Anybody had any luck with many of the natural "remedies" for depression?....Diet/exercise, Omega-3, st. johns wort? that type of thing?

Sleep . . . especially if I don't wake up. ;)

St. John's Wort induced mania in me like the standard antidepressant so it must work as an antidepressant.

Omega 3's are good for the brain, I recommend them for anything.

I began taking Omega 3 for my ADHD, and in talking online with others I found that they feel it helps their mood more than their ADHD. Which made me look back and realize my mood had also been better and more stable while taking the Omega 3. Wish I had known about it back when the depression was at it's worst (when I still had PMS and mood swings, was living in an emotionally abusive relationship, and had never heard of adult ADHD so had no reason for my daily struggles).

Anyway, Omega 3 is fairly inexpensive, and the only side-effect I've read about is the occasional person who has "fish burps". I have not heard of any contraindications with other supplements or medications. So why not buy a bottle and try it for yourself? If it doesn't help in a month (or less in my case) you're not really out much.

I'm in the omega group as well. I don't suffer from chronic depression or some of the troubling issues some here have with it, but my tendency is to be more on the melancholy side of life. The omegas have helped to keep me from going over the edge, to be less intense emotionally, and a bit more carefree in my thinking. I also have OCD, and have seen some of my anal habits being not so anal. Now, due to these kinds of benefits, I have been able to concentrate a tad better, and get on with my work more efficiently (my productivity has increased, mistakes decreased) in the past few months (here's where the ADHD part is a bit less) and the *physical* effects of my emotions has leveled out, meaning less need for anger outbursts.

Omegas are definitely not like a medication, but they have a great potential for taking many of the edges off.

St. John's wort didn't do anything for me when I had a situational bout of depression. I went for the meds.

Exersise is a great way to boost the body in so many ways too, it's hard to think about exercise when you are feeling the emotional effects of depression, but once you get out there and make it a regular thing, even starting out for a 15 minute daily brisk walk, you will likely be glad that you did when you got back.

Agreed re: all of the above. Omega-3s are great. But do a little research if you're concerned about pollutants in the source. (Of particular concern for woman who might get pregnant.) St. Johns Wort raised my blood pressure like Adderall and helped quite a bit, but the pdoc didn't want me to stay on it because he didn't trust it to be sufficiently standardized. (My pdoc is very open to alternative treatments.) Sleep is big. For me it's always the first to go when I'm stressed, and that's bad because I need it more then.

But this is the one thing that I'd stress above all the others, because it helps everything else fall into place: EXERCISE, strenuous exercise, as in 1 hour's worth in which your breathing is elevated, heart rate is up, you're sweating, etc. Makes a huge difference. Just one such workout will change your outlook the same day that you do it. It also helps put sleep back into line.

I've had more success with these plus using tools like Outlook than with medications, though the medications also help.

Oh, once upon a time, many years ago now, I tried the Zone Diet (not to lose weight, but because I have a big family history of heart disease). I felt fabulous on it, but it was a hassle to maintain. If I had a personal chef at my disposal to make all my meals and snacks, etc. I'd go back on that in a heartbeat.

Good luck.

5-HTP is wicked for me. Within 30 mins, feels like a very light joint, chilled out, more up for things, and clears my head.

I have a friend who is treating her depression successfully by trying to rid her body of yeast.
You can do this through diet, and probiotics. I'm not sure but enzymes might help too.
This person is over 45, has struggled with depression her whole life, and just found this to be helpful this year.
I don't know if it applies to you, but there are books out there I believe one is called "The yeast connection". Someone else probably knows more.

Not sure, but enzymestuff.com might have something.

Good luck, I hope you get relief.

ive been really interested in natural remedies lately.
I have read that alot of the preservatives, colourings, chemicals and other additives that are in our food have alot of bad side effects. Like everything, it affects some more than others. I sometimes wonder if it affects people with ADHD more than others?
Natural food has everything it needs in it, the only reason all these additives are in the food, is too let it last longer, or taste or look better, and for people to make more money.
Now there also alot of genetically modified and enginereed food as well. THey have not been tested in the long term. Who knows what side effects they may have in the next decade??

Natural food has everything it needs in it, the only reason all these additives are in the food, is too let it last longer, or taste or look better, and for people to make more money.


Well I agree some additive are probably not necessary and are for looks but who is going to buy "ugly food"? Others additives are used to keep the food fresh longer--- any thing especially chemical any things in too large of a quaintly can't possibly be a good thing. Fresh fruits and vegetables are better than processed any thing in a can I would think.

Put me down for the omega-3 group - I find it helps with my depression also- my mood are more stable if I avoid too much empty calories junk food - some thing about that fluctuating blood sugar screws with my moods.

Exercise is good for depression also.


In all honesty 5-HTP was so effective for lifting my depression it threw me into mania - I find it helps a lot but if you have family members with bi-polar I would watch the 5-HTP.

thanks meadd, that was interesting to know.
Ive heard about the fish oil Omega 3 being good for people with ADHD.
cheers.

