Vitamins for Depression – Which Nutrients Are Best?

Effective Natural Vitamins & Supplements for Depression, Anxiety & Stress
Reduction

People who’ve never experienced the disabling effects of depression and anxiety may find it difficult to understand. Additionally, if you’re sensitive to side effects of prescription anti-depressants, it can make the situation even more difficult. Vitamin supplements for depression and anxiety may offer a natural alternative for both men and women who are dealing with these issues.

Symptoms need not be disabling to still have a negative impact on your life. Mild or low grade depression can be insidious since there are no disabling symptoms to alert you to the problem. Low grade depression can sap your energy and reduce your effectiveness in all areas of life.

It’s very important to know where to draw the line when it comes to depression and anxiety. People often dismiss their depressed feelings as a phase that will blow over, and this may be true sometimes.

Should the symptoms not interfere with normal activities such as work, socialization, family and professional life, the temporary “down phase” can be used and seen as an opportunity for personal growth.

To determine if you’re experiencing depression here are some things to check:

*Are you experiencing low energy?
*Are you maintaining your interest in life?
*Do you often experience a vague unhappiness for no apparent reason?
*Do you often berate yourself?
*Are you having sleep problems – too much, not enough, restless sleep, etc.
*Do you find it difficult to concentrate or to make decisions?

If you’re experiencing some of these symptoms, it may be time to consider your options. There’s no need to continue letting depression and/or anxiety drain the enjoyment from your life.

Holistic treatment for depression works with multiple factors in the depression sufferer’s life. Some things, like diet for example, are relatively easy to change. For some people, adding consistent, high quality protein to the diet may substantially ease symptoms of depression, should hypoglycemia or some similar condition be a partial cause of symptoms.

Stress, Depression, Anxiety and the Abdominal Brain

Diet and digestive health can be very influential when experiencing depression and/or anxiety. Current research is revealing that the stomach and intestines have a very sensitive neural network called the enteric nervous system. Some researchers are calling this complex nervous system “the abdominal brain” because of it’s extensive neural pathways.

You’ve no doubt noticed how stress and negative emotions can “hit you in the gut.” This is an example of the abdominal brain in action. If our lives are hectic and fast paced with little time to relax, the stress will tend to build up in the abdominal area which can cause indigestion, acid reflux and many other issues.

This situation can be aggravated by processed foods that contain artificial additives that may cause an allergic irritation. In natural treatment of depression and anxiety, modifying diet is an effective way to ease symptoms. Some things that may be helpful are:

1. As much as possible, switch from processed food to natural, organic food. If you have little time for preparing food, many grocery stores have health food sections where you can even find ready made prepared foods.

2. Check for possible food allergies or sensitivities. Some common allergens include, refined sugar, highly processed fats (trans fats), dairy products, grains (gluten).

3. If hypoglycemia is involved in your symptoms try to get adequate protein and healthy fats consistently with your meals. For guidelines on recommended carbohydrate, protein and fat ratios, see The Zone diet or another variation.

4. Deficiencies of essential nutrients, mineral levels  and vitamins (b6, b12, etc.) may help cause physical effects like fatigue and mental effects like depression and anxiety. It may be difficult to get all the nutrients you need by eating healthy – nutritional supplementation is another option.

Effective Natural Vitamins & Supplements for Depression, Anxiety & Stress Reduction.

The herbs passionflower and valerian have an excellent track record for providing effective support of the brain and nervous system. This has also been confirmed by clinical research and has made these herbs a popular addition in many herbal formulas to help soothe depression, anxiety, panic, and stress.

SAM-e is a nutrient manufactured naturally by the human body. Our bodies use the amino acid methionine to produce SAM-e.

SAM-e is a very important substance that is involved in dozens of metabolic processes within our body.

But how does it work as a natural antidepressant?

SAM-e has been shown in research studies to increase serotonin and dopamine activity – two very important compounds that strongly influence our moods.

If you’re experiencing emotional problems like depression, anxiety, panic attacks or unexplained mood swings, there are effective natural cures.

You can feel good again, maybe sooner than you think.

Tips on Choosing a Nutritional Supplement

1. Make sure you only use the highest quality supplements. Government and private companies have shown that some supplements on the market harbor contaminants or do not contain the amount of ingredients stated on the label. The highest quality supplements, on the other hand, are manufactured to the same rigorous standard that prescription drugs are.

2. SAM-e and other nutrients can be destroyed by stomach acids on contact, so it’s important to choose a supplement with an enteric coating.

As mentioned earlier, stress, anxiety and depression often upset the digestive system causing a build-up of excess acid that destroys nutrients from food and many dietary supplements before they can reach the small intestine where they will be converted to energy.

A nutritional supplement with an enteric coating can pass through stomach acid unharmed and be released in the small intestine where the nutrients can do the most good.

You don’t have to let depression, anxiety and stress continue to sap your energy, interfering with your ability to be your best.

Why not use the best? Your health depends on it.

Featured Product
One company that manufactures a supplement that meets the aforementioned requirements is Xtend-Life Natural Products from New Zealand.

It is a Neurological Formula called Neuro Natural Serenity that contains not only SAM-e but also almost 50 other powerful and crucial nutrients for healthy brain function.

And healthy brain function is one of the most important requirements for reducing anxiety and depression symptoms.

Two other important nutrients in neuro natural serenity are DMAE and the herb, Gotu Kola. Both of these are research-backed brain boosters, known for their ability to enhance cognitive functions and lift moods.

We’ve used and tested Xtend-Life’s products, studied the research information on their website, and have decided that Xtend-Life is producing some of the highest quality nutritional supplements on the market today. Their prices are reasonable and their customer service is excellent.

