A reader emailed this week and has me totally stumped. Considering the circumstances, which you'll read about below, she's wondering if she should just tell her aunt that it may be time to take the anti-anxiety medicine her doctor prescribed…
My aunt is a mess and I need your help. She's a single mom with an adult daughter who is mentally impaired with many medical issues that have them in and out of the hospital. Her other children have their own issues and are unable to help much. She also has her own health problems, and recently went to the doctor for chronic pain, depression, and inability to sleep. Of course he prescribed an anti-anxiety medicine. She hasn't filled the prescription because she believes the body can heal itself and hates taking drugs. She eats a whole foods diet, but with few superfoods — very little healthy fats, no raw milk, fermented foods, bone broth, etc. I did get her to start taking the cod liver oil, but she's not getting better! Should I suggest she just take the medicine? I don't know how long she can continue on like this…”
Isn't that a doozy of a question?
I was stumped because we all know that the side effects of anti-anxiety meds are many, and worse than anything is that once you go on antidepressants, most never go off them because when they try, they feel worse than before and assume, “Wow, I must really need them now!” (Gee, do you wonder if drug companies might like that, creating customers for life? Read more about this topic: 20 Tips on Fighting Anxiety, Depression, and Fatigue Naturally, How to Wean Off Antidepressants, and My All Natural Chill-Pill for Anxiety.)
Normally I'd suggest these 10 Tips for Building Up Your Immune System, but it sounds like with all the other stress in her life, she probably wouldn't be able to pull off many of those suggestions. And most people won't go to a naturopath to get help that way, or they can't afford it.
Obviously, we all know that the body most definitely CAN heal itself, but it doesn't just magically happen.
It needs to be supported and nurtured and nourished to help it do just that, instead of masking the real problem underneath. If that's not going to happen, for whatever reason, should they just go on the meds so they're not miserable the rest of their lives? (Or will the meds make them MORE miserable and then addicted?! Not to mention that the odds of finding the “right” anti-anxiety meds at first are really not very good, the doc will probably try a few different meds and all of that will take months.)
I know the risks and all the side-effects that quite likely will pop up, but wow, you don't want someone to just continue suffering either when there's a chance the drugs could help…
I had the same dilemma with someone I love dearly.
He wasn't going to stop drinking gads of Mountain Dew daily or stop eating other processed junk food like breakfast cereals and start doing what his body needs to be nourished and healed, so I told him that maybe he should just take the statins his doc recommends (and same might hold true for someone who is depressed and just WON'T clean up their diet and heal for REAL). I certainly didn't want him to not take them on my advice, since he wasn't following any of my other advice for healing, and then have another heart attack… (Not that I believe statins actually help anything, but there are studies suggesting that for a small number of men in a certain group, they may help… Read more at this healthy fats post – there's a whole section on statins if you scroll down.)
So we need your help – what do you think?
If someone just won't (or more often can't for whatever reason) do what needs to happen for their body to naturally heal and thrive, should they take the meds or just continue to be miserable and get worse?
Note The Mood Cure has been brought up in the comments as being a super helpful book!
BE SURE AND CHECK ALL THE COMMENTS BELOW FOR GREAT INFO…
I love what Beth says below about accepting where your friends and family are at and letting go (this is so difficult for me, because I so much want to help them heal from the inside!) and letting each person determine their own path and what's best for them. It's still difficult to know, though, how much, if anything I should suggest… I want to at least offer natural solutions, but not come off judgmental if they can't put that into place at this point in their lives.
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Sunny says
Andrew Cutler low-dose, frequent chelation is what cured many of these issues for our family–including my son’s autism. But it’s not an overnight cure, my son took 4 years to be completely recovered. Mercury & aluminum poisoning is at the heart of most health problems.
For now, I thing magnesium citrate would help her!
Alexia says
I am surprised that no one has mentioned therapy. Therapy is proven to be the best drug free intervention for anxiety and depression, more so than medications. Also, therapists can assist in supporting a person make overall life changes, including a more nutritious diet for overall wellness.
