Maca to help with moods

[RawFoodieCutie]

I've recently started seeing a psych for mood imbalances beyond the extent of a typical teenager. Suspected diagnoses are PMDD or Bipolar Disorder. I'm trying really hard to stay away from medication, and trying to look for more nautral ways to manage my moods. I've heard about maca and am going to talk to my psych about it, but I want to deligently include it daily and see how I feel. The kind I have is Organic Raw Maca Powder by Nativas Naturals. Seeing as it's white, I figure one tablespoon a day to start? (Increased from 1-2 tsp)
Thoughts/Feelings? I could really use some advice.

EDIT
To all the people asking if I am raw, yes. I went raw in late November in an attempt to revert out of eating disorder behaviors and depression, and I excercise as well.

[sport]

Do you exercise. I have read that it is very effective against depression.
And do not forget your daily dose of sunshine.

[lovenlife]

I truly believe diagnosis (to a great extent) are LABELS made up to keep the population sick ,depressed and on more meds.

LABELS become a self fullfilling prophecy, as you LIVE INTO what your label or diagnosis is.

If you lean into wellness and good mental health, doing all it takes to nurture yourself (emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally) and feed yourself nutritionally as well, then that is what you will get.....well.


For me, "psych" are there to feed the need for drugs.

I prefer a naturopath who will treat the body as a whole and seek balance thoughout. Taking a symptom and treating it with drugs will not remedy the root cause.

They coach and counsel and dig to find the root and work it on out.

As far as mood their are many things to eat for balance....Maca (how much depends on how much your body wants of it) helps as well as raw cacao as it contians the happy bliss chemical Anandamide as well as other happy stuff that makes you get the same feeling as being in love!

Spirulina has been shown to balance mood as well....lots others....

[seria]

Hi,

My name is Stevie, I am male, can I ask do you already follow a raw food diet? I suffered from severe depression and anxiety for years and was twice hospitalised, I was prescribed strong anti-depressants (SSRI) drugs which I reluctantly took, they did not improve my situation long term and I had difficulty coming off them. Last year I started a raw food diet including juicing in conjunction with daily exercise combining weight lifting with aerobics (gym, running, cycling). I noticed a measured improved mood which continues eighteen months later. When I started my raw reigeme I decided to taper off the prescription drugs over a few weeks until I was completely drug free. During my experience I found that professionals in the conventional medical establishment know absoluetly nothing about food or nutrition. I doubt very much your psychiatrist would know what Maca was let alone advocate its use. In my experience I found it useful to simply have the courage of my own conviction and belief and simply approach my new venture and self help with as much positivity as possible, if it did not work I could go back to the drawing board. I am glad to say it has worked beyond all expectations. You may also want to consider using kelp for balancing hormones and research other hormone balancing superfoods. All the best.

[Shels]

Exercise is key, and so is getting enough sleep. (Are you eating raw?)

Maca has helped balance my moods a bit though.

[RawFoodieCutie]

Do you exercise. I have read that it is very effective against depression.
And do not forget your daily dose of sunshine.

Thank you:)


I truly believe diagnosis (to a great extent) are LABELS made up to keep the population sick ,depressed and on more meds.

LABELS become a self fullfilling prophecy, as you LIVE INTO what your label or diagnosis is.

If you lean into wellness and good mental health, doing all it takes to nurture yourself (emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally) and feed yourself nutritionally as well, then that is what you will get.....well.


For me, "psych" are there to feed the need for drugs.

I have to say I disagree to some extent. I've had issues with depression and mood imbalances since I was young. I'd be fine, and then flip out, and then be fine and think it would never happen again but it did. I do hwoever believe in giving total power over to being a sick unwell person does have an effect.


I prefer a naturopath who will treat the body as a whole and seek balance thoughout. Taking a symptom and treating it with drugs will not remedy the root cause.

They coach and counsel and dig to find the root and work it on out.

Can you tell me what exactly a naturopath is, and how to find one?


As far as mood their are many things to eat for balance....Maca (how much depends on how much your body wants of it) helps as well as raw cacao as it contians the happy bliss chemical Anandamide as well as other happy stuff that makes you get the same feeling as being in love!

Spirulina has been shown to balance mood as well....lots others....

