The Best Herbs For Fighting Depression

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10. Vervain

Vervain is another herb that has been used for hundreds of years throughout Eastern Europe and northern Africa for everything from snake bites to fever, headaches to gout, epilepsy to ulcers. This herb is mentioned in ancient historical texts as a natural remedy for feelings of depression and fatigue. Vervain has active phytochemicals and tannins, including beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A. Beta-carotene is linked with the prevention and treatment of depression. Although it has not been studied as much as other herbs, vervain has been used successfully for the treatment of mild depression by many modern day herbalists.

11. B Vitamins

B vitamins are absolutely essential to the proper maintenance of healthy brain chemistry, including the production of neurotransmitters that stop depression. Numerous clinical trials show that a deficiency in B vitamins is linked to depression. Don’t believe that just because you eat a healthy diet, you could not have a B vitamin deficiency. Your doctor would need to run a blood test to determine if you have a deficiency in any of the B vitamins, or you can simply begin taking a B vitamin complex supplement and note if you feel any improvement in the next six to eight weeks. B12 is perhaps that most important of all the B vitamins when it comes to depression. Lack of B12 can cause symptoms such as depression, irritability, loss of appetite, fatigue, and mood swings. In extreme cases, it can cause what appears to be severe mental illness, including hallucinations. You can get B12 by eating plenty of salmon, cod, scallops, sardines, tuna, beef, shrimp, milk, and yogurt; but sometimes even then, deficiencies happen. Talk to your doctor about taking a B complex supplement.

As always, you should talk to your doctor before consuming any herbal supplement. Although you might be anxious to find relief from your depression, you don’t want to sacrifice your health in the process.

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