Alyssa F. says
Like you said, if nutrition in food is lacking then supplements may be the answer. Has she considered Reliv? It’s been incredible in giving people’s bodies the right nutrition in the right amounts and watching our miracle bodies heal themselves.
Lisa says
NEVER EVER EVER , take these drugs, your life will never be the same and side effects and symptoms will be worse than anything she is experiencing right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been working with my fiancé for one year to find a doctor that can help us because his doctor prescribed him SSRI’s, yes that’s what they are called, google then and you can read the horrible stories. He had sleep apnea and that is what he needed fixed not the SSRI’s. Have her get a sleep study ASAP, this is a major problem and causes depression, anxiety, etc>>> did I say have her get a sleep study ASAP!!!!!and find a doctor that works with supplements and homeopathic oils and supplements, that’s what we did and his withdrawl symptoms are going away!!!!!
Joyce says
Perhaps she needs to take it to the next level — from the physical to the spiritual. Anxiety can be helped with various kinds of meditation and ending resistance to what is, surrendering to God, knowing that all is well. Just saying….
Lisa says
Yes very true, meditation and yoga are a huge help!
Susan says
I haven’t read all the other comments so forgive me if this has already been mentioned…
I’m guessing that what this poor woman really needs is some physical help to deal with her life. And a chance to sleep, actually sleep without needing to worry about everything in her life.
I have similar problems and, while I’ve been trying to change to a more healthy lifestyle, I find, consistently, that I can’t do it if I can’t get enough sleep. And I can’t sleep when there is no one available to deal with all the things that I deal with on a daily basis.
My husband is a teacher and has been a huge help all summer. And I felt better and was able to make some positive changes. And get some much needed sleep! But, he’s now back to work and I’m struggling again.
I wish I had a better answer. Finding a confidant who is available and willing to listen is hard. As is finding someone willing and able to provide physical help. Taking the meds might help her feel well enough to make the changes she needs to. But it won’t add hours to her day.
Kathy says
As someone who has experience with psych meds and with holistic treatments, here is my 2 cents worth: if none of the above holistic methods has worked and if you sense you are having a crisis, take the medication, especially to avoid a crisis where a caregiver cannot take care of one dependent on her. Stay out of the hospital at all costs! All of the above comments contain possible ways to help, but the meds (the RIGHT ones for the patient) can be a game-changer. The trick is to find the RIGHT medication from the RIGHT doctor. I had to go through several doctors and a lot of wrong meds until I found a combination that has worked splendidly for me for 14 years. Don’t be afraid that you can’t discontinue medication. A good psychiatrist will do more than just write Rxs. He should give advice and help the patient taper off as needed. I have done this with anxiety drugs that are addictive as well as with antidepressants. Google “Beyond Meds” for a helpful website with links to many other sources. Another good site is “Surviving Antidepressants.” One word of caution: If a medication makes you feel bad, stop right away. Do not buy into the advice that you’ll feel better after taking it a month or that you need to give it time to work for you. My experience is that the right Rx helps right away. Once you are stable on medication, you can look for holistic modalities to improve mood (e.g., diet, faith, bioidentical hormones, books like the Mood Cure, oils, meditation, etc.) Wellness can be achieved with good lifestyle alone, but if not, the lowest dose of meds plus lifestyle can make a world of difference. Note that many doctors follow a protocol when dosing that goes by the patient’s weight. A good psychiatrist will educate the patient and empower her to determine the lowest dose that achieves the best results. And he/she will also discuss discontinuing the drug if and when it is no longer needed.
