Liquid chlorophyll is one of the most underrated, yet most beneficial natural products available and might be the answer to helping you take one more great green step towards total health.

So what is chlorophyll?

In basic terms, chlorophyll is what makes plants green. Through photosynthesis, plants convert the sun’s energy into chlorophyll and then release oxygen into the atmosphere. (Flashback to high school biology anyone?) Just as blood is important for human life, chlorophyll is important for plant life. If the chlorophyll is drained from a plant, it will die.

The benefits of chlorophyll, found in both foods and liquid chlorophyll supplements are numerous. Chlorophyll is best known as a powerful anti-oxidant, cleanser, and detox with anti-inflammatory properties. It stimulates and assists in the repair and healing of damaged tissues. Chlorophyll is also a wonderful filter for pollutants; in fact, regular ingestion of chlorophyll has proven to be a great neutralizer of environmental pollution and would be beneficial for smokers.

Chlorophyll is probably best known for its deodorizing benefits, reducing body odor and bad breath. Chlorophyll has also been known to fight the deposit of carcinogens in the body and is known to help in dealing with the side-effects of drugs and other toxins.

Personally, when I take liquid chlorophyll, I feel more energetic and fresh in the morning and it really does neutralize odor, I have not a chemically based deodorant in years! It really does feel cleansing from the inside out.

I know people who also feed it to their pets to help with doggy bad breath!

I love to receive the benefits of chlorophyll by following three easy guidelines.

1.  I make sure I eat plenty of foods high in chlorophyll.

The best sources of chlorophyll are raw, leafy green vegetables like chard, kale, wheatgrass, barley, alfalfa, and Spirulina (blue green algae). Keep in mind that cooking vegetables kills the chlorophyll content in the plant.

2.  I cleanse 2-4 times each year.

One of the ways I cleanse, is by eating a raw food diet several times each year. I am not a vegan right now, however the benefits of cleansing with a vegan raw food diet for specified amount of time (2 weeks to 4 months) is incredible! When I “go raw” I eat plenty of foods high in chlorophyll and take a liquid chlorophyll supplement.

3.  I take small amount (1Tbsp in water) of liquid chlorophyll each day.

I began to notice results within a week. I’ve tried quite a few brands and feel the Nature Sunshine is the best tasting. It’s actually good – especially when you buy the spearmint flavor! I’m not affiliated with the company (other than the aff link provided) but they seem to have a similar health philosophy as mine and host a wide variety of excellent herbal products. Thankfully, it’s available through Amazon, because finding a rep in a pinch can be challenging.

The product claims that taking a liquid chlorophyll supplement:

• Helps promote the natural blood-cleansing functions of the body
• Promotes strong immune response
• Strengthens cells
• Deodorizes the body, including the bowel
• May help improve immune response and deodorize the body

Chlorophyll performs metabolic functions in plants such as respiration and growth. Interestingly, the chlorophyll molecule is chemically similar to human blood, except that its central atom is magnesium, whereas that of human blood is iron.

Taking a good quality liquid chlorophyll, eating well and cleansing each year has as helped me achieve OPTIMAL health. and I’ve finally let go of the last of my questionable personal care products because I have cleansed from the inside out

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Go Green With The Benefits of Liquid Chlorophyll

We use homeopathy as our first choice for managing Olivia’s colds and teething symptoms. We decided to use it as an alternative to conventional “over the counter” medications because homeopathic medicines are created to help stimulate the body’s own defenses as opposed to covering up symptoms.

I have to admit I was a doubter at first but because I am generally wary of conventional medicines to manage symptoms I decided to give them a try. Homeopathic remedies are attractive to many people because they are a non toxic system of medicine and can be used either as an alternative to traditional medicine or in conjunction with it.

This natural approach to healing and health care looks at remedies that can stimulate the body to turn on its own healing mechanisms as part of the process of returning the body to its homeostasis or balance. Followers of the homeopathic tradition regard disease as the body’s own defensive attempt to correct its imbalance rather than as a foreign invader that must be destroyed. Homeopathic remedies therefore seek to trigger the body’s own curative powers.

