Natural Help For Depression - What Are Your Alternatives?

If you are someone who experiences mild depression, even though your symptoms may not be disrupting your life, they may still be sapping your energy and reducing your effectiveness in important areas of your life. If being your best is important to you, it may be time to look into natural help for depression.

There are many physical issues that can contribute to feelings of depression. Physical illnesses involving bacterial, viral, or fungal infections, and over-the-counter or prescription medications can affect the way you feel. You will find that in many cases, it can be a mix of physical and psychological issues. Clinical depression may need to be treated with the help of a professional, but in many cases, mild depression can be treated privately.

All too often, people will dismiss their depression as being just a phase that will pass with time, and though in some cases this might be true, it is important to keep an eye on it. If your symptoms ever grow to the point where they are going to interfere with your professional life or disrupt your family life, it is time to seek help.

Depression and Dietary Considerations

When you're looking at alternative medicine for depression, you'll often find that it's easiest to start with diet alterations. Some people find that the addition of quality meat or other protein to their diet can be instrumental in brightening their condition, especially if hypoglycemia has a hand in causing symptoms.

There are many different diet plans to look into, ranging from low fat-high carb to those that include more protein and fat. Think about your own metabolism and how it operates. You probably already have some experience with noticing how different foods affect how you feel, and you can use that to guide you in making diet adjustments.

Natural Supplements for Depression

Also consider the possibility that dietary supplements and herbal remedies can be effective as natural help for depression. St John's wort, for example, is often suggested for this condition, as are supplements of the SAM-e nutrient. There are clinical studies showing the importance of both of these supplements and you will find that another bonus is that they will not subject you to side effects.

For several more nutritional supplement ideas, take a look at the amino acids 5 HTP and D-Phenylanine. Also, Omega-3 fatty acids can be good for depression and bipolar disorder. You can get these fats into your body through flax, borage and fish oil supplements, or you can include more fish and flax in your diet.

As for herbal remedies, take a look at the herb passionflower, which together with St John's wort is used to treat depression and many other mood disorders. It is good when sleep has been elusive or when you have anxiety that goes along with the depressive feelings. Passionflower is even milder than St. John's wort and there are few adverse effects to be had, though it is worth noting that in certain instances, it may cause drowsiness.

It is also worth noting that you can combine the herbs and nutrients listed here with a regimen of increasing your physical activity. Exercise can work quite effectively as natural help for depression.

No matter what your symptoms are or what your options are going to be, you can find an alternative medicine for depression plan that will work for you. Everyone is different and finding the right kind of results for your own situation can be an interesting journey.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Natural-Help-For-Depression-What-Are-Your-Alternatives?&id=2790248
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