Australian Traditional Medicine Society Practitioner
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Olwen Anderson's Blog


Natural therapies for mental health

Saturday, October 08, 2011

It has gradually become more widely accepted that problems with mental and emotional wellbeing are just as prevalent as problems with physical health; they just affect a different function of your body – how you think. Many people are considering using natural remedies to help them  gain optimum health mentally as well as physically. Here are the major categories of natural remedies for mental well being.

Homoeopathics are energetic remedies that can be really effective in helping you improve your mental health. Even better, they don’t clash with prescription medications. Sometimes this therapy is difficult to understand, as it can seem counter-intuitive. Remedies are made by methodically diluting a substance in water, then agitating, and diluting again. Oddly, the more diluted the substance becomes, the more powerful the remedy. It’s often easier to think of the ‘strength’ of a homoeopathic remedy in terms of power rather than quantity – in the same way that light bulbs are sold by wattage and the strength of the light they emit.

Flower essences are also energetic remedies. They’re safe for everyone to use, from babies right through to the elderly. To create them, specific flowers are soaked in a bowl of water, allowing the energies from the flowers to blend into the water; then it’s decanted. Flower essences are ideal immediate stress relief remedies, won’t interfere with prescription medication. Some are made from Australian flowers, some from elsewhere. It’s easy to pop a bottle of flower essences in your handbag for use whenever you feel stressed or anxious.

Herbal remedies are frequently used for mood disorders like anxiety and depression. There’s a huge variety available, but you have to get the dose right to get the correct results; so the advice of a clinical herbalist or naturopath is essential.

Some herbs will interact with prescription medication in sometimes unexpected ways – particularly St Johns Wort, a popular herb for mental health. This is why it’s vital that your doctor know exactly what natural remedies you’re taking. Fortunately there are many herbs available that don’t cause problems with prescription medication.

Nutrients such fish oils, B-group vitamins and some minerals are also used to help brains become healthier. Like herbs, it’s important to get the right nutrient in the right dose.

There are also natural therapies available for your mental health, that don’t require you to take supplements: Massage is ideal for stress and anxiety; Meditation has been proven to help brains become happier.

When you’re improving your mental health, you’ll get the best results if you also consult with an expert like a counsellor or psychologist. That’s because sometimes its biochemical imbalances that lead to mental health problems, and sometimes its dysfunctional thought patterns as well. 



Free Guided meditation on your iPod?

Friday, January 15, 2010
Many people resolve to learn meditation, but then give up after several frustrating attempts alone. A guided meditation may be just what you need, and it seems the iPOD people have a few free ones available for you to try.

Just go to the iTunes Store and you'll see a button for iTunesU. Choose 'power search' on the right hand side, and look for 'Mindful Meditations' in the title. Voila!

Enjoy..... and let us know how you went with the guided meditations by leaving your comment below.




Why Depression Can Feel LIke A Faulty Lawnmower - And How To Get Your Spark Back!

Monday, December 22, 2008
OK, so it’s a little tongue-in-cheek, but I feel the analogy is valid. If you have ever suffered from depression, you might be able to identify with this interpretation.

I'm thinking primarily of those rope-pull lawnmowers. You know, the ones where you open the throttle, then pull the rope like crazy in the hope that the spark will catch and the engine will come to life.

Depression can feel a bit like the lawnmower won't start. You know you have the fuel on board and the engine to make it happen (your brain). You know the spark plugs are there, but for some reason the engine just won't 'catch', leaving you feeling like your brain has gone 'flat' – nothing seems to have a spark to it.

The lack of a 'spark' in your brain's engine may be due to a lack of vital nutrients to build the right neurotransmitters for a happy, motivated mood. Which nutrients are missing varies from person to person, and depends on your individual genes. Some people need much larger amounts of vitamins and minerals than others.

You can find out which nutrients you need to improve your mood, and how much, by testing your urine for the presence of certain organic acids, or neuroendocrine metabolites. Any of these tests can be arranged through your naturopath. Usually the urine sample is provided at home and posted in to the lab by you for analysis.

You and your naturopath can then sit down together to devise the best supplement intake for you as an individual to get your brain sparking again.

Its important to realise that nutritional treatment of depression can not replace cognitive treatment from your psychologist, counsellor or psychiatrist. The nutritional therapy will make your cognitive therapy even more effective, but can not replace it.

So if you're feeling that your depression may have a biochemical as well as a cognitive basis, its nice to know that there's now a way to find out precisely what's happening in your brain cells.


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