I went through a severe depression in my 20s and never want to go back there. I was on medication about a year, but am off them.  I feel 100% better when I'm getting regular sleep, exercise and eating well.  I 2nd the idea of omega fatty acids (there some good vegan capsules out there with the DHA that isn't readily found in vegan foods).

To me the key is diet and exercise.  Without exercise I think I'd be on antidepressants. 

Best wishes to you.

I worked for a good part of the days out in my courtyard garden, setting it up for some organic seeds I ordered. You would not believe how difficult it is to source organic seeds. Anyways, I thought I would settle in early as I got a little sun for the day. I woke up in a foul foul foul mood in the middle of the night. So much of a bad mood I grunted at the dogs as they figured out pretty quickly I was up and they can go out.

Does keeping a log of mood make any sense? I just get in foul moods often. Funks as they could be described as.

In that article I had linked the celtic sea salt has trace amounts of lithium salts, helpful in stabilizing moods.
"Upon ingestion, lithium becomes widely distributed in the central nervous system and interacts with a number of neurotransmitters and receptors, decreasing norepinephrine release and increasing serotonin synthesis."

Thank you Claire for the kind words.

Also "b-12 relies upon stomach acid to be absorbed. Unlike the other B vitamins, it also needs to bond with something called "intrinsic factor." Those of Scandinavian, English, and Irish descent often lack this "intrinsic factor" (produced by the parietal cells of the stomach)." I might be incorrect in assuming that you are of such descent as I am.

In addition "There are many foods that contain inositol (part of the B vit complex) including, dried beans, calves' liver, cantaloupe, citrus fruits (except lemons), garbanzo beans (chickpeas), lecithin granules, lentils, nuts, oats, pork, rice, veal, and whole grain products.
Consuming large amounts of caffeine or taking antibiotics for long periods of time can decrease the body's supply of inositol and an inositol supplement would be recommended in these cases."

I would personally love to give up coffee... as I am sipping on my second espresso.

So it looks like that blender should come in handy and well as upgrading fresh citrus consumption.

L-tyrosine:

"Aside from the fact that it is important to normalize body and brain functions, tyrosine has been seen to provide various health benefits. Studies have revealed that tyrosine can help fight the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, to alleviate emotional and environmental stress, and to combat depression. Those that take tyrosine supplements claim that it tyrosine helps calm their bodies, increase their energy levels and enhance their libido. Supplements have also been used in the treatment of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and dementia."

"Besides multiple other functions, Dr. Slagle considers tyrosine to be so important because of its ability to convert to the mood elevating neurotransmitters, norepinephrine & dopamine, in your brain. It is well established that depression is caused by a depletion of certain neurotransmitters & the mechanism of action of prescription antidepressant drugs is to make more neurotransmitters available - but sometimes along with drug side effects.

Additionally, tyrosine converts to thyroid hormone & to adrenaline which is produced by your adrenal gland in response to stress. Chronic stress can divert tyrosine to excessive adrenaline production resulting in decreased thyroid & norepinephrine levels, unless you have plenty of tyrosine available for all the functions.

For tyrosine to properly convert to these substances, or for any amino acid to perform its multiple & almost magical conversions, there must be adequate pyridoxal-5-phosphate (vitamin B6) as well as certain other vitamins & minerals.

There are multiple factors leading to depletion of the substances necessary for your brain neurotransmitter production which are detailed in Dr. Slagle's book. Some are excessive stress, sugar, alcohol, recreational drugs, caffeine, long-term junk food, & many prescription medications such as some for hypertension, antibiotics, birth control pills & many others.

If you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicine be sure to check the Physician's Drug Reference to see if depression is a potential side effect. You would be surprised how often it is! If so, talk to your doctor about a change to a non-depressing drug when possible or try to override that effect by following Dr. Slagle's complete & safe program for the natural treatment of depression.

