Depression is a big issue for many people, and can cause problems for not just the person affected, but also for the people around them. I'm a big proponent of the concept that through taking excellent care of your body, it is possible to prevent a great deal of health problems, which includes depression; however, the current trend seems to be that antidepressants are increasingly being prescribed without any consideration about whether or not they are the right solution for the person. Are you feeling sad? Here take this magic pill so you don't have to feel those unpleasant feelings. Forget about the explanation for your depressive mood. Antidepressants are sometimes used as a speedy fix for unpleasant feelings, and are given away like candy. But these drugs are not without some serious side effects, so before you fill that antidepressant prescription you got after seeing a doctor for 5 minutes, take a look at your life, and find out if you can tackle the issue without relying on a magic pill. A few natural methods exist that you can try first, which don't have the danger of increasing your thoughts of suicide.
To begin with, what you need to understand is whether your depressive mood is situational. Are there things going on in your life so that it is reasonable that you're suffering from depression? Are you dealing with several stress filled situations at this moment in your life? Death of a loved one, divorce, financial worries, other health problems, or essentially any stressful circumstances in your life can give rise to depression. There are a few researchers who believe that taking antidepressants prevents the mind from processing and working through some crisis. The highs and lows of your emotional self are a part of life, so don't rob yourself by covering them with a pill.
Most people don't know that there's a secret approach to depression which has been proven to be as good as, if not greater than antidepressants. It's nothing more than simple aerobic exercise. A number of research studies show the great results exercise can have on an individual who is experiencing major depression. A basic rule is to do approximately two and a half hours of moderate intensity cardio workouts each week, which is about thirty minutes five days per week. You want to do an exercise that increases your heartbeat, so going for an easy walk will not be vigorous enough. Jog, swim, ride a bike, just find a physical activity you enjoy doing. The more you love it, the easier it will be to stay with a program.
Vitamin D levels within your body have a huge impact on your emotional well-being. There is a condition referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder which is a term for depression that occurs during a particular time period of the year, specifically in the fall and winter months. The increase in seasonal affective disorder highly matches the seasons of the year when most people aren't able to get sufficient sunshine, and for that reason their vitamin D levels decrease. One study done in 1999 concluded that improvement in serum vitamin D amounts was substantially connected with an increase in depression scale scores. Therefore if you are like the 85% of Americans who don't get enough Vitamin D, start taking a daily supplement. I recommend beginning with 4,000 IU for females, and 5,000 IU for men. However it is essential to have your serum levels checked, and then modify your amount as necessary.
In addition to physical exercise and vitamin D, yet another thing that can have an effect on depression is diet. A large number of dietary factors exist which may play a role in depression, but some of the primary ones are Omega 3's, vitamin B9 and B12, and not getting enough fat in the diet. If you have been limiting your intake of fat, you might be dealing with some negative effects in relation to your mental well-being. When I hear a person tell me they are consuming a diet low in fat what that usually means is that they are replacing the calories from fat with carbs. Fat is vital in assisting in the regulation of the body's hormones, and low-fat diets can cause an imbalance of serotonin in the brain.
The majority of people most likely don't get sufficient Omega-3's in their diet. Unless you're consuming a lot of fish, or grass-fed beef, you could probably use an Omega-3 supplement. The ideal ones to take contain EPA and DHA, which are predominantly created from fish oils. There are some plant based supplements which contain ALA, however most health improvements have been shown to be due to EPA and DHA. It is true that your body can transform ALA into the other two, but for a lot of people, it's not very efficient.
There is some data which suggests that boosting your consumption of vitamin B9 (folate) and B12 might help depression as well. Depending on what varieties of food you eat, you might not be ingesting an adequate amount of these vitamins. B12 can be tough to get, especially if you don't eat animal products. Supplementing with one of these can be a simple way to guarantee your body gets the quantity it demands. One recent study in 2005 advised using 800 micrograms of B9, and 1mg of B12 daily to help treat depression.
Depression can be a serious issue for a number of men and women. But my advise is to try some natural strategies to curing your depression as your first step. Anti-depressants may be useful in some instances, but considering each of the potential side-effects they can lead to, think about them as an alternative choice if everything else has failed, rather than your first option in treating your depression.
To begin with, what you need to understand is whether your depressive mood is situational. Are there things going on in your life so that it is reasonable that you're suffering from depression? Are you dealing with several stress filled situations at this moment in your life? Death of a loved one, divorce, financial worries, other health problems, or essentially any stressful circumstances in your life can give rise to depression. There are a few researchers who believe that taking antidepressants prevents the mind from processing and working through some crisis. The highs and lows of your emotional self are a part of life, so don't rob yourself by covering them with a pill.
Most people don't know that there's a secret approach to depression which has been proven to be as good as, if not greater than antidepressants. It's nothing more than simple aerobic exercise. A number of research studies show the great results exercise can have on an individual who is experiencing major depression. A basic rule is to do approximately two and a half hours of moderate intensity cardio workouts each week, which is about thirty minutes five days per week. You want to do an exercise that increases your heartbeat, so going for an easy walk will not be vigorous enough. Jog, swim, ride a bike, just find a physical activity you enjoy doing. The more you love it, the easier it will be to stay with a program.
Vitamin D levels within your body have a huge impact on your emotional well-being. There is a condition referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder which is a term for depression that occurs during a particular time period of the year, specifically in the fall and winter months. The increase in seasonal affective disorder highly matches the seasons of the year when most people aren't able to get sufficient sunshine, and for that reason their vitamin D levels decrease. One study done in 1999 concluded that improvement in serum vitamin D amounts was substantially connected with an increase in depression scale scores. Therefore if you are like the 85% of Americans who don't get enough Vitamin D, start taking a daily supplement. I recommend beginning with 4,000 IU for females, and 5,000 IU for men. However it is essential to have your serum levels checked, and then modify your amount as necessary.
In addition to physical exercise and vitamin D, yet another thing that can have an effect on depression is diet. A large number of dietary factors exist which may play a role in depression, but some of the primary ones are Omega 3's, vitamin B9 and B12, and not getting enough fat in the diet. If you have been limiting your intake of fat, you might be dealing with some negative effects in relation to your mental well-being. When I hear a person tell me they are consuming a diet low in fat what that usually means is that they are replacing the calories from fat with carbs. Fat is vital in assisting in the regulation of the body's hormones, and low-fat diets can cause an imbalance of serotonin in the brain.
The majority of people most likely don't get sufficient Omega-3's in their diet. Unless you're consuming a lot of fish, or grass-fed beef, you could probably use an Omega-3 supplement. The ideal ones to take contain EPA and DHA, which are predominantly created from fish oils. There are some plant based supplements which contain ALA, however most health improvements have been shown to be due to EPA and DHA. It is true that your body can transform ALA into the other two, but for a lot of people, it's not very efficient.
There is some data which suggests that boosting your consumption of vitamin B9 (folate) and B12 might help depression as well. Depending on what varieties of food you eat, you might not be ingesting an adequate amount of these vitamins. B12 can be tough to get, especially if you don't eat animal products. Supplementing with one of these can be a simple way to guarantee your body gets the quantity it demands. One recent study in 2005 advised using 800 micrograms of B9, and 1mg of B12 daily to help treat depression.
Depression can be a serious issue for a number of men and women. But my advise is to try some natural strategies to curing your depression as your first step. Anti-depressants may be useful in some instances, but considering each of the potential side-effects they can lead to, think about them as an alternative choice if everything else has failed, rather than your first option in treating your depression.
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For more informationon treating depression, or if you're looking for a Fort Collins chiropractor, take a look at Essential Motion Chiropractic.
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