Mental Health Alternative Medicine
Mental health alternative medicine is just as important as our physical health is. What good is it to be physically fit, but to not be mentally fit and alert too?
Besides that, if our mind is not healthy we are more apt to become physically sick with disease anyway. So it is always good to take care of our whole system in all areas of health – that would be spiritually, mentally, and physically.
Mental Health Alternative Medicine: Sleep Disorders
Believe it or not, lack of sleep affects us more psychologically than physically. When we become sleep deprived, you’ll definitely notice it in your attitude and stress levels. Eventually if we continue to not sleep well, it will catch up to us in a more physical way, causing numerous health problems.
Sleep deprivation over many days will turn us into negative zombies towards others and even ourselves. So it is very detrimental to our mental and emotional health to not get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can also cause depression and anxiety issues.
Insomnia and other sleep related conditions are usually caused from too much mental energy going on in the brain. We wake up in the middle of the night, thinking about the worries and stresses of tomorrow, and we can’t go back to sleep. So what can we do about insomnia?
For those nights we can’t seem to sleep, we ought to stop fighting it. Get up out of bed and make yourself a cup of hot herbal tea. Relax your mind and try to stop thinking about what tomorrow will bring
To prevent insomnia there should be no caffeine or alcohol after 7 pm, and do not take sleeping pills because they lose their effectiveness in two days. Do not do any strenuous exercises before bed, or any other stressful chores.
Instead, unwind for the evening by having a cup of chamomile tea. Be sure to allow the tea bag to steep for at least five minutes before drinking. Happy dreams!
Mental Health Alternative Medicine: Brain Disorders
What exactly are the so-called brain disorders? Brain disorders are those that affect the mind in some way. Diabetes could be considered a mental disorder as well as physical.
Sugar conditions, whether from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or diabetes (high blood sugar) definitely affects our moods and how we feel throughout the day. Attention Deficient disorder, bipolar syndrome, alcoholism, and depression all affect our mental health.
Most mental disorders can be treated and effectively healed through eating a whole foods diet that pays particular close attention to trace minerals. Zinc and magnesium are deficient in individuals with brain disorders.
Additives such as preservatives, dyes, and MSG that are packed in many of the canned foods cause mental upset, and even seizures.
A diet high in fatty acids is essential for a healthy mind. In fact, research supports that essential fatty acid supplementation into the diet of ADD/ADHD kids and adults lessen the effects of hyperactivity, aggression and impulsiveness.
Fish that are high in fatty acids are mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon.
Healing takes place by avoiding processed foods and refined sugars from the diet of an individual with certain mental issues. Ironically, hypoglycemia, ADHD and Bipolar all share in the same mental and physical symptoms.
This means that they most likely share in the same trace mineral deficiencies too. Mental health alternative medicine is all about healing the individual through diet and nutrition.
Mental Health Alternative Medicine: Anxiety and Panic Disorders
Anxiety and panic disorders are also considered to be brain conditions. Why do we become anxious, moody, fearful and panicky? Leading an overall healthy lifestyle is the key to preventing issues within our mind.
Getting enough sleep, eating properly, making sure we are not deficient in minerals and vitamins, getting plenty of exercise, drinking lots of pure water, and having a firm belief in God all work together to keep us mentally fit.
Both fish oil supplementation and a diet rich in magnesium helps curb the anxiousness and panicky feelings within us. Many herbs have been known to help deal with issues of anxiety and panic.
Here is a list:
- American skullcap
- Bacopa
- Chamomile
- Hops
- Linden
- Motherwort
- Oats (oat straw)
- Pennyroyal
- St. John's Wort
- Wood betony
Sources:
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=11884&cn=15
http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1010008.htm
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