Bevie says
There are as many possible solutions to this problem as there are people who experience it. I will say that for me, Paxil was a valuable stepping stone on my route to wellness and I am glad I gave in and took it during a rough patch. I spoke to a doctor after counseling failed to help and we decided that it could be a temporary solution. I was lucky to have a doc that saw it the way one might use a pair of crutches, just a bit of support to take pressure off an injured part of myself. After two months I was able to get myself in balance and recognize what being well felt like, so I ended the meds. This route may not work for everyone, but it has potential to make a big difference.
sasha says
i read it and, too, immediately thought, adrenal fatigue. stress, especially prolonged stress, it’s the foe of the adrenals. try as they might, they can only manage stress in the body for so long until real, serious symptoms develop. i would tackle the adrenals and then see where things are, yes, healthy fats, cooked vegetables, warming foods, nuts (soaked), staying away from potassium rich foods because they are taxing to the adrenals (bananas, figs), making sure to eat often to not raise cortisol levels, gentle exercise, baths, kindness to the self. it is always when we are already pushed to our limit that things get worse/ emotions + stresses manifest physically, and i think it’s a human response to want to say “i am already pushed to my limit, i can’t deal with this, in this moment i should just take the drugs,” but it’s really the moment to do the opposite. because it’s our body calling upon us to pay attention to ourselves, to listen to ourselves, get closer to ourselves, and taking a drug at that time circumvents that very difficult but very important process, it cuts it off entirely, stripping us of moving ourselves forward out of the place we are in, taking control of our lives and health. in moments or periods of crisis there can be great growth if we can find a way to rise up to the challenge.
Mark says
Hormone imbalances need to be investigated as they can certainly cause this.
After personally living with this debilitating symptom set for years I have found tremendous relief with bioidentical hormones. I found Doctors to be of limited use and resorted to doing my own research to get the answers I needed. Antidepressants may be required on a short term basis.
As a man you may not feel that I should comment on this but trust me… I have lived in Hell and can honestly say that bioidentical hormone replacement does work.
Jo Anne says
When someone has been suffering from depression and/or anxiety, they want to get well, but the thought patterns inherent in depression prevent this. They are drained from the stress and the attempt to handle everyday life. (Dealing with mental issues of others is a huge stress of its own.) After being on depression medicines prescribed by a general practitioner for years, which enabled getting through the workday (barely, some days) and nothing more, and trying different counselors, we finally decided to try a psychiatrist. (Being Christians with faith and believing the Bible, we saw that sometimes you still need outside help to overcome depression.) The psychiatrist said there are 3 options available for treating the depression: medicine, lifestyle changes (including counseling ), or both. We chose both (including a different medicine than the one taken for years), because one first has to get to the point where they have the strength and confidence to make and sustain lifestyle changes. In the midst of depression, that strength is not there. We hope that eventually, the person will be able to go off the medicine, but without the medicine now, lifestyle changes would not even be able to be attempted (they have tried to attempt, but even that takes energy that is not there.)
I am trying to make dietary changes as I cook for the person, but they have to be willing to eat it, and comfort foods are a biggie.I also try and have them exercise, go outdoors and other things that will help, but you cannot make them get up and do this, and they feel like that is just one more thing that they can not make themselves do (and it is frustrating to hear “I don’t want to ” when you know that deep down they want to get well and this thing will help). Reminding again can also be seen as nagging which does not help anyone. Depression is a debilitating illness. Because it is not talked about as much as cancer or heart disease, etc., it is not seen as such.
As an aside, I thought certain things were just a matter of “maybe you’re not doing something right or need to do something differently”, or “this is just an excuse” or “if you just try harder to overcome this” or “have more faith”, there won’t be a problem. This has been common teaching in some articles I’ve read through the years. Then, I dealt with some of these things in family members (dyslexia, depression and anxiety) and myself (multiple miscarriages) and realized that sometimes unless you have dealt with these issues personally, you don’t know.
Wendi says
Extremely insightful, Jo Anne! You’re absolutely right. Without walking in their shoes, I think it would be hard to know what to do and there’s only so much others can offer, or do, before the affected one doesn’t or can’t cooperate. That’s when the drugs would step in and hopefully only be needed for the short term. 🙂
Deborah Peacock says
My advice is take the meds. I did and it was the smartest move I could have made. With my emotions under control I can stick to the healthier eating and life changes easier. I discuss what I am doing with my doctor and as we notice changes we are changing medicines and lowering dosages. There are medical professionals out there that really do want you well and I thank God I found one that understands me and will work with me.
