6 Herbs and Supplements for Depression

Alternative remedies for depression

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a number medications for the treatment of depression. If you live with depression but opt not to take one of these medications, you still have other options. Some people look to herbs and natural remedies to find relief from their symptoms.

Many of these remedies have been used medicinally for centuries as folk and alternative treatments. Today, many herbs are marketed as mood boosters for people who experience chronic feelings of sadness or hopelessness.

Studies have attempted to track the benefits of herbs for treating depression. Here are several herbs that may help lift your mood when you experience mild to moderate depression.

ST. JOHN’S WORT

1. St. John’s wort

St. John’s wort is a plant that’s native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. Europeans commonly take St. John’s wort as a way to treat depression, but the FDA hasn’t approved the herb to treat this condition.

Taking St. John’s wort has been linked with increasing the amount of serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a feel-good chemical in the brain that people with depression are often low in. Several antidepressantswork by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), St. John’s wort may help milder forms of depression, although its effects haven’t been conclusively proven either way. A 2008 review of 29 studies on St. John’s wort found that the plant was just as effective for treating mild to moderate depression as antidepressants, yet resulted in fewer side effects. On the other hand, the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health sponsored two separate studies that found it wasn’t better than a placebo for treating depression.

It’s important to note that St. John’s wort is known for interacting with lots of medications. This is especially true for blood thinners, birth control pills, and chemotherapy medications. Always check with your doctor before taking this herb.

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

2. Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are a healthy type of fat found in fish such as salmon, trout, and sardines. They’re available in supplement form and are sometimes called fish oil capsules. According to the Mayo Clinic, researchers have found that people who have low levels of two brain chemicals found in fish oil supplements may be at an increased risk of depression. It’s ideal to get a higher ratio of DHA to EPA, which are both types of omega-3 fatty acids.

In addition to taking fish oil supplements to get omega-3 fatty acids, you can also increase the amount of fish you eat. Eating fish three times a week can increase your omega-3 fatty acids without the aid of supplements.

Keep in mind that some fish can have high levels of mercury. These include swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, and shark. Avoid these in favor of fish with lower levels of mercury, such as light canned tuna, salmon, freshwater trout, and sardines. 

SAFFRON

3. Saffron

Saffron is a spice derived from a dried portion of a crocus, a flower in the iris family. According to a study in Alternative Medicine Review, taking saffron stigma (the end of the carpel, or rod-like stem, in the flower) has been shown to be effective in treating mild to moderate depression.

SAM-E

4. SAM-e

SAM-e is short for S-adenosylmethionine. This supplement is designed to act like a synthetic form of the body’s natural mood-boosting chemicals. According to the Mayo Clinic, SAM-e is regarded as a supplement in the United States — the FDA doesn’t consider it a medication.

You shouldn’t take SAM-e along with antidepressants. You should also be aware that SAM-e can cause health effects such as upset stomach and constipation if you take too much.

FOLATE

5. Folate

There may be a link between low levels of folic acid (the synthetic form of folate) and depression. Taking 500 micrograms of folic acid has been linked with improving the effectiveness of other antidepressant medications.

One way to increase your folate levels is to consume folate-rich foods daily. These include beans, lentils, fortified cereals, dark leafy greens, sunflower seeds, and avocados. 

ZINC

6. Zinc

Zinc is a nutrient linked with mental functions such as learning and behavior. Low levels of blood zinc are associated with depression, according to an analysis in Biological Psychiatry.

According to Nutrition Neuroscience, taking a 25-milligram zinc supplement daily for 12 weeks can help reduce depression symptoms. Taking zinc supplements can also increase the amount of available omega-3 fatty acids in the body.

NON-PROVEN HERBS

Herbs not yet proven to ease depression

Health food stores may market herbs and supplements as being able to treat depression. However, according to a review published in BJPsych Advances, several of these treatments haven’t been shown to be effective in treating depression. These include the following herbs:

• Crataegus oxyacantha (hawthorn)
• Eschscholzia californica (California poppy)
• Ginkgo biloba
• Lavandula angustifolia (lavender)
• Matricaria recutita (chamomile)
• Melissa officinalis (lemon balm)
• Passiflora incarnate (maypop, or purple passionflower)
• Piper methysticum (kava)
• Valeriana officinalis (valerian)

If you do choose to use these or other herbs, always check with your doctor first to make sure they won’t interact with any medication you might be taking.

Also note that herbs and supplements are not monitored by the FDA, so there may be concerns about purity or quality. Always buy from a reputable source.

SEE YOUR DOCTOR

Talk to your doctor

Although some herbs and supplements show promise in treating depression, they aren’t a consistent or reliable option when you experience severe depression. Don’t rely on supplements as a way to pull you through severe depression symptoms. Depression can be a serious disease. Work with your doctor to find a treatment plan that works for you.