Homeopathy has been around since the 18^th century and is practiced today by licensed physicians and other qualified practitioners. Homeopathic remedies work according to the “Law of Similars”. This philosophy suggests that symptoms caused by ingesting or exposure to a substance in its raw form can be lessened or alleviated by taking the same substance (causing the symptoms) in a much more diluted form. Substances are diluted with water, milk sugar or alcohol.

The Hylands brand came highly recommended to me from another mom who shared my concerns about using over the counter baby medicines. I have found that they work very well in stimulating Olivia’s own healing powers. Thankfully Liv rarely gets a cold but when she does, I have used the C-Plus Cold tablets to lessen the symptoms. Her nose generally runs clear during a cold as a result of the tablets so she is able to sleep well. I ran out of the tablets once and within 6 hours, her mucus turned cloudy and she was stuffed up. When I added the tablets again, her nose began to run clear again and her cold was gone by day 4 as opposed to the normal 7-10 day duration for a cold. I appreciate that I can use something to help manage symptoms without having to worry about ingredients or negatively effecting the healing process.

The Teething Tablets are nothing short of amazing. They calm her down and she is able to sleep very well during teething periods. She generally cuts about 4 teeth at a time so I know she’s feeling it. The tablets dissolve on her tongue and she seems to feel better in a matter of minutes.

The following are ailments that many feel are best addressed through homeopathic means:

• depression

• anxiety

• allergies

• infections

• gynecological conditions

• skin conditions

• digestive problems

• chronic and acute conditions including colds and flu

Our next step with Homeopathy to create a home care kit for the whole family. This is where I’ll be learning more about the individual remedies and the different dosages. Do any of you use Homeopathic remedies in your home? What had been your experience with them?

Hey, come visit the me and leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you. If you enjoyed this article, thank you for giving it a boost on social media. © All rights reserved. This post is from HealthyGreenMoms and cannot be republished without express written permission.

Homeopathy As An Effective Alternative

In the last article I shared some tips I use to work through depression and anxiety by way of the body. Physical practices such as yoga, nutrition, cleansing and deep breathing can be beneficial in managing the symptoms of depression. Physical practices are also helpful in creating a routine for self care that is so important in lifting the symptoms of depression.

In this article, I’ll share some of the routes I took to better understand how my mind was influencing my depression. I hope you will find something here that can help you or someone you know who is weighed down by long term depression.

The Mind, A Powerful & Untapped Resource

Understanding Your Thought Processes

I really had no awareness of my thoughts when I began investigating. Sure enough, I had strong opinions about things and I truly believed that these opinions were serving me well.  I never really questioned my thoughts though. I believed my beliefs and thoughts defined who I was.

There is a problem with uncensored thinking. Lets say you have a negative thought: “I am selfish for wanting some time for myself.” This thought triggers an emotional reaction and you begin to feel guilty. You had a thought, you are selfish, and now you feel guilty. The guilty feelings you have “confirm” to you that you are indeed a selfish person. You get emotionally involved in the guilty feeling of being “selfish”. Now that you have linked the thought “selfish” with the feeling “guilty” this thought (you are selfish) becomes part of your belief system at an unconscious level. You now believe you are a selfish person (not logical, but unconsciously accepted) and you are now sensitive to experiences in your life that highlight this accepted belief.

Making A Crucial Error in Judgement

Thoughts create feelings and emotions. Not all thoughts, but certainly thoughts that trigger an emotional reaction based on past experience. Depression is in large part, over identifying with thoughts and feelings. I am sad. I am afraid. I am depressed. I am not worthy.

In reality, you are having a sad feeling. You are experiencing fear. You are having a down day. You are feeling insignificant. Feelings just are. Nothing more. You might recognize a sad feeling, but you are not a sad person. Most people have made the mistake of believing that their thoughts and feelings define who they are. The most difficult part of my depression was understanding that feelings are just feelings, they do not represent who I am!

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. W. Shakespeare

The Power of Non Attachment

Understanding that thoughts, feelings and emotions arise and pass within us continuously and that we can choose not to grab hold of them as they pass by, is crucial for lifting the weight of depression.

Here are some ideas for deepening your awareness:

• Recognize habitual thoughts as just thoughts, not representations of who you are.
• Sidestep the thought by choosing not getting emotionally involved in the thought.
• Begin to recognize the different feelings and emotions that you have, and refrain from categorizing them into the bulk folder called “depression.”
• Actively choose to accept positive thoughts in order to weed out the destructive thoughts.