Karen says
I don’t want this to just pass by as a simple but ineffective cure. I am a christian (I don’t know if this lady or her aunt is–though there’s always room for more). The Bible says in Isaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
I believe the drugs only mess up further the already imbalance that is causing the depression in people. The Bible is true and infallable. If it were me or my aunt, I would say, keep your mind focused on God. Just like you worry–and are able to function and work and take care of your family–all the time with the worry of something at the back of your mind. Well the part of us that worries is the same part of us that meditates. Worrying is like meditating, only on the negative. So take that scripture in Isaiah (or any other that you like that speaks to your situation) and begin to meditate on it–rolling it around your brain, instead of the worry or anxiety. Let God transform the mind with His Word (Romans 12:2). This is more powerful than natural eating, living or drugs, and there are no negative side-affects! Blessings!
Crissi says
I have suffered from depression most of my adult life. I took the drugs, came off, still felt miserable. Then discovered several herbs/vitamins that helped. After the birth of our 7th child, my depression took a twist and turned to anxiety. Some of the panic attacks were so severe that I was left rocking on the side of my bed unable to do anything! I began drinking decaf herbal teas brewed with a tsp of passion flower herb. Within 3 cups ALL of my anxiety was GONE, not just better, but gone!!! Now, I drink a cup a day and there are some days with hormonal fluctuations that I need 2 cups of passion flower tea. But the anxiety is gone. If I skip a day, I can feel the anxiety starting to slip back.
All that being said, sometimes, drugs are necessary. When you can’t find relief or until you find relief with something else. The plus I’ve found is that herbs typically faster and with many fewer side effects. It also depends on how comfortable that person is with using herbs/minerals/oils/etc to treat their bodies. We are comfortable treating many ailments and illness at home where as we have friends who are appalled that we would treat those things at home and not take the kids to the doctor.
Marcia says
I would suggest that she get an ELISA blood test for food sensitivity, available through naturopathic doctors and and Den Boer clinic. This is different from a food allergy test, despite what my primary care doctor thought. I also had chronic pain and difficulty sleeping until I realized I was sensitive to eggs, dairy, and gluten. I had been eating whole foods for a few years already, but that had included many of the foods I was sensitive to. Eliminating those foods relieved the pain and sleep issues. Worth checking into before resorting to drugs.
Lindsay says
TAKE THE MEDICINE!! The anti-anxiety meds are likely to readjust her mental state and lift her mood enough that she can concentrate on improving her diet and give her the energy and optimism to persevere. Medication is not evil. Sure, if we eat a quality, traditional diet we will need less of it. But sometimes we need every reasonable treatment we can find. I’m astonished at the number of comments to this question that suggest we should all feel bad and wrong for taking a prescription.
Beth says
I’ve never felt comfortable telling someone else what to do. Each person needs to figure out what they feel is best for them and go for it. Faith plays such a huge role in healing – and for the record, I’m not talking about the faith in God to heal in the absence of interventions type of faith. What I’m talking about is what do the patients believe deeply in their heart of hearts is best for them? How does the individual feel about what is being prescribed?
I’m a HUGE believer in natural remedies, nutrient-dense diets, homeopathy, naturopathy and japanese style accupuncture. LOVE everyone of these non-toxic approaches to healing. For me, I believe firmly that any, all or some combination is the best strategy for anything that life throws at me or my family. The ER is good for broken bones and stitches etc.
But these are things that I have faith in. My 76-yr-old father, for example, does not have faith in these approaches. He is skeptical of acupuncture and had limited response to it despite my encouraging him to go to a few acu apmts. My 74-yr.old MIL would rather ingest a toxic synthetic chemical cocktail of pills each day than consider homeopathy. She has 100% faith that pharmaceutical drugs improve her life.
