Depression is never good for you or the people around you. I have come to the conclusion that life comes with hordes of depressing situations and it is entirely up to you to make yourself strong enough to face the ugly side. Some depressions tend to go away with time but some lurk around signaling impending doom.
Just a few weeks ago I read about a family in the newspapers. All the 3 members committed suicide by jumping from a high-rise. Investigation revealed that a week prior to the suicide incident the family had lost their father and were thus, sucked into depression. Depression is nothing but a quick-sand and yanking out anti-depressant tablets will barely do any permanent good. Psychiatrists advise a more natural approach to cure depression and its symptoms.
Tips To Cure Depression Naturally
Understanding The Trigger
You are your best friend! If you’re depressed, sit down and breathe slowly. Calm down and then think. Find out the reason for your depression. Is it financial? Is it a family problem? Is it something you did or said? There is nothing in this world that cannot be resolved through a planned approach.
Be honest and face your depression, do not let your depression hide under any other reason. Once you’ve pinpointed the reason, analyze ways to overcome the problem. You’ll see that once you calm down and try to tackle the problem depression will fade on its own.
A Daily Exercise To Beat The Blues
Studies have shown that a daily exercise can help you alleviate depression and its symptoms. The reason behinds this is that when you exercise or workout, the temperature of the body rises which relaxes the muscles and aids in the release of chemicals like endorphins that elevate the moods.
This is the reason some people feel calm and mentally rejuvenated after some exercise. Choose whatever form of exercise you like- walking, dancing, jogging or swimming and exercise daily for at least ½ hour.
Diet Can Also Help
My nutritionist buddy says that there is no ailment that a good and healthy diet cannot cure. According to some nutritionists, a balanced diet can help cure depression and drive away all negative emotions.
Proteins
Foods such as chicken, tuna, duck, beef and turkey contain an amino acid called Tyrosine. This amino acid increases the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine that can drive away depression.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
A study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry revealed that regular intake of omega-3 essential acids can eliminate suicidal thoughts and other forms of depression. Fishes such as tuna, sardine, mackerel, salmon and clams are rich sources of omega-3.
Magnesium Rich Foods
Some studies suggest that magnesium deficiency can cause both minor depression and major depression like psychosis and suicidal tendencies. Include magnesium enriched foods in your daily diet to keep your mind and body healthy. The best sources of magnesium are beans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, almond, cashews and legumes.
Acupressure To Treat Depression
Acupressure is a traditional healing art that synchronizes breathing patterns with pressure points. There are different pressure points in the body for different health conditions. With help of the middle finger or the thumb apply some pressure on the particular pressure point till it hurts and then release. The pressure points to cure depression are Three mile point (ST36), Gates of Mind (GB20), three mile point etc.
Herbs To Treat Depression
Using herbs to treat depression is a natural and sensible approach. Herbs do not come with any negative side effects. Some herbs can be taken in a tea form or used in aromatherapy. The best herb to control depression and its symptoms is St.Johns Wort. This herb has anti-depressant properties owing to the presence of two chemicals- hypericin and hyperforin which help calm the entire nervous system.
You may take the herb in form of an herbal tea, tincture or capsule. Other herbs that you may use to cure depression are Rhodiola rosea, camu camu, ashwagandha and Maca. You can use some herbs such as rosemary, sage, bergamot and jasmine in aroma lamps for an aromatherapy approach to pluck out depression.
The Vitamin Family To The Rescue
Vitamins can help reduce all depression symptoms and uplift the mood. Vitamin C- It has been shown that this vitamin plays a pivotal role in the production of norepinephrine. Eat foods like oranges, pineapples, blood oranges, grape fruits, melons, tomatoes and dark green leafy vegetables. These provide your body with enough Vitamin C for proper production of mood enhancing norepinephrine.
Vitamin B Family
The Vitamin B complex family members like B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5, B6, B7 and B12 helps the body to prepare all neurotransmitters or brain chemicals. Out of all the B vitamins B6 and B12 deficiency can affect the production of dopamine and serotonin. You are more likely to be depressed if the level of these brain chemicals reaches a low level. You may take these as supplementations or eat foods like soybeans, meats, liver, eggs and green vegetables that can provide you with these essential vitamins.
Meditation
Everyone knows that a calm, relaxed and satisfied mind cannot be depressed. But what makes mind happy? It is only through meditation that your mind can truly come out of all bondage and relax. For this, you need an extremely quiet location. Ask people not to disturb you and switch off your cell phones.
Sit in a relaxed posture and breathe in deeply as if you’re breathing in the “will to be happy” and “breathe out” all the negative emotions and thoughts. You can either think of something happy or focus your thoughts at something beautiful like the sunset, sunrise or perhaps a sky filled with twinkling stars. The idea is to keep your mind calm and distant from all the earthly problems.
Yoga Therapy To Solve All Problems
Yoga can protect the brain from depression and eliminate all negativity. An article published in the Oxford Journal has reported that yoga can have positive effects on the mind and the body. You can try postures like Viparit karani, Uttanasana, Shirshasana and Balasana.
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