What are Natural Remedies for Anxiety and Depression?
Nearly everyone experiences mental health challenges in their life. Natural remedies for anxiety and depression can be a part of the solution. The severity of these symptoms and how long they last can vary across a wide scale. It is important to take that into consideration when deciding how to respond. Remember that nothing in this article constitutes medical or psychiatric advice. It helps to learn the signs of depression and anxiety. But you should always defer to the opinion of a medical professional when it comes to anything regarding your mental or physical health. With that out of the way, what do we mean by natural remedies for anxiety and depression? These can take two forms. The first is diet or supplement. The second is behavior.
Natural Remedies for Anxiety and Depression: Foods and Supplements
The first category of natural remedies of anxiety and depression concerns things that go into our bodies. For instance, this may be things you should eat or drink or supplements to take. The category also includes food, drink or things you should avoid and sometimes what you don’t do is just as important as what you do. Remember to consult your physician before and changes in routine that could affect any prescribed medications. That said, here is a list of things which can help:
- Reduce or Eliminate Caffeine: Caffeine is a major contributor to anxiety. If you drink coffee, reduce your intake gradually. Try switching to tea first.
- Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 supports brain health and studies show positive results for symptoms of some mood disorders.
- Vitamin D: Studies have shown people with depression are more likely to have a Vitamin D deficiency. D is good for the brain and can elevate mood.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 essential fatty acids are also essential to brain health. Add supplement or foods rich in EFA’s to your diet.
- Zinc: Zinc is a mineral which is very important to brain health. It supports neurotransmitter pathways to help signals travel in the brain.
- Eliminate or Reduce Simple Carbohydrates: Junk food can depress mood. Stick to a lower carbohydrate diet with a minimum of processed foods.
Natural Remedies for Anxiety and Depression: Behaviors and Practices
Our second category of natural remedies for anxiety and depression is behaviors and practices. Above we covered some nutritional supports for good brain health. Research shows that diet and nutrition have a measurable effect on mental health, so don’t discount them. What you put into your body matters. What you do for your mental health in terms of actions is just as important of course. With that in mind, here are a few practices and behaviors which can help alleviate or avoid depression or anxiety.
- Self-Care: Looking after your personal hygiene. Taking pride in the clothes you wear. Dental care. All these things fight off depression. Believe it.
- Exercise: Physical exercise produces endorphins which are the brains ‘feel good’ chemicals. This has a real effect on sadness and worry. That’s a fact.
- Meditation: There are many different types, much research shows Transcendental Meditation improved focus and lowers anxiety. Look into it.
- People: Positive, healthy relationships make us feel better about ourselves. Talking to others can help us gain new perspective and objectivity.
- Kindness: Kindness is incredibly powerful. Being kind to others and to yourself pays massive dividends in improving mood and self-esteem.
- Spirituality: Regardless of your beliefs, or lack of them, seriously consider seeking a path toward spirituality. It is scientifically proven to help both depression and anxiety.
Conclusion
Many of the suggestions above may seem too simple to you. Too simple to work perhaps. But we did not choose these at random. Every single item above is shown to be among the effective natural remedies for anxiety and depression. They are all backed up my scientific research. So, if you believe you are living with a mental illness you should consider professional medical help. These suggestions are not meant to be a substitute for psychiatry or psychology. But they can serve as part of an overall solution to get you back on track. If you or someone you love needs help with anxiety or depression or a substance use disorder, the programs of Harmony Health Group can help. Give us a call at (561) 220-7630 or visit our contact page here and find out what Harmony can do for you.