July 11, 2014
6 Natural Remedies To Fight Depression
There are several kinds of depression ranging from seasonal affective disorder (the winter blues) to severe major depression. Although severe cases of depression should obviously be treated by a doctor, there are some nutrition options for combating depression that you may want to try out. Abs are made in the kitchen, maybe sometimes mental health is too? Here are 6 natural remedies for treating depression:
1. Omega 3s – countries with high levels of fish consumption have low levels of depression, people with depression generally have low levels of omega 3s, and research shows that the combination of taking antidepressants with omega 3s rather than antidepressants on their own has better results.
2. Stop Drinking Alcohol – alcohol is a natural depressant, I’m not saying you should go the other route and pop uppers, but cutting out alcohol is a good step to reduce depression symptoms.
3. S-Adenosyl Methionine or SAMe – this I actually had not heard of, it’s a chemical in the body that creates other chemical reactions, which reduce pain, depression, and sadness. You can buy it over the counter as a dietary supplement or get a prescription for it, but take with caution as it can sometimes cause mania, and have adverse effects when taken with other medications.
4. Eat Whole Foods – diet plays as much a role in our mental health as it does in our physical health. Sugar can cause crashes and make you feel like utter crap, whereas whole foods digest slower, and keep your blood sugar balanced.
5. St. John’s Wart – its real name is Hypericum perforatum, and is also known as Tipton's weed, rosin rose, goatweed, chase-devil, or Klamath weed. This works like a mild antidepressant so it would be good for less severe cases of depression. It should not be taken in conjunction with other medication including the birth control pill and other antidepressants.
6. Multivitamin – vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause all sorts of health problems, including depression. Make sure you’re getting your daily dose with a multivitamin to cover all your bases.
If only I had seen this list 10 years ago, could’ve saved a bundle on therapy bills and meds. This list has some great suggestions for things that could work, but always be sure to double check with a doctor before taking any new medicine/supplement, even if it’s just over the counter.
2. Stop Drinking Alcohol – alcohol is a natural depressant, I’m not saying you should go the other route and pop uppers, but cutting out alcohol is a good step to reduce depression symptoms.
3. S-Adenosyl Methionine or SAMe – this I actually had not heard of, it’s a chemical in the body that creates other chemical reactions, which reduce pain, depression, and sadness. You can buy it over the counter as a dietary supplement or get a prescription for it, but take with caution as it can sometimes cause mania, and have adverse effects when taken with other medications.
4. Eat Whole Foods – diet plays as much a role in our mental health as it does in our physical health. Sugar can cause crashes and make you feel like utter crap, whereas whole foods digest slower, and keep your blood sugar balanced.
5. St. John’s Wart – its real name is Hypericum perforatum, and is also known as Tipton's weed, rosin rose, goatweed, chase-devil, or Klamath weed. This works like a mild antidepressant so it would be good for less severe cases of depression. It should not be taken in conjunction with other medication including the birth control pill and other antidepressants.
6. Multivitamin – vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause all sorts of health problems, including depression. Make sure you’re getting your daily dose with a multivitamin to cover all your bases.
If only I had seen this list 10 years ago, could’ve saved a bundle on therapy bills and meds. This list has some great suggestions for things that could work, but always be sure to double check with a doctor before taking any new medicine/supplement, even if it’s just over the counter.