I've been looking for others aside from maca and chocolate and haven't really been able to find many...can you enlighten me on others?
I haven't heard of spirulina for moods, though I do take it every day in my green smoothie


Hi,

My name is Stevie, I am male, can I ask do you already follow a raw food diet? I suffered from severe depression and anxiety for years and was twice hospitalised, I was prescribed strong anti-depressants (SSRI) drugs which I reluctantly took, they did not improve my situation long term and I had difficulty coming off them. Last year I started a raw food diet including juicing in conjunction with daily exercise combining weight lifting with aerobics (gym, running, cycling). I noticed a measured improved mood which continues eighteen months later. When I started my raw reigeme I decided to taper off the prescription drugs over a few weeks until I was completely drug free. During my experience I found that professionals in the conventional medical establishment know absoluetly nothing about food or nutrition. I doubt very much your psychiatrist would know what Maca was let alone advocate its use. In my experience I found it useful to simply have the courage of my own conviction and belief and simply approach my new venture and self help with as much positivity as possible, if it did not work I could go back to the drawing board. I am glad to say it has worked beyond all expectations. You may also want to consider using kelp for balancing hormones and research other hormone balancing superfoods. All the best.

thank you for your comment


Exercise is key, and so is getting enough sleep. (Are you eating raw?)

Maca has helped balance my moods a bit though.

I agree, I'm getting on a proper sleeping regimen, and plan on getting a gym membership. I am eating raw, plan on going 100% soon (non raw things would be occasional peanut butter and ezekiel bread, other then that I'm raw.)

[RawFoodieCutie]

Sorry for the late reply, I just got the notifications after a brief period of not being on this site.
Please no judgement, but now I am being medicated, and actually all right for the first time in a long time. It took a while to accept it, but it's just something I had to do for the time being and I don't regret it. After a year I plan on going off them. In the mean time I'm still looking for more mood balancing superfoods, so PLEASE let me know. Any books or websites you know of on the subject would be greatly appreciated as well

[streetsurfer]

Please look into the possibility of food sensitivities or allergies as a possible cause of your mood disorders. This would likely take a naturopath, Doctor of osteopathic, Chiropractor, or nutritionist to help you resolve. Many medical doctors dont yet even believe in or understand allergies or their remedies. Investigate Elisa food testing. Such was the case for me. Medicines only served to bring on other complications which I firmly believe would have taken my life (I do not mean by my own hand) through impaired digestion and poor nutrition resulting. I found dairy and wheat to be a major cause of negative mood and neurological deficits. Simply learning to leave those and other problem foods alone started me on the road to recovery. Raw took it further. Sure, I felt better for a time too, while taking some different meds, but inside havoc was being created at underlying levels until it manifested in total chaos with my digestion. I don't mean to rain on your parade, and I realize each situation is different. However I went a few years being misdiagnosed and worsened, before I found some of the true causes. The typical drugs used for mood disorders are not cures, but masking agents to help you cope, provided you can tolerate them well. What they do is disrupt the gut functions because the gut has all the same receptors in it, that the drugs are working on in your brain. You might also benefit by reading The Second Brain.

I am glad you are feeling better but please watch out for other negative changes creeping in. The drugs help you to not care about or notice them. Asking your closest friends how they percieve any changes in you might also help you keep tabs on your condition. As I think someone already stated they can be very difficult to come off of, especially once you've been in the throws of them for a time. I came so close to death a few times because of accidents aand mishaps while on them during three months time, that I dropped them cold turkey against all "medical advice". Had I followed that medical advice, I doubt I'd be writing you now offering this friendly advice based on my personal experience. I doubt the doctors you have prescribing them to you know what it is truly like to be on them or to try coming off of them. What they report to you as what is to be expected is second hand experience coming from "drugged" patients in most cases.

I do hope you get and stay well without the difficulties I encountered.

Maca did help energize me and bring balance to my moods, I felt. As I've healed more and more I've gotten away from taking it as often.

I wish you well, and hope I have not offended you or appeared to be judging you. I am sincerely just trying to help you or others not have to suffer what I went through.

[margoss]

Maca helped me but REMEMBER to take the break from it as directed. I didn't take the break and it did a number on my hormones. I went off and am slowly going back on.

[Tenuviel]

I must chime in and say Maca did not help my hormonal imbalance... i did get hot flashes at night though! I also became somewhat moody and depressed after taking it, although, there is no way to really be sure it was the maca that caused it.