Because an individual’s faith has so much to do with healing, I recommend putting the onus on what to do where it rightfully belongs – on the aunt herself. Let your Aunt determine the path that is best for her.
Wendi says
Well said, Beth! I agree with you 100%!
ValerieH says
By the way, I would never condone a statin drug. Very few people are good candidates for the drugs. No women benefit even 1 % from taking a statin. There are very common and bothersome side effects like fatigue and joint pain. Many people who get heart attacks actually have low cholesterol. The real criteria for heart disease is inflammation. A calcium test can determine if there is a lot of plaque in the arteries. Here’s that test: https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/cardiac-calcium-scoring
If the doctor doesn’t want to order such a test, then the patient can’t be sick enough to warrant a statin. It’s a serious drug that doesn’t show a lot of benefit for the side effects incurred.
jmr says
I think that occasionally, chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia and depression may possibly be actual diseases, but more likely they are symptoms of another underlying disease or disorder. Therefore, treating them with anti-anxiety meds just masks the symptoms and does nothing to treat, cure or medicate the actual problem. Like Susan in the above post, I read her symptoms and mentally diagnosed her: adrenal fatigue and thyroid issues. She needs to treat those and heal from them if possible. I think she should be encouraged to get further testing, to eat foods and take supplements that will nourish her adrenals and thyroid, and should take medication for those issues if they are found to be the problem and if natural means are not feasible or not effective.
My problem with anti-anxiety meds is that they just cover up the symptoms of a real disease that needs to be treated, and they really aren’t very effective. My depression, anxiety, aphasia, dementia and fibromyalgia are magically cured by thyroid meds. My adrenal fatigue has been healed through diet and lifestyle changes, but my thyroid has been about 75% destroyed so my body needs thyroid medicine. It doesn’t need anti-depressants.
Maureen Hanson says
Nutrition is very important to our health, and at times we need more support for our stresses in life. I have found that Rescue Remedy, Bach Flower remedy, can be of help during extremely stressful times. There are other homeopathic remedies that I have used for many issues that have helped my family overcome issues during the last 25 years of our lives. Homeopathy helps to give the body a push so that it can begin to take care of itself. She has probably worn herself out with lots of stress over the years. Maybe she needs to find something to help her adrenal glands too!!
Tiffany says
I would recommend that she find a licensed naturopath. The naturopath will know how to work with her regarding the meds and can add in diet instructions and herbs to assist her in getting better and maybe slowing reduce the meds.
Susan says
As someone who suffers from adrenal fatigue, just reading the second line of this woman’s letter sent up a huge red flag for me. Her aunt sounds like she is under a huge amount of stress and I’m willing to bet that the anxiety she feels is from fried adrenals.
I would have her go to Julia Ross’ (author of The Mood Cure) website and take the very quick tests Julia has on there to see if she is depleted of aminos. Balancing her brain chemistry is a great way to ease anxiety and begin healing the adrenals (and the rest of her body). The book offers a lot of advice on anxiety and sleep. I really had a light bulb moment when I read her book because all the while I was trying to heal my adrenal issues, I totally neglected to remember that my brain is tied in to real healing. Everyone should read this book.
I would also tell the aunt to just eat, eat, eat. When our body is in anxiety mode we are burning through calories like no tomorrow, which in turn sends a message to your body and brain that it is in “panic mode” because it is not getting enough calories. Eating plenty immediately tells the brain that the body has more than enough calories to survive and that it can now relax and focus on the other stuff.
Would I take a prescription to ease my anxiety? Not until I had exhausted every other avenue and there are so many out there to try: herbs, aminos, essential oils, foods, etc.
Jenetta Penner says
She might want to take a look at the book the Mood Cure.
In the book they recommend taking certain supplements to get your body stabilized, but after that she thinks many people can control their problems with diet (not specifically the diet that is mentioned here.. but from what i remember the one here would absolutely work with what she recommends).
