According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), as much as 300 million people across the world suffer from depression, a mental condition which can be absolutely crippling to those who have to battle it on a daily basis.
Do you sometimes feel like the world is completely dark around you with no sign of relief anywhere near? You could be one of many suffering from depression and anxiety.
Don’t let it get you down. Here are seven natural ways to beat anxiety and depression. (Note, this should by no means override advice from a medical doctor or health professional, and natural medications should be taken in conjunction with psychiatric medication and never taken as a replacement.)
Yoga
Yoga is an ancient method for strengthening the body and improving the overall health, and it’s increasingly popular in the Western world – even The Beatles learned to practice yoga in India! Can you tell when their music started showing it?
Yoga is well-known and studied to improve your mental health as much as your physical, and yoga has been successfully employed as therapy in easing depression and anxiety.
Eating Cheese
Cheese contains a compound known as “tryptophan,”, an amino acid which is known to improve the production of some of the brain’s happy hormones, including serotonin. Tryptophan, in short, is why warm milk is advised to people suffering from insomnia – and the same is true for cheese, bananas and other foods high in this compound.
Remember that while tryptophan has an anti-insomniac effect, cheese is also a known cause for vivid dreams – thus, eat cheese with some caution!
Oil of Bergamot
Bergamot oil, also sometimes called oil of bergamot, is well-known to aid the symptoms of anxiety and depression – yes, it just generally takes the edge off.
Most commonly, it can be taken as a supplement or applied as an essential oil; oil of Bergamot is also one of the ingredients which give the taste to Earl Gray tea. So, it turns out that a warm cup of tea might just help!
Fish Oil
Fish oils are a great source of Omega-3: These are known for being “brain food”, and the compounds it contains is given credit for advancing mankind’s mental development during evolutionary times.
It can also alleviate the symptoms of general depression and is highly recommended as a general supplement, especially if you don’t normally eat fish.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate – that is, chocolate that contains a high percentage of cocoa – has also been proved to increase the brain’s production of “happy hormones” throughout the brain, alleviating some of the symptoms of depression.
Yup, there’s actually science behind why chocolate makes many people feel better when they’re down. See? It’s good for you!
CBD Oil
Cannabis is legal in many parts of the world, and more people are taking the time to learn more about cannabidiol, THC and the other compounds in the cannabis plant.
CBD and THC, its active compounds, are exceptionally well-known for being able to take the edge off anxiety and depression.
St. John’s Wort
St. John’s Wort is still being studied for its true effects on the mind and body, but it’s currently believed that it can be a huge help in alleviating anxiety and depression, and its use as a natural treatment method for depression is growing among natural health practitioners. St. John’s Wort can be found in supplements, usually in powder or capsule form.
