When I was 17 I weighed 368 pounds. That was my peak. I had a 56-inch waist. I was six feet tall. I was pretty sure at that point that I was going to die extremely obese.

I was active, but at my weight I was extremely prone to injury. I wanted so badly to be liked, to be popular, to have a girlfriend, to have sex, to be able to ride my bike or skateboard without being laughed at, to be able to walk around town without being attacked.

I grew up in a pretty rough town; at least it was rough for me. Judging by the crime statistics , I’d say it was pretty rough for a lot of people.

I was picked on a lot. With Asperger’s syndrome, a serious lack of social skills, an intense need for attention, and 180 pounds of fat on me, I was a prime target. And I was depressed for obvious reasons. I blamed all of my problems on being fat. I was miserable because I was fat. I ate because I was miserable.

When I binged, I didn’t feel anything but good. It felt so good to have a mouth full of food. And I wanted to swallow it as fast as possible so I could get more of that feeling, that taste when it’s best, which is when it’s fresh, when it first goes into my mouth. I could eat more and I could eat faster than anyone I knew, including those guys on TV in then hot dog eating contests.

When my stomach is full I don’t feel anything but my full stomach. This makes for easy self-medication when depressed.

And I puked. I didn’t do this to stay thin, that wasn’t possible. I ate and ate and ate and I puked so I could eat more. My parents couldn’t afford my binge eating with bulimia so I at least managed to curb that for their sake. But I could not stay out of food. If there were hotdogs, chips, cereal, pasta, casserole, sweets, soda, cheese, milk, I ate it. I did my very best to save some for other people, less I get in trouble, but I got in trouble a lot. I could eat two packages of hot dogs, a bag of chips, and a half-gallon of milk in mere moments, and then sometimes I would steal money to go buy more so I wasn’t caught.

I loved Chinese Buffets. I could eat all I wanted for one low price without stealing. I, and most fat people I know, will tell you that it’s not the amount of food that we love about buffets, but the choices. Today just thinking about all those choices makes me a bit nauseas. But I could easily put away 7 or 8 huge plates. More if I went to the bathroom and regurgitated.

At age 17, I laid eyes on Julie. I was a desperate virgin who wanted so badly to be accepted, to be liked, to have a girlfriend, and yes, to have sex. And Julie was this amazing beautiful woman (and she still is today) who absolutely changed my life by just being there. I spent the next 12 months doing everything I could to become her boyfriend, which included loosing weight. I lost 148 pounds in 12 months. And I could have done it faster, but I was still eating like there was no tomorrow. But I was making better choices, throwing up when I didn’t, and exercising like crazy. My fitness regimen included weightlifting for an hour and playing basketball for two hours every day, and running once a week.

Julie became my first girlfriend almost exactly 12 months after I first saw her.

I became pretty popular. And I beat up bullies. I had a very good time, and I had the hottest girlfriend of any of my friends. I felt great. And I still ate way too much.

I still eat too much. I work out so hard in order to be able to eat as much as I do without getting fat. Fortunately, during my journey and discovery of natural health, I developed a taste for healthy food and very rarely binge on crap like I did as a kid. It’s harder to get fat on salads, fruit, brown rice, beans and quinoa. It’s possible, I assure you, but it’s not easy.

I still want to eat when I am stressed. I still want to eat anytime emotions are overwhelming, bad or good. It’s like a break from reality. Feel nothing but good while chewing. Feel nothing but full when finished. And when I am full, nothing feels like it’s missing from my life. When I am full, I don’t feel bad about anything except the fact that I ate too much. When I am full, I have no real problems. And when I am eating, it’s bliss. When life feels like it’s too much to handle, I can handle the food I put in my mouth. That’s how it feels, like I am taking control. But the irony is that is how I am out of control.

