Many veterans suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and depression. Conventional treatment does not seem to cure these diseases. Conventional treatment includes talk therapy and pharmaceutical medications. We do not know all the side effects of long-term use of these drugs. We really don’t know how these drugs affect brain chemistry. The holistic approach uses natural products, foods and techniques to alleviate anxiety and depression.
Talk therapy tends to dwell on trauma and the negative effects of trauma. It often focuses on behavior problems that stem from the trauma. The holistic approach uses techniques to clear and let go of trauma and stored negative trauma-related emotions.
It is time that the treatment of PTSD and depression in veterans included a holistic approach. A holistic approach can be integrated with conventional treatment.
A holistic approach focuses on the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. Includes positive thinking and mindfulness techniques (mind), natural supplements, diet/nutrition and exercise (body) and meditation, yoga, Reiki, acupuncture, visualizations, and spiritual prayer (spirit).
Mindfulness, combined with positive thinking techniques and inner work, trains us to be in the moment with full attention and awareness. They relax us. The inner work includes daily heart-centered meditation and prayer. Mindfulness teaches us to identify when our thoughts and emotions are negative or agitated and then return to a place of calm and balance. They teach us to focus on our hearts/body centers, to concentrate on our breathing and the details of what we encounter in the moment through our senses and without constant negative thoughts.
Positive thinking techniques teach us to develop focused and controlled thoughts oriented toward work, wandering, and other positive activities. Theta brainwave entrainment (along with alpha, beta and delta) also helps us relax the mind and body and enhance positive thoughts. Theta (along with alpha, beta and delta) brainwave training exercises along with many meditation exercises can be found on YouTube.
Spiritual techniques include heart-centered meditation, deep breathing exercises, heart-centered yoga and prayer, Reiki, and chakra clearing and balancing exercises. These techniques help to calm and balance us, while raising our vibrations. Spiritual techniques also include emotional release, which ends the energetic control of trauma.
Reiki, acupuncture, and other forms of energy therapy also help to cleanse and heal our energy bodies and free us from the energetic grip of trauma. Emotional release from trauma has a therapeutic effect on our thoughts and emotions. Spiritual techniques include methods to raise our spirit/vibrations. This includes visualizations, deep breathing, music, color, and essential oils.
Herbal supplements are effective in treating depression and anxiety when combined with mind-body-spirit techniques. For depression, these supplements include St. John’s wort, Sam-e, 5 HTP, Kratom, and colloidal gold, among others. For anxiety, they include chamomile, valerian root, ashwaghanda, kratom, passion flower, kava, GABA, 5 HTP, hops. Hawthorn, theanine, tryptophan, lavender, lemon balm and dark chocolate/cocoa, magnesium, B vitamins and kratom, DPLA, DHEA, Co Q 10/ubiquinol, fish oil, flaxseed oil, hemp oil, oil coconut, lion’s mane mushrooms and medical marijuana and CBD oil among others. For sleep, they include Valerian Root, Ashwaghanda, Holy Basil, Tryptophan, Melatonin, Inositol, Choline, and 5 HTP. Holistic research also indicates the benefits of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), lacto and L-theanine in conjunction with amino acid supplements and medical marijuana and CBD oil for depression and anxiety.
For positive thinking, it is also important to incorporate positive affirmations into your daily routine (change beliefs from negative to positive) and silently express gratitude each day for life and life’s blessings.
Diet is important. A whole-food, plant-based diet will help detoxify your body and provide you with the nutrition you need. This diet will also help improve brain chemistry. Foods on this diet include organic vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. The brain is made up mostly of cholesterol. Therefore, it is very important to consume plant-based fats to improve brain chemistry. These fats include avocado, nuts and seeds (especially walnuts, almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds), peanuts, coconut, and coconut oil. Omega 3, 6 and 9 is also essential for brain health. You can get these fatty acids from fish oil, flaxseed oil, and hemp oil.
Also, every day, take good doses of vitamins a, b complex, c, d3, e, k1, and k2 along with Co-Q 10 or ubiquinol supplements, turmeric or curcumin, fish oil, and flaxseed oil along with oil. coconut. .
Daily exercise is important along with getting outdoors and being in nature often. Daily exercise includes cardiovascular exercises, light weights, and stretching. It is also important to avoid conflict, drama and stress when healing and to drink mostly pure water.
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be used to diagnose or treat disease. It is not intended to be medical advice. For medical advice and to diagnose and treat illness, consult a licensed physician.
