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Alternative Medicine For Depression Can Make a Difference

  • Posted on July 1, 2009 at 7:36 pm

It is time to get serious about ridding your life of depression symptoms by looking toward alternative medicine for depression in order to get your life back. Do you realize the effect that depression has on your health? Cancers, migraines, high blood pressure, and heart disease are just a minimal list of the possibilities that can occur when one is depressed.

Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, consistent worry, and doom can drive you to the point of feeling like there is no way out. When you seek help for your symptoms, you need to know that there is alternative depression medication that can be used as a form of treatment for those devastating symptoms.

Alternative medicine for depression is preferred because of lack of side effects along with higher success rates for getting rid of depression symptoms. The ability to return to normal life is easy when one consumes ongoing alternative depression medications. Prescription medications just impose too much of a health risk to be trusted as a reliable source of treatment. There are too many things that can go wrong, and the horror stories associated with prescription medications are heard of more often than not.

Some of the alternative medicine for depression that is available include St. John’s Wort and vitamin B-complex. You can find St. John’s Wort at almost any over-the-counter pharmacy. Prices usually range from $5.00 to $30.00 depending on how many pills are in a bottle, and how many milligrams they are.

St. John’s Wort has been proven to work effectively to elevate the bio-chemicals in the brain, serotonin, and dopamine. Anyone taking St. John’s Wort needs to check in with their physician first before mixing it with other prescription medications in order to avoid possible complications.

Vitamin B-complex can also be purchased for an affordable price at any over-the-counter pharmacy. If you prefer not to take vitamin B in pill form, then you will need to make sure that you obtain a plentiful amount by consuming a variety of food sources such as milk, eggs, nuts, green leafy vegetables, lean meats, and fruits.

Vitamin B-complex can be looked at as an alternative medicine for depression because it increases energy, metabolism, and promotes an overall healthy nervous system. Vitamin B-complex boosts mood and promotes restful sleep, which is a major component in fighting depression. When used in combination with St. John’s Wort, it is twice as effective at being an effective alternative depression medication.

But inevitably, the real cure lies in you. If you are ready to start getting serious about living a fulfilling life that is composed of happy moments instead of ones that are filled with gloom and ongoing sadness, then you will ultimately do something about it. We make the final decision as to whether or not we will be happy. The search for help is not out of reach, and it begins with making the decision to opt for alternative medicine for depression to enhance and change your life for the better.

Diana is a Natural Health Consultant and is currently taking classes to earn a certificate in herbalism. Her website, Natural Health and Herbal Remedies, offers the knowledge, insights and experiences she has gained from her journey into the world of natural health and her quest to share it with others. Get your Free Ebook about natural remedies for anxiety and depression.

Article Source: Alternative Medicine For Depression Can Make a Difference

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Natural Remedies For Depression – What Your Doctor Will Not Tell You

  • Posted on July 1, 2009 at 7:36 pm

One of the most widely prescribed natural remedies for depression in Europe is St. John’s Wort which is particularly effective in mild to moderate depression. Many people are surprised to learn that this herb is prescribed for up to 50% of depression cases in Germany while Prozac is not popular at all. It comes in at a mere 2%! I can bet fairly safely that your medical adviser will not know this or will not even be convinced that a herbal remedy combined with other natural remedies for depression is the way to go. But there have been pioneers in every century!

Let us look at why a natural remedy for depression could and maybe should , in many cases, replace anti-depressants. Why do you think the FDA put black box warnings (the most serious risk) on the boxes of these medications? Why are there warnings on cigarette packets? Because there are grave risks to health. In the case of anti-depressants, there is a risk in younger patients (up to the age of 24!) of increasing suicidal thoughts and depression, agitation and insomnia and a withdrawal from social situations. There are a whole list of side effects as well although they are not in the black box. However the side effects from these meds are well known and can include nausea, blurred vision, constipation and loss of libido.

Let us have a look at other natural remedies for depression. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is often tried with great success. The patient, with the help of the therapist is trained to change his or her whole way of thinking. In this way, negative thinking which inevitably leads to depression and hopelessness can be changed. Sometimes, though, especially in cases of severe depression, this kind of therapy will not give great results. Other cases can be treated with CBT in combination with some medication.

One of the favorite natural remedies for depression is increasing foods with Omega3 or fatty acids which can improve overall health as well as combating depression. Studies have shown that populations with higher omega 3s in their diets have much fewer cases of depression. It can help reduce heart disease, osteoporosis and arthritis so it is a wonderful supplement to add to anyone’s diet.

In choosing a natural remedy for depression, such as a herbal one, tell your doctor that you want to try it and ask for some advice especially if you are already on anti depressants.

Want to learn more about natural remedies for depression ? Robert Locke has written extensively on Mental Health for many years.

Article Source: Natural Remedies For Depression – What Your Doctor Will Not Tell You

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The Facts On Herbal Depression Treatment

  • Posted on July 1, 2009 at 7:36 pm

First the facts on the anti depressant medications used at the moment. Progress has been made in that the older type of medicines the tricyclic (or TCAs such as Tofranil and Ahafranil) led to bladder problems, drowsiness and sexual dysfunction, have now been mostly replaced with the SSRIs. Doctors now prefer the SSRIs medication which act as a serotonin booster which lifts the mood and everything seems fine! Unfortunately, if you are a man you may become impotent and if you are a woman, you have to cope with a considerable gain in weight which may exacerbate your depression. As there are no studies done on their long term effects, we have no idea whether they are completely safe either. You can see why people are turning to herbal depression treatment because the side effects are much less severe and they will really help to reduce depression.

Let us have a look at the herbal depression treatment which is gaining popularity at the moment. The key neurotransmitter called serotonin which governs our happiness and feelings of well being is the main target in any of the herbal remedies for depression. The anti depressant medications also home in on serotonin but as we have seen above, their side effects may have a boomerang effect! The big pharmaceutical companies will never admit that! Many people suffering from depression have been found to have very low levels of serotonin.

Gingko biloba is a herb which has had positive feedback in the treatment of depression. It takes a while to kick in but as it has a gradual effect on increasing the flow of blood to the brain, it can help with memory, brain function and also increase the serotonin levels. It is not recommended for those who have bleeding problems or who are taking anti inflammatory drugs.

St. John’s Wort (Hypericum) has come out best in all the clinical trials, so much so that the National Institute of Mental Health has decided to run trials in seeing how well it does for treating mild to moderate depression. This means that it is the most popular herb and with good reason. It is also the most common herbal depression treatment used in Europe and especially in Germany

In one controlled, double-blind trial with over 100 patients who were suffering from MDD (major depressive disorder), those patients who were on Hypericum had a 50% reduction of depression symptoms compared with those who were on Fluoxetine which is a popular anti depressant medication of the Prozac family. Effective with very few side effects has meant that St. John’s Wort has become one of the most sought after herbal remedies for depression.

Other herbs used with great success in herbal depression treatment are Kava, Ginseng, and Passion Flower. You will need to check out the credentials of the company if you are ordering online. The company in the link below has a fine reputation and offers must have guarantees as regards the growing, selection and manufacturing of the herbs, all supervised in a FDA approved facility by trained herbalists.

Want to learn more about herbal depression treatment ? Robert Locke has written extensively on Mental Health for many years.

Article Source: The Facts On Herbal Depression Treatment

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