Depression is running rampant through Fort Lauderdale and every city in South Florida, and in our society as well. Approximately 35 million Americans suffer with depression or chronic anxiety. Many are taking anti-depressant medications. While these medications do offer support for a variety of people some do not respond as well. A few reasons for this include:
- Side effects that can outweigh the benefits of the medication being used
- Feeling disconnected from themselves on the medication
- Having a belief system that says depression isn’t a biochemical imbalance
Essential Oils:
Essential Oils can be quite helpful. Here is a brief list of oils:
- Roman Chamomile
- Lavender
- Citrus oils of Mandarin, Orange, Lime, Bergamot, Tangerine
- Geranium
- Ylang Ylang
Read more about Aromatherapy here
Chinese Herbs:
There are many Chinese herbal formulas that really work wonders for depression. Here are a few:
- Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang
- Gui Pi Tang
- Tian Wan Bu Xin Tang
Read more about Chinese Medicine here
Acupuncture:
Acupuncture is a branch of Chinese medicine that treats the energetic level of the person. It is usually a profoundly relaxing experience that establishes a deep quality of restoration and balance to the central nervous system. Almost all people feel sleepy, dreamy, altered within the treatment and after. The feeling stays long after treatment ends and becomes better with continuous treatment. In our Fort Lauderdale office, we have found many people don’t want to leave after their treatments and just want to curl up and stay in this wonderful feeling of well being.
Read more about Acupuncture here
Nutritional Supplements:
I find that the majority of depressed or anxious patients throughout Fort Lauderdale and South Florida suffer from hypoglycemia. Many of them begin their day drinking coffee and then crash in the afternoon. It is important to maintain stable blood sugar throughout the day.
To help with this start the day with a high protein breakfast such as whole oats, eggs, turkey bacon. Make sure to have a snack with you and take it every 2 to 3 hours. Avoid caffeine and coffee or at least cut down your intake. Avoid allergenic food such as refined sugar, pasteurized dairy, wheat and gluten for 30 days and see what happens. The depression could significantly improve. Some nutritional supplements to help depression:
- Fish Oil
- B Vitamin complex
Emotional Issues:
Depression means you are holding something inside of yourself. This could be from anger or frustration that you don’t express because of fear, low self-esteem or many other reasons. I have found that the use of Chinese Medicine, counseling and other holistic modalities work really well in helping to move through the issues and stuck energy. Something you can do for yourself is to move your body either through walking, running, biking, dancing to name a few. This also helps move the stuck energy inside your body/mind so you have more energy.
In my clinical practice in Fort Lauderdale, I have worked with many patients who have lost hope and felt they had run out of options. Many come to me as a last resort. Based on my experience working with numerous patients that have suffered from anxiety and chronic depression. I can safely say that using the above modalities has helped me in getting to the root cause of the depression and helping my patients move on with their lives.
Dr. Marji Lee Pearson is an Acupuncture Physician, Certified Chinese Herbalist and an Aroma therapist. She has a private practice located at 4800 N.E. 20th Terrace, Suite 201 - Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33308 . You can reach her at (954) 772-9393, email info@asianhealingarts-center.com
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