Once you step into the process of observation, you step into the process of creating your life. Intentionally choosing which thoughts you want to align with is an act of awareness.

Understanding Your Feelings and Emotions

I always considered myself to be a feeling based person. Sensitive, emotional. The interesting paradox that I discovered about my depression is that when I finally began to observe and describe my emotions, I was at a lack for words! I found myself saying often “I just don’t feel right, but I can’t say exactly what it is” or “It’s hard to describe.” Therapist’s told me “You describe your life as though it was someone else’s life.” I realized I had disconnected myself from the feeling process.

What is true in many situations is that depressed people no longer recognize the vastly different states of emotions, accepting them as a normal part of living. There are so many ways to describe how you can be feeling, however depression had become a “flat line” of feeling for me. Not a range of feelings, only one, and I had no clue how to describe it!

Avoid General Terms To Describe Feelings & Emotions

Emotions constantly arise and pass throughout the day. Each emotion has a different feeling tone that we have assigned a word as a way to describe that particular tone. The problem is that I had reduced all emotions down to “feeling depressed.” A big improvement to my depression was when I allowed myself to feel unworthy, broken hearted, shame, abandoned, resentment, anger etc. I stopped using a general term like “depressed” to describe the subtleties of my experience.

The natural cure for depression as it relates to emotions is also to reconnect with emotions in the moment, allow yourself to feel whatever it is that you feel, and then LET THE ENERGY GO. Allow the flow of emotional energy to move and dissipate without holding it in your mind and body. I am certainly not an “expert” in this field, but I do know that each of us must re-acquaint ourselves with the full range of our experience in order to live as fully as possible.

Use Emotions To Show You How You Are Thinking

A wonderful tip from Bob Proctor is when you are feeling down, ask yourself what you have been thinking? Some questions and statements that have also been helpful to me are:

• “How do I feel right now in this moment?”
• “Where in my body do I feel this emotion?”
• “It is OK to feel whatever I am feeling”
• “My emotions serve me well. Trust them as clues to help me grow”
• “A life is a rhythm dance and this too shall pass”
• “What is it that I am resisting that keeps me from accepting this moment as it is?”

Understanding Your Past

The reality is that until you examine your core belief system, we really do not know where our thinking comes from. Examining your past is a great way to help understand how your thoughts about life came to be. There is a time for understanding how and why we got to where we are. There is a difference though, in dwelling on the past versus understanding how past experiences helped to create your belief system. Knowing that you accepted a belief system without your awareness can now empower you to create a new one, with the ideas you consciously want to accept for yourself.

I used my past as the reason to feel depressed. I noticed that I constantly needed to relive my past and every time I did, it did not provide any additional clarity. It only intensified my dissatisfaction.

I kept reliving my past because I believed I needed something from someone else to heal and move on. This is a common theme for all of us. We need to close the events of our lives in order to move on. Rightfully, we all require closure.

The Choice We All Have To Make

1. Wait For An apology. Who do I need an apology from? What would an apology look like? What would it involve? How would I feel if I received one? Would the relationship change?

2. Forgive The Deed. By seeking an apology I was giving up my power. I can not control another person to give me what I need to heal. Forgiveness is completely within my power. Forgiveness is a spiritual decision to cancel the “debt” someone owes to you, therefore releasing the emotional bonds that come with the debt.

“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.” The Lord’s Prayer

Can you go on for another 5-20 years seeking an apology? Is it possible for you to close the door today by forgiving? I wanted to take back control of my life, so I chose to forgive.

Taking Back Control of Your Thoughts

We know our thoughts create our beliefs and our beliefs create our reality. If we want a change in our reality we need to change our thoughts.

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein

1. Go On A Media Diet

How much of the daily information you absorb is genuinely positive & hopeful? Consider the effect a constant stream of negativity or pointless information has on your life? There is a difference between being educated and informed about our world versus being constantly inundated with it.

Take a step back and consider the effect mass “fear consciousness” has on our culture. Are you really served by allowing yourself to be unconsciously part of a cultural fascination with fear, conspiracy, limits, lack, destruction, and loss?

Give yourself a break, so that you can consciously choose the information that you want to become part of your new reality.

