Raw, Depression and lack of energy

[menat]

I am taking care of my sick mother. She has depression due to years of her not taking care of herself health-wise over the years. The result is obesity, diabetes and having a pacemaker. The depression is making my mother do nothing but want to stay in bed to the point that she is getting physically weak and only walk extremely short distances. Just a few steps make her pant a lot. While I am trying to get her some help on her depression professionally, meanwhile is there any fruits and veggies that I can juice that can help with 1. depression and 2. give her lots of boost of energy so I can get her back to slowly exercising so it won't wipe her out?

I would appreciate any advice. Thanks.

[Godservant1]

Check into Depression Recovery by Dr. Neil Nedley. He is part of the Lifestyle Center of America and they are proponents of a mostly raw vegan diet. They have treated patients with simple lifestyle changes, such as diet, exercise, fresh air, sunshine and trust in God. They do use medication but only if that is the last resort. Most of the people that go there are rid of the depression just through the former changes. His website is http://drnedley.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=HELP&Store_Code=NHS and here is a link to some seminars that you can purchase also http://www.americancassette.org/categories.cfm?categorydesc=Speakers&subcategoryid=307

[StarFire]

I would imagine green smoothies would be wonderful for your mother. How blessed your mama is to have you taking care of her... God Bless You...

I would think a yummy spinach smoothie with bananas and maybe some strawberries might be a good addition?

blessings girl... :o

[Rawkinlocs]

I've been seeing a LOT of reference to the removal of cooked grains from one's diet to improve mental state. So, perhaps if she is eating any cooked grains, you could try to cut waaay back on (or eliminate altogether) cooked grains as a starting point. Just trying to improve and clean up her diet period may help overtime as I've seen a lot of people right here on the forum stating that through changing over to a raw foods diet they have been able to either cut back on or get totally of their anti-depressants.

But it's been often said that it's not always so much WHAT you eat, but what you're NOT eating...again, this goes back to trying to clean up her diet as much as possible. I agree with green smoothies - though I know you said specifically "juice" to get her started off in the right direction. I'm not sure about specific things that you should juice for her, though, as I'm not all that much into juicing or even what foods do what...I just believe in eliminating as much toxicity from the body as possible and eating as much raw as possible, period, to see improvements in health and well being.

[bunnybunny]

yesss spinach is supposed to be really good for depression relief... also plenty of omega-3s (flaxseeds, walnuts, dark green vegetables).

[EZ rider]

is there any fruits and veggies that I can juice that can help
I have found that raw foods help me in lifting my mood and increasing my energy. I have raw greens and celery to be especially uplifting to my mood while I have found raw fruits to be good sources of energy. While I have found raw food in any state effective I have found raw foods juiced to be the fastest way to get a large amount of easy to digest produce into the body and into the blood stream where it can do its good deeds.

[menat]

Would those green herbal thingies work? Sorry, I forget their names, but you see folks at Jamba juice asking for shots of them in their fruit smoothies. I know one is wheatgrass, spirulina and other things? Would they work for energy and mood enhancement?

Yeah, I think I might go buy some flaxseed oil and sneak it into her veggie juice. I know it is store bought but she kind of refuses to drink my smoothie/juices, because I add things for health not taste. She got mad, because she tasted garlic in carrot, apple, strawberry smoothie. :D But she likes fresh, organic apple, carrot and celery juice, if I am not lazy to juice them for her.

What I can do is add organic juices (from my juicer) and mix it into her store bought juice. She now is getting Meals on Wheels, but she eats half of it. But she loves Bolthouse Farms veggie juice over V8 to supplement her nutrition. So maybe, that means she unconsciously doesn't like cooked foods anymore? So maybe I can give her 50/50 (organic and pastuerized juice) to help her out slowly.

But again, how can I get that wheatgrass, spirulina and other green stuff? If Wholefoods has it, is it in liquid or powder form? And give me a name brand if you can think of it.

Thanks!

