10 Tips for Curing Depression Naturally

When it comes to depression, it's no secret many people take antidepressants in hopes of alleviating symptoms of the disease. But what if you could do it naturally? What if I said you could alleviate the symptoms of depression just by eating better, getting more exercise and laughing a little more often? Here my top 10 suggestions for what you can do to feel good naturally.

Buy organic. Get clean. Go green.
Chemical and heavy metal toxicities have been linked to brain-based disturbances including mood disorders. The simple truth is we not only live in a toxic world, but also tend to eat tons of toxic food and wonder why we feel so badly. You'd think the link would be obvious, but most times it isn't. If you want to feel better naturally, then start by cleaning up not only what's around you, but also what you put inside you. Organic foods contain as little chemicals, preservatives, additives or pesticides as possible. In general, it is food that is all natural, the way nature intended it to be.

Eliminate high fructose corn syrup, sugar and sugar substitutes.
Many people use sweets as a means of "self-medicating," much like others use alcohol and other drugs. This temporary "sugar high" is typically followed by a much worse mood later on, especially as the numbers on the scale increase, often leading to obesity and Type 2 diabetes. One of my new mottoes is, "If you don't need it, don't eat it." Last time I looked, sugar and/or sugar substitutes in any form have no nutritional value, but have a long list of harmful effects on our overall health and well-being.

Identify and treat undiagnosed food allergies/intolerances.
While we're on the subject of food, I'd like to mention some studies emerging that suggest mood disorders may in fact be linked to food allergies and/or intolerances. Some of the most common include wheat and gluten, dairy, eggs, yeast, corn, peanuts and sometimes soy.

Take vitamin D supplements.
Recent research reveals that vitamin D deficiency has reached epidemic proportions, with 85 percent of the population believed to be deficient. Vitamin D is often referred to as "the sunshine" vitamin and has been linked to a variety of medical conditions including healthy mood and feelings of well-being. I encourage everyone to start supplementing with a minimum of 2,000 IU of vitamin D-3 per day. It is important that you only take vitamin D-3 in the active form (cholecalciferol). If your levels are extremely low you may need to take an even higher dose. The best way to determine this is by working with your primary care physician who can run a simple blood test to find out what dosage may be best for you.

Increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids.
Low levels of omega-3 fatty acids, or "good fats," are also reported at epidemic proportions with 99 percent of the population believed to be deficient. As with vitamin D, a lack of omega-3 has been linked to a whole host of physiological and mental dysfunction. As such, I also encourage everyone to start supplementing with a minimum of 2,000 mg of high quality omega-3 fish oil in a ration of EPA/DHA 300/200.

Consider taking other supplements.
In addition to vitamin D and omega-3, research also indicates that approximately 92 percent of Americans are nutritionally deficient in a variety of other ways. By now, the food-mood link should be clear. As such, healthier nutrition coupled with a good multivitamin is a "natural must." There is also some compelling research on the use of 5-HTP, DHEA, L-tyrosine, Sam-E, B vitamins, folic acid, probiotics, digestive enzymes and melatonin in the treatment of mood disorders.

Get more exercise. (Don't forget about S-E-X!)
Physical exercise not only decreases the level of stress hormones in our body like cortisol but also increases the production of "feel good chemicals" like endorphins. That's right! You can literally walk away from depression or "hit the sack" for a little physical activity, which has also been scientifically proved to increase the production of "happy hormones" like oxytocin. Similarly, oxytocin levels increase during touching or hugging, so feel free to do some cuddling afterward!

Laugh more often.
As a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader, I would be remiss if I failed to remind you that science has now "proven" what many people have known intuitively for a long time--that laughter really is the best emotional medicine. As with other forms of exercise, laughter decreases the amount of stress hormones in our bodies while increasing the production of "feel good chemicals" and "happy hormones."

Tap into your emotions with EFT.
Try the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to release negative emotions. EFT combines acupressure techniques with neurolinguistic reprogramming to help you tap into a healthier, happier you. To learn more about EFT, visit Dr. Gary Craig's website, the originator of EFT, at www.emofree.com.

Give psychotherapy a try.
If all else fails, you may want to talk to a professional health psychologist, like myself, who specializes in helping people find ways to "feel good naturally." Numerous studies have revealed that psychotherapy works as well as, or perhaps even better than, antidepressants in treating mild to moderate cases of depression.