• Limit TV, Newspapers, Talk Shows, Radio, Gossip Rags, Internet News

Choose to consciously put yourself in front of hope, vision, possibility, victory, happiness, grace, leadership, responsibility, abundance, mystery and gratitude.

2. Create A New Belief System

Your old belief system happened without your awareness. Now that you are weeding out the old, destructive modes of information, it’s time to rebuild your foundation:

• University On Wheels. Grab some amazing CD’s and plug them into your car stereo. Turn a boring commute into a fun, eye opening, and mind expanding drive.
• Reload Your Mind. Once a week, watch a hopeful DVD that inspires you. I enjoy What The Bleep, The Secret, Harmonic Wealth, and Peaceful Warrior.
• Read Read Read. Follow your intuition and pick out books that will guide you to a better understanding of YOU!

3. Create Space In Your Mind

Use the time created from the media break for more nourishing activities:

• Do Nothing. Have you ever sat and done absolutely nothing at all? Sitting without TV, eating, music, reading, drinking, phone calls, doodling, sewing…..you get the idea. This is a very powerful way to observe the way the mind tried to keep you busy and away from the present moment. Sit even longer, and it can be a powerful way to observe the energetic flow of emotions. Let them rise up, and bubble freely out of you!
• Meditation. Meditation is an intimidating word for most people and if you are depressed, it can seem like a task to begin. Don’t look at it is an all or nothing endeavor. It is a process, and is best taken one day at a time. One undeniable thing that I nave noticed is that the one common theme all religions, all great philosophers, self growth books, self mastery teachings etc have in common is the understanding that meditation is the most powerful pathway to transform an individual. I currently use the Holosync audio’s and I am finding it to be quite powerful.
• Write in a Journal. Record your thoughts and feelings in a journal without editing yourself. Writing is a powerful way to access the truth within you as well as observing the tone of your thoughts. Get to know yourself again by recording your thoughts at various times throughout the day, or for a few minutes before bed.
• Nature. My favorite. Little more needs to be said about this powerful resource. Refresh yourself continually.

The power of the mind amazes me daily. The sheer Will of life to grow and expand allowed me to recapture my life by using my mind in a life enhancing way. I hope all people can come to understand how this immensely powerful resource can create positive change in their lives and in the world. This is the ray of hope that is available to all. Use your Mind, Body and Spirit to create a pathway for your Self to be discovered and expressed.

Do you believe that mindset is one of the most powerful reasons behind an unhappy life? What are some ways that you use your mind for positive change? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Hey, come visit the me and leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you. If you enjoyed this article, thank you for giving it a boost on social media. © All rights reserved. This post is from HealthyGreenMoms and cannot be republished without express written permission.

More Natural Cures For Depression: The Mind

Change your body and you will change your mind. Change your mind and you will change your life.

A few weeks ago I decided to post about my journey back from depression and anxiety in the hopes that it would provide some encouragement to those that are suffering and doubting themselves.  I have received many requests to provide a more detailed description of the steps I took to recover.

It is difficult to discuss one aspect of healing without taking into consideration the role the other parts play into it as well. Each of us will respond to healing methods differently depending on the aspects of ourselves that require the most attention, so there is no one single best way to defeat depression. To be clear, my healing was not a sudden experience but rather a slow lifting and lessening of the symptoms of depression and anxiety over time with the help of the methods in this article. These are the natural and lasting cures for depression because they focus on total wellness by reconnecting with your Body, Mind and Spirit.

Over the years I have made sure to keep my physical health in proper balance. When I was dealing with chronic fatigue and other illnesses, it was important for me to work directly on the physical problems in order to find out how many of the depression symptoms could be alleviated through good physical health. Eg; lifting fatigue through better health would likely help depression also.

When health is poor and thoughts are poor, how can one really know where the root of the fatigue is unless you begin to work at it, one by one.

Natural Cures For Depression

A HEALTHY BODY:

1. Nutrition – Don’t underestimate the power of healthy food to facilitate healing in the body and mind.

We cannot expect to feel good when we eat poorly. All life is ENERGY, vibrating at different frequencies. Our body cannot convert a fast food burger into the same high quality energy as an apple. Depression and low energy go hand in hand so it is absolutely essential that depressed people eat nutrient rich foods for additional energy, including the elimination of as many packaged processed foods as possible.

