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Natural Cures for Depression
by Karl Perera
In this article I will cover the following:
why should you try a natural cure?
what natural cures are available?
do they work?
Are you depressed?
Natural cures are sometimes just as effective as medication
(anti-depressants). If you have tried counseling, have gone to a doctor and
tried some form of medication you may still after, all that, get depressed
because these conventional treatments are often not successful long term.
Medication in most cases is short-term and you may suffer side effects
especially coming off them. Counseling aims to get at the reasons why you
feel depressed psychologically or how you deal with stress and diffculties
in your life. Medication may be a choice but counseling seems like a
no-brainer to me. Ever thought about online
counseling- a cheaper and very practical option to consider.
Which Natural Cures for Depression are most Popular and
do they work?
Food:
low-fat dairy products, bananas,
turkey and soy foods help boost serotonin in your brain which improves
your mood.
Omega-3 oils - (see also below under supplements) - tuna, fish, purslane,
salmon, nut oils.
If you lack omega-3 fats in your diet you may
suffer from tiredness (fatigue), poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood
swings, depression, and poor circulation. Various studies have found a
link between Omega-3 oils and bipolar disorder and depression.
Depression can result from the body taking in too
many refined carbohydrates. Too many man-made unnatural
foods is not healthy and sugar is
so addictive!
Sugar can help cause mental illness, because it causes insulin
resistance, unstable blood sugar levels and raised stress
hormones.
One solution to depression is better nutrition, less
drugs or psychotherapy, but acceptance of this
idea needs a change of thinking.
Herbal treatments:
St. John's Wort - alters brain chemistry and improves your mood
and depression. Although natural it is so strong it should not be used
alongside medication. Consult a doctor before doing so. Generally confirmed
as quite effective in treating depression. I have tried this and it worked
for me.
Recent studies
indicate that a specific extract of Hypericum perforatum was as
effective as prescription antidepressants and had far fewer side
effects (thus available without a prescription for the treatment of
mild to moderate depression) and costs a lot less — about 25
cents a day.
In Germany, more than fifty percent of depression,
anxiety, and sleep disorders are treated with St. John's Wort. Prozac
is just
two percent.
Want to find out how you can conquer depression, stress
and anxiety naturally and quickly?
Exercise improves sleep, and improves your energy level. Exercise maintains physical health and controls
weight, it also helps you to look and feel good which improves your
self-esteem. It also helps increase endorphins in your brain which actually
give you a boost in happiness.
A few small studies even hint that, in
cases of mild to moderate
depression, exercise may be as effective as standard therapies. Doctors caution that exercise is not a
substitute for good medical care, however, but should be used in addition to
other treatment.
Omega 3 fish oils -The Inuits have a very low rate
of heart disease. Why? Simple, they eat fish. The American Heart
Association advises everyone to eat at least two 3-ounce servings of fatty
fish every week. Doctors can confim the connection between Omega -
3 oils and depression. Children suffering from depression can also be helped
by Omega-3 oils and so feed your children fish!
B- Vitamins (rewrite all)
The B-complex vitamins are essential to mental and emotional
well-being. B vitamins
are destroyed by alcohol, refined sugars, nicotine, and
caffeine so it is likely that many people may be
lacking in these.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine):
The brain uses this vitamin to help convert glucose, or blood sugar,
into fuel, and without it the brain rapidly runs out of energy
This can lead to fatigue, depression,
irritability, anxiety, and even thoughts of suicide.
Memory problems, loss of
appetite, insomnia, and gastrointestinal disorders
are some of the problems caused by a deficiency of
B1.
Eating refined carbohydrates, like
simple sugars, drains the body's B1 supply.
Vitamin B3 (niacin): A deficiency of this
vitamin can cause Pellagra-resulting in psychosis
and dementia. Deficiencies of vitamin B3 can also
cause
agitation and anxiety, as well as mental and
physical slowness.
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): Symptoms of
deficiency include fatigue, chronic stress, and
depression. Vitamin B5 is vital for hormone
formation and the uptake of amino acids and the
brain chemical acetylcholine, which combine to
prevent certain types of depression.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): This vitamin is
necessary in the manufacture of serotonin,
melatonin and dopamine. Vitamin B6 deficiencies are very rare
but can cause damaged immunity, skin
lesions, and mental confusion. Alcoholics, patients with kidney
failure, and women using oral contraceptives are at
risk of such a deficiency. MAOIs may also lead to a shortage of this
vitamin. Many doctors believe
that most diets do not contain enough of
this vitamin.
Vitamin B12: deficiency leads to a problem known as pernicious anemia.
This disorder can cause mood swings, paranoia,
irritability, confusion, dementia, hallucinations,
or mania, eventually followed by appetite loss,
dizziness, weakness, shortage of breath, heart
palpitations, diarrhea, and tingling sensations in
the extremities. Deficiencies
develop slowly, because the body stores a three- to five-year
supply in the liver. Older people are more at risk
of B12
deficiencies.
There are many other natural cures for depression and these include:
Meditation
Yoga
Exposure to sunshine
Homeopathy
Aromatherapy
Art Therapy
So don't let yourself be confined to standard treatments but ask for
advice about natural cures and this way you will be helping yourself to get
better.
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