Holistic Approach to Depression and Anxiety
Have you faced persistent distress, #anxiety, fatigue, poor sleep, a sense of hopelessness or a overwhelming feeling of loneliness or sadness ? You feel you are made of lead and you can t seem to have the strength to move and do your daily exercises and you feel flatness of emotions inside on one hand and a terrible bout of sadness and tearfulness on the other hand . You realize you are perhaps #depressed and you feel if you go to a doctor you will have to take antidepressants for the rest of your life and that s it.
That’s not true . There is a holistic approach through nutrition, physical activites and meditation and Energy healing/reiki, that has the power to reverse depression, these drug free methods are evidence based , but virtually unknown in this era of quick fix .
My personal challenges in life had put me in such a situation , but I was determined to get over that phase of depression through natural and holistic ways and the amazing result was a 90% improvement in three weeks time and a few more weeks and I was back to normal. I care for the wellness and wellbeing of people and that made me research on holistic methods and apply them to my patients and the results have always been tremendous and inspiring .
The reason for my dislike for antidepressants is because they have the potential to irreversibly disable the body s natural healing processes , as well as cause a host of side effects like weight gain, reduced cognitive function, liver damage as well as trigger suicidal thoughts in some individuals . This is in fact mentioned in the side effects of many such medications but trained doctors still prescribe it . On the other hand the Holistic approach is free from side effects and enhances the body s natural healing process . Yes you might have to invest an hour a day for the reversal of depression or anxiety but you would have the power to ward away such illnesses for good . You will be more vibrant and will be more emotionally balanced , have better moods and memory and more energy .
The strategies are straight forward self empowering and simple , not complicated and perhaps that is the reason people find it so hard to believe that their problems will disappear with such methods. But it is the truth. So if any of you reading this article would like to get started and see for yourself , the transformation you are looking for , these are the steps you need to take .
#Meditation … you cannot see or touch or feel , but it exists . Research is showing that it works and one reason being it stimulates the expression of genes that are powerfully anti inflammatory in nature , (inflammation being linked to depression in many cases) , and another reason being it triggers more of alphawaves in the brain that is relaxing and calming . The practise allows us to feel centred and brings about stillness in mind even as thoughts flow by gently, and liberates us from our analytical selves . It helps us become less judgemental and less negative in nature. In 2005 a study at Harvard s Massachusetts General Hospital published an imaging study which showed that particular areas of the cerebral cortex was found to be thicker in people who meditated on a regular basis . Since then numerous studies have shown that thick brained people tend to be smarter and have stronger memories . These cortical areas are involved with attention and sensory processing and are used for planning complicated cognitive behaviour . Researchers on Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine in Massachusetts, associated with Harvard have shown the relaxation response that happens with meditation or repetitive prayer , yoga, breathing exercises , progressive Muscle relaxation results in a physical state of deep rest that changes the physical and emotional responses to stress. Scientists say that meditation prevents the body from translating psychological worry into physical inflammation. Reiki or energy healing has the power to remove barriers to the healing process by cleaning the chakra blockages . #Reiki also helps to de stress and brings about relaxation ; hence a few sessions of reiki can decrease your healing time and enhance our powers to heal.
And this takes us to the second holistic approach to reverse depression or anxiety and that is Nutrition. Today most of the foods we take are inflammatory in nature. Consumption of refined carbohydrates containing #gluten, #dairy in various forms and all processed foods trigger unwanted immune response . Chemical fertilizes used so irresponsibly in our fruits , vegetables and grains have contributed to change in the nutritive value of foods and thus weakening of our body and soul. Trans fats , high fructose corn syrups, additives, artificial sweeteners in packaged foods, hormones and antibiotics injected in poultry and livestocks are toxic and have the ability to alter our brains and our moods . Cigarette contains 4000 toxins and leads to depression. Alcohol depletes mood boosting B vitamins which are vital to our moods . Many medications we consume can deplete our nutrition levels chronically and can cause anxiety. #Optimal #nutrition is important to restore and maintain our brain function. Consumption of organic fruits and vegetables , avoiding all packaged foods that are processed, going gluten free and dairy free and limiting our meat and poultry intake and taking a few high quality supplements can reverse the harm and inflammation caused to our brain and gut ( gut brain connection has been proved ) and is one of the very important steps to cure depression and anxiety . Supplements like omega 3 can alter moods, memory and attention problems as they reduce inflammation, balance blood sugar as well as increase the activity of a key molecule in the brain called BDNF( brain derived neurotropic factor )which acts like fertilizer for the brain stimulating new cell growth and increased cell connections. A high quality Multi vitamin , Vit D, and special B vitamin complex including folate, B6 and B12 plus Calcium magnesium will take care of the basics and improve mind and brain health . It is important to educate oneself in choosing high quality supplements in the right doses to have the desired effects or take the advise of a doctor well versed in this topic . One point to note is supplements work best when the diet is right too. Taking junk food and supplementing might prevent a few more chronic problems but will not cure the existing one .
The third step to reversing depression and anxiety is through #Yoga and exercise . Yoga uses movements and breaths to unearth and help release subconscious negative patterns ingrained in us . It improves mood and promotes relaxation. It optimizes the neurotransmitter function in the brain , makes one feel alert and energetic . It reduces inflammation and improves immune function. It balances hormones and prevents dementia . It erases the effects of stress and improves ones resistance to stress. Other forms of exercise along with yoga will be beneficial . Each individual has to explore and find his own . Walking 30mins can have an invigorating effect on one as running might have on another . Swimming, badminton, tennis and other forms of outdoor sports will improve endorphin levels and help to reverse anxiety or depression. However if someone is not used to vigorous exercise , its better to start slowly and build up gradually as in severe stress too much exercise may also be harmful. In such cases using ones own intuition can help . Often starting with meditation helps to calm the mind, be intuitive and make better decisions . That is why my advise for reversing depression or anxiety is always to start with meditation , also especially because the body is usually very lethargic in the beginning. To conclude , the last but not the least is getting a good amount of sleep .Set aside at least 30 mins to unwind and shut off all electronics. Keep your phone at least six feet from your bed and put it in the airplane mode . A little reading or breathing exercises can help you to go to sleep more easily. If needed some herbs can be taken like Brahmi, or amino acids like GABA to stop anxious thoughts, or melatonin if due to hormonal imbalance sleep is disturbed. It is better to take these under supervision. The bedroom should be clean, and clutter free and ensure that you sleep in the dark which will help the natural circadian rhythm and provide better sleep. I like to advise 8 hours starting from before midnight and ideally by 10pm. The reason being the slow wave sleep that occurs in the early part of the night is very beneficial . Following these holistic approaches which can only give benefits and no side effects , helps in better brain health, stress reduction and mood stability, decreases sugar cravings and food cravings , improves self esteem and sense of well being , sharper memory and better decision making, improves focus and resilience , muscle tone and bone health , decreased inflammation and therefore less risk of all other lifestyle diseases , and ultimately reversal of anxiety and depression. Dr. Sanchita Bhattacharya Holistic Health Physician and Certified Health Coach
#depression#anxiety#holistichealth#generalisedanxiety#wellness#mentalhealth#mentaldisease#mindwellness#mindhealth#meditation#nutritionformentalhealth#reiki#yoga
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