I mentioned that I made significant discovery with nutrition: It took me 15 years of depression to finally start taking a high quality organic supplement. To this day, I have not found another vitamin that works for me the way this one does. B Vitamins and phyto-nutrients (greens) are very helpful in managing the stress that comes with depression. (Opt for vitamins that are whole food based/organic  and free of synthetic compounds – most conventional brands do not measure up, unfortunately)

Eating more raw fruits and vegetables is a powerful way to counteract the negative thoughts that come along with depression. How is that? Negative thinking is acidic in nature. An acid environment in the body is perfect for cultivating illness and disease. Fruits, veggies and whole grains like quinoa and brown rice help counteract the acid condition because they are more alkaline in nature.

While eating fruits may not directly impact negative thinking, it is sure amazing that we are so perfectly designed that these approaches will likely impact all areas of the body. The value of proper nutrition cannot be ignored as one step of a natural depression cure and for overall mental health.

2. Cleansing – I have found cleansing 2x per year to be a great support system for healthy living. It can be very difficult to eliminate certain foods from our diet due to a variety of emotional and physical factors. Cleansing is helpful for breaking poor eating habits while strengthening the resolve to have another fresh start at healthy living. Cleansing also works on the mind, so it can bring to surface your predominant approach to life’s challenges! In my experience, cleansing truly does strengthen the mind and body.

Also, I discovered that depression is one of many symptoms of Candida and I used cleansing to eliminate the candida overgrowth from my body. Candida commonly goes undiagnosed and is very persistent so I cleansed multiple times and followed a strict diet for 6 months. Once the candida was gone, I no longer had the cravings for sweets, white foods, alcohol and cheeses. The lack of cravings made it easier for me to then adopt a simple, wholesome diet. Other cleanses that  have been helpful to me are: The Master Cleanse, Parasite cleanse, liver /kidney cleanse, heavy metal cleanses, and colon cleansing.

3. Addictions – Depression combined with either alcohol or drugs is a recipe for disaster. I found that even a casual drink slowed my healing process down. Alcohol and drugs used by depressed and anxious persons can trigger panic attacks or bouts of depression more easily. Each panic attack is a very real physical experience brought on by a fragile mind. Knowing that I could not sustain many more panic attacks due to the extreme physical symptoms, I chose to not engage in those activities. If we are to develop a strong mind, consideration must be given to the weakening effect alcohol and drugs have on our body, mind & spirit.

HEALTHY ACTIVITY

1. Yoga - There is so much more to Yoga than just physical exercise hhowever yoga serves as a very practical way to strengthen the body from the organs to the skin! Yoga is a powerful and therapeutic way to open the body, mind and heart through physical postures. As the body opens and strengthens, pent up energy is being released. Imagine that negative thoughts & experiences collect as little balls of energy throughout the body. Yoga helps to release the balls of energy gently and slowly. Once the body releases the energy, the body actually becomes more supple, responsive and “in flow” to life.

Yoga is also a great way to practice awareness by shifting your attention inward and noticing the feelings and sensations that come and go during a session. The best classes are ones that focus on the breath through each posture and I personally recommend a gentle Hatha flow for beginners. Yoga can also be practiced at home with a good DVD. I still use my favorite yoga DVD at home after all these years.

2. Deep Breathing – My yoga mentor used to say that dis-ease cannot live in an oxygenated environment and that is why deep breathing is so beneficial! Having an awareness about your breathing habits is very valuable in combating depression. Most people are generally not very efficient breathers. Many are shallow breathers, using only the top 1/3 of their lungs, the chest area. The other 2/3 of the lungs is not used to it’s full capacity. When we are in a state of depression and anxiety, we are not breathing deeply so practicing deep breathing is a great way get out of your head and into your body.

A beginner can use a 4:4 count with a small pause at the end of each inhale and each exhale. Placing a hand on your abdomen and visualizing your breath reaching all the way down to your diaphragm is very helpful. Deep breathing sounds simple, but a person who has not tried this will be amazed at how quickly they will run out of breath during counting. Be assured, with practice you will see drastic improvements. Deep breathing is also another wonderful introduction into practicing awareness. You will soon find yourself noticing how you are breathing during stressful events (in your chest) and instantly begin to deepen your breath.

