Consuming fish oil may fight depression. Current studies are encouraging, and began in earnest when scientists noted inhabitants of countries with high fish consumption had lower rates of depression.
 

 
According to an ABC News report, “At Sheffield University in England, Dr. Malcolm Peet gave omega-3 fatty acids [found in most fish oils] to 70 depressed patients who had not been helped by drugs such as Prozac. After 12 weeks, 69 percent of the patients showed marked improvement compared with 25 percent given placebos.” ¹

 
Patient Jim LaBonte tried Prozac to handle his depression, but disliked how emotionless it made him feel so he stopped taking it.
 
Initially skeptical, Mr. LaBonte began taking omega-3 fatty acid DHA every day. Within 3 weeks, he saw significant improvement. In his words,
 
“I’m fine today. Not only do I not feel as blue, but when they [depressed feelings] do come I am able to handle it.”
 
Joan Mathews Larson, Ph.D., has been treating depression naturally for over 30 years. In her video clip, she describes how early in her career she treated a Schizophrenic man with flaxseed oil and he made a miraculous recovery.
 
Currently, Dr. Larson gives 2 Tablespoons of fish oil a day to all of her patients, with great success. She is in disagreement with the past and current trend to treat mental afflictions with drugs. ²
 
In addition, studies have been done on the effectiveness of fish oil to combat post partum depression (PPD).
 
Time Healthland recently published an online article weighing the benefits of pregnant women following a regime that includes fish oil. The following information describes research performed by Dr. Michelle
 
Judge of the University of Connecticut School of Nursing: ³
 
“For the current trial, Judge’s team studied 42 pregnant women who took either 200 mg of fish oil, in the form of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), or a placebo, daily, from their 24th week of pregnancy to birth. Health experts currently recommend that pregnant women take about 200 mg daily of DHA, but most moms-to-be fall far short of this advice, consuming only about 50 mg to 100 mg per day.
 
“The women also filled out questionnaires to rate their depressive symptoms, before the trial and four more times postpartum. The women who took the fish oil supplements scored six points lower on the postpartum depression scale than those who received placebo.”
 
Dr. Judge recommends that expectant moms add a “fish oil capsule or two to their daily regimen.”
 
It’s good to know that fish oil is proven to be a reliable and natural alternative to dangerous psychiatric drugs when treating depression.
 
References:
 
1. http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Health/story?id=129498&page=1
 
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yi9Q4l3Peo
 
3. http://healthland.time.com/2011/04/12/study-fish-oil-may-prevent-symptoms-of-postpartum-depression/