Yes, I've definately had success with natural remedies for depression. This thread is about a program I went through that really helped -- he had the complete package of things to do worked out -- most of it stuff you can totally do yourself.

A few of the things include: Omega III fatty acids, more typtophan in the diet (he also lets you know what food naturally have these in them), more vitamin B, more folic acid, more exercise, more sunlight, more sleep before midnight, more time exploring spiritual studies and abstract thinking, less TV, less computer, and "jarring" music (as opposed to classical), less caffeine and alcohol, no smoking or illicit drugs, and less high fat/high cholestreral foods, etc. He's got a whole book called Depression: The Way Out by Dr. Nedley and they're research has found that in 20 weeks of following their program of lifestyle changes 90 % of the people with unipolar depression were able to get off their medications (under their doctor's supervision) and to stay off and depression free. It also helped me with PMDD (super PMS) problems.

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50454

I've tried the fish oil and the "fish burps" made me soooooo nauseous. :( Flax Seed is also a good source for Omega 3 (and 6 and 9). It comes in capsules and powder form. I bought some, but I haven't tried it yet. Hopefully, it won't make me sick. :) It doesn't smell bad, though. (Just a little FYI for those who can't tolerate fish.)

I tried St. John's wort a loooong time ago - didn't seem to work. Maybe I'll give it another shot.

I've been taking 5-HTP for almost two months now and it doesn't seem to be doing anything for me. Maybe I'm not taking enough? :confused:

How much (5-HTP) does everyone else take?

Valerian Root works for me. As a temporary and occasional treatment for mood improvement (takes the bad feelings away). I need to take 1500mg for it to be effective. I do not recommend to use it daily, nor as a treatment for depression.

if you have a doctor, make sure thye know your trying natural rememdies.. if you do take meds.

Not all work together

Exercise totally rules! Even if you think you can't get out of the house, put on a walkman with some good tunes or a talk show and start walking somewhere. You will soon feel better and better. Just my lame opinion.

I've tried the fish oil and the "fish burps" made me soooooo nauseous. :( Flax Seed is also a good source for Omega 3 (and 6 and 9). It comes in capsules and powder form. I bought some, but I haven't tried it yet. Hopefully, it won't make me sick. :) It doesn't smell bad, though. (Just a little FYI for those who can't tolerate fish.)

I tried St. John's wort a loooong time ago - didn't seem to work. Maybe I'll give it another shot.

I've been taking 5-HTP for almost two months now and it doesn't seem to be doing anything for me. Maybe I'm not taking enough? :confused:

How much (5-HTP) does everyone else take?

Valerian Root works for me. As a temporary and occasional treatment for mood improvement (takes the bad feelings away). I need to take 1500mg for it to be effective. I do not recommend to use it daily, nor as a treatment for depression.


I wonder why some people get "fish burps" but most don't?

Flax seed oil doesn't contain as much DHA as fish oil. Both DHA and EPA seem to be helpful in preventing heart disease, but only the DHA is helpful for brain functioning.

Pregnant women shouldn't take flax seed oil since it may affect their estrogen and hormone levels.

5-HTP didn't work for me either, so after my second bottle (second month) I stopped spending money on it.

"but only the DHA is helpful for brain functioning."

Hmmmm.......If DHA is what we need, then maybe we should start drinking baby formula - you know, the kind fortified with DHA and ARA. :cool:

Think about it - put a shot of baby formula in our smoothies, make similac pancakes, or enfamil muffins! :p The possibilities are endless! :D

Don't mean to offend, just having a little fun.

But seriously, are there any other good sources of DHA?

"but only the DHA is helpful for brain functioning."

Hmmmm.......If DHA is what we need, then maybe we should start drinking baby formula - you know, the kind fortified with DHA and ARA. :cool:

Think about it - put a shot of baby formula in our smoothies, make similac pancakes, or enfamil muffins! :p The possibilities are endless! :D

Don't mean to offend, just having a little fun.

But seriously, are there any other good sources of DHA?

I didn't remember that about baby formula (if I ever knew it). I nursed my baby and my daughter nursed her first baby, but mixed breast milk feedings with formula feedings with her second baby.


...natural sources of DHA and alpha linolenic acid. Good sources include:

cold water/oily fish and fish oils (e.g., salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna, sardines, anchovies); fresh fish is better, as freezing destroys some of the EFA; avoid consumption of fish that may be high in mercury (http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/mom-foods.html#fish)
green leaves of plants, including phytoplankton and algae
some seeds and nuts (flax seeds, walnuts, canola, linseeds, pumpkin seeds)
some legumes (soy beans, Great Northern beans, kidney beans, navy beans)
from: http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/DHA-mother.html (http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/DHA-mother.html)

My system doesn't do well with beans in my diet, so I eat them very sparingly. I don't use oil a lot in my cooking, but I do use canola oil or sunflower seed oil.

You can buy eggs that come from chickens fed a high DHA diet, and they provide some Omega 3/DHA.