# "Natural remedies" for anxiety/depression



## BeNice (Jan 2, 2004)

Since I'm not going to be getting on meds for a while, and maybe not ever, the least I can do is start eating better and at least attempting to ingest something that _might _help. Does anyone here take anything in particular, or do you feel it's all placebo and BS and just makes you feel like something is happening but not really?


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

IMO I would regard these remedies as having good evidence of helpfulness in SA, and at least being generally free of risk and good for one's health:

- moderate aerobic exercise (anything, even walking - done for 6-12 weeks consistently)
- adequate vitamin intake (multivitamin is good)
- B-vitamins (mainly B6, but others are also important) 
- omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil (not flax seed, sorry)
(I take/ do all these)

Since it is difficult to rule out deficiencies of (for example) folate without a doctor's exam and maybe blood tests, supplementation might be the way to go and is generally free of risks with B-vitamins, which are water-soluble (extras just get peed out). 

However, none of these are fast-acting and may take months to cause positive effects - at which point, other factors may also contribute to a reduction in anxiety. So it is hard to say. But as I say, there is little risk, typically little cost (maybe $20/ year for vitamins, $10/ month for fish oil, and the cost of a decent pair of walking or running shoes). And they are good for your general health.

There is just loads of information on B-vitamins and homocysteine; folate, B-12, and depression; B-6 and serotonin and GABA modulation, and so on. Zinc is an NMDA receptor antagonist (?) and has a modulatory role in antidepressant function; so does magnesium and selenium. Exercise is known to help, possibly by shocking cells into growing new brain cells and connections, and helps to increase the efficiency with which nutrients are delivered to brain cells (but I don't recall if this is via increased glucose use, or changes in glial cells and astrocytes, or what.) Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil have been *hugely* studied in mood and anxiey disorders, from theoretical implications via anti-inflammatory and cell membrane mechanisms, to causative factors, to positive double-blind placebo controlled studies in depression. They are definitely worth looking at. They even have Rx omega-3s now, to capitalize on the trend.

If you do manage to get in to see a doctor, IMHO it should be done to check one's thyroid levels and in certain cases, glucose. Levels that are too low or too high, of either of these, can cause or aggravate mood and anxiety disorders. It is much easier to treat hypothyroidism than it is to treat psych stuff. Unfortunately docs do not do these tests too often, and patients obviously don't usually know to ask about them.

I hope that helps, and is not too confusing.


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## BeNice (Jan 2, 2004)

I do all of the things you listed, but I don't take a seperate B supplement. Maybe I'll buy myself a b-complex supplement. I do take a multivitamin. I also get more than average excercise than most people I know. I ride my bike a lot, as you may or may not know, and prefer to be outdoors in general. I also am taking a fish oil that has to be the highest quality... $38 container which I got for free, and I take flax. Maybe I'll start taking more omega-3's. I'll admit, I don't take fish oil or flax more than once a day. I need to start forcing myself to take it more than once every morning. Maybe I should carry it around like it's medication. 

I think I'm just getting too old and I realize the situation I'm in isn't right, and I don't want to put forth the effort to change. I really feel like I'm getting closer to the deciding factor of whether I want to continue living anymore.


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## Melusine (Jun 19, 2004)

Try Brewer's Yeast, it contains all b vitamins and chrominum (sp) anyway, good things that our bodies need to be 'balanced' and feel good. 
Olive oil is good and eating a handful of almonds is a good protein snack. Some suggestions. 
I agree about aerobic exercise, i notice in me, who can suffer pretty severe depression, a huge difference after i workout. 

Someone tried to persuade me into taking medication, but i really don't want it because i know that i don't need it because i've done fine before without it, so that proves i have more power in me than any pill or therapist can give me. It's chemical and it's mood, and health is mind health, plus try to be upbeat and have positive self image, spiritual things and meditation are big helping factors in recovery and maintenance of a good attitude and mind, body (spirit) balance.


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## binx005 (Jun 14, 2006)

My brother told me that all natural medicine doent really work and that it is all in my head. But i have noticed a difference in my physical and mental state after taking L-theanine and inositol. Plus, why would there be all those millions of different kinds of plants and not one of them be helpful for anxiety? Alot of good synthetic medicine was first found from plants, like Aspirin.


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