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[Aura]

I need some help, and as usual, when all other sources are exhausted, I come here. I really appreciate the ability to turn to some "older" women for advice, but I feel bad for nearly always only posting when I need something and not really contributing in a beneficial manner. I just don't have much time to participate in forums, and I don't want to come across as snubbing someone because I didn't reply to their post.  So I usually just don't post at all.    But I am in serious need of some advice right now.

I'm afraid this post might be a little disjointed, but I will try to make sense of it all in the end.

My sister has been diagnosed at having PPP (post partum psychosis).  Yes, this is the same thing that Andrea Yates dealt with. Thankfully, sis is getting help. Right now she is in the hospital (for the second time in the last couple months) and my mom is helping out with her and her family.

Obviously, I am extremely concerned about my sis and her family, and I'm upset at my parents for not being more forthcoming earlier. It was only three days ago, when they left to go to Sis for the second time, that they explained that it was not simply PPD, but psychosis and that she was seeing and hearing things.

(BTW, sis lives at least ten hours from the closest family.)

Right now, she is on some medication (I don’t know what type) and as I mentioned earlier, is in the hospital. She had been doing better, then come off the medication and quickly worsened. It got to the point that my bil called my parents and asked them to come back up in hopes of them convincing her to go back to the hospital. However, in the time from when he talked to them on the phone and them heading over, things quickly got to the point where bil finally told her that either he was going to take her to the hospital, or he was going to call them to come get her. She gave in and he took her.

She is apparently doing better since she’s been back on her medicines and apparently some vitamins—the drs weren’t happy that she’d stopped taking her vits, too.

I have had some dealings with depression and God has showed me some things (mostly through WTM) that has really helped with that. I had previously offered some advice based on my personal experience regarding health and nutrition. This was the first time my mom had known that I had had trouble with this, but I felt it would be a good idea to share my experiences so sis would know that she wasn’t alone. However, what she is dealing with goes way beyond depression.

My advice was basically to tell them what helped me: eliminate all caffeine (this was the single biggest thing that made a difference), taking SuperMoms, fish oil (cod liver oil because of the extra vit. D in the winter), and eating an egg every morning. Some other things I suggested were taking Evening Primrose oil, making sure she was getting enough vit. D—more difficult in the summer as you don’t want to overdose on it, and eliminating artificial sweeteners—something I don’t consume, but sis does.
I am wondering if anyone has any insight or had any kind of dealings with serious mental heath issues. I am wondering if this goes beyond nutritional, hormonal and/or chemical problems and enters the spiritual? Can anyone offer any kind of help?

I am having a really hard time tracking down anything that doesn’t end with “seeking medical help immediately so medication can be given.” I understand that certain medicines may be necessary, especially in these circumstances, but I also know that there are serious side effects and that they can become dependent.

Anyway, I was hoping that maybe someone knows something or might can offer some advice for this situation.

Oh, sis is supposed to be getting counseling. Mom has located a nouthetic counselor that is waiting to see sis once she gets out of the hospital. I am pretty skeptical about counseling, but I am feeling that a nouthetic counselor might be a good thing right now.

I have to go, but if you have any questions, please ask. Sorry this is so rambling.

[denim&lace]

I don't have any experience with this, but I will certainly pray for your sister... and  I'll also pray somebody with knowledge can help. 

[Homeschool_Newbie]

I will pray...

[grateful]

Hi Aura.

I do have experience with this, and the end of it was *not* medication and medical help, although the beginning and the middle were. I was in the thick of it exactly ten years ago. I would like to tell you my story, and maybe you can use something in it to help your sister. Sometimes the family members managing the medical care hinder the efforts of the needy one to pursue a natural route. I hope that won't be the case with your sister. In my case, I will always be grateful that my husband's response was always, "Tell me what you need, and we will do it." If he hadn't been that way (he still is, in whatever situation might arise), I'd either be dead or a drug-zombie now.

This moment is not optimal for me to take time to give you enough of the story such that I think you and your sister would benefit, but I want to do this later tonight; right now it's kind of busy here. It's been storming, and we just got the power back on, so it's possible it could go out again. I hope not.

