Natural Remedies Are Key to Treating Depression, Anxiety and More
After 25 years practicing psychiatry, I am now fully embracing the power of vitamin, amino acid and herbal remedies to alleviate severely low mood, anxiety, sleeplessness and difficulty concentrating. The data on the impact of these holistic treatments cannot be denied.
Consider just this: Scientific trials have shown that the antidepressant effects of Curcumin, a substance derived from the spice Turmeric, are equivalent to those of Prozac. And Prozac can cause sleeplessness, agitation and sexual dysfunction.
As many as 350 million people worldwide are affected by depression. One in ten adolescents show symptoms by the age of 18. Thirty percent of college students report feeling depressed. Some studies peg the financial cost of depression $80 billion a year. If a spice is one key to addressing this epidemic, imagine how many other naturally occurring substances might also be invaluable.
Here’s another example: Beta-Phenylethylamine (PEA), a naturally-occuring amino acid already found in the body can be taken as a supplement and has been found to rapidly increase mood, attention, motivation and alertness. It seems to strengthen the effectiveness of some of the brain’s most important neurotransmitters.
And one more: Studies on the use of lavender oil to combat anxiety sleeplessness have found that it rivals the effectiveness of benzodiazepine tranquilizers, without any of their known potential for addiction or over-sedation.
I am also now routinely advising clients on the proper use of resveratrol, glutathione, NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) specially formulated fish oil and many other vitamins, amino acids and herbal remedies to achieve maximal well-being.
It is clear to me that expert counseling based on increasing insight and effecting behavioral changes, combined with the proper use of supplements, can combat many of the symptoms for which psychiatric medications are so frequently prescribed.
Dr. Keith Ablow
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