Total Health Magazine

Depression is becoming increasingly common, but often goes away with natural therapies. Although how we feel has a lot to do with psychological issues, it can also be dramatically affected by our biochemistry. The same applies to bipolar, obsessive-compulsive and other disorders that are classified as being psychological. Although doing one’s “psycho-spiritual” work is important in treating any illness, you will be amazed at how much better you can feel when you optimize your biochemistry — naturally! This article will teach you how.

Dear Pharmacist,

I’ve been fighting low- to mid-level depression for years and at the same time trying to avoid becoming dependent on anti-depressant medication. I’ve tried St. John’s wort, and it didn’t help me. Can you recommend another alternative treatment?

Dear Pharmacist,

I crave saffron, and have loved this spice for many years but stopped buying it because it’s expensive. I know you are educated with herbs, can you tell me if there are any health benefits?

All of us want to be healthy in body and mind. We also like to be well. Wellness builds upon the health of body and mind with positive spirituality and hope for self-realization. Wellness is a prerequisite for reaching our full potential as human beings, and the key to being healthy and well is to have a soundly developed, personalized nutrient program.

Modern Western society as a whole talks the talk about health and wellness but doesn’t walk the walk. In these societies the food supply is controlled by big business, not primarily in order to support wellness but to generate profit. Similarly, the profit-driven health care industry mainly pushes drugs. Together, the bad qualities of our food combine with the toxic aspects of most of our pharmaceuticals to undermine health and wellness.

An ancient adage from Chinese medicine says, “A doctor would rather treat ten men than one woman.”Chinese medicine validates what women have always known, we are indeed intricate creatures! Our hormones are in part responsible for this complexity. Their ebb and flow influence all aspects of a woman’s physical, emotional and mental well-being.

Menopause is the term used to describe the progressive cessation of menstruation in a woman over time. Menopause typically occurs after a woman’s child-bearing years, between the ages of 45 and 50. Some women, however, experience it as early as 35 and as late as 60 years old. The process of menopause can last for two to six years, during which time a woman’s hormone levels change due to the reduction in the production of estrogen and progesterone in the ovaries as they cease to produce eggs. Physiologically, menopause marks the end of a woman’s childbearing capacity and is a part of her natural aging process.

Dear Pharmacist,

My brother is on a gluten free diet now and lost a lot of weight. He’s razzing me to join him in his gluten free diet, but I don’t see the point unless you have irritable bowel syndrome (that’s why he did it). I really like my pizza and beer too! I read you every week, are there other health benefits?