For now I can tell you that God healed me from a terrible, terrible thing. I was seeing things and hearing things, too. I had pain. Exhaustion. Depletion. A view of myself that was as though my entire personhood had been reduced to a filament of a thread, about to disappear on a breeze. I had terror. Panic. And I wasn't able to fall asleep, and it got worse and worse, until for one entire month, I didn't sleep except for a few minutes here and there. Involuntary muscle spasms in various muscle groups. My brain felt like it was vibrating whenever I tried to fall asleep.

There is a lot more to this; I have given an extremely condensed version, just because of the time restriction at the moment. I saw many professionals for help: ob, midwife, neurologists, c.i.s.w. counselor (able to prescribe drugs), e.r. docs, even a chiropractor (naturally minded, but frightened of killing me with an adjustment with my head symptoms). After ordering all kinds of big tests, they all knew what was wrong with me and what drug I needed for the rest of my life. Problem was, each one stated it was a completely different kind of problem from what the others said, and each one had a different kind of drug for it. One said epilepsy; take Tegretol. One said depression; take antidepressants. One said ptsd and panic disorder; take Xanax. One said lack of sleep (duh!); take Ambien.

I was more afraid of the drugs, and of taking the wrong ones (what was I supposed to do, pick one out of a hat?), than of continuing to suffer and search.

Without the ability to fall asleep, I began to read. My Bible. Health books. Books about mind/body connection in healing. Meditation books. I cried out to God. God showed me Mark 11:22-26, and right then and there I knew He was going to lead me out of this. Things really looked awful, but at that moment this was the rope descended whose end I grabbed, and my grip was such that nobody was going to pry my fingers from it.

He led me through His Word, those health books, and mind/body books, and I learned how to meditate on Him and His Word. I began to replace foods in my diet for better ones. Started learning about the word "organic". I began to take walks. Spent some time in the sunshine and fresh air. Prayed more. Smiled when I didn't feel like it. Drank more water. Read Scriptures more. Forgave. Acquired gratitude.

Almost immediately, while implementing all this, little by little, symptoms began to disappear. A few minutes of sleep here and there became an hour here and there. Fewer headaches. Fewer panic attacks. Fewer brain shakes. Lessened pain. Disappearing pain. Fewer dizzy spells (forgot to mention that). Brighter outlook. Calmer. Knowledge of God's provision taking over. There's of course much more to this part, too.

This has been so condensed. Mainly I wanted to make the point that I was in a deep, dark, very awful spot, and emerged from all the medical consulting available with a handful of conflicting diagnoses, prescriptions and prognoses, and that God led me by many natural means so completely that I was much better afterward than I had been before all of this had even happened.

Since then I've given birth three more times, and have been able to avoid this scenario.

Be encouraged, Aura, and we'll pray for your sister. If you want more details about symptoms and remedies specific to my situation, you can pm me if you want, or if you think it would be helpful to the discussion, I can include them here; it's just the time that's preventing me from doing that right now.

Love,
grateful

[Aura]

Hi grateful, thank you so much for your reply. Sis is home now. Mom is still with her. Mom said that she was very happy to be home and "free" again. But she is not over this. Mom said she was still having severe mood swings.

I would really appreciate any further details you feel comfortable sharing. I am especially interested in the specific steps you took in getting over this.

Knowing the difference that changes in diet made on myself, I'm big into eating right. I feel like neither Sis nor BIL is taking nutrition seriously. At the same time, I feel pretty confident that it's just lack of knowledge versus willful disregard. At any rate, Sis had a diet Mt. Dew on the way home from the hospital.  Between the caffeine, the hfcs, and the aspartame, I'm not surprised that she wasn't doing as well when she got home as she was in the hospital before she left.

I have shared with her my experiences with depression and how dietary changes helped me. But I've never dealt with something as severe as what she is going through. Would you mind if I shared your story with her and BIL? Do you think it would help Sis if she knew that she isn't the only one who's had to deal with this?

Another thing that I'm wondering, if you don't mind elaborating on this, is the hearing and seeing things. Five years ago if someone had said that they were hearing voices, I'd have sworn that demons were involved. However, I know better than to say that now. I have learned that the mind is capable of incredible things, both good and evil, and that what we put into our bodies affects our minds in many ways.

I am still wondering, though, if spiritual forces are not involved somehow. In my opinion, you cannot simply separate the body, the mind, and the spirit. What happens with one affects the others.  (Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to find any sort of doctor that agrees in practice, not just theory, with this.) What are your thoughts/experiences on this, if you don’t mind going there?

