Millions of Americans suffer from clinical depression each year. Many are undiagnosed and others that know that they are depressed, never seek help for a number of reasons.
Antidepressant drugs all have potential side effects. That being said, you should never stop taking prescribed antidepressants, without first consulting the prescribing physician. Since many physicians are not trained in natural treatments, try to find a physician that is trained is.
Why not discuss these with your physician?
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1. Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels - Vitamin D has so much to do with overall health, including depression. Here is a reference from WebMD:
2. Get Grounded - Too many positive ions in the human body produces acidity, which is not good for your health. I have been using grounding sheets for 4 years to increase my negative ions and therefore alkalize my body. Earthing Website
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3. Get a Healthy Gut - The majority of the serotonin, which is the feel good hormone is produced by your gut bacteria. Having a healthy amount of good bacteria is essential to fight depression. We harbor 100 trillion bacteria, which weighs 2-3 pounds. In order to be healthy, we need at least 85% of those bacteria to be beneficial bacteria and less than 15% to be pathological bacteria. Eating fermented vegetables is one of the best ways to introduce good bacteria into your gut. Staying away from sugar and junk food helps, as does eating real food. The supplement Restore, helps to increase the biodiversity of gut bacteria. We should have between 20 - 30 thousand different species of bacteria living in our gut.
4. Eliminate Junk From Your Diet - This, together with eating real food is a must for any health condition.
5. Exercise Regularly - Moderate exercise can actually prevent episodes of depression in the long term. Data regarding the positive mood effects of exercise involvement, independent of fitness gains, suggest that the focus should be on the frequency of exercise rather than duration or intensity until the behavior has been well established. Here is another source from WebMD.
6. Vitamin B3 - Niacin is vitamin B3, one of the water-soluble B-complex vitamins. Niacin's feature is its ability to greatly reduce anxiety and depression. From Food Matters.
7. Detoxify - Your body is exposed to hundreds, if not thousands of chemicals each day. A number of environmental toxins have been found to cause depression or damage the nervous system. From Food Matters.
8. Eat Bananas - Tryptophan is the key ingredient in making serotonin. Without it, serotonin won't be produced. Because the body can't make its own tryptophan, it must be taken in as part of the diet. That is why tryptophan is known as an "essential" amino acid. Bananas help overcome depression due to their levels of tryptophan.
9. Enjoy A Handful Of Nuts And Seeds Regularly - Tryptophan can be found as a supplement and in foods, particularly in nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds should be consumed raw and unprocessed.
10. Omega-3 fats - People with diets high in omega-3 essential fatty acids have lower rates of depression. Eat salmon, trout, herring, sardines, anchovies, mackerel, flaxseed and walnuts. Unfortunately, vegan sources of omega-3 are in ALA form, which our body struggles to convert to the powerful EHA and DHA that is required for healthy brain function. In order to get enough to improve your mental health, you can eat seafood to at least 2-3 serves a week. Many doctors also recommend high-quality fish oil supplements.
11. Supplement With St John's Wort - In a study published by the Cochrane Library, the researchers compiled the results of 29 prior trials, involving a total of 5,489 participants who were randomly assigned either St. John's wort, a placebo, tricylclic antidepressants or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to treat mild to moderately severe depression. St. John's wort was found to be more effective than a placebo and at least as effective as both tricylics and SSRIs, but with fewer side effects.
12. Use Lavender & Bergamot Essential Oils - One essential oil that stands out for depression is bergamot.Many citruses are acknowledged for their uplifting effects, but bergamot is particularly powerful. Rub some bergamont or lavender essential oil on your temples, neck, and wrists for a boost to your mood and a reduction in stress/anxiety. Other great ways to benefit is to have a warm bath with a few drops of lavender and bergamot oil.
13. Supplement With L-Theanine - L-Theanine is a water-soluble amino acid. It’s found mainly in green tea and black tea and is also available as a supplement. Studies have found that it acts directly on the brain, helping to reduce stress and anxiety, without causing drowsiness. A typical cup of black tea contains only about 25 mg of l-theanine and green tea only about 8 mg. While a cup of tea may be calming, if you want more potent effects, try a supplement, about 200 mg a day.
14. Enjoy Lemon Balm Tea - Research published in 2004, for instance, gave participants a single dose of lemon balm extract (300 mg or 600 mg) or a placebo, then measured their mood after one hour. The higher dose resulted in reduced stress and improved calmness and alertness. Even the lower dose helped participants do math problems more quickly. Use in aromatherapy, try 300-500 mg of dried lemon balm three times daily, 60 drops daily, or 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of dried lemon balm herb in hot water for a tea four times daily.
15. Spend More Time Outdoors - Getting out in the sunshine will also increase your vitamin D levels.Nature also has a calming effect.
16. Make Sure You’re Getting Enough Vitamin B12 - Low levels of B12 can be a risk factor for depression and it’s common in vegans and alcoholics. There are very few vegan-friendly foods that contain B12, so if you suspect you’re low, make sure to supplement with high-quality B12 to boost your levels. Signs include fatigue, shortness of breath, tingling and numbness in the extremities, headache, dementia, disorientation and loss of concentration and memory.The daily recommended intake of vitamin B12 for healthy adults is 2.4 micrograms. Good sources of B12 are often animal-based foods and include snapper, prawns, algae and sea plants.
