The first thing you can do to start addressing your depression is to acknowledge it, write it out and talk it out with a support person – “a problem shared is a problem halved”, make sure your eating/drinking well and regularly, try and get 8 hours sleep every night and go to bed at the same time every night, practice regular meditation daily and avoid depressants like alcohol and stimulants like coffee.

Certain herbs and supplements can be incredibly supportive during tough times often depression and anxiety go hand in hand – Lemon balm, St John’s wort and supplements such as theanine, magnesium and B complex vitamins just to name a few – can be very helpful. But which ones are right for you? Is there a depression test? Yes, there is, we can offer testing which gives a great overview of all hormone activity if necessary.  More often than not questioning and symptoms will clarify a valuable starting point so this test may or may not be necessary but its great to know it exists.

Our Treatment Plan

At Orange Health we focus on finding and treating the cause of your condition, we use natural, gentle effective treatments to help facilitate change and help nourish the mind and body back to good health. Please call the Naturopaths at Orange Health to discuss the best methods of treatment for you.

Happy Clients

“One of the key things I was aiming at when I came to see you was to reduce PMS. I didn’t expect it would go completely but what do ya know?! NO PMS!!!! Ive had maybe 2 tiny instances of being a bit teary but the 2 weeks of debilitating anxiety and depression gone!!!! I cant thank you enough. I feel like I’ve been given a whole new life. I was dreading menopause but if this continues I’m not concerned about it at all. My anxiety has all but gone, I feel good about myself, I feel strong within myself (that was no easy feat giving up coffee and alcohol!!) I cant thank you enough. Its worth every penny that I’m still paying. Cheers.” Cheers Anna H *

“I’ve had a touch of postnatal depression… I know all the things I need to do to get myself out of it but I just can’t seem to get to executing any of it… am struggling to make decisions.. am doubting my ability to do anything & just generally in negative mind space…. dwelling on past & very up & down with moods so please could you send me a good mix or any advice that you think will help… will pay for consult & everything mate, I’ve got to try break this pattern… will do the online questionnaire for minerals as well please….. I’m still feeding my baby at night & obviously sleep & work are both draining me but its kind of gone past the point of just being about energy levels…. anyway theres my sob story… please help me!!!! 3 weeks of treatment … 28/3/12 Fantastic, I’ve felt nothing but calm, logical, rational, focused and happy over the last few weeks Thank you.”

We recently talked about Anxiety in previous blogs but here’s a quick recap on 5 common causes and natural remedies that can help sufferers of anxiety –

Top causes of Anxiety:

• Stress from all sources
• Chemical imbalance
• Food Intolerances
• Certain drugs and medications

Top natural treatments for Anxiety:

• Try and find ways to reduce stress – meditate, exercise daily, yoga, tai chi, breathing exercises, write it out, talk to someone about how you are feeling, prioritise tasks and deal with situations as they arise.
• Talk to a nutritionist or Naturopath regarding dietary correction to support mental health
• Take a good look at what medications you are taking are do your research regarding the side effects of taking them vs the benefits of having them – question weather there is another way to treat your condition that doesn’t have the nasty side effects
• Herbs like passionflower and lemon balm can help reduce anxiety
• Supplements like theanine, tyrosine, 5 HTP, magnesium and B vitamins can be helpful – it is best to talk to your Naturopath about which might suit you best.

If you have any questions regarding which treatments are right for you, please contact one of our experienced Naturopaths who will be able to individually assess which treatments would best suit your needs.

We’ve all been there at some stage in our lives, is your child suffering from the first day of school nerves, is your teenager suffering exam stress? Do you have a work presentation that’s keeping you awake at night? grief, uncertain relationships, money, interviews the list goes on. Stress affects our relationships with our family, friends and work colleagues but most importantly it is really uncomfortable to have to live with and you shouldn’t have to.

Relieving The Stress

Stress is high on the list of most people we see in our clinic.  Stress causes a cocktail of confusion in the body and it quickly becomes anxiety which is a deeper more constant form of stress, this then can become depression. Consider the word depression for a minute, flattened, squashed, deflated like stepping on a ball with no air in it.  Life throws hard to handle things at all of us and it really can take its toll.
What we offer at Orange Clinic of Natural Medicine is the direction and support to help you nutritionally – nutrients are like building blocks.  We are not anti-medication we are pro helping you do the work in the background that keeps you moving forward. We prescribe medical herbs for stress, anxiety, and depression, they are amazing because they are safe and have no unpleasant side effects, only good ones.  The herbs we use are called nervines and adaptogens.  These words speak for themselves, they help your nervous system adapt to the stressors of life.  They are not just a quick fix, they nourish, strengthen and support your nervous system helping to strengthen your foundations.  Feeling stronger and more stable in yourself.  All our treatments are safe for babies through to the elderly.

Let Us Help You

Come and see our experienced Naturopaths and Medical Herbalists and they will work out what is the underlying cause of your stress and anxiety and advise how to make necessary changes and support you with the correct nutritional to have you feeling calm and resilient again

I feel stressed and anxious all the time! I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired?

Stress has many faces and creeps into our lives from all directions. No matter what causes it, stress puts the body and the mind on edge. The body is flooded with stress hormones, your heart pounds, muscles tense, breathing quickens, the stomach churns leaving you flat and fatigued.

One of the most common complaints we see in our clinic is lack of energy and fatigue usually caused by long-term stress. Chronic stress plays havoc with all your body systems and drains your energy as your body and mind burn up your energy stores reacting to the perceived threat.  Stress is a major cause of high blood pressure and heart disease and can dampen the immune system, increasing your susceptibility to colds and other infections. Stress contributes to asthma, digestive disorders, skin disorders, and a myriad of other health problems. Research supports that high levels of stress speed up the aging process.

Originally this response collectively termed the “fight-or-flight” response, has helped humans survive threats such as animal attacks, fires, floods, and conflict with other humans. Today, obvious dangers like these aren’t the main things that trigger the stress response. Any situation you perceive as threatening, or that requires you to adjust to a change, can set of these hormones, sitting in traffic, getting the kids ready for school, deadlines, a change of house or settling into a new country, the list is long and its happening daily!

So, what can you do about it?

Though stress is inevitable, you can help control your body’s response to it, you can help how you react to it, and you can repair the damage done by it. All it takes it some guidance and time to put stress reducing, energy boosting techniques into practice. There are many ways to treat low energy and stress but simply put – a solution can be found when a cause can be identified.

Put yourself in the driver’s seat and let us steer you back on track today.

How can we help? We will assess your individual circumstances and review all aspects of your life to find the causes and offer a solution that best suits your needs.  Where necessary we will offer testing via blood, urine or saliva, this will accurately target the areas needing the most attention, we can then supplement with specific herbs and nutrients to help you recover your energy quickly and help your body adapt to stress better.   We use natural, effective, non-invasive techniques to achieve your wellness goals. With no nasty side effects, only good ones.  We will work together to help you eat correctly, to fuel your body the most effectively – we will help you work on good sleep routines so that your body and mind have a chance to recuperate.  We will develop a treatment plan for you that is realistic and manageable.

So, what are you waiting for? A life of abundant energy and less stress is only an appointment away.

Call us today to meet our experienced Naturopaths who will help you live your best life, Naturally.