Also, if you have any additional thoughts on specific ways that I might can encourage or help her, I would love to hear them.

I’ve thought about making a care package with some different home-made meals, mostly canned since they don’t have a large freezer, and sending or even taking it to her. If she was closer, I would definitely be helping out by taking some meals. This might help with the nutrition and help with the daily task of finding something to feed the family.

I hope you don’t mind sharing or all the questions I’m asking. If you’d rather continue this discussion through PMs, that’s fine, too. Thank you so much for your input.

Aura

[grateful]

Hi, Aura. Yes, do share what I've said with your sister and BIL. It would certainly have helped me to hear of someone who had experienced something similar and lived to tell about it.

Your idea of sending her nutritious food is good. Based on my own experiences with my health, that of my family, and that of other people I've watched, I have some ideas that you can consider if you want, and share with them, with regard to specific recommendations.

Yes, I'll work on giving a closer-up view of the problems and many facets of the solution. I'll run it by my husband as to whether I should post that here or in a pm.

I have just prayed for your sister, requesting God to remember how when I was looking enviously at an ant on the sidewalk for its sense of purpose and capabilities, God saved me from disappearing into nothingness, and asking Him to pull your sister out of this misery and build her up in Him, showing her the way. He can take her by the hand and show her each little and big thing to do and not to do. He is more real than these problems, and has power over them.

I plan to get something to you here or by pm. If you don't hear from me in a day or two, by all means pm me.

[grateful]

Dear Aura,

First, yeah, obviously you know that soda pop is only going to hurt her. It may be that she has no more buffer zone, as I call it, when it comes to nutrition. Once I was sleeping all night again, well stocked with vitamins and minerals and enzymes, rid of a lot of poisons, metabolizing better, etc., well, maybe my body could have fended off a soda pop, but in what seems to be your sister's state, a soda pop was probably like an assault. Like a frail, tiny, very old woman getting klobbered by a careless, roughhousing couple of young pedestrians on the sidewalk, as opposed to the same thing happening to a linebacker in his early twenties.

In my case, I think the voices and things I saw could have been either a product of my mind or demons or both. It's true that my body and mind were at the time sick enough to have produced hallucinations. My body was probably full of fungus or at least yeast, which can wreak havoc quickly in all systems. Plus, I wasn't sleeping, and that's just asking for voices. The more I became frightened and sought to discover more and more details under what I had already discovered about what was WRONG, the worse I got. Maybe this part even cleared the way for demons. I'm not saying people shouldn't investigate their symptoms. But there's a point at which you can just start doing something about it, and place your focus on where you're headed. Once I began to meditate on God and His promises, and on things that were truly going right, things that were good, even if I didn't have them yet, but recognizing the ones I did have, I believe it displaced any possibility of demons. I had to discipline myself to fill my mind with holy and pure, and especially when voices, bad thoughts or physical symptoms appeared, and to fill my body with nutrition, and avoid junk food, which I was beginning to learn was not only in a bag of corn chips, but also in an innocent looking cup of yogurt or bottle of juice or loaf of bread.

I think that without realizing it, prior to the turn-around, I was enabling myself to get more pitiful by continuing to believe that someone else was going to perform a solution on me. Once I realized that this was just not going to happen (not one professional took me seriously about the "brain shakes" and I could not reconcile four different diagnoses/treatments), I could either die from this or decide to live, with no idea how to get out of the mess, and with no energy or concentration or other resources, either. It's really good for you to be there for her however you can; offering what you know to be good: Truth, physical comforts. At one point, though, she's going to have to decide to believe, and to reject this thing (that's when it will get more fun for you). As in, "NO! Go away! I live!" If she is not a believer, then it's a good time to say to her, "What do you have to lose by tossing this into God's lap and asking Him to fix it?" I remember there came a point when I stopped looking to continually uncover details about what was wrong, and began to spend my time applying what I learned to be right. This is obedience.

