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I’ve been feeling quite low over the past six months or so. I don’t really feel like meeting people or going out much, and I feel tired and unmotivated a lot of the time. My doctor said I have a mild case of depression and wants to keep an eye on me. I don’t want to end up on antidepressants. Are there any effective drug-free ways to help with depression?

C.C., via email

You’re not alone. Depression is the leading mental health problem worldwide, and rates have soared since the start of the pandemic. One recent study reported that the global prevalence of depression is seven times higher now than in 2017.1

The usual prescription is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), but these drugs come with serious side-effects, from insomnia and low libido2 to aggressive and suicidal behaviors.3

The good news is that there are lots of effective drug-free options. The most well-studied is talking therapy, also called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which works well. Alternatively, check out our roundup of the best natural strategies for depression, or consult with a naturopathic practitioner.

Investigate

In some cases, depression may have an identifiable underlying cause that you can do something about. Here are some possibilities to investigate and address if needed with the help of your doctor or natural health practitioner.

• Nutritional deficiencies. A lack of certain vitamins or minerals may be causing or contributing to your depression.4

• Food allergies. Celiac disease and other food allergies are linked to depression.5

• Thyroid problems. Having an overactive or underactive thyroid can cause depression.6

• Drug side-effects. Scores of common medications, including drugs for high blood pressure, analgesics, proton pump inhibitors and hormonal contraceptives, have depression as a potential side-effect.7

Try tapping

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or ‘tapping’ is known to boost mental wellbeing. The self-help technique involves tapping on specific points of the body in sequence, while focusing on a negative emotion. In a pooled analysis of 20 studies, EFT was found to be “highly effective” for reducing depressive symptoms.14

To find out more about EFT and how to access free tapping meditations, visit www.thetappingsolution.com.

Exercise

Exercise is one of the best remedies for depression. Aerobic exercise has been put to the test against the antidepressant sertraline (sold as Zoloft in the US and Lustral in the UK) in several studies. Consistently, both were equally effective at reducing depressive symptoms, but only exercise had long-lasting effects.8

Aim for three to five 45–60-minute sessions of aerobic exercise (such as walking, cycling or swimming) a week, with a heart rate of 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. And exercise outdoors in nature whenever you can. So-called ‘green exercise’ is associated with better mental wellbeing compared to exercising indoors, with immediate positive effects.9

Eat a Mediterranean diet

Rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts and olive oil, a Mediterranean diet appears to be protective against depression. Several large studies have found that those who most closely follow a Mediterranean-style diet have a lower chance of developing depressive symptoms compared to those following it the least—including a massive risk reduction of nearly 99 percent in one study of older adults.10

Another study found that switching to a Mediterranean diet, alongside taking fish oil supplements, can reduce symptoms of depression after just three months.1

Avoid inflammatory foods

A proinflammatory diet—eating lots of foods known to have an inflammatory effect on the body—is associated with a higher risk of depression.12 These foods include sweets and cakes, refined grains, red and processed meat, and processed foods in general. In one study, the more processed foods a person ate, the higher their likelihood of depressive symptoms.13

Lay off social media

Using social media may worsen depression. When students were randomly assigned to either limit Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat use to 10 minutes per platform per day or to use social media as usual in a three-week study, those in the limited social media group showed significant reductions in loneliness and depression.15

Be mindful

Mindfulness practices, which involve focusing on the present moment without interpretation or judgment, can be effective for depression. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBST), which combines meditation and yoga, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which blends MBST with elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy, can reduce current depressive symptoms as well as lower the risk of relapse in patients who have recovered from depression.17

For more on MBCT and to find an MBCT teacher, visit www.mbct.com (US) or www.mbct.co.uk (UK). And for MBSR exercises and courses, visit www.positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-based-stress-reduction.

Watch your weight

Have you put on weight recently? Being overweight can cause depression, according to a new study, with both social and physical factors playing a role.16 Drastic diets aren’t the answer, though. If you need to lose weight, do so gradually with a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise. Check out the Alliance for Natural Health’s Food4Health guidelines (www.anhinternational.org/campaigns/food4health-campaign) for details on what constitutes a healthy diet, or follow a Mediterranean diet.

Try tai chi

The traditional Chinese practices of tai chi and qigong, which both involve sequences of flowing movements combined with changes in mental focus, breathing, coordination, and relaxation, can work well for depression.18

Look out for a local class or consider signing up to an online program. 

Supplement

Omega-3s. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oil, can be effective for symptoms of depression. But look for formulations made with pure eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or a high percentage of EPA (60 percent or more). Those mostly consisting of the omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) don’t appear to have the same beneficial effects.19

Suggested dosage: Try Pharmepa Restore by Igennus, an EPA-only formula supplying 1,000 mg EPA per two-capsule dose

5-HTP. 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid used by the human body to make serotonin, the neurotransmitter known as the ‘happy hormone.’ In supplements, it’s produced from the seeds of the West African medicinal plant Griffonia simplicifolia. In one study, 5-HTP was effective for depression and worked just as well as the antidepressant drug fluoxetine.20

Suggested dosage: 150-300 mg/day in divided doses (but consult a qualified practitioner first)

B vitamins. Low levels of B vitamins, including folate (B9), B12 and B6, have been linked to depression.21

Suggested dosage: Choose a high-quality B complex supplement such as Thorne Basic B Complex

Try herbs

It’s best to see an herbalist for a personal prescription, but here are some of the top herbs for depression.

St John’s wort. Extracts of this herb have proved to be better than a placebo for depression22 and just as effective as antidepressant drugs, but with far fewer side-effects.23

Suggested dosage: Doses of 600 to 1,200 mg/day of a standardized herbal extract are generally used, but St John’s wort can interact with certain drugs, so make sure you consult with a qualified practitioner before taking it

Curcumin and saffron. Both curcumin, the main active component of the Indian spice turmeric, and saffron, the famously expensive spice from the Crocus sativus flower, have been found in clinical trials to be just as effective as antidepressant drugs like Prozac (fluoxetine), but without the side-effects.24

Suggested dosages: 500 mg twice a day curcumin (the BCM-95 form); 15 mg twice a day saffron (from C. sativus petals or stigmas)

Rhodiola rosea. Extracts of this adaptogenic herb can ease mild to moderate depression.25

Suggested dosage: 200 mg twice daily of a standardized herbal extract

Consider homeopathy

According to homeopath, naturopath and WDDTY panel member Harald Gaier, the French homeopathic combination remedy L.72 by Lehning Laboratories is safe and effective for depression. It’s available from various online stores, or you may be able to get hold of it via a homeopath. 

Suggested dosage: Follow the label instructions

https://www.wddty.com/features/a-drug-free-approach-to-depression/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=wddty&utm_content=A+drug-free+approach+to+depression+&utm_campaign=FREE+MEMBERS+enews+-+%28A+drug-free+approach+to+depression%29+23.11.2021&gr_s=Oa&gr_m=GN&gr_x=a62e

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