Christine Decarolis says
Rather than advise Aunt in ways to eat better and better care for herself, the niece needs to help Aunt get help in caring for her daughter. If family can’t or won’t help, there are plenty of agencies out there that can and with minimal cost. Until you remove the root cause of her illness, the stress of caring for a daughter that isn’t well, then nothing will help, conventional or otherwise.
Mishelle@loveandbuttet says
I don’t know if it is the full answer, but the thing that sticks out to me is that she isn’t eating much fat. So what is she eating? Fclo is great but it isn’t the saturated fat our brain craves for stability. Butter, cheese and milk are comfort foods they help stabilize mood. Most people who don’t eat saturated fats are getting too many carbs and this can cause more immflamation, unstable blood sugars, etc. just some thoughts. The Mood Cure offers supplement advice for anxiety and depression along with diet. HTP is amazing, GABA, melatonin, and l-thiamine also. She includes dosing instructions.
Jeanmarie says
Amen, more saturated fat is needed!
Renee says
I was just in a similar dilemma myself. I’ve been dealing with endometriosis for about 3 years. I have constant period like cramps everyday. I’ve been following a Westin Price diet for about 4 years but when I was finally diagnosed last October I took gluten, dairy, sugar, and nightshades out. The new diet helped a little bit, but not that much and my periods got even worse. The only time the pain really goes away is when I do a juice cleanse, but I can’t just live off juice forever! So, finally, I took my doctors advice and got on the pill. This is only the second month on it, but I am starting to notice a difference. I said I would give it 4 months and if it gets rid of my pain enough, I’ll stay on it, otherwise I’ll be back to searching.
So, I think sometimes the benefits of medications are worth the possible side effects.
Leah G says
cimicifuga racemosa. there is another one I just cant find the tube. I took these when I was in labor actually and picked them up when I ad menstrual cramps later on. They work really well.
Jeanmarie says
I used to suffer from period cramps, very painful, and endometriosis. I eventually had surgery, because this was when I was just discovering Weston Price and I wasn’t sure eating right could fix long-term problems, but what did help my painful cramps was taking GLA capsules faithfully daily. (Gamma linoleic acid.) In retrospect, I suspect that if in addition I had started taking cod liver oil regularly, and/or supplemented with vitamins A and D in large doses, and seriously cut sugar from my diet, upped my fat and protein, I may have avoided surgery. As it is, my menopause was practically symptom-free, and I’m free of the crushing depression and anxiety I suffered from for years. My life circumstances have gotten probably more difficult than ever, but I’m handling it better now, without antidepressants, thanks to a better diet. Sometimes I feel like I’m just barely surviving, but many other times I feel so much stronger and healthier than before. I just wish I’d learned all this earlier.
It’s tough to advise anyone else in this circumstance. We all just do the best we can. I wish this lady success in dealing with her challenges.
Cynthia says
It is very difficult for someone to start to eat a clean diet and change your whole way of doing things when you are under such difficult circumstances. I too have had to give in to “modern” medicine when I couldn’t function well. I believe that you should do what works for you at the time and then, when you can focus on healing yourself naturally and really take the time to study how to do that, it can work miracles. Might heart goes out to her.
Amanda says
I’ve been pondering this question myself for a while. I have had dyshidrotic eczema on my hands for years. At it’s best it’s painful and at it’s worse it’s debilitating. Yes, eczema. Crazy, I know. I’ve figured out some food issues and it has improved somewhat but it still flares with a cause unknown. My eczema has triggered other health issues as well.