Being an amazing cook compounds the problem. But I do cope. It’s always there, this desire to stuff myself sick. I have an extremely addictive personality and eating is my first addiction, my first love. I cope by staying in the moment, by feeling, by experiencing everything I can. Like the writer I am, when things feel out of control, I stop. I listen. I look. I feel. I absorb it all in. Pain, pleasure, anger, whatever. If I am going to eat, first I am going to feel. I stay in the moment, even if I do decide to eat too much. I stay aware. And I appreciate it. No matter how good or bad it feels, I appreciate the moment.

Other than that, exercise, and my position as a health advocate keeps my weight in check. As an adult the highest I’ve been is 280 pounds but I usually stay around 220. I look best at 205, maybe more depending on how much I am weightlifting. I also gave up the car and bicycle everywhere. And since I’ve had Gabriel, my son who is 6 months old at the time of this writing, I’ve felt a void fill that I tended to fill with food. I don’t binge as much anymore. It is very rare, and almost always on watermelon. Ok, it’s not rare, but it’s almost always watermelon.

B Vitamins, Stuttering, and Temper Tantrums

My four-year-old grandson was a hyperactive fusser with a low melting point. He seemed to be going through the terrible twos at four. Nearly every time he was told to do something he didn’t want to do, he shouted, “I don’t want to!” and followed his outburst with ear-splitting wailing.

Coming from a counseling background, I was pretty sure where that behavior came from: inconsistent parenting, giving in to bad behavior. You know the immediate judgments that come to mind. But this was not the case. When I moved in with my son and his family, I witnessed my grandson’s parenting first hand. More than that, I participated. No matter how consistent, no matter how calm and firm we were, the behavior continued. Worse than that, his inability to handle frustration was escalating.

One day, out of the blue, he began to stutter. Within a few days, it was full blown. “I…I…I…I  wa… wa…want… to go.”  Sometimes the stutter was on both ends of the sentence. It didn’t matter if he was having fun and playing or if he was calmly trying to relay information, the stutter took over his speech.

We’d always had bedtime difficulties and they were getting worse. It was hard to get him down, hard for him to go to sleep, and hard for him to stay asleep. Add to that the fact that when his eyes popped open in the morning, he shot out of bed no matter how long he had slept.

Having raised two hyperactive children, I knew the drill. Perfect diet. Lots of sleep. But these kids were eating an organic diet with loads of fresh fruits and veggies. But sleep? Him? Not so much. The hyperactivity itself was interfering with his sleep, and everyone else’s.

When my hyperactive sons were young, B vitamins helped immensely. They helped all of us. They helped the kids sleep and they kept me from having a nervous breakdown. I discussed this with my son and his wife and we decided to give a B vitamin complex a try. We bought what we believe to be the best: Thorne Research’s vitamins. No additives or fillers.

Within four days, the stuttering was reduced by half. Within six days, it stopped altogether. Bedtimes became manageable. Within two weeks we experienced the first no-fuss bedtime and a smiling child who was willing to raise his arms in the air to yell, “Yay, bedtime!”

Now I don’t want to mislead anyone. It’s two months later, and he still fusses. But what was once a roar is now a moan or a whimper and fussing only happens a few times a day instead of 25 or 30 times a day. Redirection or an occasion time out is handling the behavior just fine. He is sleeping much better. Meltdowns are a thing of the past and so is stuttering, even when he went without B vitamins for several weeks.

After this success, it occurred to me to google B vitamins and stuttering. I found that one small study had been done that showed a positive correlation. But there was very little info out there on the subject.

Editor’s note: In a case like this, I recommended a good fat supplement in conjunction with high quality complex B vitamins. UDO’s 3-6-9 with DHA is one of the best out there. A B vitamin deficiency in someone who is eating well and not consuming stimulants is likely to involve a fat imbalance as well.

Recommended Supplements:

• B-Complex #12 – Thorne Research
• Shillington’s Total Nutrition Formula

 Further Reading:

• B Vitamins, Nature’s Valium and So Much More

Everyone worries. Everyone gets anxious. It’s a natural part of life. For some, anxiety is a big part of their life. For some, anxiety is a clinical disorder that rules their life.