'Stop calling 911!' Freaked out neighbors keep calling the cops about early Halloween display that looks real

First responders rushed into what they thought was a heinous crime scene after dispatchers received a chilling 911 call Wednesday morning, but it turned out to be a Halloween joke.

News Channel 11 obtained a copy of that 911 call from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.

The caller said: “There’s a guy laying in his driveway, with two big bloody handprints on side of the house. It looks like he was dead I don’t know I didn’t stop I just came on to work.”

Johnny Riddle made that frantic call to 911 after seeing what appeared to be a dead body in his neighbor’s driveway on Chuckey Pike in Greeneville.

“I thought it was somebody, I thought it was somebody laying up there on the driveway,” Riddle said.

It turned out to be clothing stuffed with paper.

Joseph Lovergive and his family live in the home. They say Halloween is their favorite time of the year and they always start early.

“This morning about 10 o’clock I get a pounding on the door,” Lovergine said. That knock was from Greene County Sheriff’s Office deputies. Thinking the 911 call was serious, several deputies responded to Joseph Lovergine’s home.

“I said thank you guys for caring but I’m doing just fine,” Lovergine said.

He said officers even pulled the boot off of the stuffed clothing to make sure it wasn’t a real person.

“I was actually going to dress up under there after everyone’s seated for so long and when they come out to get drinks or something I was going to pop up out of the garage door and scare everybody,” Lovergine said.

He never thought 911 would be called and he’s hoping everyone can appreciate the joke. “I thought it looked so real and so fun and I hope people don’t take offense,” Lovergine said.

Riddle said he’s relieved what he saw Wednesday morning was all a joke and he’s fine now that he knows it was not a real body.

Other neighbors we spoke with didn’t even realize what was in Lovergine’s yard until we pointed it out and they also thought it was funny. Most said they’re more amazed that the family has Halloween decorations up more than a month before the holiday.

Lovergine said this is just the beginning and he plans to add even more decorations to his yard as Halloween nears.

The Greene County Sheriff’s Office posted an alert to the public – with a little bit of humor – on its Facebook page. It says – in part – attention everyone – this is a Halloween decoration – do not call 911 instead congratulate the homeowner on a great display.

Brutal road rage video shows a woman and her stepmom beating a female driver unconscious in the middle of the road (9 Pics)

 Two Pasco County women face battery charges after a witness recorded them beating another woman during a road-rage encounter.

Investigators said at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, mother and daughter, Shelley Lyn Gemberling, 49, and Alicia Nicole Scarduzio, 20, got into an argument with Emily Bailey at the intersection of Little Road and Trouble Creek Road in New Port Richey.

Bailey was inside her vehicle, which was in the left lane of Little Road. Gemberling and Scarduzio’s vehicle was in the right lane.

“It was the longest red light of my life. They kept screaming at me, telling me they wanted to f—–g kill me. I just wanted the light to change,” Bailey said. “I never thought they would get out of their car and run toward me and pull me out of my vehicle.”

Investigators said Gemberling and Scarduzio got out of their vehicle and approached the open driver’s window, reached in and grabbed Bailey by her hair and neck and pulled her outside through the window.

Bailey, a veterinary technician, said she fell to the ground and then Gemberling and Scarduzio began punching her on her face and body. She says she thought she was going to die.

“They tried to drag me through my window. When I looked into the woman’s eyes, I saw pure rage. It looked like she wanted to kill me,” Bailey said.  “During those times, the daughter said, stop hitting my mom. Quit hitting my mom. And, then she hit me again. And, everything went black.”

Detectives say Bailey lost consciousness and suffered a broken nose and other injuries. Gemberling and Scarduzio did not stop beating her until a citizen intervened.

“Why are you attacking me when you were in the wrong?  You cut me off,” Bailey said.  “It could have been avoided. No one had to get hurt. No one had to go to jail. These were choices that they made.”

A witness reported seeing Gemberling pulling Bailey out of the vehicle through the window. The witness said she did not see Bailey strike the suspects at any time, but did see the suspects strike her.

Alicia Nikole Scarduzio, 20,  and her stepmother, Shelley Lyn Gemberling, 49,  are charged with aggravated battery after they were caught on film attacking Emily Bailey

Emily Bailey (pictured) told police she has been driving through north Tampa, Florida, when she was almost run off the road by Scarduzio and Gemberling, before the attack occurred 

“The mom grabbed me by my throat and started squeezing my neck. The daughter grabbed me by the back of my hair and started pulling,” Bailey recalled.

The witness also said that Scarduzio hit Bailey multiple times while she was on the ground.

“All I could think about was my son,” Bailey said.

Bailey said selfie-loving Scarduzio  had grabbed her hair, during the attack

Gemberling reportedly grabbed the victim by the throat during the beatdown

Video recorded by a witness showed Bailey on the ground –motionless- while Scarduzio hit her.