If you’re looking for a natural solution for stress, anxiety and/or depression, you may find Xtend-Life’s Neuro Natural Serenity to be highly beneficial.

Wishing You Good Health!
The Editors i-health-info.com

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3 Responses to “Vitamins for Depression – Which Nutrients Are Best?”

  1. helpless says:

    I am loosing a lot of weight, I was told I don’t have a thyroid condition – is there anything I can take to help increase my appetite? I’ve been suffering from anxiety for the last 10 years and im only 25, my condition got worse when I had an abortion(3 years ago). I seeked some professional help and they wanted to put me on depression pills, I refuse to take them. I don’t want to be a junky, I know there is hope for me and natural cures are the best way to go… I thank you for the help on your website, I will surely hit the health store and look out for some of the listed above. One of the major reasons I think my anxiety got worse was becuase I was on birthcontrol a few years back. im moody as it is and that just made everything worse. I’m prone to migrains and I use to smoke, what a horrible mix. Doctor’s today don’t care, we are just a number to them, not all – im sure there are some that are in it to help the sick….

    Thank you very much!

  2. admin says:

    Helpless, I can certainly empathize with your situation. I know from experience how much anxiety, depression and mood swings can affect your life.
    Please don’t give up on finding professional help that you’re satisfied with. Sometimes when you have so much going on it can be really helpful to have a professionals insight. I know there are many good and caring people out there-the challenge is finding the right one for you. Thanks for your comment and best of luck with your health!

  3. Katie says:

    I clicked on this link because I was looking for a supplement to increase my daily nutrients, because I am very active and its hard to get all of them in on a daily basis. Im glad I read the responses though.

    “Helpless”:

    First of all, you have been through a lot, I hope things have been better for you now. You should know though that you are not helpless. I HIGHLY recommend you contact Advice and Aid pregnancy Center they’ve helped thousands recover abortions-they have a group specifically for those recovering from abortions. They are located in Kansas City. Their number is: 913-962-0200 and website (www.adviceandaid.com) they will help you find a pregnancy center near you and can send you more info. They also have phone hotline counselors who pray and build a relationship with you (kind of like a spiritual director) and help you with any questions, comments, or concerns about pregnancy, abortions, natural family planning (not using contraceptives and planning your future family responsibly while still being open to life which is MORE effective than using the pill. Statistics proof it. If you are a Christian what’s great about is you are still being open to life and for those using NFP (natural family planning) instead the divorce rate is nearly slim to none (statistics proof it) b/c it forces the couple to communicate more on many different levels again it really is more effective than using the pill at avoiding pregnancies but if God want to bring someone into the world by all means it is still able to happen. These are just a few benefits there are so many more (if your interested in knowing more about that (check out http://www.onemoresoul.com they have CDs available that talk about the effects and statistics of NFP vs. Contraceptives.)

    Contraception no matter what kind you use are horrible for one’s health. The only PROVEN safe, effective, natural, pro-life alternative that will turn your life around is using NATURAL PROGESTERONE Cream. It is a replica of what our own body produces and their are ZERO side effects b/c of it. It’s not a drug or medicine and its affordable. Arbonne International (an all natural company) makes it and of their hundreds of products it is the leading seller itself. I use it and most of my friends/family do too-that’s how I learned about. Whether or suffering from menopausal symptoms or PMS symptoms or even other health issues its worth trying. Nearly every women needs it, for those who don’t they prob. aren’t a young adult yet..this is b/c hardly anyone on a daily produces enough progesterone. just like we usually don’t get enough nutrients.

    e.g.
    My roommate was using Yaz for her PMS symptoms alone and she is Pro-Life, what was horrible is she was unaware that by using the pill it can cause future unknown abortions/miscarriages b/c it damages your uterus and disrupts the stages of pregnancies, on top of that it was helping with a few PMS symptoms yes, but caused severe side effects and intense migraines, she was irritable and had irregular periods and a few times nearly fainted. The list goes on of other side effects that aren’t even listen on the box we looked online and their was PAGES of side effects in the long term by being on the pill (cancers..ect)

    All natural Progesterone cream….has ZERO side effects. period.

    My roommate is on her 3wk with NO headache (used to get them everyday) and her periods are regular, heavier, and longer (used to be very light and only a day) there’s def. something wrong with that considering we were made to have longer periods no wonder its hard to get pregnant on the pill. We are taking out God’s will and not being open to life. Again, NFP is a great alternative with much more benefits than just avoiding health side effects by being on the pill.

    1. Ask your Doctor about NATURAL Progesterone Cream (although not a whole lot of Docs know about it that’s why your Doc’s prob. only recommend the pill). You don’t need a docs order to order it, but why not spread the word and let them know, then when you see the benefits you can let them know so they can help their future patients! :) You do need to make sure in the end where ever you get it that it is NATURAL and not just “progesterone cream” alone.

    2. Arbonne International has a whole line of products and its there top selling product since it was established and they do have the all natural cream. If you are interested you can get 20% off every time you order by going through an actually Arbonne consultant rather than ordering straight from their site, if no one you know is in your area contact me (swedish06@live.com) I am also a consultant, the consultants order from Arbonne (www.arbonne.com) and it’s shipped directly to you OR you can sign up as a consultant and get the same discount.

    p.s. I promise I’m not a spokes person for any of the organizations I listed (which by the way two are non-profit) I’m a young adult whose passion is to spread this news because it helped me with my PMS symptoms too and sooo many of my family and friends.

    Praying for your health and hope this helps in some way…
    God Bless!

    Katie

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