Some shocking figures have been revealed. The number of suicides in the US Army is increasing (now 3 a day) and the most common reasons are problems in relationships and fear of discipline. If depression is not looked after it becomes the top cause of suicide. Depression can be treated successfully whereas suicide cannot. We now know that one in four Americans will be affected by depression at some point in their lives. Many are looking for a natural treatment for depression because there are so few side effects.
Let us assume that you have problems or doubts around anti-depressants and are worried or just cannot stand the side effects. These are sometimes severe while in other patients, they never have any problems. Some of the most common side effects can range from nausea, rashes, stomach cramps, insomnia and changes in eating habits. Natural remedies for depression such as a herbal remedy can be equally effective without any side effects.
Alternative treatment for depression can be approached on many fronts and the best ones to consider are giving much more attention to diet, exercise and social relationships. Here are some winning tactics which are tried and tested and will lift your mood. Let’s face it, if we are weakened from depression, we are not producing enough of the ‘happy chemicals’.
Exercise in any form can help produce endorphins which lift the mood and also produce serotonin which is what anti-depressants do. This is one of the most natural ways to treat depression but often overlooked or missed. The advantage of doing sport is that you are dynamic, meet people and your libido, sleep and other problems will slowly start to disappear. Go for walking, running, aerobics, weight lifting or jogging. Studies have been done on people who exercised regularly for 4 months got exactly the same benefits as if they had been been on an anti-depressant.
Avoid high fat and sugary foods because they tend to spike your blood sugar levels and then it will crash later on which will have a negative effect on your mood AND on your waistline ! Opting for complex carbohydrates is much healthier, such as fruit ,grains and vegetables is a another winning tactic. Even food like chocolate and blueberries can all help to lighten your mood.
What about a herbal remedy as one of the natural ways to treat depression? The two main herbs used are St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) which helps to preserve your serotonin levels high and improve your mood. Passion Flower, the second herb used, has done very well in clinical trials where it has been shown that it can reduce anxiety and calm the nerves. These then are some of the winning tactics which you can use to implement your own natural treatment for depression without having to go through all the risks involved with anti-depressants.