From many sources I learned a bunch of basics and began to implement them: Read Scriptures. FORGIVE. Be THANKFUL. (Can't? That's a lie, even if you believe it. Yes, you can. Do it. In the case of forgiveness, see Mark 11:22-26 as well as what follows it.) Drink clean water. Exercise (go for a walk a couple times a day). Breathe outside air as much as possible. Get some sunshine every day. Eat a lot of whole, raw, organic-if-possible food, and include dark, green leafies every day (either huge salads or green smoothies or green juices) and nuts and seeds, raw. Abstain from ingesting poison, which is in most packaged foods. This is not a time to go scrutinizing can labels: Instead, stick to the produce section, and seek local sources. Do what you CAN and refuse to get down about what looks overwhelming. Smile (it IS a decision).

In no way am I minimizing the pain of her suffering or her feeling of helplessness. If her husband can command her to to get into the car to go to the hospital, then he can refuse to buy her a can of liquid death. Some folks have so much nutrition built up, and strength and vigor that they can handle a can of soda.

Books for you and or her and or her husband to read, some of which are not written from a Christian perspective: "Green for Life" by Victoria Boutenko; "Rainbow Green, Live-Food Cuisine" by Dr. Gabriel Cousens; "Eat to Live" by Joel Fuhrman; "The Relaxation Response" by Herbert Benson, M.D.; "Hope and Help for Your Nerves" by Dr. Claire Weekes; "Peace from Nervous Suffering" by Dr. Claire Weekes; "8 Weeks to Optimal Health" by Dr. Andrew Weil; "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon. Some of these I used at the time, and some I have read since then; I highly recommend all of them to you for your sister.

A very helpful video is Dr. Lorraine Day's "You Can't Improve on God". She demonstrates the food thing quite clearly. In this format, it might be quicker to get the info. you're seeking. Another video is "Greens Can Save Your Life" by Victoria Boutenko. I believe that all these books and videos are available on amazon.

I did go to a counselor whom I had believed to be Christian, but in the small group sessions she seemed to be doing some buddhist stuff. For me it didn't matter, because Jesus was there with me, and I used the instruction about concentration for the purpose of meditating on Him; His words, His presence, His instructions. Taking just 10-20 minutes alone to meditate, two or three times a day, helped me a lot. It was a major thing in my healing, just quieting my mind gently and dwelling on Him. My husband built me a little meditation bench, with a leather cushion attached. Whenever I see it these days, it reminds me of his support for my healing, and of how meditation helped me a lot.

This is what God led ME to do. I think the biggest point of all was to throw myself at Him, believe Him and obey Him. He showed my husband and me just what to do. Just what to think. What to say and what not to say. The biggest thing for her is to look to Him and believe Him and obey. Maybe some of the things that helped me will help your sister.

Maybe I'll have to go with PMs after this. Not sure, but let me know if you need clarification on anything.

Love,
grateful

[Aura]

Wow grateful, that was a very encouraging post, to me personally! I think this was especially convicting to me:

At one point, though, she's going to have to decide to believe, and to reject this thing (that's when it will get more fun for you). As in, "NO! Go away! I live!" If she is not a believer, then it's a good time to say to her, "What do you have to lose by tossing this into God's lap and asking Him to fix it?" I remember there came a point when I stopped looking to continually uncover details about what was wrong, and began to spend my time applying what I learned to be right. This is obedience.

Sometimes I get caught up in trying to "uncover details" and forget to apply what I've already learned!

I really appreciate all you help and I’m looking at getting some things together to mail to Sis. I have Nourishing Traditions, which I can loan her. I also have Greater Health God’s Way by Stormie O’Martian as well as What the Bible Says About Healthy Eating by Rex Russell. Do you think these last two books follow the same idea and would be good for her to read? I could send those to her along with some of the info you’ve been giving me, and it would at least give her something in her hands to look at.

I was thinking about sending some books and print-outs as well as some easy-to-fix, nutritious meals.

I know that I can only present information to her and that it must be her decision to make any changes. I also don’t want to overwhelm her. I’m praying for her constantly, and I feel like God wants me to do more to help (like sending her the stuff I mentioned) but I also want to be sure that’s really God telling me and not just my emotions trying to fix something. So please pray for wisdom for me, too, and for my mom who is with her.

