i’ve been battling depression my whole life, and i can usually tolerate the symptoms without medication. i recently quit smoking (about a month ago), so my symptoms are getting a little unbearable. i was wondering if anyone knew of any natural or herbal remedies for depression. i can’t take st. john’s wort because i’m on the pill…does anyone know of anything else that works?
1. Exercise. Walk for 30 minutes as soon as you get out of bed in the morning every day for 3 weeks. It is best to have a set time to start, and don’t ask yourself if you feel like going, just go. Go by yourself and don’t take a radio/Walkman etc. After 3 weeks, if it has helped you will want to keep going.
2. Diet. Fresh raw vegetables, a balance of protein foods and complex carbohydrates are all important. Have a food preparation day once a week, then you don’t have to bother every day. A large amount of salad can be stored in the fridge and used each day, for example.
3. Supplements. B complex vitamins; extra 400 mcg Folic acid; essential fatty acids, particularly omega-3; magnesium; vitamin C.
4. Foods. Bananas, peas, sardines.
5. Herbs. A selection other then St John’s Wort includes ginkgo biloba, ginger, valerian, skullcap, passionflower and calamus root.
6. Relaxation. Yoga and meditation.
7. Art forms. Music, drama and visual arts.
8. Feng shui. Adjusting the balance between our emotional, spiritual and intellectual by way of Feng shui can be helpful.
9. Avoid. Fast foods, simple carbohydrates such as sugar, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, white flour products and caffeine.
10. Interaction with others may help. Try volunteer work