There are a few different clinical anxiety disorders. Generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder are the most common. Other anxiety disorders include phobias, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, separation anxiety, and childhood anxiety disorders.

Therapy and medication are the typical treatments for any anxiety disorder, but there are a host of alternative and complimentary treatments for anxiety disorders.

Whether suffering from a chronic disorder or just looking to overcome normal anxiety, proper breathing is the most important technique to learn. Be sure to read our article on How to Breathe in this issue. Perspective is the second most important thing to keep in mind. Staying away from caffeine, nicotine, sugar, and alcohol are also essential to alleviating anxiety naturally.

Perspective

Anxiety can take over the mind and make you feel as though the walls are closing in, the oxygen is disappearing, and time is moving so fast that the world is spinning out of control. While the hardest thing to do in the middle of an anxiety attack is to keep some perspective, it’s also the most important thing to do. Remember, “Right now I am not starving to death. Right now I have air to breathe. And right now all of my problems are either in the past or the future.” It may not feel that way, but it’s true. Everything we worry about is either in the past or the future.

Note from Michael Edwards, editor-in-chief: 

I went to prison for a crime I did not commit. I remember when I realized there was no way out of it. I was in a very small waiting room in court, shackled and chained, waiting for the inevitable. I had a huge decision to make. Should I take a plea or should I fight? I knew I was likely to lose and, if  convicted , would go to prison for at least 60 years. The walls began to move closer and closer toward me. The ceiling began to move away from me, higher and higher. I wanted to sit down, but I couldn’t move except to drop to my knees; my legs had turned to jelly. All of the oxygen seemed to be sucked out of the room, but there was no escape for me. My heart was beating so fast I felt it was going to shoot right out of my chest. I came very close to fainting. I was more terrified, hurt, and angry than I had ever been in my whole life.

I finally started breathing deeply. I told myself, “Right now I am alive, and that’s all that matters.” I said it over and over again. “No matter what happens today, I will survive. I will be better for it.” I also remembered that many people have had it much worse than me.  I reminded myself that life is all about evolving.

While the events above were situational, not the result of a chronic condition, getting through that moment allowed me to make it through many, incredibly difficult situations that followed. I am now a firm believer in the old saying, “Whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” But I would add, “…if that’s what you choose.”

Proper Thinking and Visualization for Anxiety

Words we use during a stressful situation can have a lot to do with how we perceive the severity of the situation. Changing words and phrases can make a huge difference in the chain of thoughts to follow. Instead of “Oh, my God, my life is over!” consider, “Wow, things are getting interesting.” The latter says that life is a challenge, and that’s not a bad thing.

We humans think in words and images. And the images we focus on, and how we focus on them, are just as powerful as the words we use. Taking some time on a regular basis to practice healthy imagery pays dividends in the long run. While picturing yourself on a golden cloud or near a babbling brook can be very relaxing, being able to deal with an intense situation that requires immediate attention in a controlled manner is an important skill.

The first step is to look at what images cross the mind during stressful situations and analyze them. Are they in hyper color, black and white, vivid, dull, flat, rapidly moving, or picture images? Figure out the kind of images can lead to anxious emotions. Figure out how to view the same images in your mind without the anxiety.

For example, in a calm moment, think of an incident that gets your heart rate going. Focus on one of the images and then change the way the image is processed. Maybe black and white is less intimidating. Maybe shrinking the image to half its size or less makes it seem less intense. Should there be a white background or a color background around as a frame?

This technique is especially important for phobias.

The mind is in control of both the words it uses and how it sees the images. It takes some practice to master this control, but the results are amazing.

Yoga for Anxiety

Yoga offers meditation, proper breathing, and physical fitness. Yoga, practiced in its entirety, is one of the most powerful natural remedies for overcoming anxiety. Anyone who regularly suffers from anxiety should consider taking up yoga. Practicing Asanas (yoga body positions) can help maintain a healthy nervous system. Pranayama (breath control used in yoga) can help you gain better self-awareness and acquire a more peaceful state of mind. And meditation will allow you to master better concentration and focus. Check out our Beginner’s Guide to Yoga.

