I have checked out this website on "19 remedies for anxiety", and I noted that a key to
reducing anxiety in the long term is "a whole-foods, plant-based diet
with carefully selected meat and
seafood, plenty of leafy greens (such as kale) to get folate, and a wide
variety of phytonutrients to help reduce anxiety".
I
learnt from this article that besides kale, other excellent sources of
folate include romaine lettuce, spinach, asparagus, turnip greens,
mustard greens, calf's liver, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflowers,
and beets, and I have checked Adamo's website that these aforementioned
sources are neutral or beneficial for blood type B too. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=63
As for phytonutrients, I learnt from this article http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=dailytip&dbid=286
that phytonutients "have health-promoting properties including
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and liver-health-promoting activitles".
It also says:
"Fruits
and vegetables are concentrated sources of phytonutrients; other plant
foods like whole grains, legumes/beans, nuts and seeds, and herbs and
spices also contain phytonutrients. Since many phytonutrients also serve
as the pigment that gives foods their deep hues, you can identify many
phytonutrient-rich foods by looking for colorful foods; for example,
look for foods that are blue or purple like blueberries, blackberries
and red cabbage (rich in flavonoids); yellow-orange foods like carrots,
winter squash, papaya, and melon (rich in beta-carotene); red or pink
foods like tomatoes, guava, and watermelon (rich in lycopene); and green
foods like kale, spinach, and collard greens (rich in chlorophyll).
Yet, since not all phytonutrients give color, it's important to not
overlook some off-white foods as well—for example, garlic, onions, and
leeks are rich in powerful sulfur-containing phytonutrients."
This article below also gives some examples of spices that contain phytonutrients, such as turmeric, ginger and fennel.
"Turmeric,
ginger, coriander, cumin and fennel are just a few of the spices
containing phytonutrients, according to The Detroit News. Cinnamon has
been found to help control blood sugar and improve insulin resistance in
diabetics. Paprika may help raise good cholesterol, and ginger,
coriander and cumin may promote healthy digestion." Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/032463_phytochemicals_health_benefits.html#ixzz2sEGL8TMu
Here's sharing some excerpts of an informative and comprehensive article below that identifies the causes of depression, which reassures the readers that it is normal to experience depression from time to time as part of life. For example, the following excerpt says that depression is like any emotion such as sadness, joy and excitement.
"Like sadness, joy, excitement, anger, fear, jealousy, and worry, depression is a normal human emotion that plays an important role in mental health and well-being. Just as with any emotion, to hide it or to deny it is to risk encouraging it to snowball into a larger and more formidable issue.
All emotions, including depression, require that we first acknowledge their presence and influence upon our psyches before they can be successfully resolved. This is the primary value in any effective form of talk therapy. Verbalize it, process it, assimilate the implications, release it, and move on. Depression of this type serves a very important function. It provides the impetus that allows us to reflect upon the decisions we have made and the actions that we have taken, which play a large role in the direction our life has taken. Depression allows for critical course corrections that can make a world of a difference in the long run.
Depression is commonly the result of letting other unprocessed emotions and life issues build up over time. Men are particularly prone to depression that comes from their macho, stiff upper lip conditioning, which discourages them from expressing how they really feel. They have thoroughly assimilated the twisted cultural message that to express anything but a false sense of strength and control is akin to being weak, impotent, and inadequate. Little do many men - and women - know, that it is a true sign of strength and courage to be able to face one's emotions and issues squarely without hesitation. Most of the time this is all that is required because, once that first step is taken, resolution is usually not far off."
Like what the excerpt says, our culture may discourage people from expressing how they really feel as it can be a sign of being weak and inadequate, but that is not true and it is actually a false sense of strength and control. I grew up in a mainly conservative and repressive family and social environment where open expression of emotions of happiness and sadness is usually frowned upon, and it takes me a long time to learn how to express how I really feel, such as through writing poems, and more recently through blogging. Expressing our emotions through these safe and healthy ways goes a long way for our emotional healing and internal resolution.
The article continues to talk about other causes of depression, such as chronic pain, grief (as a normal response to loss), painful situations, and hormonal changes.
"Another variety of depression is the type that accompanies female hormonal changes. Unfortunately, this is a very common problem that is not caused by faulty brain chemistry as much as it is a function of hormonal imbalance. Such imbalances can be triggered by normal hormonal events such as the first onset of menses, pregnancy, miscarriage, labor and delivery, and menopause. Another factor that can alter normal hormonal function is the ever-increasing presence of hormonally active substances that have found their way into the food chain through big agriculture and pharmaceutical waste products."
Anti-depressant drugs not only have side effects but also worsen the symptoms. I think it is unfortunate that modern medicine tends to treat only the symptoms instead of the underlying causes such as the above causes, and the drugs tend to do more harm than good in the long run. I have taken Xanax (an anti-anxiety drug) for example, a few years ago from recovering from stress and burnout, and while it induces a sense of euphoria for a period of time, I found myself feeling worse when the euphoric feeling wore off (I think it's part of the withdrawal symptoms). I counted myself fortunate that I have not developed an addiction for this medication.
