Discover natural remedies for depression and AVOID the drugs route!...

If you suffer from depression, it's vital to have a good understanding of the available options for treating it...

Many people who have been diagnosed with clinical depression, at some stage, are prescribed drugs to treat the condition. That sounds all well and good, right?...

Well, when you consider that drugs, namely antidepressants, are effective only around 1 in 3 cases, the picture starts to look a little bleaker. And further consideration will reveal that some people decide to stop taking their prescribed drugs because the side effects are so severe...

If that wasn't enough, when depression is treated with drugs alone, relapse rates are quite high. The picture looks even bleaker now, right? Well, what I haven't mentioned yet, is that there is another option for treating depression. Introducing...

Natural remedies for depression!...

What Are You Dealing With?

Drugs and/or natural remedies for depression only treat the symptoms of depression. To fully understand this, I urge you to learn about what causes depression in the first place. For this, read my depression self help article. It's very important to FULLY understand this, else overcoming depression will become even more difficult than it already is.

As I mentioned earlier, antidepressants are only effective in around 30% of depression cases, and don't forget the horrendous side effects they can cause. Bearing this in mind, what's the alternative? A possible alternative, is natural remedies for depression.

Firstly, before I go into this, let me put something straight...

I am NOT suggesting that you ditch any drug treatments you might be on and use natural remedies for depression instead, alternatively, I'm not suggesting that you don't, either! I'm simply trying to arm you with all the information you need to make a good, well informed decision on your treatment for depression.

Do you want to deal drugs?

Look, I'm not saying drugs are ALL bad, just that they should always be used in conjunction with some other type of therapy. This statement will make sense if you read, and understood, my depression self help article. So, since drugs only treat the symptoms of depression, is it possible to achieve the same or better results by using natural remedies for depression?...

Well, I'll let you be the judge of that!...

But here's what I can tell you. Natural remedies for depression are very unlikely to have some of the harsh side effects that some of the commercial drugs do. Some people swear by natural remedies for depression, and quite frankly, that's the approach that I would take.

Here's my question to you...

Are you going to pursue natural remedies for depression? or are you going to take drugs to treat it? This is an important question you have to answer!

Food is a Drug!...

If you decide to avoid the drugs route and try out some natural remedies for depression, understand that this is not possible. Why?...

Because technically, food is also a drug. I'm sure you are aware that different types of foods can have different types of affects on your body...

Doesn't bananas give you a sudden surge of energy? Doesn't coffee make you alert? and doesn't eating cheese before you go to sleep bring on bad dreams? (OK, forget that last bit, that's what happens to me! :-( ) Also, aren't certain foods addictive, just like some drugs? The list goes on and on...

Bearing this in mind, just like drugs, food dosages can, and in some cases should, be treated with the same respect as a prescription drug.

The bottom line is, a poor diet on it's own, can contribute greatly to depression. So, making sure you eat a well balanced, healthy diet should be your first port of call. More specifically, restrict sugar and caffeine...

Don't forget our good old friend, water! You should be drinking half your body weight of water, at the very least. For example, I weigh 156lbs (11st 2lbs), so 156lbs divided be 2 is 78, meaning I need to drink at least 78 ounces of water per day.

It's also vital to maintain a 'good' balance of omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. Your body can't produce these, so you have to supplement them or get them from food. If you really want to get technical with this, check out this article on eicosanoids. This alone, is probably one of the most powerful natural remedies for depression. This link opens in a new window.

Lifestyle Considerations...

You must have heard how exercise is good for you, right? There are loads of different reasons why exercise is good for us, in the case of depression, exercise is of immense value to depression sufferers becuase exercise increases endorphins in the body. An Endorphin is a chemical substance that can relieve depression...

Aim to exercise at least 3 times, aerobically, per week, with each session lasting 45-60 minutes. 

Of all the natural remedies for depression, exercise is the most natural of them all...

Herbal Remedies...

Below, I have included some natural herbal remedies for depression. Check them out and maybe experiment, but just make sure you check dosages, etc, with a qualified herbalist.

Licorice
With at least eight monoamine oxidase (MAO) compounds that have potent antidepressant capabilities, Licorice is classed as one of the better natural remedies for depression.

Drink it in tea and restrict the amount to no more than three cups per day.

St. John's wort
St. John's wort contains a compound called hypericin, which on it's own has been very successful in treating anxiety, depression and those dreaded feelings of worthlessness.

St. John's wort is NOT recommended for pregnant women. Whilst taking St. John's wort, avoid intense direct sunlight as it can make your skin sensitive to sunlight.

It's recommended to take by steeping 1-2 teaspoons of the dried herb in boiling water for about ten minutes. It can take up to 4 to 6 weeks before you start to notice it's effects.

Other herbal remedies
Below is a list of other natural herbal remedies for depression:

• Ginger
• Purslane
• Rosemary
• Ginko biloba
• Siberian Ginseng

Nutritional Supplements...

Some may question whether supplements can actually be classed as natural remedies for depression, either way, they are more natural then the traditional drugs you might be prescribed by your doctor...

Below, I've grouped the nutritional supplements by the amount of proven evidence there is for the supplement. This is not to say that the most proven, are the most effective.

Most proven:

     
2nd most proven:    


3rd most proven:    

Moving Forward...

As I've mentioned before, drug treatments for depression can be incredibly toxic, and sometimes the side effects are actually WORSE then the depression symptoms themselves. 

Whatever you do, as with everything else, make sure you speak to a qualified professional before you make your final decision. In this case, make sure you speak to a herbalist to find the most effective treatment for you and your symptoms. Also bear in mind, it might not be entirely safe mixing different herbs together, hence the importance of speaking to a herbalist.

So you've got a choice...

Will you consider the above natural remedies for depression, or NOT??...

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