Re: Honey for anxiety/depression
I'm picking up on the inflammation thing, rather than the 'honey for anxiety specifically' thing.
I have a book by a psychiatrist (Dr David Servan-Schreiber, professor of psychiatry and neuroscientist) called 'Healing Without Freud or Prozac". He has looked into the clinical evidence for certain 'natural' approaches and supplements, and explains why they work in physiological terms.
In the chapter where he explains the importance of omega 3 fatty acids, he talks about inflammation and its possible link with depression. He says that depression is common in all inflammatory illnesses, arthritis, infections (flu etc), strokes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders. Whilst you could argue that these conditions would make anyone depressed (Mind-Body), he points out that depression often precedes these conditions. He then speculates that clinical depression is actually due to an inflammatory process and says 'this would not be much of a surprise, since we know stress in itself causes inflammatory reactions - which is the reason why it worsens acne, arthritis and most autoimmune disorders. As a period of stress often precedes depression, it way well be that depressive symptoms are caused directly by stress-related inflammation".
Regarding the inside of the body, Manuka Honey worked very well for my gastritis, which I guess is inflammatory. (I didn't have the H. Pylori bacteria.)
This is the website linked to the book: http://www.nofreudnoprozac.org/. You can buy it on Amazon. I have to say, I am usually pretty sceptical regarding 'natural approaches', but after 20 years of anti-depressants, loads of therapy and trying 'everything', I found this book to be really really good. I guess because I needed to see the physiological, clinical proof, rather than thinking I would be relying on the placebo effect.
Re: Honey for anxiety/depression
Dahlia, thanks a lot for that fascinating post and link. I've been on the honey for a couple of weeks, so I thought I'd post my initial conclusions here, but your post has made me think quite a lot about my experience so far. Of course, that's just one theory, but it's an interesting one by an expert on the subject, and other people have recommended that book, I must read it!
(It appeals to me a lot because I've always thought the problem with Western medicine is that it only treats symptoms, but generally not the underlying problems, which I don't think have really been understood yet.)
The first few days taking Manuka I felt a bit brighter, but that could be anything from placebo to a blood sugar boost (which I'm really sensitive to so I'm sure that was part of it).
Other than that I've been quite down the last few weeks, so it certainly hasn't given me any short-term relief from depression like 5-htp and St John's Wort have in the past.
Anxiety-wise I have seemed a bit calmer somehow, but it's not enough to put my finger on, so I have no idea if it's placebo or something else (the weather, my surroundings, the football season approaching - could be anything).
I've decided to carry on taking it at 10ml a day for now (it costs about £4 a week, so quite expensive!) though because I am really interested in its healing and anti-inflammatory properties. Since I started on it my stomach problems (retching/being sick and nausea in the mornings) haven't happened nearly so often. At the same time though I've had another, different, sort of 'strange' (don't know how to describe it!) stomach feeling - not discomfort exactly, but almost.
I like to think the Manuka's healing my gastritis (inflammation of the stomach!) and from all I've read I've every hope about that.
My appetite (rotten all year) has improved :)
The other thing that struck me about your post is that my immune system has always been very weak, and particularly for the last few years (serious anxiety and depression doesn't help).
Now, this summer I've had cold after cold after cold - and one or two really nasty ones. I'm not surprised really (always expect the worst like this - ha!) but I've always known when I was sick and the times when I was clear of cold. Since I started the honey, I've had a cold non-stop - constantly feel muddled in the head, bunged up, coughing and spluttering etc etc. It's not like a 'normal' cold where you feel worse then get better, it's constant! So, something is going on there I think, and I think back to Ingenious' post about a dramatic healing effect, and now putting that together with your post Dahlia I'm wondering (and hoping, and praying) that that's what's happening.
So, that's my 'mid-term report' (certainly long enough for an essay!! :footy:)
To summarise:
Anxiety - I'm not sure, but it may be subtly helping, and steadying out my mood.
Depression - It hasn't helped so far, but Dahlia's post makes me think (if that particular theory is correct) that it could take much longer, if it can even help in that way at all.
General health, and specific health concerns - I'm very very hopeful and encouraged here, and wouldn't give up the honey for anything at this point.
I'll post if anything changes, would love to hear more from others and any reactions to my experiences so far :)
Re: Honey for anxiety/depression
Great post eight days a week, thanks for that.
It's interesting to read your comment about the effect on anxiety being subtle as this is my experience too, it seems to help in some way but nothing you can nail down.
My own update is to say I am now in my 7th week taking honey daily. In that time I've been doing really well, little in the way of anxiety or depression and stable mood. A lot of this must be to do with a lot of exercise I am doing and of course I am on a daily dose of Mirtazapine. Having said that this was the case in the months before starting honey and I wasn't as stable as I have been since starting the honey. As posted before, I do think a lot of this could be to do with the daily "hit" of sugar and glucose from the honey.
