Do you think it's always a deficiency?

[Dera]

Well here I am, 1 year post partum and just when I thought I had a grip on my depression like symptoms, they come back. I tried what seems like 100 different routes to heal myself and be a good mother and I finally tried extra zinc. It seemed like 6-8 weeks of relief and I thought I had finally found the answer.

Then it came back. Almost full force. My supplement routine is the same but I'm about ready to completely give up all of them.

For a while, I tried ssri's but they didn't work. At all. Then I did more research and I was sure it was adrenal fatigue or some sort of deficiency but after several months trying to address it this way, I am throwing in the towel. I have spent hundreds of dollars on supplements and a naturopath (maybe thousands, I never counted) and still I am suffering. And not just me, my kids get screwed with me. And my husband.

I think I just needed to write something, I don't expect anybody to be able to help me anymore. I would go to a therapist if I had insurance. I don't. I can't afford a thing anymore. I took the quiz in the stickies, and I scored high enough for it to say, get to a doc immediately. It almost makes me laugh. Almost.

[Zenful]

Have you tried eating a raw food diet? Many people who were depressed find that the depression lifts after being on a raw food diet for awhile. Transitioning to one (especially if you don't eat that healthy to begin with) is the safest thing to do...there's lots of great websites and books out there on the subject.

I eat a raw vegan diet and my emotional state has changed completely over the time I've been eating this way (almost two years now). It's amazing how much our diet affects us. I firmly believe that food additives are the culprit for most health problems and eating what's from the earth as organically as possible makes the most sense for an optimal state of health.

This is an excellent site for people just starting out

[Dera]

I've often thought about this. The idea of it sounds like a major undertaking. Maybe it's something I should take on? I've also considered looking into traditional foods as well but organic and grass fed is a squeeze on our small budget, and I can't garden because of where I live. My diet could certainly use improvement, I'm sure most people's could. I will look at the website and see if it's something I would be willing to take on right now.

On a lighter note, are you near Seattle? Because I used to work at a coffee shop with that sign up that's in your signature. First time I saw it I was rolling. It was a great place to work. Really laid back people.

[Zenful]

Haha, that's awesome about the sign in the Seattle coffee shop...must be spreading! I saw it in a little coffee shop in San Luis Obispo, CA, actually.

Yeah, eating a raw foods diet sounded like a huge undertaking for me as well. I started slow...I would have a bowl of cut up fruit instead of a muffin or other cooked snack I would normally eat. The rest of my diet stayed the same. When that started feeling easy and normal to me, I'd change something else. I like how this sort of thing can be taken at one's own pace and you'll still experience a lot of health benefits from it. Also, it may sound pretty boring and bland on the surface, but there are lots of great raw food cookbooks (or, rather, "uncookbooks") out there that have really delicious recipes. Some you will find are really easy to make, don't require a lot of preparation or special equipment...others take what seem to be days It's all about what works for you. The forum is awesome, really supportive people who are open to answering any questions you may have. Also, the success stories are really interesting to read.