Today, depression affects over 300 million people worldwide. It’s one of the main causes of disability in developed, as well as low and medium income countries. The mood disorder doesn’t discriminate – it can affect anyone! This serious mental health condition affects the way you think, feel and behave. Between 2005 and 2015, worldwide depression rates climbed to 18%.
Are you one of those numbers? Don’t feel helpless. Even if you are taking medication for your condition, it’s worth adding on natural treatments.
The healthy escape
Choose a diet that gives you important vitamins and minerals to balance your hormones and enhance brain function. Lifestyle changes are just some of your options. Boost your vitality and improve your mood.
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Find your triggers
Which parts of your life are getting you down? Examine your friendships, relationships, family dynamics, work, studies even consider body issues. Be honest with yourself to get to the root of why you’re depressed. Once you know the triggers of your negative moods, take steps to find positive ways of changing the dynamics.
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Move your body
Exercise does more than energise your body. It releases feel-good brain chemicals, like endorphins, adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine. Exercising stimulates new nerve growth that creates new pathways of communication and increases your brain’s flexibility.
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Eat “happy”
Healing foods that can treat mood disorders include Omega-3 like egg yolks, salmon, mackerel, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, coconut oil and soy beans. Fruit and vegetables are high in folate (folic acid) which improves your brain’s metabolic processes. Excellent folate foods include spinach, asparagus, avocado, beets and broccoli. Your body also needs antioxidant foods to fight the biochemical changes that take place when you’re stressed.
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Never miss a meal
Missing meals is sure to get you “hangry” (hungry and angry!), and this is bad news for your mood. Keep your blood sugar stable to reduce mood swings. Try eating small meals throughout the day.
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Skip the coffee
It gives you a temporary lift, but soon, you’ll crash and need another fix. This is because it reduces serotonin levels. Serotonin helps regulate your mood so the last thing you want is to deplete this precious substance. Have some walnuts, a slice of pineapple or a plum rather – all of which contain serotonin.
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Enjoy the sun
Talk a short walk and get a blast of fresh air. Sunlight is great for a dose of Vitamin D, which can help your mood immensely.
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See the value of vitamins
Vitamin B is needed for the functioning of a healthy nervous system and to produce serotonin. Try Vitamin B6, B9, Vitamin D, C, magnesium, and zinc to boost your mood.
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Meditate
According to research by the American Psychological Association, mindfulness training helps you pay attention to the present moment and uses a different set of neural pathways; (where information travels through the nerve cells to the brain). It encourages you to focus on feelings and sensations rather than trying to “talk yourself out” of having the thoughts. Mindfulness changes the brain to allow you to access the present moment pathway.
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Get into balance
A hormonal imbalance can have a significant impact on your mood. Your chemical messengers are important for your overall health. Emotions and hormones are connected; a good balance of the one impacts the other. Try to stay on an even keel; keeping all parts of your life in balance.
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Talk it out
It’s okay to vent! Psychotherapy can help reduce symptoms of fatigue and low self-esteem that are usually associated with depression. With therapy, you learn how to manage depression by yourself. When you’re aware of your thoughts and learn how to proactively transform your self-destructive beliefs, it can change the way your brain functions and how you react to situations.
References:
- https://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/depression-treatment.htm
- http://everydayroots.com/depression-remedies
- http://www.who.int/mental_health/mhgap/dep_slides.pdf?ua=1
- https://www.prevention.com/health/healthy-living/natural-remedies-depression
- http://reset.me/story/15-serotonin-supplements-to-boost-your-mood-naturally/
- http://www.apa.org/monitor/2015/03/mindfulness-mood.aspx