★★★★★
my depression got so bad i couldnt get out of bed, talk or even eat by myself. being only 27 i pushed myself with work despite feeling terrible for 8 months and this is what happened. i didnt want to take medications, which are still so unreliable, my dad found a site whose plan we followed. main points are:
1. eliminate all forms of stress, as much as possible, including work, study, jobs, housework, cooking...get others to do these for you. also important, avoid all reading, violent movies and programmes, the news, and all games, which cause the adrenals to go.
2. do what you want every day (not what you think you should do, or be doing) - if you just want to sleep, do that and tell others to support you, you need to realise that this is okay and important for recovery.
3. just get someone to make sure you`re eating well (greens to make up half the meal, then quarter protein and quarter carbs. keep to organics and whole foods which means less toxins for your body to have to waste energy on). Drink at least 1.5 litres of good water a day - this helps all your organs function properly and flush out baddies. Avoid smoking, caffeine, alcohol and sugar, which all cause strong mood imbalances.
4. take the following supplements 3 times a day: phosphatydilserine (solgar is gd brand) - this will elevate your mood within 30 mins - you can take this as you need it. soy protein powder (NOT whey. soy releases energy slowly and helps your blood sugar balance) i also found this elevated my mood and brain function each time within about 30 minutes. omega 3, B vitamins (tresos B is good, as is the V2000 by solgar). St Johns Wort - or any of the above can be taken in conjunction with antidepressants safely.
If you have pretty severe depression like i did, then you know that you`re so sensitive to anything that counselling or therapy is a nightmare. In this case the plan above is great because you get better purely by addressing the nutritional balance in your body first. i did it for about 3 months before i felt up to seeing a counsellor. the four points above are all equally important - basically the aim is to eliminate emotional, physical stress as well as any cause of stress on your organs (which i now realise is THE crucial thing with depression and anxiety which doctors and therapists tend to overlook or minimise the importance of), and give your body everything it needs to produce the right balance of mood hormones again. Just note, that as you get better you will find that you level of energy increases - and this can be a fragile time because this can mean that if you`re still having suicidal thoughts you now have the physical energy to carry it out. make sure people around are aware of this so that they can be there for you during this time until your thoughts catch up and balance out too.
These are additional supplements which my naturopath helped me with later - i am not sure if they are all compatible with antidepressants though so please check. 5 HTP has chilled me out a lot, helped ease my insomnia and overeating. adrenal gland tonic (herbal health stores can make them up for you) including things like withania, liquorice, shatavari, wood betony, has helped me as long-term stress in constant fight/flight mode has worn out my glands (hair loss is one indication of this, which i had). bach flower essences, taking epsom salt baths with lavendar, meditation, walking in nature - even taking a short walk in the sun, yoga, are also things that i got into when i was ready.
the rest are really more to address emotional and spiritual needs (which, in depression and anxiety is important) - network spinal analysis and reiki can provide temporary relief at an energetic level, and if you like these i have found that a good spiritual healer can be 10 times better than seeing a therapist as they are way more holistic in finding out what`s wrong, and really care. also EFT technique (free on the website). also an online community called anxietytribe.com and depressiontribe.com helped me connect with others who had the same thing. was especially helpful when i was too down to see any friends or family.
hope this helps...i am still not 100%, but this plan has been amazing. the supplement plan i wrote about is effective for those with medium and mild depression too, and from the hundreds of feedback i read on the site, it has helped so many people.
Blackstrap Molasses
EC: Well, we've found beet sugar sold online but not beet molasses. Try googling "beet molasses" rather than "sugar beet molasses". It's possible that an international grocery store would carry it.
Here's a website for traders -- sorry, not much help, but it may give you some clues! http://buy.ecplaza.net/search/1s1nf20sell/beet_molasses.html
Additional info on Sugar Beet Molasses from Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molasses
"Sugar beet molasses
Molasses that comes from the sugar beet is different from cane molasses. Only the syrup left from the final crystallisation stage is called molasses; intermediate syrups are referred to as high green and low green and these are recycled within the crystallisation plant to maximise extraction. Beet molasses is about 50% sugar by dry weight, predominantly sucrose but also containing significant amounts of glucose and fructose. Beet molasses is limited in biotin (Vitamin H or B7) for cell growth, hence it may need to be supplemented with a biotin source. The non-sugar content includes many salts such as calcium, potassium, oxalate and chloride. These are either as a result of concentration from the original plant material or as a result of chemicals used in the processing. As such, it is unpalatable and is mainly used as an additive to animal feed (called "molassed sugar beet feed") or as a fermentation feedstock.
