Elliot, I realize I’m coming into this post in the middle of the events and developments, but something I believe may also be of help in your daughter’s, and your case. In this area of medical or clinical depression, the chemicals that are involved in the brain that affect our moods, may be involved as a result of the imbalances of these chemicals. This thinking has been the cause of an entire industry to develop treatments for these moods and symptoms. We are blasted continuously with commercial ads on TV for all kinds of new medicines to treat depression that sound quite dangerous when you listen to the potential side effects, and many of them have later proven to be very dangerous. Prayer is the starting point, but also the real world followup for action involves the Spirit of Truth. This followup uses the hands on working knowledge of our planets natural resources as discovered by man to help alleviate our physical suffering. Here is my suggestion for helping to alleviate the symptoms of depression. (Myself, my wife, her daughter, and my son all suffer with varying degrees and types of depression.) The natural plant world has many known and unknown chemicals that may improve and restore the balance of our nutritional needs and these brain chemicals. I believe and try to practice the idea of a balanced diet using as many varieties of natural (unprocessed) plants as I can. But I particularly try to stay away from the man added chemicals such as sodium nitrite (used in the preservation of meats such as pork) that I know causes insomnia, caffeine from coffee, tea, and soft drinks ( a natural and artificially added stimulant used for all kinds of reasons, but has been shown to be not only an insomnia producer, but also a powerful mood altering chemical), monosodium glutamate ( that makes food taste good but also causes long lasting insomnia), excessive sucrose (that triggers the insulin-adrenalin cycling) and may be involved with blood pressure regulation. Plants also are in themselves soothing to the humane psyche for their floral beauty, their aromas, their pleasing shapes, as anyone who has been inside a plant nursery will tell you. Aroma therapy has only recently become the “in” thing, and may have something to it if one considers that pheromones are odors or aromas that stimulate hormonal changes in our bodies whether they come from plants or other humans, and it has been shown with certain insects that these pheromones from certain plants can fool the insects into trying to “mate” with the plant and thus spread its pollen. The whole perfume, after shave, and deodorant industry is built upon this aroma reaction. If pleasing aromas that trigger “good” feelings, such as roses, citrus fruits, a cooking pot roast, or the neck of a horse can cause our bodies to release whatever hormones that cause these bodily changes, then these aromas may also be used to treat the depression by causing the release of beneficial “good feeling” chemicals. Light therapy is also beneficial for my wife and her daughter who suffer from the mid-winter doldrums. Her relief is actually noticable when she sits and reads in front of these lights. I know I’m getting wordy, but I couldn’t help but to relate what has helped our family tremendously. Bob
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