The following websites explain the adverse effects of antidepressant medications or drugs.
"(NaturalNews) A recent industry-funded study on antidepressant drugs has revealed that the medications can cause roughly 20 percent of patients to get worse depression symptoms than if they simply took nothing. Published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry, the study, which was largely controlled by drug giant Eli Lilly, is an eye-opener for those who still put their faith in antidepressants like Cymbalta (duloxetine), which carry with them life-altering side effects."
"(NaturalNews) Antidepressants are the most prescribed (often overprescribed) medication in the United States. But, contrary to popular belief - taking Zoloft, Prozac and Lexapro (to name a few) can be very dangerous to your health. These selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's) can cause physical pain, involuntary movement, sexual dysfunction and life-threatening drug interactions. Clearly, most people have NOT been told the entire story. (keep reading)"
This website below recommends some ways to treat depression naturally and avoid harmful drugs.
"Herbs that can be taken for depression include balm, borage, limeflower, oats, rosemary and vervain. These can be taken as herbal teas, taken in tablet form or added to bath water. Oats in the diet contain a rich source of antidepressant B vitamins."
Constipation may be caused by insufficient intake of water, as well as side effects of drugs or supplements, such as iron supplements.
Some remedies that I have tested and tried to be effective include: 1. Drinking plenty of water, especially in the earlier part of the day (morning and early afternoon)
2. Getting sufficient exercise - walking, and doing abdominal exercises can help strength the muscles necessary to empty the bowel without much straining
6. Chewing food slowly and thoroughly where possible
I learnt that it is important to chew food slowly and thoroughly where possible when eating a meal.
http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/This-Cure-For-Constipation-Will-Amaze-You/388195
"When you chew, your brain sends signals to your stomach and intestines that food is on the way. Your body can prepare itself for everything it will need to properly digest the food you eat. By giving your system a head start, the food you eat is better absorbed and digested.This passes the food more effectively and efficiently through your body. The more nutrients absorbed from the food you eat, the less fat that is absorbed for later use."
7. Increasing intake of fruits and vegetables
eg papayas, guavas, bananas, cucumbers, grapes, green apples (with skin intact)
I also remember that some fruits, such as guava and papaya, can be very effective to help relieve symptoms of constipation. Ripe guavas with soft flesh are especially effective (raw ones can be hard to chew, so should be avoided) - there were times I ate a ripe guava after lunch, and the next day, I experienced bowel movement quite easily. The high fibre content provides roughage for the colon and rectum to release the stool more easily.
I have also checked that guava, cucumber, grapes, apples with green skin intact, papayas and bananas are suitable for people with blood type B. These foods are high in fibre, and helps maintain the health of your digestive system naturally, and without having gluten allergy side effects.
Bananas contain tryptophan, an amino acid that can be converted to serotonin, leading to improved mood
Anemia
Bananas are relatively high in iron, which helps the body’s hemoglobin function
Constipation and Diarrhea
Due to their content in fiber, they help restore a normal bowel function. In addition, diarrhea usually depletes your body of important electrolytes (of which the most important is potassium, contained in high amounts in bananas). They also contain pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract.
8. Taking natural supplements, such prune juice, psyllium husk
http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-psyllium-husk.html
"Psyllium is quickly becoming one of the top recommendations for people using low-carb Atkins-style diets. It is very difficult to get enough fibre in a diet when you eliminate the carbohydrates in cereals, whole grains and fruits. Psyllium capsules are an easy way to take care of this problem. It fills you with fibre, reducing appetite without overstimulating the nervous system; a much healthier approach than formulas containing ephedra such as Herbalife or Metabolife."
I remember I took the supplement in powder form with water - I would poured one small satchet of psyllium husk into a glass of water, and stir it to mix well with water. Then I would drink it completely. Sometimes I would drink another glass of water after that. There were times the bowel movement occurred shortly, within half an hour. Other times, there was no immediate response, so I simply continued to drink lots of water (8-10 or more glasses of water) during the day, and then tried taking the supplement again the next day, for the bowel to clear naturally on its own. I tried to minimise straining where possible, and let it happen naturally with the help of deep breathing.
I also remember drinking prune juice which I bought from the supermarket - I used to drink a glass of prune juice every day or every other day, besides drinking plenty of water, and it helps to facilitate a relatively smooth bowel movement - sometimes the day after.
Prune juice is also suitable for people of blood type B. For some reason, the website below discourages people from drinking coconut milk. On the other hand, it lists papaya and banana as beneficial for people of blood type B. http://curezone.com/ER4YT/fruit.asp
9. Taking probiotics
Here's sharing some information on this Neobiotics probiotics that I have been taking every other day - I find that it is quite effective in maintaining regular bowel movement too.