I was looking around Lorraine Day’s website and it looks like she’s got a lot of good information, but some of her views concern me. One, it seemed as if she was saying that we cause all our own diseases. However, I know from the Bible that this is not necessarily true. Yes, we probably bring most it on ourselves by our choices, but Job didn’t. God allowed his health to deteriorate to ultimately bring glory to Him. And then there’s the story in the New Testament (roughly paraphrased, cause I’m going on memory) where the disciples asked Jesus about the blind man. They wondered who had sinned: him or his parents, and Jesus said neither, but that he was this way to bring glory to God.

I’m also a little concerned about some of her other views, and I’m not sure that Sis is in the right frame of mind to discern the good from the bad about L. Day.

I haven’t had the chance yet to look through the other’s you’ve mentioned—but I’m definitely planning on it.

Did you use the raw foods diet like Amy Joy was talking about?

There’s so much more I’d love to talk about, but I have to go. I may send you a PM later.

Again, thank you so much for your willingness to share. This has been so helpful to me and I’m hoping it will be an encouragement to Sis, as well.

[grateful]

Hi Aura!

I have never heard of the other books you mentioned, but have heard of the first author, so I can't render an opinion.

Yeah, I did say that the info. in the health books was not necessarily presented from a Christian point of view, and I forgot to mention that about the videos, too. If she's not strong enough, maybe you can look at it. The reason I recommended the Day video was for the step-by-step on the food prep, and the explanations along the way. By all means, whatever is not helpful, don't use; again, let God lead you, and encourage her to follow God.

Sometimes my family and I have used a raw diet to cleanse, and if I have a health problem, it is the best way for me to eat, personally. There are many interpretations of the term "raw foods diet". In the post partum problem I had, I continually replaced processed foods with whole foods, and as much raw as I could, and as much organic as I could. It hadn't really clicked about the greens, but it has now, so I always recommend that. Another thing I know about now, that I forgot to mention, is fermented foods. I know that a staple at several health institutes (where thousands of people have gone to learn healing diets) is a fermented drink made from wheat sprouts. Another thing they do at those places is teach how to make veggie kraut. Both the drink (rejuvelac) and fermented foods have been discussed on this website, and you could get directions right in the discussions. That would be a totally handy thing for your sister to have around.

I have prayed for wisdom for your sis, her husband, your mom and you in her healing.

Love,
grateful

[Amy Joy]

There was a woman who submitted a letter to a judge on behalf of a couple who was about to lose their kids in a court battle over what they fed their children.  This letter mentioned numerous resources which are in line with what grateful is recommending for Aura's sister and which may be useful starting points for those who are interested in researching more about the health:mind:body topic.

I will post a few excerpts from the letter: 

"Much serious medical research has been done and continues to be done on the benefits of eating as many fresh produce items as possible every day, and the positive results on the health of adults, children and infants alike are not often in the mainstream news.  However, even government guidelines now include this same advice."

"The following individuals have raised and/or are raising their vibrant, glowing, radiant, strong, energetic, smart, loving children on a raw food diet:  Victoria Boutenko", Serene Allison, Jinjee and Storm Talifero, Jenny Silliman, and Jackie Rosch.  We can provide information as to how to make contact with these people.

"The following are medical doctors who advocate an all raw diet:  Dr. Lorraine Day, Dr. Gabriel Cousins, Dr. Max Gerson (deceased, but daughter Charlotte carries on his work), Dr. Joel Fuhrman (but promotes partially cooked solely on the basis that some people might not feel able to eat all raw and that mostly raw is better than mostly cooked).  We can provide a way to contact them, as well."

"The following individuals have been living the raw foods lifestyle for a significant period of time, have thereby rid themselves of many plagues, and have published books and/or websites to help others:"

"Alissa Cohen, Rhio, Tanya Zavasta, Steven Gibb, David Wolfe, Frederic Patenaude, Woody Harrelson, Roxanne Klein, and all of the people listed above raising children eating raw.  We can provide information for how to obtain publications by these authors."

"There are numerous raw foods education and retreat centers, where thousands and thousands of people have attended and taken what they have learned to make themselves and their families healthier than they’d ever dreamed possible.  Creative Health Institute of Union City, MI, is one such center, and the staff there have innumerable references, both in the ways of research and of human contacts, to support the Andressohns’ menu choices as being exemplary for the health of any man, woman (pregnant, too) and child."

