Gene Said:

Are there any herbal/natural medicines/remedies for bipolar depression?

We Answered:

Ok, please ignore the bottom answer. It looks like a spammer.
Now, having said that, you really need to talk to a professional. Bipolar disorder can be mitigated (lessened) but your healthcare professional needs to take the reigns of your treatment overall. Exercise can help but it is not the only part of the solution. You need to watch your diet, but that is a given. St. John's Wort works differently for different people. It is not a solution for all type of depression and I have not heard anything about it helping bipolar disorder. One thing you can do is help your doctor by telling him or her when you tend to experience the mania. Has it been stressed induced lately? Meditate. Yoga and meditation can help refocus in between episodes. I do that for my add. Now, course, they are different but they do have similarities also. So, before you go to your "over the counter herbalistic juxtaposed place," make sure that you consult with a physician/psychiatrist and say that you definitely would prefer some more homeopathic avenues. Note that even with homeopathic assistance, you may still require some medication or at least dr's assistance

Alfredo Said:

Does any one know of any natural medicines for stress relief and depression and panic attacks?

We Answered:

I suffer from depression, anxiety, panic attacks and stress....

I can not take any of the medicines that doctors prescribe for these conditions they tend to make me worse... so I have had to do the following to keep myself on an even keel...

Find a good counsellor attend sessions weekly for three months... take a break then do it again... repeat as long as is required..

Exercise: This is not the 101 situps ten mile run kind of exercise..... Just simple exercise like walking swimming or cycling for at least 20 minutes each day... do this very day... do not push yourself too hard at first walk powerfully enough to start tofeel your heart working and then slow dow a bit then build it up again..Do not hurt yourself or push yourself too hard or fast...be kind to yourself even if it takes you a year before you can exercise steadily for 20 minutes that doesnt matter it is just important that you do this daily and do it with gentleness towards yourself.

Eat fresh foods as much as possible. include grains fruit and vegetables in every meal... be creative when preparing meals and use a lot of colourful foods to make eating a true pleasure. Prepare and eat your food while listening to some pleasant music. Make eating a wonderful gift to yourself.

Drink more water: Water flushes toxins out of your system drink lots of water...

Take up a creative pursuit: this can be gardening (nothing fancy here stick a geranium cutting in some dirt and add water) drawing ( a pencil and paper and away you go) music make music with whatever you have, paint, write anything that gets the creative energy flowing,

Learn to pray, meditate and or contemplate.... there is lots of info on the net about prayer and meditation and contemplation means just being quiet with yourself... noticing little things, allowing your mind to gently explore things..

Join an interest group... real time gatherings are best rather than net groups... spending time with other people who have a common interest is an easier way of being with people as the focus is not on you or them but rather on the topic at hand, there are interest groups for many different kinds of interests, lapidary groups (gemstones rocks etc), writers groups, local history groups, motor cycle clubs, land regeneration groups, photography groups, parenting groups, walking groups (bush walking, power walking), pet care groups, charitable groups and organisations. Find a group that you share an iterest with and get involved.

Listen to music that you enjoy and explore a whole range of music like indigenous music from various countries, classical music, opera, rock, blues, listen to many kinds of music and build your cd collection.

Spend time sitting on the ground leaning against a big old tree.. feel the earth supporting your weight, notice how the tree supports your spine allow yourself to feel safe and supported by the universe.

Spend time outdoors in the sunshine and fresh air... the sun interacts wit your body to create some happy chemicals in your body. The fresh air allows your lungs to breathe in and circulate more oxygen.

Laugh! Get some comedy cds or dvds or go out to comedy shows and funny movies. Buy a good joke book and read it. Learn a new joke each week and share the joke with others. Spend time allowig yourself to build up to a good belly laugh. Hang out with people who are funny.

Keep a daily journal. You dont need to record everything. Just record some of your activities, thoughts and ideas for each day.

BE KIND TO YOURSELF
There is no point in being hard on yourself, being negative about yourself, putting youself down.... trust me there are enough people on the planet who will do that for you so don't you do it too.... Instead find the good things about yourself and remind yourself about all of the good things about you.. When you think of good things about yourself record them in your journal...

You can of course combine several of these things.... be outdoors with a group of people that are exercising and you will achieve several of these points in one go... So don't fret about this list seeming long... just introcude one or two of these things to your daily/weekly routine at a time and get used to doing it... don't make it too hard on yourself it is more important that you do these things than how well you do them... just add one and get used to it then add another...

Best of Luck with it all and I am sure you will find a way that suits you..

Bessie Said:

Natural medicines for depression/bipolar?

We Answered:

id say a good friend but thats me

Jessica Said:

can I beat depression with natural medicine?

