I decided to do some research for some possible herbal and supplemental solutions or assistance. May find some foods that also help but I'm not going down the yoga, exercise, meditation route as that's not an option for our girl and most of us already know they are good for our overall mental and physical health.
I'm going to just pop things I find on here and will circle back to this blog with updates on what helped or more things to consider.
You'll find that many, if not all, of these help with sleep also. Stands to reason that if you're calm you're going to sleep better and vice versa! (Note: for more on sleep check out the blog I have on the sidebar and do a search on here for sleep...it is one of my ongoing research areas and I'm always adding things about improving deep and REM sleep.)
Magnesium - we know it's good for sleep, for our brain, but it's also listed as one that helps with stabilizing moods. It is an anti-stressor and studies have shown that it reduces stress levels and anxiety. Magnesium citrate powder is easily absorbed and the magnesium version I keep seeing as being the best for this particular issue.
Vitamin D - thinking getting outside in the sun for our minimum 20 minutes a day is usually the best way to get our D. Especially if combined with some movement like walking or riding a bike. Might not be the best way if you live in an area with heavy pollution.
5-HTP - mood swings, depression, and sleep issues.
Ashwagandha - great for your brain, memory also. (ha --- spellcheck tried to turn ashwagandha into "handwashing".)
Rhodiola Rosea - I bought some and it's a sticky kind of herb, hard to cut up and use. I need to see if there are other versions I can buy, just haven't gotten around to it yet. I wanted to add it to my anti-anxiety tea blend that I make up for a friend but the type I bought turned out to be too hard to incorporate in a tea mix.
Passion Flower - helps with sleep and calms moods.
St. John's Wort - one that is mentioned over and over for mood swings, anxiety, similar issues. One said it is "the top herb" in this area.
Kava Kava - sleep, calmness, relaxation of nerves, anxiety, mood swings.
Chamomile - sleep, anger, skin swelling, stomach cramps.
Valerian Root - mood swings, sleep, restlessness, depression.
Sam-E - also good for your joints
Omega 3 - eat a lot of wild caught salmon!
B Vitamins - B5, 6 & 12 in particular.
These are some I came across that I'll update as I find out more. Listing so you can look into them before I do if you'd like:
- Catuaba
- Eleuthero or Siberian ginseng
- Ginkgo biloba (I use the herb in some of my teas for reasons other than mood)
- Maca root or Peruvian ginseng
- Mulberry bark tea (I eat dried white mulberries...will have to look up to see if they also have a positive mood impact)
- Schizandra (Wu Wei Zi)
- Shilajit
- Tribulus terrestris
- Yohimbine
Some additional comments, my own thoughts after years of working to improve my mind and body naturally:
I believe there are many things in our foods and diet that contribute and/or cause a lot, if not most, of our health and mind issues. Allergies to additives like red dye (disputed but there are many children who have had complete mood changes for the good when foods with red dye were removed from their diets). Gluten sensitivity. All those additives we can't pronounce in our processed foods. The list is long...pesticides, fast foods, preservatives, etc.
Sugar in our foods is a big contributor to mood swings. They use it as a cheap filler...plus it is addictive so we keep going back for more and often don't like things that don't have sugar included. [Who puts sugar in mayonnaise? blue cheese dressing? Mass producers of those products. You won't find sugar in the recipe books. Check out my blog on sugar: https://ramblingjan.blogspot.com/2021/01/cutting-out-sugar-good-luck.html]
Doubt me on how addictive sugar is? Try going sugar-free for a couple of weeks. I'm not talking about just ditching sodas and cake, I'm talking about looking at labels and taking anything out of your diet that lists any of the hundreds of names they give to sugar to hide it from you.
I've done a number of blogs on sugar and mention it often in my health posts. I also have a Facebook group, private, called Little Life Hacks (https://www.facebook.com/groups/littlelifehacks) where I post things of interest so maybe I posted on there. You're welcome to join the group, just let me know you heard about it on here.
Our sedentary lifestyle also has a negative impact. The fact that we hang out more inside than outside. The wacky light exposure we now get throwing off our circadian rhythm. So many things we consider "normal" that truly aren't good for our bodies.
I eat organic as much as possible and definitely stay away from the "Dirty Dozen".
Some suggested reading:
https://whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com/supplements-mood-support/
https://ehowremedies.com/health/natural-herbal-supplements-to-control-anger-and-mood-swings/
https://globalhealing.com/natural-health/top-5-herbs-for-controlling-mood-swings/
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