3. Nature - Spending time in nature is a wonderful way to reconnect with the important things in life, provided we can slow down long enough to enjoy the beauty around us. The physical exertion of a good hike while breathing in the fresh mountain air is always purifying to my mind and body. Walking is a safe form of exercise for nearly everyone and was been a life saver for me many times. Putting my bare hands in the soil while gardening is also an excellent way to ground myself. Use nature to help you release emotions, sit in silence and introspect. Nature is a perfect companion for all of us, especially the depressed and anxious.

When I was in the pits of depression and anxiety, I’ll admit that I doubted these suggestions. I know what it’s like to barely be able to drag yourself outside, much less follow a healthy eating lifestyle and make it to weekly yoga classes. However, one by one I was pulled to make these changes because I finally got sick enough of being depressed and anxious!

No matter how you start out, your body mind and soul are interconnected and an improvement in one part of your life will effect all parts. Know that once you set into motion the desire to be well and then take small steps towards it, life has a way of bringing you exactly what you need to grow. Trust this process because once you change your body, your mind will change, and once your mind has changed, your whole life can be transformed.

Read More: More Natural Cures for Depression with a focus on The Mind. I am in awe of this powerful aspect of healing and cannot wait to share more with you!

(Disclaimer: I am not a health professional and this should not be taken as medical advice. The only person I am qualified to diagnose is myself. These posts are intended to encourage you to dig deeper. My hope is that you discover your own healing wisdom. You should always consult with a qualified professional before starting any new program, especially if you are in any kind of treatment.)

I’d love to hear your thoughts about depression and anxiety in the comments below.

Hey, come visit the me and leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you. If you enjoyed this article, thank you for giving it a boost on social media. © All rights reserved. This post is from HealthyGreenMoms and cannot be republished without express written permission.

Natural Cures For Depression: The Body

I reached a crossroads this week with how much of my personal story I wanted to share on this blog. I decided that it is important to share this post, in the hopes that it would inspire or bring hope to even one person. Thanks to Jonathan at Illuminated Mind for the courageous story he posted this week. He inspired me a great deal.

I grabbed the Globe and Mail this week and they are doing a series on mental illness. The statistics are that 1 in 5 will be affected with some form of mental illness in their lifetime. It’s staggering that on average, every single household willl require treatment at some point in their lives, and yet discussing mental illness is still so taboo?

It is obvious that the state of health in our society, mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health, is in crisis. We all have the potential for a peaceful and happy life and yet, I draw the conclusion that true health is indeed hard for most to attain. Optimum health takes discipline and even though mental wellness may seem a challenge, I know that most do not have to live with depression and anxiety, much less, be on pharmaceutical drugs for the rest of their lives, 

Have We Totally Lost Sight Of Our Own Healing Ability?

I recently watched this short video that outlines the issues that they feel need to be addressed by every person or the families of persons seeking mental health care in this country. If we are to tackle this major problem of mental illness in our country, this video suggests that there are a a few obstacles that are affecting our ability to overcome these illnesses.

The main points of the video, as presented by a successful former drug rep:

1. The pharmaceutical industry is NOT in the business of health and healing, but rather disease and symptom management. If we have a true desire to be healthy, then prescription drugs are not the way to health.  Prescription drugs do not cure disease. Otherwise big pharma would be out of business.
2. There are more effective ways to deal with disorders and syndromes than with pharmaceutical drugs. Symptoms only become a “disease” once they can be tested and documented, ie MRI, cat scan, blood & urine tests. Everything else is categorized as disorders and syndromes. This is huge to understand the way drugs are used and endorsed recklessly. Restless leg syndrome?? There’s a pill for that and it’s good business.
3. Anti-depressants are only truly effective for people with severe depression, however the majority of persons on anti-depressants (44 million) have mild to moderate depression. Anti-depressants tested against placebo’s (sugar pills) are barely more advantageous and in many cases the placebo was more effective than the antidepressant in clinical trials.
4. Exercise has been proven to be more effective against depression than both a placebo and an anti-depressant.
   
5. Anti-depressants are almost impossible to get off of and the reported side effects have been minimized, but do pose real risks to our health.