Helpful with:

* Low moods or outright depression.
* Stress protection & better functioning during stress.
* Symptoms of PMS.
* Improving motivation, drive, concentration.
* Hypothyroidism.
* Fatigue.
* Maximizing peak mental or athletic performance."
http://www.findhealer.com/glossary/L.php3

"Fortunately, there are many natural food sources of tyrosine. It is found in most animal and vegetable sources. Foods high in tyrosine include the following:
Whole grains, wheat, and oats/ Fruits such as avocados and bananas. Legumes, beans and nuts such as almond, lima beans, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds."

very intersting info about silica

"Silica is the combination of the 2 most common elements on the planet – Oxygen and Silicon. Some scientists hypothesize that we could just as easily have been a Silicon based organism as a Carbon based organism. Two functions have been identified for Silicon. It is the primary Calcium management element and is responsible for making sure calcium is not stored in any locations other than bone. Without Silica, the body will store calcium (of which most of us get too much of ) in areas like, artery walls, joints, organs and soft tissue. The second Silicon role is in collagen formation. The physical manifestation of aging is the inability of the body to reproduce collagen the way we could in our 20’s and 30’s. This leads to wrinkles, loss of flexibility, porosity of bones, digestive problems, arthritis and many other issues associated with aging. We feel Silica is the most natural and effective supplement on the market today to reverse or eliminate, arthritis, GI tract disorders, and osteoporosis. Silica is also known to enhance appearance of hair, skin and nails."

So silica decides where the calcium is deposited and we have sent many links how increase intracellular calcium is linked with cognitive and psycological problems.

Correct as long at you are eating fresh and you body has all the capabilities to process everything.
Which I think where the problem lies, not all of us have the abilities to refine the foods we eat, individually missing some portion of an ideal system. The system still functions but not optimally... depression, cancer, obesity are just some of the ailments that plague us.
All on varying degrees on a case by case basis.

*Spoonful of hemp seed oil down the hatch and a walk with the dogs.

Almonds in raw form are supposed to be one of the lost superfoods.

"In Ayurveda, the Self, one's inmost spiritual center, is said to be a field of contentment and joy. When our attention is directed exclusively outward to the objects of experience and we don't meditate or have deep experiences of prayer or other spiritual practices, we easily lose touch with the unbounded awareness and bliss of the Self. This outward turning of awareness is known as "object referral." On the other hand, turning inward to gain the experience of the Self is called "Self-referral."

Self-referral is an experience. What we experience when we look inward is an experience of pure bliss, an underlying perception of the pure consciousness. We experience an inner quietness or silence, a state of pure awareness or pure being that is blissful and expansive in nature.

This experience is very important. That is because ultimately all happiness comes from within us. A depressed person is not able to derive happiness from anything, even from things and people that formerly gave them great joy. They only see darkness everywhere.

Our reaction to external events is governed by our mood or state of inner self. As our inner moods shift, our ability to enjoy the world around us shifts correspondingly. In a happy mood, we can derive joy from the smallest, most insignificant-seeming things. In a dark mood, everything is a drag.

Depression is an extreme form of object-referral, in which you completely lose touch with the inner happiness of the Self.

The more you lose touch with the joy and freedom of the Self, the more you are bound to feel frustrated and unhappy. The unhappiness disappears when you gain entry back into our inner dimension of fullness.

In other words, to treat unhappiness, we must increase our happiness. To treat darkness, we must increase the light. This principle has profound implication in which how we view and treat depression.
Healing by Shining Your Inner Light

According to Ayurveda, a central reason for the depression was lack of contact with a deep aspect of oneself that was a field of happiness and fullness. So, the goal of the therapy is to enable you to rediscover your inner Self.

Meditation is often used to discover one's inner bliss and inner self. This is often combined with gentle stretching exercises of Yoga. The therapy, obviously, has no side effects. It can be performed in the comfort of your home by yourself.

Victims report discovering a deep experience of pure consciousness, a very quiet, peaceful level of awareness while meditating. They often feel "filled with light and happiness." It leaves them with such an intense degree of inner fullness that very often they and their friends are startled by the sudden transformation in them - from feelings of gloom and suicide thoughts to hope and a positive outlook on life.

Meditation can do wonders to anyone with depression. You do not have to have depression to experience this pure bliss. It enables you to expand your boundaries and grow into a better life."

http://www.holisticonline.com/remedies/Depression/dep_ayv_treatment_inner-light.htm

I've tried SAM-e and 5-HTP.  I took them on an empty stomach at bedtime, as directed, but I'd wake up the next morning sooooo bloated, which made me feel even worse.

Right now I make sure to take B vitamins and Omega-3s.  The latter supports hormone balance, and we women know just how important that is. 

My favorite natural remedy is serotonin-boosting sunshine.  I also take a power yoga class that provides temporary relief from some of the anxiety that relates to my depression.