Natural Remedies for Depression

Natural Remedies for Depression

Depression is a quite frequent psychiatric disorder, which is characterized by a symptoms and signs including depressed mood and other emotional problems, isolation, restlessness, backaches, and the decreased ability to experience enjoyment in almost anything you do. Depression affects between 7% and 19% of the world�s population, with more than twelve million American adults being newly diagnosed with depressive dissorders each and every year. Major depression accounts for more than 60% of suicides every year, mostly because only about a third of depressed patients get medical attention.

Although the exact cause of depression is still questionable, there are many known natural remedies for depression. The most important natural remedy that can take care of your depression is diet, which actually plays a huge role in the seratonin levels in the brain. A diet that limits sweets, sweet chocolate, pies, cake, candy and other foods packed with sugar can actually reduce the incidence of depressed moods, since sugary sweets are able to temporarily increase mood by increasing blood sugar levels. But, once the glucose level in the blood plummets, moods tend to drop farther than before and cause those suffering from depression to enter depressive periods. By keeping your blood sugar at a steady level, major depressive moods can usually be prevented. Avoiding coffee and other drinks like 180, Red Jak, SoBe Green Tea, Dopamine Energy Drink, Bawls, Diet Pepsi Max, Cherry Coke as well as dart and Torrisi Chicco Casa espressos that are high in caffeine can also be beneficial. The same goes for any alcoholic beverages. Caffeine and alcohol can both worsen mood, by providing a bit of elation that is usually followed by depression. Those with depression should focus on consuming foods that are able to trigger serotonin production, such as foods rich in B vitamins and magnesium. Nuts, green vegetables, and some varieties of fish can be beneficial, since they can actually trigger a good mood without being followed by a state of depression.

St. John�s Wort has been used historically for treating mild depression. Although it has not been shown to be effective in treating severe depression cases, it has been shown to actually increase synaptic levels of biogenic amines, such as nor epinephrine. Various studies have been performed, and have shown that St. John�s Wort has actually been as effective as various prescription medications for depression. When used by patients diagnosed with mild depression, it can relieve many of the symptoms, included but not limited to extreme mood changes, loss of appetite, insomnia, and negative feelings. Exercise is possibly the most satisfying natural remedies for depression, because it can lessen some of the symptoms while keeping the body in tone. Exercise has been shown to improve overall mood, increase energy, and reduce the effects of sleep loss in depressed people. Exercise has been effective in treating mild to moderate depression, but may take longer than prescription medications to show results.

Seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression that only occurs during certain parts of the year, has been shown to be well treated by exposure to bright artificial and natural sunlight. It is used as an alternative to prescription depression medications, and works by regulating the body clock. Exposure to artificial and natural sunlight can actually trigger chemical changes in the brain, such as melatonin production which can improve overall mood.

Depression is a serious medical condition, but mild cases can easily be improved with the help of natural depression remedies. Prescription medication have well known side effects and risk factors, but using natural methods can improve the medical condition without any downfalls. Changing regular habits such as diet, exercise, and even hobbies can help to improve depression periods decreasing your depressed mood and other emotional problemsand difficulty sleepingand lack of energy, making those diagnosed with depression able to live a normal life.

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Seasonal Affective Disorder

With every winter comes shortened days, less light and a likelihood to have winter depression. Various people are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder, known appropriately enough as SAD, and symptoms include a short fuse, listlessness and a general feeling of malaise when the nights get very long. In this state, a large number of people tend to have some constant low-grade illness and some emotional and physical discomfort. If you are strongly affected by SAD, or you suspect you might be, there are some things that you should know!

SAD can be a large problem that you face every year, but this doesn't have to be the case. Back in 1984, a psychiatrist co-published a paper dealing with the effects of intense light therapy on people who are afflicted with SAD. Subsequent exploration has confirmed the fact that the the use of brilliant lights on the ones who suffer from SAD evidence improvement in their emotional and physical states. This treatment has even has an effect on people who are experiencing anxiety and depression.

One of the theories behind the usefulness of light therapy is that people who suffer from severe SAD and seasonally related depression are more light sensitive than most. The majority of people might be able to get sufficient light through indoor lighting, but indoor lighting might actually be insufficient to effect people who have problems with SAD. Similarly, a lack of light can mean that the brain processes that stimulate seratonin and dopamine secretion are slowed, something which can definitely affect mood.

Another theory behind light functioning is that it can help with a patient's circadian rhythms. An application of bright light therapy can help a person's hormonal system figure out when they should be awake. Are you familiar with how hung over you feel when you weren't allowed enough sleep? Some researchers believe that SAD is partially related to your body feeling like it does not get sufficient sleep and therefore, you feel uncomfortable. The use of sufficient light can help your body to wake up and become more alert in general.

If you or someone you know suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder, you need to realize that there are ways to deal with it. Take a look at your condition and think about whether light therapy does give you the help you need to survive the winter and even enjoy it!

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Light itself is a great corrective. A thousand wrongs and abuses that are grown in darkness disappear, like owls and bats, before the light of day. James A. Garfield

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