Exercise for Anxiety

Yoga can be wonderful exercise, but there are many other exercises the anxiety sufferer should consider adding to a routine. Any kind of exercise that allows you to “get in the zone” can be an awesome way to relieve and prevent anxiety. Bicycling, running, and many other popular exercises and sports can help you to achieve a euphoric state, that runners know as a “runner’s high.” It’s an amazing feeling with long term results that can have a very positive impact on anyone’s overall wellbeing. It takes considerable time to reach a level of fitness that allows you to get into this zone, but, while working up to this level, the body and the mind will be getting stronger along the way.

Vitamins, Minerals for Anxiety

Proper assimilation of vitamin B is essential for emotional wellbeing. Heavy metal toxicity and a diet with the wrong fats make it impossible for the body to process and assimilate vitamin B efficiently. Heavy metal toxicity is very common with people who suffer from mental health issues. Heavy metal chelating therapy can make a massive difference in the ability to deal with intenseemotions. A balanced fatty acid supplement like Udo’s Oil 3-6-9 with DHA can is the best way to get a full spectrum of healthy fats. Buried Treasure makes a few good quality liquid supplements with lots of vitamin Bs (available at most health food stores) and Thorne has a high quality B vitamin supplement we recommend as well.

Deficiencies in amino acids are strongly correlated with anxiety disorders. Platinum Plus is a very high quality amino acid supplement we highly recommend for those dealing with any kind of chronic anxiety.

Diet for Anxiety

When the body isn’t healthy, the body isn’t working right. When the body isn’t working right, the head isn’t working right, either. It is not possible to put junk in the body and expect proper performance from the whole body (including the brain) for most of the life of the body.

Eating well means eating lots of whole, fresh, raw vegetables and fruits. There are so many nutrients in raw produce that are very important for good health, and in all likelihood many more we are yet to discover. Getting everything the human body needs to function optimally on supplements and dead food is not possible.

Almost everyone could benefit from an increase in fresh raw fruits and vegetables in their diet.

In addition, cut out caffeine, alcohol, and sugar. Choose whole unrefined unprocessed grains like brown rice instead of white rice (it’s an acquired taste, but once acquired, white rice tastes bland and empty). Oats are also a good food for those looking for natural remedies for anxiety.

Herbs for Anxiety

Kava kava, skullcap, California poppy, and valerian are herbs used to treat anxiety and insomnia. Bugleweed and oats are also good for soothing the nerves.

A tea that helps with anxiety can be made with equal parts dried lavender, oats, linden flower, and catnip.

When buying oats, look for preparations that contain the oat seed along with the straw.

Essential Oils for Anxiety

Lavender, geranium, bergamot, cedarwood, and peppermint essential oils are all good for relieving anxiety. Adding 10 to 20 drops of essential oil to a bath makes for a relaxing and calming experience. If possible, try getting a full body massage with any one of these essential oils.

Acupressure for Anxiety

CV 17 or the Chest Center, also known as
“Sea of Tranquility”, is located on the middle of the breastbone, below the fourth rib. It is about four fingers wide above the base of the bone. With eyes closed and proper breathing, apply steady gentle pressure to the point for about one minute.

Another point lies three fingers down from the wrist between the two main tendons running along the inner forearm. Press the thumb straight into the point with enough pressure to feel discomfort and knead the point with small circular movements for about one minute.

A foot massage, especially when done with the knowledge of reflexology, can relieve stress and help you relax.

Stress Relief Using Meridian Tapping

This kind of Emotional Freedom Technique starts with focusing on a specific problem, physical feeling, or emotion, and assessing the degree of discomfort. Then, one taps certain points of the body in a specific sequence while focusing on the issue. After the process is done, a second evaluation of the level of discomfort is made. Usually, there is much less discomfort after the second time. This technique is an amazingly powerful natural remedy for anxiety. Go to Stress Relief Using Meridian Tapping to learn more.

