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Loading...15 Natural Options for Depression
- Michelle Schoffro Cook
- May 10, 2012
- 5:11 pm
- 91 comments
Everyone feels down at some point, usually as a reaction to difficult circumstances, but clinical depression goes far beyond that. In such cases a person experiences a prolonged sadness that is out of proportion with the apparent cause. The physical and psychological symptoms affect a person’s capacity to function normally in the world.
Depression is often accompanied by sleep disruption, fatigue, anxiety, mood swings, prolonged lapses of concentration, pain, apathy, decreased sex drive and suicidal thoughts. Because these symptoms can be attributed to other diseases or conditions and are serious, it is always important to consult a medical doctor for a diagnosis.
Diet: Poor nutrition, in my opinion, is one of the greatest causes of depression, and one of the easiest and most overlooked solutions. My two decades of clinical experience tell me that depression cannot be managed for the long-term without addressing the diet.
Poor diet is frequently linked to depression because food additives, chemicals, alcohol, sugar, and sugar substitutes can have severely negative effects on our mental and physical health.
Eating a healthful diet (not a low carb diet, in this case) helps the body balance hormone levels, including important brain hormones that help us feel good. For example, complex carbohydrates from vegetables, legumes and whole grains help the brain manufacture serotonin, a “feel good” neurotransmitter that is needed to prevent and treat depression.
Keep reading to learn about the role of food sensitivities and blood sugar fluctuations…
Read more: Alternative Therapies, Depression, Diet & Nutrition, Eating for Health, General Health, Health, Mental Wellness, Michelle Schoffro Cook, Natural Remedies, Stress, 5-HTP, anxiety, apathy, b vitamins, balance moods, brain biochemistry, brain hormone balance, brain hormones, clinical depression, concentration, decreased sex drive, dehydration, digestion, Dr. Cook, exercise, fatigue, food sensitivities, ginkgo biloba, herbal medicine, herbology, herbs, herbs for depression, Michelle Schoffro Cook, mood, mood swings, natural medicine, natural remedies for depression, natural treatment for depression, neurotransmitter balance, nutrient deficiencies, nutrition, orthomolecular nutrition, oxygen, oxytocin, pain, sadness, SAM-e, serotonin, sleep, st. john's wort, suicidal thoughts, sunlight, The Phytozyme Cure, vitamin D
Michelle Schoffro Cook
Michelle Schoffro Cook, MSc, RNCP, ROHP, DNM, PhD is an international best-selling and 14-time book author and doctor of traditional natural medicine, whose works include: 60 Seconds to Slim, Healing Recipes, The Vitality Diet, Allergy-Proof, Arthritis-Proof, Total Body Detox, The Life Force Diet, The Ultimate pH Solution, The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan, and The Phytozyme Cure. Check out her natural health resources and subscribe to her free e-magazine World's Healthiest News at WorldsHealthiestDiet.com to receive monthly health news, tips, recipes and more. Follow her on Twitter @mschoffrocook and Facebook.
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
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For the health of the planet -- don't fly.
whap :)
Thank you Lisa or the article. I agree 100% with your presentation. ^..^
More advise.Oh yes just what we need
Thx for the info. It's really sad though and I hope they don't go extinct. :(
91 comments
+ add your ownThanks for the info. For mild depression, Rescue Remedy works not only for people but for pets too!
We have legislation in Massachusetts USA to get coverage for Holistic and Naturopthic medicine coverage for people with depression and anxiety the natural cure/relief for this illness is GABATROL. The Holistic and Naturopathic medicine is the oldest medicine in the world and people want to bring it back to help people with an illness or chronic illness like cancer. Please help us and sign our petition at Healt Options - Holistic and Naturopathic medicine for Massachusetts USA
Thx.
Please discuss the amount of VItamin D suggested. According to the converter I used, 2 grams is the equivalent of 80 million IU, which is way beyond toxic.
Interesting article and as others have mentioned when having signs of depression it is best to see a qualified doctor for a consultation. Usually talk therapy and some form of prescription is necessary when dealing about clinical depression. There are various types of depression, the milder forms are okay in some cases for St. Johns Wort, used widely in Europe. Often family doctors simply prescribe medication without talk therapy-a combination of both is the most beneficial in the case of clinical depression which is severe and needs medical assistance as it is difficult to treat by oneself.
Other combinations such as healthy eating, exercise( which is often difficult for those with clinical depression) but does help are also necessary. Am not really sure about the supplements as there so many out there and who really knows about them as they are not regulated too well.
Can anyone tell me what´s 5 HTP???please?
thanks
My Aunt went through a terribly rough time caring after her mother before she died from cancer. She had a very hard time accepting what was happening to her mother and as her mother got worse, she became harder to take care of. She wasn’t trained to be that type of caregiver. Of course she had children and cared after a family, but what she experienced with her mother was completely different. It was really hard to watch, and my aunt slipped in to a very deep depression. Even after her mother passed away, it was hard for her to even get out of bed, she thought about harming herself, and she was constantly suffering from panic attacks. She finally went to talk to someone and it was recommended to her to read a book called “Waking Up: Climbing Through the Darkness” by Terry Wise http://terrywise.com.
It helped her get through her tough time, and now she recommends it to anyone who might be faced with care giving, PTSD, Depression or any other personal issues along those lines. These things can take a real toll on someone and for her, she talks about how it was nice to read a book that actually helps!
My Aunt went through a terribly rough time caring after her mother before she died from cancer. She had a very hard time accepting what was happening to her mother and as her mother got worse, she became harder to take care of. She wasn’t trained to be that type of caregiver. Of course she had children and cared after a family, but what she experienced with her mother was completely different. It was really hard to watch, and my aunt slipped in to a very deep depression. Even after her mother passed away, it was hard for her to even get out of bed, she thought about harming herself, and she was constantly suffering from panic attacks. She finally went to talk to someone and it was recommended to her to read a book called “Waking Up: Climbing Through the Darkness” by Terry Wise http://terrywise.com.
It helped her get through her tough time, and now she recommends it to anyone who might be faced with care giving, PTSD, Depression or any other personal issues along those lines. These things can take a real toll on someone and for her, she talks about how it was nice to read a book that actually helps!
Thanks for the article
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