So you may wonder, why do I care what the pharmaceutical industry does?

One of the things I have discovered, is that I am passionate about inspiring people to reconnect with their ability to completely transform their lives. To have courage in the face of illness and to never give up reaching for the answers that we need to heal.

Everyone can be independently healthy. Independently healthy means sometimes means having the courage to challenge the current methods we are offered and truly assess if they will, over the long term provide the solution we are seeking. It means taking responsibility for finding the root cause, not only managing symptoms.

My History With Depression & Anxiety:

The Family Predisposition

Depression, anxiety and mental illness exists on both sides of my family. My birth mother has multiple forms of mental illness that left her unable to be a mother and so she left when I was 3 years old. I have not had a relationship with her since, aside from one occasion where I witnessed the aftermath of another suicide attempt. On my fathers side we call it the “Celtic gloom”. Call it by any name, it is still depression and anxiety as I see it. I personally remember feeling depressed for the first time when I was about 7 years old. Growing up over the years,  I constantly felt the weight of a burden that I could not describe, nor could I release. It felt as though I had inherited a black cloud over me that was not mine to own and seemed utterly impossible to shake. I thought of suicide often as a teenager.

Making Matters Worse

I left home at 16. My need for independence consumed me and made it impossible for our family to coexist under the same roof. I worked full time, finished high school and then moved to the big city when I was 19 years old.

I was introduced to all night parties and the world of drugs almost immediately. I remember saying to my friends on our first night getting high, that it was the first time in my life I had felt “this happy”. In hindsight, if there were to be a silver lining to my drug use it is that I became aware that there were emotional states that I had not yet experienced. The search for happiness through drugs later became a search for happiness in myself, without the drugs.

Over time my physical health began to decline, I began taking antibiotics regularly for infections which spiraled into creating other health issues. I ate little, worked and partied full time. Not a very healthy life. All the while, I continued to search for happiness outside myself and ignore the black cloud of depression that followed me everywhere.

The Night That Changed Everything

I had always heard about the stories of people having a bad experience, or getting a bad batch of drugs, but at the time I can say I honestly didn’t care, or at least I didn’t think it would happen to me.

We stayed home and got high again. Just another night. Soon after, one of the girls began to act strangely and her actions frightened me instantly. Within minutes, my mind began to loose it’s grip with reality (what little reality there could be in an intoxicated state) Within minutes, my euphoria turned into a nightmare.

That evening I went to the hospital to be treated for panic and a rapid heart rate.  By the time I had reached the hospital, my mind had spiraled to the point of hearing voices in the walls and the thoughts of others, or so I thought. My entire life became a conspiracy that was so convincing that I was not able to keep even a shred of reality in tact.

I was admitted and given an injection to reduce my heart rate that was dangerously high. I was then left in a room alone to allow the injection to take hold and the drugs to slowly wear off. I remember attempting to rip a necklace off a nurse and I threw water in the face of another. What a nice house guest they had that night!

I was able to convince the staff at the hospital that I had come down and I was finally allowed to leave at about 4 am. I probably required a few injections in hindsight, because I was still completely delusional and intoxicated. I managed to find a friends place to hide out where my state of delusion and panic lasted for 3 more days, and when I finally came down I was faced with the reality that my entire life had completely shattered in one night. The fine line between sanity and insanity no longer existed, my mind had fractured.

In the weeks that followed, I was constantly in a paranoid state. I heard voices, saw “secret” messages everywhere and manipulated every word spoken to me to validate my belief of conspiracy and control. Soon after, I gave into the voices and attempted suicide. I was finally admitted in to a group home for a recovery program and officially diagnosed with “drug induced psychosis”.

The Next 10 Years

This period of psychosis actually lasted  for another 3 years. During this time, my “episodes” that would last days at a time, and then I would come back to reality, crash and need to sleep and hide away for days. Although I had drastically reduced my drug use, I was still associating with the same crowd and the environment constantly triggered my episodes. I could no longer listen to loud music or even socialize without triggering an episode. I attempted to live a “normal” life and even became a scuba diver! It was the grace of god that kept me alive under the water during full blown and delusional panic attacks.

Over time the episodes of psychosis decreased and they were replaced with an anxiety/panic attack disorder and of course, the depression that I was already predisposed to returned ten fold. Looking back, that one night of drugs combined with a predisposition to depression, took about 10 years to recover from.

