Five Natural Treatments For Manic Depression
Treatment for manic depression, or bipolar disorder, does not have to mean toxic drugs or expensive psychiatric sessions. This mental illness, affecting an estimated seventeen million people in the United States, is characterized by bouts of clinical depression followed by a period when the person feels elated and over-confident. This leads to behaviors like overspending, high-risk investing, gambling and even drug abuse, fighting or sexual promiscuity.
While a few cases may be purely psychological, the general consensus is that the problem stems from an imbalance of the person’s brains chemistry. Whether caused by a nutritional deficiency or a hormonal imbalance, brain chemistry can be easily set aright by natural means.
Following are five effective treatments for manic depression.
1. B vitamins
B vitamins are essential in regulating a variety of hormones that affect mood, particularly endorphines. Since the foods with the highest amount of B vitamins – animal organs such as liver and brain – are avoided by most Americans today, a deficiency in the B vitamins is easy to develop.
Probably the best source of B vitamins available in stores today is the Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw B-Complex, available in many stores.
2. Whole food diet
Some find their treatment for manic depression solely consists in adopting a healthy diet. Monosodium glutamate and the myriad of chemicals used to color, flavor and preserve processed foods can alter one’s brain chemistry. In addition, a whole-foods based diet is much higher in nutrients, which helps the body to be generally healthier.
3. Daily exercise
Getting the blood circulating and muscles moving also help the body to release the stress-busting endorphins. While strength training is being more emphasized lately, those with bipolar disorder should not neglect aerobic exercise, as it does more to release those precious hormones.
4. Time outdoors
Taking a walk around the block or even hiking a nature trail will not cure manic depression all by itself. However, spending some time every day in the fresh air and enjoying the trees and flowers does wonders to reduce stress levels. And when stress levels go down, so does your risk of mental illness.
5. Frankincense essential oil
This oil – in its completely undiluted, unadulterated form – is proven to effectively treat mental issues, especially depression. Like the B vitamins, it works on the brain chemistry to get everything into balance. Be Young Essential Oils also sells a blend called Brain Gem, which contains frankincense, that is specifically formulated to bring the brain back into balance.
Masaji, another Be Young product, not only contains frankincense essential oil but also is high in B vitamins.
Effective treatment for manic depression is no further than your front door or the nearest health food store. Don’t allow yourself or your loved ones to suffer with it any longer.