Conclusion

Learning to deal with anxiety in a natural and healthy way (without drugs) will require adaptation to a new lifestyle. This will involve considerable effort and utilization of multiple techniques. Anxiety will always be a part of everyone’s life from time to time, but it’s not the stress that kills us – it’s the way we perceive and react to it that makes or breaks us.

Recommended Supplements:

• Stress B Complex – Thorne Research
• Adrenal Cortex – Thorne Research
• Shillington’s Brain Tonic
• Shillington’s Nerve Sedative Formula
• Ashwagandha Root – Gaia Herbs
• American Ginseng – Gaia Herbs
• Astralagus Root – Gaia Herbs
• Adrenal Health – Gaia Herbs
• Vitamin D – Thorn Complex
• Krill Oil

Further Reading:

• Natural Remedies for Chronic Stress
• I’m Depressed
• How To Be Happy
• Sun Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Vitamin B6 and What You Should Know About it
• How Candida Leads to Depression
• How I Overcame-Depression Naturally
• Mental Health, Physical Health & B Vitamins – Nature’s Valium
• Thyroid Disease Epidemic – How is Yours Doing?
• Natural Remedies for Depression
• How to Breathe
• Yoga – A Beginner’s Guide
• Natural Remedies for Anxiety
• How to Be Happy
• Desk Jockey Yoga

You can’t watch TV these days without seeing advertisements for pharmaceutical treatments for depression. The current ads offer drugs to take in addition to the drugs you’re already taking that aren’t working. This would be funny if depression wasn’t widespread, incapacitating, and potentially fatal. It would be funnier still if these pharmaceuticals weren’t linked to an increased likelihood of suicidal or homicidal behavior. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV, commonly known as the DSM IV is the diagnostic manual used by mental health professional to classify mental illness. (It is currently undergoing revision and will soon be released as the DSM V).

There are several classifications for depression:  Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood, Dysthymic Disorder (which the DSM V seeks to reclassify as Chronic Depressive Disorder), Major Depressive Disorders, and Bipolar Disorders. The DSM V proposes the inclusion of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.  If you’ve been paying attention to big pharma ads, you know there is already a pill to treat Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, before it has been officially included as a diagnosis. There is no blood test, no microscopic evidence, no litmus test to diagnose depression. Diagnosis is based on subjective reporting and objective observation. Feelings of sadness, worthlessness or inappropriate guilt, sleep disturbances, appetite disturbance, and thoughts of death or suicide are pervasive and on-going.

It is interesting to note that opposing symptoms are included. Sleep disturbance can be either insomnia or excessive sleep. Appetite can be diminished or increased. Either psychomotor agitation or retardation can be present. Grieving (which may be diagnosed as an Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood) may include all of the symptoms of depression, but not the duration. Clinical Depression can be episodic or on-going. And Seasonal Affective Disorder is, of course, seasonal. If depressive symptoms are not due to grief, what is the cause? Conventional medical treatment targets brain chemistry.  Once again, they are treating the symptom, not the cause.

The Foundation for any Natural Remedy for Depression

The brain is a body organ, and like everything else on the body, it’s health is dependent on gut health. As with any symptom of dysfunction or disease, health begins with proper nutrition, exercise, and detoxification. Eliminate all processed foods, refined sugar, sugar substitutes, corn syrup, artificial flavorings, colors, preservatives, MSG, hydrogenated oils, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, drugs, and GMOs. Avoid allergens and soy. Eat a diet rich in fresh, raw, organic vegetables and fruits (more vegetables than fruit).

Related: How To Heal Your Gut

Get some vitamin D. Sunlight is the best source. But if you suffer from depression seasonally, you probably need light therapy or vitamin D supplementation as well. Also consider healthy fatty acids and B vitamins (a complex, not just one or two). Heavy metals, mold, fungi, and environmental toxins are common contributors to depression. Stop using any and all artificial fragrances, including (but is not limited to) cologne, perfume, soap, shampoo, candles, air fresheners, household cleaners, and detergents. Complete a full body detox or a Candida cleanse.