"The HealthSeekersForum is an email discussion group consisting of Christian ladies who are in pursuit of establishing or maintaining an all raw menu for themselves and/or their families.  Here, there are numerous ladies who often testify in their posts as to the complete and positive changes in the health of their infants and children who switch to a raw foods diet."

"[Woman's] take is this:"

“'Three years ago I ate all raw vegan for over two months.  Chronic health problems disappeared or were greatly reduced (migraines, hypoglycemia, overweight, insomnia, fatigue, bursitis, tumor, body odor).  I felt fantastic.  Then I was pregnant and couldn’t stand to eat anything because of nausea, and got so hungry I just put anything that I craved into my mouth.  That was the end of the raw time.'" 

"'Since then there have been a few times when I have set my mind to getting over the hump and have eaten all raw for maybe a week or so, but the hump was bigger and I quit.  Why?  I went for the craving.'" 

"'Why keep trying?  Because I cannot deny how I feel when eating raw.  I am not talking about the difference between Jack-in-the-Box and a raw vegan diet, because as a general rule I don’t eat fast food (although I have in the past).  This huge difference between states of health for me is yielded by a change from whole, unprocessed, organic foods that are cooked, to only that same stuff uncooked, and eliminating meat.'"

I think I will also mention today that my daughter and I just had lunch with another mother and daughter... who surprised us with a report about the Gerson Institute!  Which is affiliated with Max Gerson, the medical doctor who was referred to by the woman above. 

We had no idea that this vibrant woman (the mother) had been diagnosed 15 years ago with advanced cancer, and that when "normal" treatment attempts failed, she was basically left to die by her saddened oncologists.  This believing lady attributes her cure to God... and to the Gerson Institute and other dietary changes.  She is still cancer-free.  She said that, today, she is strong enough to eat in moderation all types of "normal healthy foods," including meats and cooked foods, and that she drinks a product called Reliv (doesn't sell it herself, though).   

I know cancer is not post-partum psychosis but, still, I thought the report on Gerson was interesting enough and maybe even relevant to the topic at hand.  This woman was the first person I met face-to-face who had a real life verifiable story to share about her experience with Gerson... which kinda got my mind to thinking about this thread.

I also wanted to encourage readers who are interested in this topic (of food as medicine) to read posts on the "How to Cook this Board" in these threads:   Lacto-fermenting thread, Wines and vinegars thread, and the Smoothies thread (about dark, leafy greens and, also, about rejuvelac). 

In the meantime...

grateful, I hope you will continue to share as openly as you are able about your post partum experience so that readers can understand more of your perspective about the food:mental health connection... and how you used food to help beat your problem!

[grateful]

Yes, my opinion is that you're definitely onto something when you tie someone's divine, natural healing from cancer in with someone else's quest to heal from something that is not cancer. This is because 1) when we are walking around loaded with toxins, 2) when we are malnourished, 3) when we are dehydrated 4) when we are deprived of sleep, 5) when we are angry 6) when we do not have enough oxygen, 7) when we are not pumping our lymph around via exercise, and when we are otherwise depleted or in excess, then all kinds of bad things can happen to us. When we rectify these situations, then we equip our own bodies to do what God designed them to do, that is, heal, repair, live vibrantly, enjoy His creation and be helpful in it. He has placed this knowledge, both of what to do and how to do it, in our own dna, and when nourished and cared for amply, that dna can repair itself. Did I mention the book, "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration" by Dr. Weston Price? He intervened nutritionally in families whose jawlines and dental conditions were genetic. In ONE generation everything was corrected such that the kids were born with perfect jaws and teeth. He has photos.

Something I forgot to mention before is the standard to keep in mind about things that you put on your skin. Aura, does your sister use makeup and lotions? The vast majority of them are not ones you'd put on a spoon and eat, right? Whatever you slather on your skin is going into your blood. If you have the cash, or the time and ability to learn how to make soap and moisturizer, then you could give her all-natural skin products. This can be as simple as dressing up a jar of unrefined and unfiltered coconut oil (try Nutiva at amazon) with ribbon and a word about using that instead of lotion; or as simple as ordering her some lip balm or a lotion bar from GrahamGardens.com. Deodorant, too, almost always is aggravating any problem by the chemicals sitting on the skin, and especially anti-perspirants: Perspiring is a way to eliminate toxins. You need to perspire. You could give her a couple of essential oils in fragrances that she likes, or even a bottle of her favorite perfume; even that would be better than commercial armpit horrors.