[Nurse in the Raw]

Just go into the hfs and ask for greenfood....they will know what you are asking for. Also organic apple, carrot and celery juice is a terrific combination and it will give her energy. She may also detox from it. Is she open to raw foods? Can you give her a raw book to read while she is resting?

[EZ rider]

she likes fresh, organic apple, carrot and celery juice
Thats a great combination for both energy and mood enhancement. If she likes that go for it.

wheatgrass
I know that wheatgrass juice is just packed full of good nutrients but it isn't the best tasting juice I have tasted. In my opinion a person drinks wheatgrass juice for their health in spite of its taste.

[menat]

Just go into the hfs and ask for greenfood....they will know what you are asking for. Also organic apple, carrot and celery juice is a terrific combination and it will give her energy. She may also detox from it. Is she open to raw foods? Can you give her a raw book to read while she is resting?

She is not that open to raw foods, because she has dentures and she said that salads aggravates her gums. I was doing salads a lot also. And she can't chew well with her dentures. They are not sharp enough. They are too perfectly shaped. So juicing and smoothies is the way to go. Maybe I can do more if I had the funds to buy kitchen appliances to get all gourmet about it. Maybe next month I will buy a food processor. And save up for a dehydrator. I gave her some raw gourmet food from a restaurant and she liked the taste, but not the price. :D $6 for a raw brownie. $12 for one small slice of raw stuff pizza. That is at Karyn's Raw restuarant in Chicago.

She likes her food soft.


Edit: I told my mom that I am going to Whole Foods to buy these things, because the board said so. She isn't objecting that I am getting information from a Raw board. I guess, that is process! :eek: I am shocked actually. She is billigerent and hard-headed as a dickens. Taking care of herself is always that last thing she wants to do. I'll give her credit for wanting to clean up her act today. Maybe she is sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Off to the store!

[EZ rider]

She is billigerent and hard-headed as a dickens.
I nick named my Mom "Mulie" because she so stuborn. Hang in there.

[styersky]

Check into Depression Recovery by Dr. Neil Nedley. He is part of the Lifestyle Center of America and they are proponents of a mostly raw vegan diet. They have treated patients with simple lifestyle changes, such as diet, exercise, fresh air, sunshine and trust in God. They do use medication but only if that is the last resort. Most of the people that go there are rid of the depression just through the former changes. His website is http://drnedley.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=HELP&Store_Code=NHS and here is a link to some seminars that you can purchase also http://www.americancassette.org/categories.cfm?categorydesc=Speakers&subcategoryid=307

I have been RAW a bit over 2 weeks ago and no longer take depression meds. I feel wonderful emotionally, so much better than I ever felt on meds. Wish I could tell you exactly what foods did it, but I do not know. I suspect green smoothies with lots of spinach, kale, etc.

[bunnybunny]

styersky, you didn't go off your meds suddenly, did you? you're supposed to wean yourself off anti-depressants gradually.

[styersky]

I weaned myself over a period of two weeks. The feeling of "elation" was so obvious immediately it was obvious the meds were no longer needed. In retrospect, the depression began when following a crazy liquid diet at our local hospital 20 years ago. But I had never connected the depression to nutrition until this experience with RAW. Every day now I evaluate my emotional feelings and am very aware of the dangers of going off prematurely. Have made that mistake in the past and suffered the consequences. Thanks for your concern.

[Raw Angel Mom]

What about juicing and smoothies? Nice fresh orange juice. Nice smoothies, etc...

Also, may i suggest to get some nice uplifting music and play it for her. If you can, clean the clutter of her home, the energy of clutter can really make you more depress. Vitamine D supplement is needed or if you can be creative to get her go outside to have the sun. If she is a tv fan, maybe get some funny DVD to watch so she cans laugh.

It must be hard to watch someone your love doing this to herself, but sometime you need to trust that you have done your best and you need to leave the rest up to her.

There some nice ice cream that you can make for her and awsome deserts.

If she like salty thing, you can make some great salty snack.

Again, if you could give her some nice green juice or smoothies mix with fruits, it will do miracle on her.

Best wishes on this journey!