational qualifications include MBBS, Ph. D. in Acupuncture and D.Sc. from the International University of Complementary Medicine, Sri Lanka. She has been in the field of Alternative and Complementary Medicine for more than twenty-five years. She has several articles, and a significant number of books, to her credit. She is a member of the Nutrition Awareness Forum in Pune and has done innumerable workshops on nutrition and wellness. She is a practitioner of ACM in Pune. We report here, on her presentation.

All doctors take an oath on the completion of their degree in the name of the Greek philosopher Hippocrates, who is also called the Father of Modern Medicine. He was the first to propound that food is our medicine. Inspite of this, "nutrition" is not included in the medical syllabi. Is it not a tragedy, questioned Dr. Sathe, that the very doctors whom we go to for treatment, cannot educate us about what to eat, what not to eat, how much to eat.

Ayurveda in India, Unani medicine in the mid-west, China, Egypt, many civilizations all over the world have documented evidence of how nutrients in the food we consume everyday, plays an important role in our physical / mental health.

There is a deep-rooted relationship between nutrition and health. Hunger is a very basic and natural instinct in all animals / birds / insects. Nature dictates and determines hunger and how and in what form, it is to be resolved. This is true for all except man and domesticated animals. In nature, the food takes care of everything - nutrition, health, and disease. Have we heard of clinics for wild animals? They also fall sick. Who takes care of them? Nature and the food they eat heals them. Humans on the other hand live to eat, as much as we eat to live.

Every disease, whether physical or mental, has a nutritional cause. We become what we eat. Food influences behaviour and we experience its effect in our daily life. Social problems, violence, irritability, suicidal tendencies, suicide, stress, impatience, self centeredness- all these somewhere have their roots in improper nutrition.

She defined health as a state of physical, psychological, social well-being. Excessive consumption of refined foods, fast foods, sugars, stress, lack of physical activity, changes in life-style, pollution of air, water, sound, light, loneliness entailed out of increasing numbers of nuclear families- all these factors have led to an increase in diseases - both physical and mental.

Everything in nature progresses at a slow and steady pace. Any drastic ecological changes precipitate calamities - floods, droughts, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. The human mind/body system suffers when there is an imbalance caused by drastic ecological changes. It is unable to cope because it is not evolved to cope at such a fast pace.

Deficiency of certain essential foods and nutrients is the root cause of all mental illnesses. Vital foods and nutrients are especially important for the functioning of the brain. It is essential for psychiatrists to acknowledge that nutritional changes along with drugs will provide a holistic treatment for the patient, resulting in positive results.

The following is a list of nutrients relevant to the field of mental health:

Vitamin B1 - This is called morale vitamin. Brutality, lack of concentration, and sleeplessness is the main symptoms caused by its deficiency

Vitamin B3 - Its deficiency causes hallucinations. The patient may perceive that one's mirror image is changing, may feel that people are talking or whispering around him/her, or that the ground is slipping under one's feet while walking / descending stairs.

Vitamin B5 - This is an anti-stress vitamin. Deficiency of this vitamin can cause irritability, panic responses, and a quarrelsome nature.

Vitamin C - This improves IQ, alertness, immunological or hormonal functions, and overall sense of health of a person.

Vitamin E - This vitamin helps in ensuring a sufficient supply of oxygen to the brain, without which the brain might suffer serious damage.

Minerals, even though found in traces in the human body, is vital to good brain health.

Mg.- This is nature's tranquilliser. Deficiency of Mg can lead to mental ill health. Noise pollution reduces Mg in the body. Insomnia, tremors, nightmares, suicides, irregular heartbeats are some symptoms of Mg deficiency. This mineral is found in nuts and in green leafy vegetables.

Calcium - This relieves stress. It is said to be as soothing as a mother. Deficiency of Calcium may cause irritability, and a high-strung feeling. Calcium is also called the lullaby pill. It is found in sprouts, cow's milk, yogurt, paneer, soybeans, and freshs vegetable juices.

Sulphur - Cauliflower, radish, onion, garlic are high in sulphur content, which is very good for the liver.

We must regularly have seasonal vegetables fruits to provide the necessary enzymes, and vitamins to our body.

Nature, nurture and nutrition are the three pillars of good mental health. Nature is the genetic constitution of an individual. Nutrition is the means of looking after one's health. This depends on the environment, the physical work done by the person, and the financial status of a person. Nutrition is the beans i.e. the proteins and the various essential foods that are required by our body. Nutrition can alter the genetic pattern of the body.

'A gene, mean and bean' life style approach to diet and mental health must be appreciated. We are what we eat. Although all mental health problems cannot be due to nutritional deficiencies alone, giving supplements in the diet form, along with medication will certainly bring about a holistic approach in dealing with the problem.

Mind over matter is an important factor in most of the alternative therapies. Meditation, auto-suggestion, mental imagery, all help in the creation of pro-healing hormones to get well. Negative thoughts create anti-healing hormones and hence, the importance of positive thinking.

This presentation was followed by a question and answer session, during which Dr. Sathe answered the various queries of the participants.

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Dr. Vijaya Sathe