I have always questioned everything. Aside from a 6 month period, I did not take any anti-depressants or anti-psychotics throughout the entire time. I don’t really have a reason except to say that I didn’t like the idea of being under the control of a substance endorsed by the companies I viewed as legalized drug pushers. That’s just the way I looked at it. I guess I was an activist at heart and questioned the motives of the “establishment”.

My decision not to take prescribed drugs forced me to find new ways to heal myself. (Not to imply that drugs heal because I have never met a person who has recovered due to taking anti-depressants, although they may make coping easier for a short duration) I worked towards understanding the many faces of depression and anxiety and over time I learned to bring awareness into my life so that I could observe these states without getting too attached to them. I made an amazing discovery with nutrition, and learned that even slight changes in certain nutrients can have a powerful effect on depression and anxiety. I read every self help book I could get my hands on, practiced yoga and meditation and even took up a yoga teacher training program. I met my husband 6 years after the night everything changed, and his patience, unconditional love and unique perspective and has showed me a new way to see the world and myself.

I now consider depression to be mostly a matter of the soul in our culture. I have always thought of myself as a seeker of Truth and so I had a hard time coming to terms with the destruction I had caused myself and others. Who was this person that made these decisions? Gradually I learned to accept and forgive my past and that I had the power to create a new future. I recognized that that I had a tendency to blame and manipulate in order to validate my poor self image.  I slowly learned to take responsibility and for my thoughts, words and actions. I accepted that I needed to reverse my tendency to be a victim and to find new ways to empower myself. I learned to forgive myself and others, to accept, to imagine, to love myself and others and to believe in the “impossible”. Observing resistance in my life has provided much clarity. Also, returning to the present moment as often as possible has been life altering.

I then found my way to the success & personal development field. This is when I discovered the importance of shifting from introspection about my life’s story towards taking continuous small steps of action. I have found that action through awareness and intention has had the most inspiring results. I realized that I was not separate from everybody, but rather apart of a world community and the importance of giving back and of finding my gifts in order to help or to serve others. I discovered that I had created and inherited a “faulty” road map, and that I needed to create a new set of beliefs for myself. I learned that personal success and happiness are not as mysterious as I had believed, and that there were certain principles that we can all learn and apply to create the life we desire. This was a new language of possibility and hope for me. I finally left behind a belief system of personal lack and limits to one of infinite possibilities and being an intentional participant in my own life.

Considering my predisposition to depression and anxiety, my personal history with drugs, family baggage and a total mental collapse that took years to overcome, wouldn’t it seem that I would be the least likely to overcome mental illness?

So many times I wanted to give up, retreat from life and accept that my illness was due to a chemical imbalance. A glimmer of hope helped me to realize that accepting depression as a chemical issue left me powerless to overcome  my illness, let alone take control and believe and hope for something more. I did not know yet that we can alter our chemicals through right thought and beliefs. I doubted many times that I would be able to experience any kind of happiness in my life. Few people know the extent of the damage I did to my body and mind and the daily terror I lived with for years.

Looking Ahead – Freedom From Depression & Anxiety!

I would have never imagined 10 years ago that I would be writing about this experience from the other side. I love life, I am excited and look forward to the discovering the blessings that each day brings. I am happily married, a mom and so grateful to see life and people in a whole new way. I am thankful to have been exposed to all the amazing teachers that mentored me along the way.

I wanted to tell you my story because I hope it will help you or someone you know:

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that each of us possess the power to our own healing. Life is a journey and healing is multi-disciplined but there is light and a road map for all who choose to believe in their own happiness. I know what is possible because of the darkness I left behind. Have faith and courage to get the answers and believe in yourself. Every person who wants to have clarity and happiness in their life can have it. It’s a bumpy road recovering from depression and anxiety, but don’t ever give up.

Accept and love yourself. Love yourself, because you are a gift and the world is waiting for you to share yourself! Bring love, faith, hope, gratitude, courage, action and perseverance into your life and watch it be transformed.

Read More: Learn more about the specific ways I lifted my own symptoms:

Natural Cures For Depression – The Body

More Natural Cures For Depression – The Mind

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Finding Happiness In The Age Of Depression