It is possible to extract additional sugar from beet molasses through a process known as molasses desugarisation. This technique exploits industrial scale chromatography to separate sucrose from non-sugar components. The technique is economically viable in trade protected areas where the price of sugar is supported above the world market price. As such it is practised in the US and parts of Europe."
In the cuisines of the Middle East, molasses is produced from several other materials: carob[1], grape[2], date[3], pomegranate[4], and mulberry[5].
Blackstrap Molasses
Blackstrap Molasses
Blackstrap Molasses
★★★★★
Combining lower doses of uridine and omega-3 fatty acids was even more helpful. "Less of each agent is required for effectiveness when the treatments are administered together," say the researchers.
source: http://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20050210/do-some-foods-battle-depression
EC: Thanks, Lisa. Very interesting. The article references molasses made from sugar beets -- fyi, not your typical blackstrap molasses made from sugar cane syrup.... To quote from the article -- "As for uridine, sugar beets and beet molasses are food sources."
Blackstrap Molasses
Blackstrap Molasses
★★★★★
Cold Showers
Saffron
★★★★★
Dancing
★★★★★
I had always wanted to take dance classes so in college i took a class for p.e. credit. It was extraordinary how much dancing affected me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I got into better shape while being challenged to learn steps and movement and when i danced, i felt so happy like i could fly!
Since then, I haven't had any need to see a therapist or take meds and I've now changed my major to became a movement therpist (who knew there was a whole field dedicated to what I had experienced). I hope to inspire others to make that connection with their body and mind and I will continue to pursue this awareness for the rest of my life.
Here's a tip for those of you interested in trying this. Most community colleges have beginning adult dance classes and it's usually really cheap (in california it's $20 a unit and dance classes are normally only 1 unit).
★★★★★
Rhodiola
5-HTP
EC: L-ter = L-tyrosine (??)
Dhea
Please don't discount D3 so quickly. If you are deficient it can take months to rebuild your levels.The RDA that the gov. has been recommending is way below what we need. Please, everyone, have your vitamin D levels checked. It's not a vitamin, it's an essential hormone and every single cell in your body has a receptor for it.
Please visit http://www.vitamindcouncil.org for current and improtant information on vitamin d.
Debbie
South Bend, IN
Dhea
★★★★★
EC: UTI: Urinary Tract Infections VCO: Virgin Coconut Oil
Apple Cider Vinegar
Couch Exercise
In the exercise, I use my arms to help me straighten myself almost like a push up. Most people will not be able to do it without using their arms. I guess whats important is to use back muscles without straining them of course. Also, I just want to tell people with depression to go to a chiropractor,therapist or qualified trainer. This gets dismissed because they don`t have back pain. Spend $30 It could be the answer. It`s well worth it. Hope this helps.
Couch Exercise
★★★★★
EC: We emailed Gary for more details...
★★★★★
Then I read somewhere online that there is a set of people whose depression responds to Acetyl L-Carnitine, they said the depression lifted in these people when using 3-4 grams a day, and to take two grams of acetylcarnitine on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning.
This amino acid is the most amazing substance; I've never been able to take more than 2 grams per day - there is such great mental clarity, there is utter inability to be depressed, but there simultaneously is no euphoria - just calm lucid clarity. I've read that it assists the brain in making many different neurotransmitters - so it is not anything, not anything at all like 5-htp which floods the brain with serotonin - which, if you don't need it, might create severe anxiety.
Rhodiola
★★★★★
★★★★★
Multiple Supplements
★★★★★
L-Theanine
★★★★★
Dancing
★★★★★
Chlorophyll
★★★★★
The Arts
★★★★★
5-HTP
★★★★★