“It’s hard to watch.  It’s very traumatizing. I think I’ve cried the first four times I’ve seen it,” Bailey said.  “I question every time getting in the car now. Definitely, I don’t want to beat my horn at anyone.”

Bailey told deputies that Gemberling and Scarduzio approached her because of a traffic incident. As Bailey tried to raise her window, the pair reached into her vehicle and grabbed her by her hair and throat, then pulled her out of the vehicle and began beating her.

Deputies said Scarduzio denied punching Bailey in the face but did say she hit her with her open hand. Gemberling allegedly told deputies that Bailey got out of her vehicle and pushed her.

Alicia Nicole Scarduzio, 20, and Kelly Lyn Gamberling, 49, were arrested and charged with burglary and aggravated battery and were booked into the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center.

Horrifying video shows California cop shooting man SEVEN TIMES outside a 7-Eleven after suspect grabbed the officer's magazine (10 Pics)

 The spot outside a convenience store where a transient was shot and killed by a Huntington Beach police officer Friday morning became a hotbed of tension where where supporters of the officer and sympathizers with the victim yelled their versions of the viral story at each other.

“Cops are killing these kids because the look like they’re doing something, and they’re not doing anything,” one man said to another among the candles and flowers some people left for the deceased. “My son was killed by a police officer, so I know how dirty they are.”

The shooting was reported around 9:40 a.m. in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven at 6012 Edinger Avenue in Huntington Beach.

Video of the incident – which was also captured on cell phone video and posted to social media – showed an officer wrestling with the suspect.

The video appears to show the suspect grab an item from the officer’s belt prior to the shooting, possibly an ammunition clip.

At one point, the officer backed away and fired seven shots at the suspect, who then fell to the ground. The officer can be heard telling the suspect to “get down.”

He was taken to a hospital where he later died, police confirmed to CBS2. No officers were hurt.

“Clearly, this person attacked our police officer,” Huntington Beach Police Chief Robert Handy told reporters Friday. “And I don’t think that there’s any way an officer’s expected not to defend themselves.”

The shooting took place outside this 7-Eleven in Huntington Beach, California, on Friday morning

The circumstances that led up to the shooting were unclear, along with why officers were initially called the convenience store.

Huntington Beach did, however, say that the officer involved was not a rookie, not near retirement, and had years of experience.

A man who shot the video and didn’t want to be identified told CBS2 News the victim “wasn’t listening. He turned around and tried to throw a punch at the cop.”

“When the cops tell you to do something, you’re supposed to follow orders,” nearby resident Danny Thomas told CBS2.

Plywood covered a shattered storefront window a bullet from the officer’s gun penetrated. An earlier unconfirmed report that someone inside the convenience store was grazed by the bullet turned out to be erroneous.

In for a nasty surprise! Angry homeowner wraps car in cling-film after driver parks outside his house (4 Pics)

 A homeowner fed up of people parking outside his home took matters into his own hands by wrapping a stranger's car in CLING FILM.

Neil Junglas decided to get revenge on the driver of a chrome Skoda that has now been outside his Liverpool home for two days.

The 36-year-old said he saw the car pull up on Tuesday while he was making dinner for his daughter, before a woman got out and hopped into a taxi.

A man then got out of the car with two suitcases of luggage and also got in the taxi which drove off, the Liverpool Echo reported .

 Neil said: “They were clearly leaving their car there and just getting a taxi to the airport .

“Obviously they just wanted some free parking.

“Next door have a couple of cars as well so there isn’t really room for other cars to park on the road.”

 Neil complained he can no longer park his own car outside of his house because of the Skoda.

He said: “I thought it was cheeky leaving the car there so thought I’d leave them a nice surprise for when they got back.

“I work at Costco so I went and bought a big roll of cling-film from there.”

Neil said he then wrapped the entire car using an industrial sized roll of cling-film.

He told The Echo that the car has attracted lots of attention and people have been stopping to take pictures.

Neil added that police even came to check the car but said they couldn’t do anything about it because it isn’t illegally parked.

Amazing air raid shelter in Germany (19 Pics)

The entrance to this amazing shelter looks like your typical shelter. It has a heavy steal door and for protection and this one even includes a platform to lower stuff down into the shelter.

If you're lucky enough to get past the heavy duty steel vault doors, you'll come into the security center. The whole facility is able to be monitored from this room. It has radio connections to the outside world as well.

For the possibility of extended stays inside the shelter, it even has a seed room where you can grow vegetables and other plants. High powered grow lights hung from the ceiling provide the source of heat and light for the plants.

This is the air filtration system that allows for stale air to be pumped out and for fresh air to be brought in to supply the whole shelter. If this thing goes out then you're pretty much screwed

This is a wall of air filters inside the bunker. This also help control the quality of the air throughout the air raid shelter.

The power system and water storage for the entire shelter.