Health Goals: Natural Treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder
If you want to achieve your health goals, check out Dr Jared Schulman’s six natural treatments for seasonal affective disorder and holiday stress - which is especially useful through the dark months of winter! Dr Schulman is the the Medical Expert for www.Mamaherb.com, describes
“The more you’re stressed, the greater the risk of accidents infections, and arterial aging,” writes Dr Mehmet Oz in You! The Owner’s Manual. “It’s not really the stress we’re worried about, since everyone has it; it’s more your response to stress.”
Natural stress relief remedies are a great way to deal with stress. Some of Dr Schulman’s suggestions may seem odd (have you ever heard of chewing on Basil leaves?), but he does back his claims with research support. If you want to achieve your health goals, it’s worth reading his natural treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder.
And, if you’re interested in learning a few very cool secrets about your body, click on the book cover for more information about You! The Owner’s Manual. To learn natural treatments for seasonal affective disorder and decreasing holiday stress, read on…
Health Goals: 6 Natural Treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder
1. Get to the root of the problem: “It may be important to get to the root of the underlying depression,” says Dr Schulman. “If it’s not seasonal affective disorder (see below for details on this type of depression), holiday blues could be due to financial or relationship problems, both of which seem amplified during the holidays. It’s important to reassess these aspects and put things into perspective.” To treat seasonal affective disorder and achieve your health goals, it helps to figure out what exactly is getting you down.
2. Exercise: “Exercise leads to the release of endorphins, which are neurotransmitters which affect the brain on a number of levels,” says Dr Schulman. “They have been shown to help increase cognition and fight depression and stress. Exercising regularly not only helps release these endorphins, but helps you feel better about yourself as well. This is especially important around the holidays when healthy diets are often put on hold.” It may be difficult to find time to exercise around the holidays, but that’s precisely when holiday stress hits and you need to think about achieving your health goals the most.
3. Chew on Basil leaves: According to the experts at Mamaherb, chewing basil leaves may actually help to relieve certain stress-producing compounds found in the body. In a recent study, stress-induced biochemical changes were seen in male rats which displayed promising antistress effects by normalizing hyperglycemia, plasma corticosterone, plasma creatine kinase, and adrenal hypertrophy. To decrease holiday stress naturally - and possibly help treat seasonal affective disorder - try chewing on something other than your family’s crazy habits!
4. Take Slender Dwarf Morning Glory supplements: “A lesser known naturally occurring compound is the slender dwarf morning glory (Evolvulus alsinoides),” says Dr Schulman. “This hairy perennial herb, according to Mamaherb, is native to India and can be found in holistic and herbal stores.” Slender dwarf morning glory also contains a number of extracts that may help to naturally decrease holiday stress. Dr Schulman also points out that this herb contains some phenolic constituents, which lower stress hormones - which will help you achieve your health goals.
5. Supplement with Ginko Biloba & Panax Ginseng: According to Mamaherb, two more popular stress relievers are Ginko Biloba and Panax Ginseng. “These herbs were compared in a recent study,” says Dr Schulman. “Ginko Biloba was administered at 30 mg/kg orally and Panax Ginseng was administered at 100 mg/kg orally to rats. This was followed by close monitoring of acute stress and chronic stress markers. Ginko Biloba significantly reduced all acute stress markers. Panax Ginseng significantly reverted two of the six parameters. Chronic stress was relieved by ginseng, but not Biloba. From the above study, Gingko Biloba is more effective in acute stress, whereas for chronic stress, Panax Ginseng will be a better option.” According to Dr Schulman, this study can be found in The Journal of Pharmacological Science. 2003 Dec;93(4):458-64).
6. Stay healthy during the holidays!! Stress and the immune system go hand in hand. By taking daily vitamins or eating foods high in vitamins (especially Vit A, B, C, and potassium) one can combat both the holiday blues and boost the immune system. Natural ways to decrease holiday stress include eating citrus fruits, nuts and seeds (especially sunflower seeds and cashews), bananas and apples are all great and simple ways to stay healthy and in good spirits. These are also natural treatments for seasonal affective disorder, and can help you achieve your health goals.
Additional Information on Seasonal Affective Disorder
Seasonal affective disorder can make holiday stress worse - which will prevent you from achieving your health goals. Here are the basics of seasonal affective disorder:
Dr Schulman says that currently in the United States roughly 5 percent of the population suffers from seasonal affective disorder, while another 10 to 20 percent may suffer from a more mild form of winter blues.
Three-quarters of the sufferers are women, most of whom are between the third and fifth decades of life. However, seasonal depression and stress can affect men and children as well. It is more commonly seen in people who live at high latitudes (geographic locations farther north or south of the equator), where seasonal changes are more extreme.
The exact cause of seasonal affective disorder remains a mystery, but the influence of latitude on SAD strongly suggests that it is caused by changes in the availability of sunlight. One theory is that with decreased exposure to sunlight, the biological clock that regulates mood, sleep, and hormones is delayed, running more slowly in winter. Exposure to light may reset the biological clock - which means light exposure is a great way to achieve your health goals!
Another theory is that brain chemicals that transmit information between nerves, called neurotransmitters (for example, serotonin), may be altered in individuals with seasonal affective disorder. It is believed that exposure to light can correct these imbalances.
For more information on Dr Jared Schulman or Mamaherb, visit www.Mamaherb.com - it’s a great resource, full of information about natural ingredients, treatments, and advice for healthy bodies.
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