Excerpts from the free ebook Tips To Treat Depression
Diet
Many biochemical theories of depression centre around deficiencies of one nutrient or another, and vitamins and minerals are an obvious first place to look, as we need so many of them – usually in tiny daily amounts, but they are vital.
And the truth is, many depressed people do not care enough about themselves to buy and cook fresh healthy food.
Obviously in an ideal world, you would get all your nutritional needs from food, but whilst you work towards that ideal a broad-spectrum multivitamin and mineral supplement can help set you on the right track. …
As well as trace nutrients your diet must contain enough basic building blocks, such as fats.
Fats have a bad press because they are calorifically dense, but the truth is they are an essential part of your diet, as they are an essential part of your body.
Getting enough healthy unsaturated essential fatty acids in your diet is vital for brain health, and it is an EFA called Omega-3 that we are most likely to be deficient in.
This can be taken as a supplement in capsule form, or oils such as flax seed or fish oil. DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, is a good supplement to look out for. [Continued]
Herbal Remedies
There are a great many herbal remedies available to help you tackle depression.
It’s good to talk to an qualified herbalist or naturopath about these if you are unsure where to start.
Remember that most commercial pharmaceuticals in use today are derived from or modelled upon natural herbs and substances – folk remedies tend to develop their reputation because they work in some way, and the big pharma companies exploit that effect when they can!
So, if you are taking prescription antidepressants, you must NOT mix them with certain herbal remedies, as their actions on brain chemistry are too similar.
A good example is St Johns Wart (Hypericum perforatum) [available from HBC Protocols], which has been demonstrated to have similar effects to many current SSRIs, and clinically proven as an effective remedy for dysthymia and mild to moderate depression. [Continued]
[Also see related page: Supplements]
Exercise And Activity
When you are suffering from depression, it might feel like the last thing you are capable of doing is taking exercise.
Lack of energy, interrupted sleep, confusion, hopelessness and lack of motivation, all conspire to make getting started on any kind of program incredibly difficult… but the results are so great, you really owe it to yourself to check it out.
Benefits Of Exercise
Exercising regularly brings so many benefits to your health and wellbeing. If you can get over the motivational obstacles, you will…
• Release endorphins into your bloodstream and directly lift your mood
• Lose weight, and speed up your metabolism
• Burn fat and build muscle, so you look fitter and healthier
• Improve your lymphatic drainage and the removal of toxins from your body
• Be more resistant to viruses and infections
• Raise your energy levels [Continued]
More topics in the ebook:
Sunlight And Melatonin
Realistic Expectations
Social Activities And Support Groups
Bodywork And Treatments
Download the free ebook (PDF) by Cecil Ellis, Psychologist and Nutrition Specialist. “Depression is a challenging condition to overcome, but you will learn that there is much you can do to improve your situation and regain control – over your depression and over your life.”
Tips To Treat Depression
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Douglas Eby (M.A./Psychology) is author of the The Creative Mind series of sites which provide “Information and inspiration to help creative people thrive.”
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