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Natural Cures for Depression
Natural Cures for Depression Depression is probably the 2nd most common medical condition by health care providers in the United States. If we did thorough screening on the patients we see, it would most certainly be #1. Many physical problems are caused or made worse by depression. Also, many chronic conditions, such as pain, can cause depression. There are basically 3 categories of depression (mild, moderate, severe) depending on the intensity of the feelings AND on how debilitating the symptoms are. There are some pretty good medicines out there, but there is also some question if they really work or not. Natural cures for depression or anti-depressants? Do anti-depressants work? Natural Cures for Depression Antidepressants AND psychotherapy are treatments of choice for depression. Sometimes just psychotherapy alone is enough. Antidepressants alone aren't enough for most people, though. They are not miracle pills. Are You Depressed? Learn more about depression here. Natural Cures for Depression Many people try natural products before every seeing their health care provider for symptoms of depression. They may feel like they can get over it themselves, shame, embarrassment and so on. Even after starting natural medications, some (estimated about 50%!) don't tell their health care provider. This can be dangerous, because there can be many drug interactions between the natural products and prescription medications. If you take multiple herbs, they can also interact with one another. St. John's Wort: Is it a natural cure for depression? Does it work? There are conflicting research studies about the effectiveness of St. John's Wort. There are some positive and some negative reports. Overall, it seems to help mood and insomnia symptoms in mild to moderate depression. If you decide to take this, find a standardized product of 0.3% hypericin and 3-5% hyperforin at about 300mg three times a day. It is important that you choose a product that is standardized, so you know exactly what you are taking. Know This First It isn't any more effective than prescribed anti-depressants and side effects are similar to anti-depressants. It can cause serious drug interactions with other medications you may take. In fact, it can react to many medications. Be sure your health care provider knows you are taking this. For instance, if you take St. John's Wort and also take oral birth control pills, you may experience breakthrough and irregular bleeding AND pregnancy. Use a backup method for birth control. Natural Cure for Depression and Serotonin Syndome Serotonin Syndrome is a risk for people taking anti-depressants and St. John's Wort. it has happened to people who only take St. John's Wort, also-especially when combined with red wine.
What does Serotonin Syndrome look like?
Natural Cures for Depression and SAMe SAMe has seemed to help many people, but the quality of the products is questionable AND it is very expensive (60$- 200$ per month). if you choose a kind, look for the ingredient butanedisulfonate salt. It seems to be the best choice. Look at ingredients and forms of SAMEe. There are several kinds of products.
Natural Cures for Depression: What about Fish Oils? The omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA are in fish oils. Interestingly, some people with depression have low omega-3 levels in their blood. Also, those who eat fish with omega-3 fatty acids regularly have a lower rate of depression and suicide. It seems to make sense that a diet with adequate Omega-3 fatty acids would promote a more stable mood and lower depression. See, food can be your medicine! What do you know about Omega-3 Fatty Acids? Natural Cures for Depression: What about fish oil supplements? It seems that taking fish oil supplements of 9.6 grams per day along with your prescription anti-depressant might be even more beneficial than the anti-depressant alone. Also, EPA (1 gram per day) along with the anti-depressant may also be beneficial. Careful that you don't take more than 3 grams a day of omega-3s because that can cause serious bleeding problems. Natural Cures for Depression: DHEA DHEA is another supplement getting some attention. It is a steroid. It may help, but there isn't real good scientific evidence to tell us for sure. We also don't know about the long-term effect. It is believed that DHEA might increase the risk of some hormone-sensitive cancers. Until more is known, I would avoid this. Natural Cures for Depression and Folic Acid Some people with depression are low in folic acid. They also don't seem to get as much benefit from their anti- depressants. Folic acid 500 mcg a day may be helpful when used in conjunction with anti-depressants. Before you start taking this, though, talk to your health care provider, of course. You should have your B-12 levels checked. Thisis a blood test. Folic acid supplements could hide symptoms of B-12 deficiency and lead to the missing of some serious nerve problems. A multivitamin containing folic acid and increasing the folic acid in your diet would be just fine. Sources of dietary folic acid are fortified breakfast cereals, avocado, oranges and orange juice, boiled asparagus, cooked or raw spinach, what germ, and cooked or raw broccoli. There are many factors involved in depression-what you eat, your sleep, your relaxation/quiet time, forgiveness of your past, acceptance and more. Return to Naturally-Holistic Home Page Disclaimer: Material provided on Naturally-Holistic.net website is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. Always take the advice of your health care provider before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program. We will not be liable for any complications, or other medical accidents arising from the use of any information on this web site.
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