Budwig Protocol for depression and anxiety

In the UK alone, every two seconds somebody Googles ‘depression’. [1]

Work-related depression is costing Europe an estimated €617 billion annually. The total was made up of costs to employers resulting from absenteeism and presenteeism (€272 billion), loss of productivity (€242 billion), whereas health care costs are about €63 billion. [2]

One of the causes of depression is a lack of serotonin, which is a chemical messenger that has been compared to a mood stabilizer. When a person increases their serotonin levels, they start to feel less anxious and happier.

Fortunately, the Budwig Diet is very helpful in dealing with stress, anxiety as well as depression, as it helps the body produce more serotonin.

How the Budwig Protocol can help with depression

The Budwig Diet is effective for all types of cancer, but it doesn’t stop there. It is also helpful for 50 common health conditions including depression, anxiety, and stress.

“My wife and I regularly like to go for a 20-minute walk in a park near home. It’s a great opportunity to spend time together as a couple and protect our health.”

Dr. Lloyd Jenkins

To deal with depression and anxiety we need a chemical messenger called serotonin, which has often been called a mood stabilizer. Thus, when we increase serotonin levels, we automatically feel less anxious and happier. Where can we find serotonin? We need to consume foods rich in tryptophan from which serotonin is synthesized.

For a person who suffers from depression, they would want to favor fruits that are high in tryptophan such as pineapple, avocado, apples, berries, and tomatoes.One of the richest sources of serotonin is cottage cheese. Cottage cheese is used in the Budwig mix along with flaxseed oil and ground flaxseeds. In addition to serotonin, high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids help with stress and anxiety. Here again, flaxseeds, hemp seeds and Chia seeds as well as walnuts — which are all part of the Budwig Diet — are very rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.

The Budwig diet also encourages green juices daily and plenty of fresh salads. To obtain more tryptophan, patients coming to Budwig Center consume spinach, Swiss chard, and kale.

Your gut holds the key to your health

Some scientists have nicknamed our gut as our “second brain.” The father of medicine, Hippocrates, also believed that the key to our health was in our gut. This makes sense since 70 to 80 percent of our immune tissue is in our digestive tract. We need a strong immune system to overcome depression and since the nerve cells in our gut manufacture up to 95% of the body’s serotonin, we need to take good care of our digestive system. [3] Dr. Joanna Budwig gave all her patients fresh sauerkraut juice and fermented foods, as these effectively and naturally favor the healthy bacteria in our gut, improving digestion and strengthening the immune system.

A study was done by Dr. Garnet Cheney of Stanford medical school, whereby he found fresh raw cabbage juice was very beneficial for patients suffering from ulcers, stomach pain, acid reflux and gastrointestinal ulcerations. [4] It may also be helpful in strengthening the immune system and treating diabetes. Therefore, it is no wonder Dr. Joanna Budwig had her patients consuming sauerkraut juice daily.

Sunshine and Vitamin D for depression and anxiety

The correct amount of sun exposure is about 10 minutes on the front of the body and 10 minutes on the back while wearing as little clothes as possible and no sunscreen. Some prefer to cover their face and just expose the rest of their body. If you are not able to get 20 minutes of sunshine on a regular basis, up to 5000 i.u. of natural Vitamin D would be recommended daily.

In a study done on the benefits of Vitamin D, the people with the lowest levels of Vitamin D were 11 times more prone to be depressed than those who had normal levels of Vitamin D. [5] One of the best natural sources of Vitamin D is obtained from sunbathing. Dr. Budwig had all her patients spend time in the sun whenever possible. Even on cloudy days, she had them spend some time outdoors, as beneficial rays from the sun can come through the clouds.

Spend more time outdoors and exercising to combat depression

If a person combating depression could spend as little as 20 minutes per day outdoors, according to a University of Toronto researcher who examined 26 years of scholarly research, they would see a vast improvement in their mood. The study also confirmed, “that even low levels of physical activity (walking and gardening for 20-30 minutes a day) can ward off depression in people of all age groups.” [6]

My wife and I regularly like to go for a 20-minute walk in a park near home. It’s a great opportunity to spend time together as a couple and protect our health.

Movement is also very important. This not only helps our circulatory system, but it also helps the body produce endorphins and encephalin. These are nicknamed the “happy hormones” as they actually make one feel happy.

A walk in a park, cycling, swimming in the sea or a lake for 30 minutes are forms of exercise that most people are able to tolerate no matter their physical condition.

Depression and anxiety exacerbated by certain foods

Researcher Malcolm Peet and other studies confirmed that there is a relationship between high consumption of white refined sugar and the risk of depression and schizophrenia. [7]

The problem is that white refined sugar is found in so many food products, such as pastries, soft drinks, sauces, and processed foods. These common foods are consumed so much more regularly, compared with previous generations. As strange as it may seem, it is even hard to find baby food without sugar in it. Our grandparents consumed about 2 kg of sugar per year, while now the average American is consuming up to 80 kg per year.

This, no doubt is an important contributing factor for depression, stress, anxiety, as well as a host of other health issues that are on the increase. Refined sugars (white sugar, fructose, corn syrup) cause chronic inflammation which, in turn, triggers depression.

A study published online in PLOS ONE stated that the so-called “Western” food pattern (rich in saturated fats and trans-fats “has been reported as a relevant risk factor for depression.” [8]

Refined oils are another unhealthy type of food to avoid. Margarine, vegetable oils, and oils used to fry are all highly processed oils that have been stripped of essential fatty acids. At Budwig Center we have all our patients switch to cold pressed oils only.  Dr. Budwig discovered that when people consume deep-fried foods and use refined oils on their salads and in cooking, these processed oils literally suffocate our cells.

Emotional therapies with EVOX and Tapping for depression

Finally, another effective way to treat depression is with the EVOX system. EVOX is a simple process whereby you speak into a microphone. The microphone does not record the words, rather it records the voice energy pattern.

After about 10 seconds of speaking about a topic (self, parent, partner, friend, family, work, etc.) you will discover emotional issues that you were perhaps unaware of before. The device then provides specific therapeutic frequencies which are delivered back to you through a hand cradle. During this output sequence, it is recommended to close your eyes and continue focusing on the chosen topic. The end result is a perception reframing, as well as a balancing and readjusting of negative emotions.

At Budwig Center, in addition to using EVOX, we also offer EFT Tapping and we have a trained kinesiologist that can detect emotional imbalances and correct them.

Budwig Center offers clinical and home care distance programs to help people with cancer using the Budwig Protocol. We understand that cancer is not just a physical ailment but has an emotional connection as well. Therefore, we treat the whole person using diet, emotional healing therapies, and lifestyle changes that jointly help combat depression while we help you on your cancer healing journey.

Contact Dr. Jenkins at (888) 533-8451 or visit www.budwigcenter.com.