Exercise. Yes, we know it’s the last thing you want to do when you’re feeling lethargic due to depression. But studies have shown that exercise alone can be as effective as pharmaceuticals in treating depression. Which is better for you? Get good sleep. Get up in the morning and get outside into the early morning light. This is a great time for a walk. Early morning light will help set your internal clock if you suffer from insomnia. Forcing yourself out of bed is essential if you are sleeping round the clock. Now, the part that’s hard to face.

Every chronic condition is to some extent a subconscious or conscious choice. We chose our lifestyle, our diet, our partners, our commitment to health. Anyone suffering from an ongoing illness owes it to themselves to ask the hard question: “What am I getting out of this? What does being depressed do for me?” Until we face the truth and discover what being ill gives us, it is nearly impossible to make the changes required to recover.  When the illness we face is depression or anxiety, facing this truth is essential. No one beats depression unless they really want to. In today’s society, we tend to adopt a self-indulgent victim mentality. Too often we define ourselves by our losses or traumas. “I am a rape victim.” I am an incest survivor. I am a quadriplegic.” These labels and, too often, the support groups designed to help us, perpetuate the victim mentality. Psychotherapy is a wonderful tool designed to help you gain insight and develop new behaviors and thought processes. But therapy is limited by the skill of the clinician and the motivation of the client. Choose a therapist well, one who understands the mind-body connection. And do the work.

Related: Running Without Knee Pain

Exercise: The Best Natural Remedy for Depression

There are so many choices. Each option has important benefits. All exercise decreases stress hormones and increases endorphins, which are natural chemicals in the body responsible for elevating one’s mood. Exercise also releases adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine. All of these natural chemicals are essential to proper mental health. Here we’ll list our top four choices for fighting depression naturally. And we recommend, if possible, to exercise outdoors and in nature. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is an excellent regimen. HIIT builds speed and power very quickly and is awesome for getting the body to release a lot of endorphins. It’s also a great choice for someone who is trying to find excuses for not working out, as it takes much less time than a good yoga session or a long run. Weight lifting helps increase testosterone. Low testosterone can cause depression for both men and women. Weight lifting can also show fast results in muscle tone and physical appearance, which can boost self-esteem, an issue for most anyone suffering from depression.

Yoga is an amazing exercise that rejuvenates, energizes, heals, and balances the body, mind, and spirit. Cardio is well known for its benefits, but making it a hobby for life has wonderful rewards. Bicycling, running, and swimming are a few of the easiest, least expensive, most rewarding hobbies there are (though obviously bicycling can get a bit more expensive, the more you get into it). Ever heard of a “runner’s high?” It’s an amazing feeling. It takes time to get into the kind of physical condition to reach the runner’s high, but it’s such an amazing, surreal, euphoric feeling. Words cannot do it justice.

Supplements For Depression

Herbs

• Holy Basil
• Ginkgo
• Eleuthero Root
• St. Johns Wort
• Sage
• Ashwagandha
• Kava Kava
• Skullcap
• Maca Root

Nutrition

• Vitamin D
• Vitamin B Complex
• N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC)
• S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe)
• Magnesium
• Multiple Mineral Formula
• 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)
• DHEA

Aromatherapy for Natural Depression Remedies

Bergamot, peppermint, sandalwood, ylang-ylang, cedarwood, geranium, sage, jasmine, and lavender are known for helping to elevate mood.

Candida and Depression

If you are depressed while you suffer from regular yeast infections or athletes foot, or have taken antibiotics recently, there is a connection. Our brains are inextricably tied to our gastrointestinal tract and our mental well being is dependent on healthy intestines. Depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and a host of other mental illness from autism to ADHD can be caused by an imbalance of gut microbes like fungi, and “bad” bacteria. Read more at How Candida Leads to Depression.

