3 Simple Steps to Beating Depression Naturally
By Laura Ramirez
Although it may seem impossible, beating depression is simple if you understand how the body works. In this article, you'll learn three steps for getting past the blues, so you can take charge of your life.
When people say they want to beat depression, what they really want to do is heal from it. All of us are subject to events outside our control. The stress caused by these events can take their toll on us, leaving us with a flat affect, low energy and little interest in life. To make matters worse, depression is often accompanied by anxiety, which makes us chronically fearful of what could happen next.
There is little doubt that stress is a killer and the root cause of many diseases, including a chronic case of the blues. Stress depletes us of the feel-good neurotransmitters that energize us, connect us to others and get us excited about our lives. When these neurotransmitters are no longer produced at their normal levels, lethargy, a sense of gloom, doom and hopelessness take over. Depression is a sign that your brain needs help.
When most people feel depressed, they go to their doctor who will probably prescribe drugs to beat depression. Problem is these drugs have side effects that can worsen the symptoms and make you feel even more depressed. Although there are many different types of drugs for depression, common side effects include weight gain, anxiety, sleeplessness, irritability and more. If you're already down, these side effects are not going to help you to feel better.
This is why more and more people are turning to natural remedies for beating depression. Although herbs like St. John's Wort may appear to be new alternatives to drugs, they have actually been used for centuries to lift mood and restore a sense of satisfaction with life. In fact, in more progressive countries like Germany, natural remedies are used much more often than prescription drugs.
When looking for a good remedy, know that all supplements are not created equal. Look for a natural treatment that contains ingredients like St. John's Wort and Passion Flower which have been proven effective at beating depression in numerous clinical trials. As with any treatment for depression, the ingredients take time to build up in your system, so make sure you give it a couple of months before you decide if it is helping you.
As your mood starts to lift, make small changes in your life that will support your momentum toward feeling better. Make changes in your diet, substituting processed food with fresh produce, especially green vegies and lean meat and fish. Eat small meals throughout the day, rather than two or three big meals. The energy from small, healthy meals will give you more energy to create the life you want to live.
Add exercise to your program for beating depression. Our bodies are designed for motion. Exercise renews us, cleanses the lymph system and allows us to think better and more clearly. It also greatly reduces mental stress. Choose an exercise that is fun, like walking, rebounding or bike riding. Rather than being torture, exercise should be something you enjoy, something that makes you feel good about yourself.
So there you have it: a simple, three-step program to beat depression: take a natural remedy, substitute processed foods for natural foods slowly over time and add exercise that is fun and restorative. Follow these simple steps and before you know it, you'll have your life back.
Laura Ramirez is a dedicated to health and wellness. Learn more about her findings on natural ways to treat depression by going to http://www.cure-depression-naturally.com
Ms. Ramirez is also the award-winning author of Keepers of the Children: Native American Wisdom and Parenting, a parenting book, which shows parents how to raise children to lead meaningful and productive lives and discover their own purpose as part of the process.
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