Day 61: Natural Ways to Combat Depression

from The Naturopathy Workbook by Stephen Langley:

DEPRESSION:

DEFINITION
Mental depression is an affected disorder characterised by altered mood. There is loss of interest in all usually pleasurable outlets such as food, sex, work, friends, hobbies or entertainment. May be bipolar (mood and elation are alternately present), endogenous (without apparent cause) or situational or exogenous (usually self-limiting from disappointment, illness or loss of job or loved one).

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Diagnostic criteria include presence of at least four of the following every day for at least two weeks:
• Poor appetite or significant weight loss, or increased weight gain
• Insomnia or hypersomnia (sleeping for long lengths of time)
• Psychomotor agitation or retardation
• Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities, loss of libido
• Loss of energy or fatigue
• Feelings of worthlessness, self- reproach, or excessive or inappropriate guilt.
• Diminished ability to think or concentrate.
• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

ORTHODOX TREATMENT
Orthodox treatments of depression suppress the symptoms and don't treat the cause. All orthodox treatments have tremendous and often irreversible side effects.

POSSIBLE FACTORS
• Exhaustion-mental or physical
• Hypothyroidism
• Alcohol abuse
• Recreational drug abuse
• Loss of loved one
• Sunlight deprivation
• Poor nutrient status-vitamins B3, B6, lecithin
• Blood sugar imbalances (Hypoglycaemia)
• Hormonal fluctuations (oestrogen/ progesterone)
• Postnatal
• Food allergies
• Deficiency of amino acids - tryptophan and phenylalanine
• Medication, drugs, the Pill
• Dehydration
• Dysbiosis - candida overgrowth

NATUROPATHIC TREATMENT & MANAGEMENT
• Remove stimulants - caffeine, alcohol, smoking
• Increase Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) e.g. Udo's oil
• Increase tryptophan foods (precursor to serotonin) - chicken, fish, turkey, beans,
avocados, cottage cheese, wheat germ, bananas.
• Emotional healing - counselling (e.g. repressed anger)
• Exercise, yoga, Qi gong
• Eliminate refined carbohydrates and sugar
• Vitamin C (500mg BD with food)
• Vitamin B complex plus extra folic acid (400mcg daily)
• Walnut tea (serotonin) - steep a broken half of a walnut in boiling water, drink several over the day.
• Porridge (oats) for nervous system restoration
• Aromatherapy - clary sage, lavender, rose, jasmine
• Bach Flowers - mustard, sweet chestnut, star of Bethlehem
• Bowel detox - probiotics
• Eliminate food intolerances or allergies e.g. wheat

HERBS
St John's Wort Hypericum perforatum (sedative) 2-4g by infusion TDS (N.B. DO NOT TAKE THIS IF YOU ARE BLOOD TYPE O OR DO NOT KNOW YOUR BLOOD TYPE. IT HAS DANGEROUS SIDE EFFECTS FOR TYPE O. - by Editor (SBW).

HOMOEOPATHY
Refer to Homoeopathic practitioner