PurelyJuicers

Depression is extremely common in North America and affects more people than you would think. Although depression can be experienced to varying degrees, it is generally characterized by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, self-hatred, self-pity and general unhappiness. Often, it leads to a loss of sex drive, loss of appetite (or the opposite), difficulty sleeping (or constantly feeling tired), a lack of concentration and an anxious or jittery feeling. If you've ever felt any of those symptoms, changes are, you have at least experienced mild depression before. Depression is an extremely complex issue and I am certainly not going to attempt to dissect it in one simple blog post, or ever for that matter. I leave those complex matters to the experts! What I can do, however, it provide general suggestions for ways that I have successfully gotten over acute depression and suggest some nutrients that you might want to load up on in an attempt to avoid or ward off depression.

Most Effective Ways to Get Over Depression Without Psycho-Therapy or Drugs

I'm not trying to say that psycho-therapy or drugs are bad ways of dealing with depression, or ineffective or anything like that. However, I, personally, have never been so depressed that I needed that sort of help, so I cannot make any form of suggestions or recommendations in that respect. BUT, if you are depressed and you have ever even considered going to see a therapist, I say go for it! What can you really lose (aside from some money)? And if you don't have funds, ask your doctor about writing you a script for some therapy. There are more options out there for free therapy than you would think. HOWEVER, before starting medications, I would suggest making some of the following changes and seeing how they help you. You might be able to avoid a dependency on drugs just by getting a little exercise :) So, in the past, what I have noticed is that I tend to get a bit depressed and sluggish whenever I stop exercising regularly. And, as soon as I start to exercise on a regular basis, I find any feelings of depression or unhappy are swept away! You'd be surprised how much a healthy lifestyle can change your perspective one life. Seriously! So, if you are depressed, try to make some time for a little exercise every day- 30 minutes is all you need! In fact, regular exercise is becoming the number 1 recommendation from American doctors to get over depression. Even if its just a brisk walk. Instead of watching 1 simple 30 minute TV show, go for a walk outside, or get on a treadmill and walk while you watch it! It really helps clear the mind and work off stress. That's because movement of your body increases your serotonin levels and releases endorphins in your body (which make you feel happy or euphoric). Try your best to get some sleep! I know this is hard if the depression is affecting your sleep, but try to avoid things that get in the way of sleep (like partying every night perhaps). Try to get a little sunshine every day. Research is suggesting that a healthy dosage of Vitamin D every day can do wonders for our happiness and health. 10 - 15 minutes is all you need. Eat lunch outside or get your exercise outside in the day light. You body will thank you, and your mind will too! Eat a healthier diet. If you are eating fatty, highly processed foods, your body has to send so much blood to your stomach to digest, it causes a sluggish drop in energy. These foods also do not deliver a sufficient amount of energy to our bodies to burn off all day and are transferred into fat more quickly. Ever noticed you feel tired after eating? This also makes it hard for you to concentrate and get motivated to do other things throughout the day. Avoiding things like highly refined carbs, highly processed foods, fast foods, or food additives (like MSG) and eating healthy, nutritious meals will change the way you feel throughout the day drastically. If you can, try to eat more raw foods. A diet that is high in fresh fruits and vegetables increases your energy levels and can be very helpful with lifting your spirits. In fact, several people have said that going on a 1-3 day juice fast has been extremely helpful in overcoming feelings of depression.

Juices That Help Depression

Drinking juices that have a lot of celery, fennel or dark greens have been known to help depression and induce feelings of euphoria. All the great vitamins and nutrients in these juices will get you healthier, and provide you with long and sustainable amounts of energy. The high levels of chlorophyll and natural ability to induce endorphins in the blood stream from these juices make them very helpful with depression. In fact, celery juice was historically used to help people get over heartbreak because it helps creating a soothing feeling. See my post about suggest juice recipes for depression or try to mix up your own recipes with celery, fennel and dark greens to see if they help. It's worth a shot isn't it? If you would like to start juicing and you need a juicer, I would suggest getting a masticating juicer to ensure it will be able to juice those dark greens efficiently!