We Answered:

i firmly believe that feeling fabulous in your own skin has more to do with what you don't ingest as opposed to what you do ...... the single most important thing that you can do in this life to maintain optimal health and vitality is to focus on the way your body responds to the foods you are giving it .... in other words....... pay attention to the way your body responds to the food you are giving it each day....... signs such as headaches and migraines, terrible fatigue and exhaustion, nasty mood swings, irritability and grumpiness, achy bones, insomnia, constipation, bloating, depression, anxiety and stress, nasty brain frizz can all be symptoms of intolerances to the foods and or drinks or chemicals you are ingesting / exposed to ..... strip your diet back to organic brown rice or quinoa and fresh green juices ..... some of the least allergenic foods i have found ..... and then slowly add in one new food daily and note your total body reaction to that food....... food has a vast impact on your bounce and vitality mate.... you might just find, as i did, that your symptoms are due to wicked food intolerances........ i had nasty brain frizz that reduced me to tears randomly and arthritic pains in my fingers for nigh on 12 months before i worked out i was very intolerant to the fresh garlic and broccolli i was eating every day of my life...... cruciferous vegies.... who would have thought.

drink more water, ditch processed sugar entirely as it will only ever serve to rip the calcium magnesium out of your bones and leach your water soluble vitamins such as B complex and vitamin C (foods rich in protein help to detox from anything), eat more wholegrains and leafy and green vegies and fresh fruits and do the stuff that really puts a smile on your dial mate...... increase the levels of serotonin naturally.

yes you can take all the supplements available and spend a small fortune on ingesting powders tablets and pills that you really don't know for a fact what they contain in their entirety ...... i mean, who knows whether there really is any processed sugar, wheat, lactose, soy, colorings, additives, flavorings etc... ad nauseum in those supplements when they say "no added blahblahblah" ....... when in actual fact it could simply be something that you are bindly eating or drinking or using to clean your clothes or house with, or even cleansing your body with that is destroying your bounce.

resolve your health issues from the source........;0)

peace baby
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Joan Said:

What is 5HTP (natural medicine used for depression)?

We Answered:

The acronym for 5-hydroxytryptophan (or 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan) is 5-HTP, a compound found primarily in the brain. This compound is made from tryptophan, a natural amino acid inherent in foods. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, which means that it cannot be made by the body. It must be obtained from food, particularly proteins. In the liver and brain, 5-HTP is converted to an important monoamine neurotransmitter called serotonin. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit signals between neurons (nerve cells) in the brain.

Taking 5-HTP increases the body's supply of the compound, which leads to higher serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin, also called 5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT, plays an important role in controlling behavior and moods. It influences many normal brain activities and also regulates the activity of other neurotransmitters. Having adequate levels of serotonin instills a feeling of relaxation, calmness, and mild euphoria (extreme happiness). Low levels of serotonin, serotonin deficiency syndrome, leads to depression, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, and many other problems.

Conditions associated with low levels of serotonin include:

* anxiety
* attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
* bulimia
* depression
* epilepsy
* fibromyalgia
* headaches
* hyperactivity
* insomnia
* obesity
* obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
* panic attacks
* premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
* schizophrenia
* seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

This compound has other effects on the body. It is an antioxidant that protects the body from damage by substances called free radicals (unstable, toxic molecules). In this role, 5-HTP may help slow the aging process and protect the body from illness. Because serotonin is used to make melatonin, taking 5-HTP may help achieve some of the same benefits as melatonin, such as treating jet lag, depression, and insomnia. There is some evidence that 5-HTP can replenish the supply of the pain-relieving molecules called endorphins. Studies have shown that low levels of endorphins are associated with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, stress, and depression. In addition, 5-HTP affects other neurotransmitters, including norepinephrine and dopamine.-

The 5-HTP preparation that is available commercially is isolated from the seed of an African plant called Griffonia simplicifolia. It is available as an enteric coated tablet, which does not break down until it reaches the intestine.-

Olga Said:

Natural medicine for depression?

We Answered:

St. John's Wort is supposedly the best. Though natural it does have side effects for a few. Exercise helps. I write poetry about my feelings when I'm going through it. You go back later & read it & often you'll understand better what triggered it. Sometimes I get the answer while writing it.

But the best advice I ever rec. was getting outside of my own pain by volunteering to help others. There's a big wide world out there with more problems & needs than you could ever imagine. I became a volunteer youth counselor at my church & I got so wrapped up in helping others it did wonders to help my depression. I began to see how much others needed someone who had lived through their same kind of pain & help walk them out of it, instead of judging or giving pat answers.

It also helped me to see more clearly all I had to be grateful for. Everyone always says yeah, I got a roof over my head, a little money, clothes & food, so what? But it takes on a whole new meaning when you help a homeless family who literally have nothing but each other. Or someone who has no family or friends. Or someone dumpster diving for spoiled food.

We tend to turn off the desperation when it's in our face on TV all the time or blame them for their circumstances. But life is terribly unfair. I've known some who had it all & did absolutely nothing to earn or deserve it & greedy & self centered. I've known many more that despite their best efforts & always sharing what little they have barely keep their head above water & go under more than once.

It's when you get involved in the lives of this latter group that the depression in your own life lifts or at least eases. I truly believe it's in our DNA to make a difference that we lived and when we fail to do this our soul grieves, thus unexplainable depression.

Pills can numb it to a certain extent but it doesn't remove it entirely, only alters it's effects temporarily. Pain is what pushes you to find a cure. But it's also what makes you more equipped to help others & understand what they're going through.

It's never easy to reach out but well worth the effort. Take a afternoon & go to a soup kitchen to eat & observe others. Very few fit the lazy, welfare cheater you hear said so often. Most are just like you only with needs. Many work hard for very little just to survive. Some have lost everything due to no fault of their own. It's not easy being homeless & then suffering judgement & humiliation makes it even worse. I've heard the statement hundreds of times that "I don't help them as much as they help me". It's really true.

So no matter what you do to help it try this. It works much faster than a pill & you can do it as often as you want to.