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It might be time to consider getting a new left frontal cortex.

The left frontal cortex is the part of the brain that initiates activity, and getting active is one of the main ways that older adults can protect themselves from a recession-induced funk, according to a couple of Northland experts.

On May 21, Sally King and Roxanne Grant were scheduled to lead a class on how senior citizens can make lifestyle changes to combat depression, stress and anxiety during an economic collapse.

King is a social worker with Tri-County Mental Health Services. Grant is a pastor who has spent years learning how to battle her own tendency toward clinical depression.

The recession can be particularly stressful for seniors, King said. She’s seen an increase in the number of referrals for and calls from clients with mental health challenges as a result of having fewer resources and a darker future.

“The problem is that so many of us think that the golden years should be this relaxing time at the end of the rainbow,” King said. “For a lot of our clients, this is not what they thought it would be like.”

Ironically, one of the main impacts of recession on seniors can actually be healthy, King said.

“Many of our clients are going back to work part time,” she said. “That can be good emotionally. I work with retired men who suffer from depression because of their perceived loss of value.”

An active lifestyle is a great way to buttress mental health, Grant said.

Movement releases endorphins and causes the brain to re-set, she said. She recommended at least 30 minutes a day, three days a week of physical activity.

“If you want to change your mood, change your body,” Grant said.

Grant’s education about mental health began several years ago after she was diagnosed with depression. Doctors said Grant had a 90 percent chance of relapsing, but that wasn’t a prognosis she was prepared to accept.

Over time, Grant developed several lifestyle changes that seemed to have a positive impact on her moods. Her work was confirmed in 2007 when Dr. Stephen Ilardi of the University of Kansas, an associate professor of clinical psychology, released findings from a study of people with depression.

After 14 weeks, about 27 percent of study participants who used some combination of medication and counseling to treat depression noted improvement in their conditions. A group that only made lifestyle changes, though, had a 77 percent improvement rate.

Ilardi developed a theory that modern brains are sickened by being sedentary, malnourished, sleep deprived and isolated.

The results of this lifestyle are stark, Grant said. The World Health Organization predicts that depression will be the second leading cause of pain and suffering by 2020.

Using her own experiences and Ilardi’s research, Grant’s developed a handful of lifestyle changes that can help prevent depression. Most of them involve basic health care, social and attitude adjustments.

“The things that I had found to prevent a relapse, Dr. Ilardi had found as a cure,” Grant said.

In addition to exercise, the most important things a senior can do is get adequate sleep, nutrition and vitamin D, Grant said.

Good relationships and a positive attitude are also key ingredients to good mental health, Grant said.

Many people at risk of depression have malfunctioning left front cortexes, Grant said. That’s why it’s a good idea to find a good friend who will initiate activity, like taking a walk together.

Recipe for a healthy mind and body

Using her own experiences and the research of Dr. Stephen Ilardi of the University of Kansas, Roxanne Grant has developed the following lifestyle changes to battle depression:

- Restore — Get at least seven to nine hours of good sleep every day.
- Refuel — Give your body proper nutrition, including omega-3 through green, leafy vegetables, vitamin D, water and natural, unprocessed sugars like agave nectar.
- Rejuvenate — Get at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity three days a week.
- Relate — Develop social connections with positive people in the community. “It’s OK to limit your contact with people who drain you,” Grant said.
- Refocus — Limit the amount of negative images allowed into the brain through media like TV news. Imagine improvements and affirm that everything will be OK.
- Renew — List the things you are grateful for at the start and end of the day. Forgive people for offenses.
- Relax — “Set your schedule to support your own mental wellness,” Grant said. “No one else is going to manage it for you, and it’s just as important as taking your blood pressure pill.”

For more information about Grant’s work, visit www.roxannerenee.com.

Staff writer Ray Weikal can be reached at 389-6637 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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