Dealing with Depression Naturally

Hello, I am brand new to this site and a nobody. I will tell you I used to have horrible depression my whole life. I was suicidal as long as I can remember. What changed it? I went gluten free. It took a few months and I just kept feeling better and better each day. I am 54 and for the first time in my life I am free of depression. And guess what? If I get a hold of even a crumb of wheat, the depression will come back for about 2 weeks, feeling like I did before going gluten free. Now a days its much easier to find the gluten free substitutes for pasta make the transition easy peasy (and I'm a foodie). You can still have Mexican food as long as its a corn tortilla rather than flour, Yes you can eat fudge and ice cream on this diet too. It changed my life and I also lost 35 lbs even eating fudge on the holidays. It definately wont hurt. I can even think better..much better now.

Hope you know you are loved in this word..regardless

Jodie

I have been diagnosed bipolar disorder, am using oxetol 450mg, amixide in the night, flutop 20mg on alternate days. I feel very sad for no reason, feel like crying, sensitivity in head. What diet can cure my low mood?

Holiday Depression

I have been feeling more & more depressed the past month. I don't usually get depressed, so it's strange even though it IS around the holidays, a time when many get depressed. Anyhow, today I realized that maybe my depression has something to do with the radical increase in white flour and sweets, thanks to the constant supply of pastries, cakes, chocolates, candy canes and m&ms at my office during the entire month of December!!!! I normally don't eat much gluten and sugar products, which is why I am making a connection here.

Thank goodness I am on holiday now and don't have to be around the sugary temptations for a couple of weeks, so I am going to detox (stop eating junk food) and see if my depression disappears. I will let you know if I am successful. I know the holidays can be tough times for many people, but maybe we should also be highlighting the fact that people are eating so much crappy food that they might also be going into candida overload.

Thank you for reading! Happy Ho Ho Ho to all.

Dysthymic Depression

I've suffered from a moderate constant form of depression called Dysthymia since I was 14 (I am now 43). I've been on several different antidepressants over the years. The last one I took was Paxil CR (which I was forced to quit cold-turkey in 2005 after production of it was briefly stopped after a problem at the pharmaceutical lab). It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It was a hellish experience and though I did get an appointment with my Dr. a week into the cold-turkey and could have taken regular Paxil to ease my distress, at that point I wanted NOTHING to do with these medications. The withdrawal symptoms showed me just how much they mess with your brain chemistry. I was getting all sorts of electrical "zappy" sensations, dizziness, tremors, and neuralgic pain that traveled all over my body. It took about 3 months for me to get over the hardest part of it. After that I joined a gym and started a simple EXERCISE program. Just 20 minutes of cardio (pick the machine of your choice) and another 20 minutes or so of weight training and stretching. Yoga classes are super helpful as well. Not only did this help me detox from the residual symptoms but my mood improved dramatically. I still have some 'down' days, but who doesn't? Overall I feel much more energized and balanced than I ever did on the antidepressants.

I've since made incremental changes in the quality of my DIET over the years and this has boosted my mood even more. I no longer eat any overly packaged/refined foods. I eat whole grain breads (sprouted & hemp mostly), and try to cook from 'scratch' as much as possible. Extra virgin olive oil is my cooking oil of choice (except when I am sauteing or using a relatively high heat, in which case I use sesame oil). I still eat meat, but not at every meal or even every day, and when I do it is no longer the "star" on my plate, it is about a 3-4 oz serving and the rest of the plate is filled with vegetables and whole grains. I've learned to love leafy green vegetables (so much so I pile them on my plate). I still 'allow' myself to have guilty pleasures, but after awhile you find you don't really want them because your body has everything it needs nutritionally (so you don't get carb cravings) and your mood is so good you don't cave in to the emotional eating binges. The only 'difficult' time is around that time of the month...I get a little hungrier and may have a slice of cinnamon toast or a little ice cream, but nothing like the pig-outs of the past :) For any emotional irritation during that time there is nothing like a good cup of tea (sweetened with agave so as not to spike your blood sugar...I've come to prefer it over sugar).

Finally, SUPPLEMENTS can be the icing on the good mood cake. I take a whole food multivitamin to fill in any nutritional gaps, a good Omega blend oil (something with borage oil in it is excellent too) and vitamin D drops in the wintertime (along with plenty of time under a sunlight simulator bulb - I keep one in my reading lamp).

Record numbers of people are suffering from depression because of the standard American lifestyle & diet. It doesn't have to be that way...you can feel good again without dependency on pharmaceuticals and by only making a few simple lifestyle changes (no need to go vegan or raw, though go for it if that makes you even happier).

Major depressive disorder

I had major depressive disorder from age 4 until age 26. I'm 41 now, no problems with it. I was so bad I would have to snap my wrists with a rubber band to keep my thoughts from cascading downwards and had to go inpatient a number of times.

At age 19, I began a yoga teacher training program. I began a slow turn to vegetarianism because of a book I read to help migraines. When I did this, 75% of my MDD lifted, and my mind cleared up for the first time since I could remember. I even tried to go back and immediately the depression set in along with a newfound anxiety. That's when I committed to full vegetarianism.

It wasn't a cure-all, though, and I have to say the truth that I found a higher power that loved me and I felt it express very strongly to me. Once during a time period of self-harm I said no one loves me and I just clearly felt a strong response that he loved me. In that moment, I committed never to self harm again but it took time to get away from music that was always in lack. Always missing something. I had to turn to music that was talking about gaining and positive ideas.