Re: Honey for anxiety/depression
I`m very interested in this too , I have started having Rowse Manuka honey , about a teaspoon and a half every other day , I have the 10+ activity rating stuff , and yeah it is a bit pricey , I find it has helped a bit with my GAD and HA , but i think like most things we eat these days , it still boils down to a healthy lifestyle /eating etc , which I am working on !!
Interesting to hear other opinions on it though , cheers guys !
Re: Honey for anxiety/depression
Ok am I being stupid but......UMF and activity rating are they the same thing??????
I think they are but why have they changed the labeling?????
I've finally saved some extra cash to buy top notch honey and every large supermarket it says on the label activity rating and no sign of UMF.
Now I've saved enough extra cash I want to make sure I buy the right thing!
Re: Honey for anxiety/depression
I had a few days off the honey, but feel a bit better somehow on it, and it definitely has helped my stomach and another health issue, so I picked some more up :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Col
Ok am I being stupid but......UMF and activity rating are they the same thing??????
I think they are but why have they changed the labeling?????
I've finally saved some extra cash to buy top notch honey and every large supermarket it says on the label activity rating and no sign of UMF.
Now I've saved enough extra cash I want to make sure I buy the right thing!
UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) is the official testing, I've no idea why Rowse and some other honeys don't use it. I'd been guessing that the 'activity' rating was the equivalent, but I've had a quick google and it seems there's no way to be sure...the activity 15 Rowse stuff from the supermarket is cheaper than than UMF 15 stuff from the health store, but I'm going to get some UMF stuff next time and see if it's any different. (I saw Holland and Barrett had a deal on it a couple of weeks ago so will look tomorrow when I'm in town.)
Here are a couple of interesting articles I found on it. The second comment underneath this article says Rowse doesn't contain the UMF!
http://www.eatingbritain.com/the-mir...-manuka-honey/
And this one from the Daily Mail says UMF may be unreliable anyway!!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...rth-money.html
I'll report back when I've compared the UMF stuff to Rowse - my head's in a spin now!
Re: Honey for anxiety/depression
Shopping update!
Right I've been out shopping for honey today (and pure unrefined organic coconut oil, but that's a different topic I think :roflmao:).
I had a good look in Holland and Barrett. They have quite a few honeys. Some are labelled 'UMF' and some as 'active'. Their 'own' brand - New Zealand Pure Gold - is the one on offer, 3 for the price of 2. On the leaflets about it the picture says 'UMF' but on the same place on the label on the actual jars it says 'active'. The assistant told me it's the same thing, but I'm not convinced. I can only think that either their honeys no longer pass the UMF test, or that they are saving money by not having it officially tested because people don't know the difference anyway. Either way, it doesn't seem guaranteed to me that it's as good as the UMF, so I shopped around and got UMF 10+ 500g for £12.50 at Julian Graves (25% off).
If anyone's near the the Chatham Docks Julian Graves shop they're shutting down by the way and everything's half price from tomorrow till the 17th - I'm half tempted to do a 'honey run' down there and buy up all the Manuka :roflmao:
Re: Honey for anxiety/depression
Still on the honey, still enjoying it, it seems to do me good but is very hard to put your finger on. It's been absolutely brilliant for my stomach (gastritis and IBS) :yesyes:
I emailed Holland and Barrett customer support about the 'factor' versus 'UMF' thing (their own brand used to be UMF but is now factor rated). That was weeks ago, and they haven't replied since their initial 'we'll look into it and get back to you' reply. That may just be that H&B customer support is useless, but for now I'm sticking with the official UMF stuff.
For general health I have also started oil pulling (google it if interested and be amazed!) and invested in some pure organic non-GM coconut oil. One of the most delicious things I've ever tasted, and can be used as moisturizer, hair conditioner, aftersun lotion etc. Amazing stuff.
Now, if only I could give up the beer and kebabs I would be covered on the health front I think :doh: :roflmao:
Re: Honey for anxiety/depression
Yes me too, still on a generous desert spoon a day (dissolved into some Chinese white tea). I'm currently on "Supahoney Lemon" which is 49% honey, 49% manuka honey and 2% lemon (from concentrate). I doubt the lemon has any health benefits as it is such a small amount and from concentrate, but it does make the honey very runny, and it dissolves so much better in warm tea.
I do think though it is the sugar/glucose boost that has worked for me rather than any other secretive effect, especially as I take it mid-morning, a time when I'm usually a bit hungry and grumpy :) Whatever the reason, it still seems to help, and I intend to keep taking it.
Re: Honey for anxiety/depression
Wow! I checked back here today and never thought there would be so many replies.
Im glad the honey seems to have helped people with both physical and anxiety issues. As has been noted, there has been much research into the physical benefits of honey and not so much of the mental benefits. My view is that it won't do any harm to try it, and so what if it is just a placebo effect as long as it helps. And no, in response to some posts, I don't think that everybody should use honey as a replacement for anti anxiety/depression medication if it needed, Im not that daft, and I know it isn't likely to be a mircle cure lol. But I do believe in complementary treatments, such as the food we eat, can help long term.
I will keep checking back on this thread and will be interested in reading about any developments and people's experiences.
Thank you for your responses.