| Most cases of depression if not all can be helped with | | | | as much as possible when we are depressed, |
| treatment, but many people are too scared to seek | | | | preferring inactivity and isolation. Regular exercise, |
| treatment. They may be afraid of the questions that a | | | | however, can boost your mood by eliminating the |
| therapist might ask, or they may be afraid of the | | | | stress hormones in your body as well as by boosting |
| medication that is designed to help with depression, but | | | | your own self image as you begin to look and feel |
| untreated depression is a very dangerous thing. There | | | | better. Exercise itself releases mood-boosting |
| are some natural remedies that can at least help with | | | | chemicals in your brain, and gives you something |
| depression. It is best to talk to a doctor before | | | | productive and hopefully fun to focus your mind on. |
| following a natural course of treatment for depression. | | | | Folic Acid |
| 5-HTP | | | | Folic Acid or Folate is a particular kind of B vitamin that |
| 5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP, is a supplement that | | | | is often found to be deficient in depressed people. You |
| works to boost the serotonin levels of the body. | | | | can get Folate from eating leafy greens as well as |
| Studies have not produced conclusive results yet, | | | | some beans or fortified grains. It is a very common |
| however it is known that 5-HTP should not be used in | | | | deficiency because of poor diet, certain medical |
| conjunction with antidepressants. | | | | conditions, and various medications such as birth |
| Alternative Medicine | | | | control pills that eliminate it in the body. |
| There are natural remedies like yoga, color therapy, | | | | Light Therapy |
| flower therapy, aromatherapy and acupuncture or | | | | Getting enough sunlight is a natural mood booster, and |
| acupressure that can have some effect. These | | | | a lack of sunlight can lead to depression. Getting out in |
| effects vary from person to person, so try to see if | | | | the air and the sunlight for a walk or a run or other |
| any appeal to you and check them out if you are | | | | exercise can be helpful to boost your mood and can |
| interested. | | | | be a double-threat to depression because you are |
| Diet | | | | getting exercise as well. If you cannot get out in the |
| It might be hard to hear that giving up your beloved | | | | sunlight for any reason or if you can't get enough |
| coffee or your daily sweets might help you feel better, | | | | sunlight, you can use lamps that simulate natural |
| but removing sweets from your diet can help to keep | | | | sunlight to help you boost your mood with this light |
| your mood more stable, preventing the false highs and | | | | therapy. Don't forget to wear sunscreen to protect |
| exaggerated lows as your blood sugar soars and then | | | | your skin while you are out on your walks. |
| plummets. | | | | Omega-3 Fatty Acids |
| Avoiding caffeine and alcohol can also both help, as | | | | Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish like salmon, |
| both of these dampen moods. The alcohol is a | | | | and offer many benefits including improved mental |
| relaxant while the caffeine is an energy booster, but | | | | functioning. Omega-3 fatty acids can be used in |
| the effects of both quickly wear off leaving us feeling | | | | conjunction with antidepressants to help these |
| worse than ever and producing symptoms like | | | | medications function more effectively. Depression is |
| insomnia, anxiety, mood swings and even depression. | | | | less common in countries like Taiwan and Japan, which |
| Since vitamin B6 and Magnesium can both be gotten | | | | have a culture that consumes much more fish. |
| from your diet and can help you keep your natural | | | | SAM-e |
| serotonin levels up, it is important to add food to your | | | | SAM-e is short for S-adenosyl-L-methionine, and is a |
| diet that include one or both of these. Magnesium can | | | | chemical that is found naturally in the body. It has been |
| be found in nuts, whole grains, legumes and | | | | shown in studies to be more effective than a placebo |
| vegetables. As a side effect, eating healthier can also | | | | at treating depression, and is available in the United |
| help your depression by helping you to feel healthier | | | | States as an over the counter supplement in health |
| and boosting your self-image. | | | | food stores and drug stores as well as online. It is |
| Exercise | | | | somewhat expensive, but it can be argued that it is |
| Like diet, exercise is something that most of us avoid | | | | worth the expense as long as it helps. |