Evaluating Holistic Treatments for Depression

There are many different holistic treatments for depression, but today I wanted to look at three different holistic treatments that are very popular. Each of these treatments are generally accepted by the medical community as being useful for the treatment of depression or have a long history as a treatment for depression.

The three treatments we are going to be looking at are exercise, eating well, and taking a herbal supplement (in this case St. Johns Wart).

Holistic treatments have seen a resurgence in recent years as the population has become increasingly aware of the many dangers to treating depression is drugs. Though they are approved by the FDA for the treatment of depression, many antidepressants are anything but safe. Whenever you start introducing things into the human brain you are playing a dangerous game and that is exactly what modern depression medication is doing. I'm not saying that some individuals should not be given medication, what I am saying is that taking medication is dangerous and it should be seen as such.

Holistic treatments of depression generally avoid harmful side effects all together. They attempt to work with the bodies natural mechanisms to try and stimulate it to fix the problem. If a holistic treatment fails at curing depression there is normally nothing lost - no chemical or psychological dependence is formed, no easing off medication needs to take place, and everything about your body kept in place.

This may sound like I advocate holistic treatments over pharmaceutical approaches. For the most part, that statement is true - but I do think that in some instances a mixed approach should be undertaken. I would never recommend that a person only ever just take medication to treat their depression and that is what most people do.*

* I am NOT a doctor or medical professional so this is just my personal, private opinion. I bet most doctors agree with me in this, but I have no medical degree to make you listen to what I have to say.

Almost any doctor that you talk to is going to tell you that exercise is going to be helpful for those suffering from all type of depression. The endorphins released by physical activity are a great way to boost your ability to endure the sadness and to make it through the day. At least 25 minutes of exercise has been shown to create enough endorphins in your body to significantly reduce the symptoms of depression.

But what about me? Will I respond positively to exercise?

The question is that I don't know if you will, but I think you should try. This is especially true if you are one of the millions of Americans that are over weight. You don't have to be an exercise guru or anything and you don't even need to exercise in a gym, you just have to get out there and do something with your body.

Here is a sample exercise regimen that anyone could do:

• Day 1 - Go for a 30 minute run (15 minutes out, 15 minutes back)
• Day 2 - Do 2 burpees a minute for 30 minutes
  
• Day 3 - Go for a 30 minute run (15 minutes out, 15 minutes back)
• Day 4 -Walk for 45 minutes
• Day 5 - Go for a 30 minute run (15 minutes out, 15 minutes back)
• Day 6 - Do 2 burpees a minute for 30 minutes
  
• Day 7 - Go for a 30 minute run (15 minutes out, 15 minutes back)

This exercise regimen will help your body firm up, tone your muscles, and give you plenty of stamina. So in addition to helping with your depression this holistic treatment might also help you lose weight.

If you have done this everyday for 35 days and you still have not noticed any improvement in mood exercise might not be enough to help free you from depression's grasp.

You should already be eating healthy, so if you are not you need to start doing it - no evaluation necessary! Eating healthy is an important part of living a good life and will help you live longer, live happier, and certainly keep your body in better overall shape. You wouldn't put leaded gas into a car that only takes unleaded, would you? So why do you put crap into your body when you know it needs good food?

Eating healthy is probably the most important holistic depression treatment that you can take advantage of. Be sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables (with probably more vegetables than fruits) and cut back big time on the wasted calories in high sugar and high fat food. You will also want to be sure that your vitamin and mineral needs are being met - so take a supplement if necessary.

Again, there should be no evaluation process with this holistic treatment. Eat healthy because it is a better way of life and if it helps with your depression that should just be a bonus.

A famous herbal treatment for depression is St. Johns Wart. Evaluating this treatment is very difficult because it takes several months of 3 daily treatment of St. Johns Wart to be effective. If after 4 months of daily use you do not experience any improvement in mood then you can safely say that this treatment is not working for you.

Evaluating which holistic treament for depression you should choose is easy - concentrate on your diet and exercise and see if improvements here help with your depression.