I do not think conventional medicine is the way to go. My main qualms are that I know that pharmaceuticals will cause harm in some way and there is no guarantee that they will work. Worth the damage? I think not- at least not in an non-emergency, non-life threatening situation. If I were your aunt, I’d stop paying MD’s and start seeking out the help of a naturopathic physician, herbalist and/or aromatherapist. I’d pick a holistic chiropractor over an MD if that is the only choice. You said yourself that it’s complicated. All the issues may be intertwined and personalized care is essential. A holistic practitioner can fill that need. The body takes time to heal though. Good luck!
stephanie says
For the lady with the aunt that has anxiety issues. I took paxil that the doctor prescribed (many years ago) for depression/anxiety. I took it for about six months to get myself to a point until I could learn to control the anxiety myself. I went to counseling and saw a hypnotist and learned meditation. I also learned about gaba 750mg which I still take to this day that helps me with anxiety. I pray she is able to find the best solution for her.
ValerieH says
I like this approach. Sometimes a person needs a break from the stress or pain in order to regroup and make changes. Sometimes the drugs bring relief that allows room for clarity. It needs to be temporary and she needs other support as well, like seeing a counselor to learn self healing techniques like EFT or biofeedback. Actually, seeing a counselor that uses EFT would really bring drug free relief.
Stephanie says
Valerie, that is exactly what I did. I didn’t specifically say EFT because not everyone knows about it, even though this was 20 years ago. It is amazing and I still use EFT for stress relief.
shannon says
Until she deals with the cause, she is only going to mask the symptoms. Not only mask them, but may bring on more problems from the side effects of the medication in the meantime. Besides the anti-anxiety she will probably be prescribed something for her poor sleep. Also, the odds of finding the “right” anti-anxiety meds at first aren’t very good, the doc will probably try a few different meds and all of that will take months. She may need some bloodwork to rule out other issues as well.
Wendi says
If I were in her situation, I’d tell my aunt that if she believes the body can heal itself, then she needs to make the commitment to let it do that. If she doesn’t want to make that commitment (or won’t follow through with that commitment for whatever reason), then her only choices are to continue suffering drug-free or commit to treating the symptoms with the drug and suffer with all the side effects and “addiction” issues that come along with it. Either way, it’s Aunty’s decision and she’s the one who has to suffer the most.
BarbaraAinSC says
I agree with Wendi. I would also add, when I hear that someone eats a “whole foods diet” but with “very little healthy fats”, I would wonder if the aunt is focused a lot on fruits and vegetables and afraid of meat/dairy. I don’t know; I’m just guessing. Personally I think adding in healthy fats can make a huge difference in mental health.
KitchenKop says
The problem is, I have a friend who actually feels sick when she adds in more healthy fats to her diet (sad huh?!), so maybe that’s the aunt’s problem. I don’t know, just wondering out loud…
KitchenKop says
As a side note, if someone can’t digest fats or feels sick when eating them, does this mean she might need take some digestive enzymes…? I’ll suggest my friend look into this if so. I don’t know much about this, though.
Magda says
Good point, Kelly. Many notice this when they start doing GAPS and eat more fat. They find their system is so ‘messed up’, they need help with digestive enzymes.
Wendi says
I also think bitters or supplemental HCl could help her digest the fats and not feel too bad in the process…
Leah G says
When we did GAPS we found drinking Kvass or a sip of Kombucha helped a lot. You need to stimulate the bile to digest fats. Even a swig of ACV goes a long way. As for the treatment. I say skip the drugs. Look at all the issues they cause. Before we ate a “whole foodie diet” I had anxiety and depression..hell I even had an eating disorder for most of my youth. Its been a while since we made the switch and it occurred to me that I haven had anxiety or the slightest sad feeling in forever. Fats are key. Also magnesium oil is awesome. For a more holistic anxiety treatment read this article. Both homeepathics works really well. I even told my Aunt who had been on Paxil and some other drug and she loves these. https://www.mommypotamus.com/homeopathy-101-emotional-first-aid/ I have to admit was was extremely surprised at how great these to work. Please give them a try before taking meds.
Leah G says
Also try a daily dose of a couple tsp even a Tbsp of FCLO.
Martha says
I would recommend she find a practitioner that works with essential oils. The can be a wonderful help with anxiety, depression, etc.