I was still struggling with the MDD, but I began to respect myself and say that I would not be in a relationship with someone who did not love me. Therefore, no more intimate relations with those who are not truly wanting to be with me. This change probably brought me to 80% without major depressive disorder and kept me from going under water emotionally. I joined a program for that.

Once I found out that I had a learned eating disorder, and went into treatment with a nutritionist who balanced my food, and began to work on the reasons behind it, I would say that my major depressive disorder was gone at 100%. For whatever reason, the consistent nutrition at certain times unlocked the key to my major depressive disorder it was like I was saying that I deserve to have food and I deserved to have life. I also had to work on getting out of other people's business and began attending a program for that. I can only control what I do but of course one has to set up boundaries for things that are wrong. (I guess the best way to summarize that is that I learned how to interact with people in my life or family in a way that set up boundaries).

I have not had a problem since maintaining these changes and I'm super lucky and wanted to share with others.

58 year old male with a former history of great health/runner/government worker who worked out doors. Forced retirement with foot/heal and hip problems. Those are tolerable but have self diagnosed and one doctor diagnosed depression. Absolutely cannot get out of bed...when awake seem to ruminate about everything wrong with the world or the economy. Sorry to dump on all but ...almost at a very scary point in my pysche. I am reaching out to all. Charles

I practice a hands on application over the craneal area as a conduit of the healing energy it flows through me but it comes from a higher source it goes to the brain and balances any energetic imbalance that restores mental health. a sense of warmth and a placebo effect will follow as a pain reliever capable of producing symptomatic alleviation.

Carlos Sumpter

Exercise for Depression and Anxiety:

I am surprised to see that exercise is not mentioned in the list of remedies. It is a life saver. The ones that work best are high intensity low rep exercises that boost your serotonin levels. Do it in the morning to get most out of it.

The way I beat depression? Not medication, but Exercise, exercise, exercise.  I had a bad bout of depression after my husband and I separated. Leading up to the separation, I went to the office every day and worked until 8pm every night. I had no energy to exercise or take care of myself. After we separated and I spent many a weekend laying around on the couch, I realized that my long hours with little energy left at the end of the day hurt my marriage. I returned to the gym and spent at least an hour a day exercising 4 times a week, either before or after the office. My depression diminished, my spirits rose, and I was able to handle the end to my marriage with grace.

Hi Seekthetruth, I found exercise (walking over 1/2 hour), vit B complex and magnesium brought me out of depression. Also omega 3 fish oil is very good for depression. I don't think your friends will find these natural supplements too scary. Hope the best Lily.

I have to monitor my mood because I'm prone to depression so I have to nip it in the bud. This is what works for me.

1. Exercise, especially intense aerobic exercise or weightlifting.

2. High-quality canned tuna (due to the fish oils). If/when I get down just having a bit here and there can perk me up.

3. Sauna. It's difficult to be depressed when you sweat it all out. Also gives you time to meditate and get into a better mindspace.

4. "Doing" rather than thinking. For example, trying to get involved in a tasks at home or at work that keep your mind off things. Decluttering, cleaning, gardening, etc. Anything other than negative thought patterns.

I have suffered from depression and "dark moods" for years. I am very much against taking prescription drugs as I believe they do more harm than good. However, about 6 weeks ago I was feeling so depressed and dark that I began to consider going to the Dr. for a prescription antidepressant. I thought, maybe I'm just adding to my suffering by being so against modern pharmaceuticals. Anyway, I turned to Earthclinic and read about 5-HTP and decided to give it a shot. I bought extra strength 5-HTP in the form of L-5 hydroxytryptophan, 100mg per capsule. I started off taking 2 capsules first thing in the morning before eating. Did this for about 3 weeks. I increased the amount to 3 capsules per morning and have been doing that since. I first noticed that my moods were more "neutral" instead of depressed and I took that as a sign of improvement. I presently feel good and not depressed.

I would just like to add that I recently added fasting to my health protocol. I read a fascinating book called "The Miracle of Fasting".

They say in this book that fasting helps emotional issues as well as physical ones. I have done a 24 hour fast once per week for 2 weeks in a row and I believe that it has contributed to my feelings of well being. I plan on continuing doing a weekly 24hr fast.

Hope this helps.

Fish Oil (Omega 3 Fish Oil) REALLY helps with depression. I have been battling severe clinical depression for over 2 years now. Though I'm emotionally & mentally better, I had problems with irregular sleep pattern, excessive sleepiness and lack of energy. I read that Omega 3 can help, so I tried taking it. After just 3 days on 3000mg a day (taken on breakfast, lunch, dinner), for the first time in years I noticed I slept less during the day and slept better at night. It's been weeks now and I continue taking 1000-3000mg a day, and I keep feeling better. I now wake up feeling more refreshed and motivated to do things. I have the energy to actually do them. My naps are short, or sometimes I can go without one. I feel sleepy after a certain time (at night) and can actually sleep throughout the night and wake up ONLY when it's morning. It has regulated my sleep cycle! I can't remember the last time I feel this great! It's amazing such improvement can be achieved with just a simple thing like Fish Oil. Do try it. There can be no harm, only good.

Fishoil helped my depression. I was about to consider Zoloft when I ran into an article about the benefits of fishoil. I started taking 3-4 grams I divided doses and in less than 5 weeks I felt better! Then, I started sleeping before 11 pm and found out that I functioned better and my thoughts were more positive. Everyone used to tell me that in order to cure depression you had to think positive...fishoil taught me how to do so! it's been four months and I only get depressed during my period. I'm working on that...any suggestions?

Omega 3 Fish Oils work great for depression!! Be sure to take them on a regular basis. They really work wonders for depression.