Conclusion

If depression is affecting you, you need a plan of action. A “to do” list can help you get started. The time for contemplation is over. It’s time to act. Now. One step at a time. Kill the candida, and take B and D vitamins, first and foremost. Stay busy, stick with that to do list, and do everything you can to get yourself outside, connected to nature, with sunlight, exercising. The rest will usually take care of itself.

Recommended Supplements:

• B-Complex #6  – Thorne Research
• Vitamin D – Thorn Complex
• Krill Oil
• Shillintong’s Total Nutrition Formula
• Peppermint Essential Oil – Wise Woman Herbals

Further Reading:

• I’m Depressed
• How To Be Happy
• Sun Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Vitamin B6 and What You Should Know About it
• How Candida Leads to Depression
• How I Overcame-Depression Naturally

Good food is essential to good health. A healthy diet is dense in nutrients, providing the building blocks for every metabolic process in the body, including the chemical processes involving neurotransmitters in the brain.

There are 4 types of foods that increase your risk of depression or worsen depression:

• Fast Foods—particularly fried foods
• Commercial baked goods
• Soda and other sweetened drinks
• Alcohol

Fast Foods and Trans Fats

It comes as no surprise that multiple studies have concluded there is a definite link between fast food and depression. We have known for some time that physical health suffers from the typical junk food or fast food diet. Is it any wonder that brain function would suffer as well?

Fast foods are full of trans fats that pollute the body and are known to alter the normal electrical activity in the brain.

Commercial Baked Goods

Donuts, cakes, cookies, and breads often contain trans fats. But trans fats aren’t the only culprit with a strong correlation to depression in the typical junk food/processed food diet. High fructose corn syrup should be avoided as well.

High fructose corn syrup is a common ingredient in processed foods found on nearly every label. Studies are finding that there is a significant percentage of the population that suffers from carbohydrate malabsorption. For women, a combination of fructose malabsorption and lactose malabsorption results in a high correlation of depression due to decreased levels of tryptophan.

Sodas

Sodas and other sweetened drinks (check out the label on that cranberry or ruby red grapefruit bottle, and Gatorade) contain fructose corn syrup. (see above).

Alcohol

Alcohol is a depressant. Obviously, if you are depressed, ingesting a depressant is not a great idea. Enough said.

To decrease your risk of depression, avoid all trans fats and high fructose corn syrup and limit your alcohol intake.  Remember, what you eat directly affects how you feel, both physically and emotionally. Eat a healthy diet of 80% raw, organic vegetables and fruits.Your body and your brain will thank you.

Sources for this Article:

• http://www.procarespine.com/junk-food-may-increase-the-risk-of-depression/
• http://www.naturalnews.com/035772_fast_food_depression_nutrition.html
• http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201105/could-soda-and-sugar-be-causing-your-depression

The Moondance

Although I began writing the following post with divine feminine energy in mind, I believe those of you embodying divine masculine energy might garner a thing or two as well…both for your partners as well as yourselves;)…

I don’t recall being “regular” during the first several years of my cycle. It could have been just an initial bodily adjustment curve or that I dabbled in birth control off and on for many years. It wasn’t entirely out of the norm for my body to skip periods altogether or for them to considerably vary in duration and/or intensity. It wasn’t until I began the practice of grounding many years later that I began to notice a connection with our moon. At first it was simply a kindred awareness. There was an innate pull to focus on her, her divine feminine energy, and how it reflected and seemed to strengthen my own. I began charting my cycles and noticed that they often mirror the moon’s rhythm. I am full as she is full…and I regularly bleed as she wanes.

The lunar cycle consists of 29 and a half days, shifting from the waxing moon of increasing light to the full moon of complete illumination, to the waning moon of decreasing light and beginning the cycle again with the waxing new moon of increasing light. It does not seem coincidental that the average length of a woman’s cycle is 29 and a half days as well, parallel to the moon’s cycle.