I mentioned meditation before. Here's one little exercise that helped me in a big way. In a quiet room, or outside, get in a sitting position, upright but relaxed. Close your eyes and relax your jaw. Become aware of your breathing, how it feels in your nose, in your throat, your lungs. Notice the temperature, the dryness or moisture. Relax every part of your body that you can while still sitting up. Then, eyes still closed, inhale while counting to 7. Hold the breath in for 5 seconds. Exhale for 12 seconds. Do this several times.

Another exercise that I know helped was to get ready like how I just described, and then to inhale, thinking only of the number 1. Let the word "one" last the entire length of the inhale. Let the word "two" last the length of the exhale. Do this for five minutes. If your mind wanders, then gently bring yourself back to "one" and "two".

A variation is to do the same as just described, only see Christ with eyes closed, and instead of "one" on the inhale say "Thank" and instead of "two" on the exhale say "You". By "say" I do not mean with your voice; I mean with your thought.

When I did this in my desperate situation, followed the directions (from Dr. Andrew Weil's "8 Weeks to Optimum Health" but not word for word here), it helped me physically. One thing I realized after a few sessions was that hey! That was five minutes when I was not desperate! And I decided when and for how long it would happen! Hm. God DOES have power over this thing. At one point, when my husband was at work and I was beginning to have a panic attack, I walked to the cupboard where the Xanax was sitting in the prescription bottle. The doctor had driven the pills there to our house; that's how important he thought they were. I was afraid of them. I stood there, staring at the bottle of pills. I looked at the pills, pretended to close my eyes, kept staring at them, and relaxed. I thought of God and asked Him to do to me whatever those pills were supposed to do, without any bad side effects. At that point I could not articulate things like "calm my mind" and "give me control over my emotions" but could only think in pictures and feelings. I stood there until there was no trace of panic, and once again I saw proof that I did not HAVE to have this problem, and that there would be a way out, and that even if there was no other answer than to meditate very, very often, it was better than what I had been going through. We had a one-year old and an infant at the time. If the meditation didn't work, I was going to call a neighbor, not take the pills. I knew I was not going to take the pills. I had taken one pill in the weeks prior. I could not nurse for at least half a day, and that made things so much worse than what they had been.

Okay. The meditation is good to do. I can say, "Do it." The pill thing; I'm sharing my own experience, and you have to figure that out yourself with your husband and God and if you trust your doctor, him/her, too. Those things are narcotics, and if you're already on them, I think just quitting them is probably dangerous without more knowledgeable advice about how to do it.

Here's something else I can say "Do it" about. This to Aura's sister, Aura, and anyone who is on a health quest. You are not allowed to say, "I have/she has post-partum psychosis/whatever-problem." It is better to use your words to dwell on that which is pure, lovely (someone help me with the verse by the Apostle Paul about dwelling on whatsoever is _____ -- basically good stuff). If you feel you have to refer to the problem, at least say, "I am recovering from ______," or "God is healing me from ________." In my opinion this is totally in line with Mark 11:22-26, wherein Jesus Christ says to believe that ye receive, and ye shall have. By your words you are obeying Him when you talk in terms of believing that He is healing you; you are exercising faith. This has been my experience and is my belief.

Some books I forgot to mention: "Love, Medicine and Miracles" by Bernie Siegel. I read this and got a lot out of it, as well as "Peace, Love and Healing." I see he has also "Faith, Hope and Healing." The ones I did read promoted spiritual ideas I do not agree with, but God showed me what to take and what to leave. He has a guided meditation tape and cd, too, and God did the same thing with that one. It had Pachelbel's Canon in D as the music, and that music has become so special to me, because of how God used it in my healing. You have to be careful with guided meditations. Bernie also recommends that you make your own tape. Even with his, I could see the potential for someone to open a door to who-knows-what and go trapsing off to danger land.

I do not feel like any kind of expert, okay? I am sharing my experiences. Maybe Aura's sister can use some of this. Of course I have strong opinions, but I cannot be sure they are all correct! Some may be so strong only because they were the exact right thing for me, and I had obeyed God's direction for me. But a person can ask God for himself. 

