Prevent & Relieve Depression with Diet and Exercise and Feel Happy again

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Prevent & Relieve Depression with Diet and Exercise and Feel Happy again

 

by Pankaj Kotak, M.Sc., N.D.

 

 

 

Depression is a common and a difficult to treat problem, mainly because most treatments focus only on the psychological aspect and ignore the rest of the body.

 

It is a problem of the entire body, usually caused by an imbalance in diet and lifestyle.

 

A depressed person can feel happy again by making changes to the diet and including exercise, yoga or meditation in their daily life.

A depressed person typically loses interest in things around him/her and withdraws and shies away from social interactions.

 

The person becomes incapable of feeling pleasure, remains chronically angry, irritable, sad and overcome with despair or shows a general lack of emotions.Common Causes of Depression are:

 

High sugar and processed foods diet

 

Cholesterol level below 160 mg/dL (1)

 

Stress, tension or traumatic events in life

 

Hypothyroid

 

Gastrointestinal imbalance

 

Depletion of Omega-3 essential fats in the brain (2)

 

Vitamin D deficiency (3)

 

Deficiency of B vitamins, especially B6 (pyridoxine)

 

Lack of exercise

 

Toxic accumulation in the body and the brain has an adverse effect on mental functioning

Curing of depression requires a holistic approach that addresses multiple aspects of an individual's health.

Firstly, if one or more of the above causes exist, they must be taken care of.

 

Next, one or more of the following steps can be implemented gradually to improve your mental & overall health status:

 

Adding more vegetables and fruits to the diet provides important antioxidant vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that improve the brain’s functioning and enhance your mood.

 

Supplementation of B vitamins by adding more leafy green vegetables and whole grains.

 

 

Supplementation of Omega-3 fats have been found to relieve depression and improve cognitive function (4).

 

Omega-3 can be added through flaxseed, cod liver oil or fish oils which are high in EPA and DHA.

 

Exercise releases endorphins which lift the mood and make the individual feel happy. A 30 minute walk is an easy and effective exercise.

 

Meditation relieves stress, improves the brain function and makes the person feel calm, upbeat and creative.

 

Yoga has been found to be highly beneficial in depressive disorders (5).

 

Treatment of hypothyroidism with coconut oil can improve the metabolism and lift the mood.

 

Sunlight exposure creates vitamin D under the skin. If sunlight is not available, cod liver oil can be taken to supplement vitamin D.

 

Detoxification of the body can remove toxins from the brain and improve the mental function.

 

 

Wishing you Health, Wealth, Love and Happiness,Pankaj Kotak

 

 

 

REFERENCES1. Rabe-Jablonska J., et al. Levels of serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in patients with major depression in acute period and remission. Medical Science Monitor. May-Jun 2000;6(3):539-47.

2. Peet M., et al. Depletion of omega-3 fatty acid levels in red blood cell membranes of depressive patients. Biological Psychiatry. 1998 March;43(5):315-9.

3. Holick MF. Vitamin D Deficiency. NEJM. July 2007;357:266-281.

4. Su KP., et al. Omega-3 fatty acids in major depressive disorder. A preliminary double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. European Neuropsychopharmacology. 2003 Aug;13(4):267-71. 5. Pilkington K., et al. Yoga for depression: The research evidence. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2005;89(1):13-24