[herbalmom]

I really appreciate all you help and I’m looking at getting some things together to mail to Sis. I have Nourishing Traditions, which I can loan her. I also have Greater Health God’s Way by Stormie O’Martian as well as What the Bible Says About Healthy Eating by Rex Russell. Do you think these last two books follow the same idea and would be good for her to read?

IMO, I wouldn't send Nourishing Traditions. It can be a difficult & overwhelming book for someone NOT depressed & probably wouldn't help much right now.

I don't think I have read What the Bible Says About Healthy Living so I can't say much about it.

I have read Stormie's book Greater Health God's Way. I read it several years ago but from what I remember, it would be a good starter book for your sister. She gets very practical- even talking about measuring her water 2 cups at a time 4XS a day & drinking it right then until she got into the habit of drinking enough water. It's an easy to follow book as well & doesn't overwhelm.

Here's some WTM threads that might help as well. You could print them out (keep in mind that printing takes A LOT more pages than you expect- a page on a thread is MANY printed pages) & put them in the order you think might help the most. Then they can be read just like a book as time allows, make notes, highlight parts, etc right on the pages.  It might be better if her DH or your mom also reads them (or reads them instead of your sis if it would overwhelm her) as they might recognize symptoms that she doesn't.

Also go through Patti's- Mykidsmom- posts on WTM about allergy testing, etc. LOTS of great info in her posts. BELIEVE me, allergies can cause LOTS of symptoms including psychoses. Testing through the Dr. Patti recommends would probably really help. 

Start with this thread b/c something's telling me that Iodine/Thyroid may be a big part of the problem. BE SURE to get the book (or one of the author's other books about Iodine) that SC talks about in the 1st link.

SC's post about the book Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It

Iodine: Sources, Inhibitors, Symptoms of Deficiency

Thyroid Dysfunction: Diagnosis & Treament

Herbal Remedies to Boost a Tired Out Adrenal Gland?     Be sure to read post 150- it talks about depression being a symptom of adrenal exhaustion

I need an overhaul   

What to do for Depressed Friend?

Psychoactive drugs

Depression, Anxiety and other Neurological/Mental Disorders

Depression: when to take meds?

Depression

Anger and Nutrition     (don't forget, there's usually a lot of anger underlying depression)

where do i start with ending antidepressants and feeling better?

Nourishing the Endocrine System 

Estrogen Dominance & Other Hormone Imbances: Causes & Cures

The hypothalamus gland- it's related to it all!

[herbalmom]

Some of the info on this WTM thread may be helpful:

Easing the Effects of Narcotic [Drug] Addiction: Detox & Withdrawal

[Aura]

Sorry I haven't responded lately. It's been crazy busy around here--school started this week and I'm still not as well-planned for the year as I'd like.

Anyway, Sis is doing a lot better now that she's been back on her meds. She and BIL and family are bringing my mom back...tomorrow!!! I've talked to Sis on the phone a few times and she sounds really good. They're also going to be staying with me, so I'm excited at that

I'm getting things together to show her and maybe send home with her, along with a few "extras," just for fun. This is really an answer to prayer because (1) I should have more of a chance to chat with her and (2) she can decide for herself what additional info she'd like (if any) rather than me trying to pick and choose for her. As Grateful mentioned, any decisions really have to be hers. I'm just trying to help point her in the right direction.

Also, please continue to pray for her and myself. I'm excited about this opportunity, but I really need God's hand on this situation and His wisdom to do and say the right things while she's here. She does tend to be sensitive about things, and I really want to be an encouragement and a blessing to her and not make her feel uncomfortable.

Thank you, herbalmom for those links. We bought a new laser printer for school this year that does duplexing (we're doing a literature/Charlotte Mason approach and printing lots of ebooks) so I'm working on printing some of those out for her and putting it in a folder for her to flip through.

Oh, and I'm also glad the thread on Food as Medicine was started, thanks!

grateful, you're willingness to share has truly been a blessing.

One other question, in going through some books that I already have, I came across Attitudes of a Transformed Heart by Martha Peace. I'm thinking of offering that to Sis as well. Does anyone have any experience/opinions on that?

Thanks again to all of you, and please, PLEASE continue to pray.

[Skydancesmom]

I get PPD after each baby, it is scarey, painful and lonesome!  I am praying, praying and praying for your sister,
Blessings,
SDM

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