I have read that it was the norm for women to menstruate with the moon cycle before the addition of artificial light into our lives. Both the exposure to large amounts of artificial light as well as minimal amounts of natural light (and I’m certain a slew of other factors including the amount of pharmaceuticals and food additives that make their way into our bodies and our environment every year) create an inability to tune into the subtle cues and energetic shifts of the earth and moon. In the process of becoming disconnected with these sacred and celestial bodies, we’ve also journeyed a bit further into a disconnect, of sorts, with ourselves. Our bodies are no longer in complete sync with the harmonic structure of our surrounding elements, the rhythms of our natural world, which in part translates into a disconnect from who we innately are; our variant and unified ambitions, and our formations and routines in the interminable interim.

I’ve also read that Native American women would separate themselves from the tribe during menstruation. They cycled together in a “moon lodge” while the men and grandparents temporarily took over caring for the children and other responsibilities. During this time, women were considered even more powerful and would focus their individual and collective energy upon meditation, transformation, reflection, decision-making, and, in general, deeper truth.

For me, it also serves as an energetic source of strengthening the bond between our collective divine feminine energy. I feel very close to my girlfriends during my cycle. And (maybe not so surprisingly) I would almost prefer to be around them during this time at the entire exclusion of masculine interplay.

There’s definitely a profound energy that streams into these few days. For myself, as well as many others, it’s the energy of creativity, of reflection, of letting go, and then, of nourishing and rebuilding.

Repeatedly, during this string of 5 days, I bring my A-game to the table. Close friends joke around with me about how I accomplish more during this stretch of time than I do during all other remaining days of the month combined. It’s true. It’s almost as if I go through a mini-nesting phase each month, working overtime to get everything in order in preparation for the arrival of a both an unclear and uncertain “something.”

Side note: before nixing processed foods, I experienced cruel and compassionless cramps each month. I’ve always been conscientious regarding medications, but my drawer was reliably full with one exception to my typical “tough it out” protocol: Midol! …and lots of it. I cannot recount the times that I sent a friend or lover on Midol runs if I had even the faintest notion that I might run low mid-cycle. When I was much younger, I recall a couple of family members experiencing this variety of near-debilitating cramps, as well. Admittedly, I thought that they were over-exaggerating their experiences, that is until I spent several times, myself, curled up in the fetal position on my bed. After switching to a whole foods diet, however, all cramps- every hint of them- entirely vanished. A very welcomed outcome, and alone, worth the dietary change.

It’s not uncommon to hear women complaining about the inconvenience(s) of their cycles. However, if we shift our understanding of what menstruation is, what it symbolizes and the ways in which it connects us to others and the world around us, we can better understand and lean into this time for the gifts of growth and change that come through release, reflection, and renewal.

While I’m certain that the crone years will hold their own unique offerings and energy, I occasionally imagine that I will miss this current sacred stretch of {methodically} dancing alongside the majesty and mystery of our moon.

It hits me every now and then. It hits me hard. It’s debilitating. I used to smoke, drink, and eat way too much and sleep all day when I felt this way. Now I tend to watch too much TV and procrastinate and sleep all day. I cannot get anything done when I am like this. I get angry at myself. I hate this. I feel weak. I feel like I need help, yet that is the last thing I want. If I am honest, I hate feeling this way, yet I want to feel this way right now.

People are going to read this. I’m publishing this on my website. That scares me. I consider myself almost fearless, but admitting any weakness scares me. It’s not because I am one of those tough guys who refuses to admit when they are hurt or need help. It’s because I used to be a wuss who always needed help and always got hurt. And I fixed that about me. I changed. And now if I am hurt or need help, I have learned to fix myself.

But sometimes depression hits me before I even know it is coming. If I know it’s coming, I can take steps to prevent it. Once it hits me, the steps are the same, and I still know what to do, but I don’t want to do it.

Right now I want to lay in bed and sleep. I do not want to be writing this article. I do not want to admit my weakness. I do not want to feel better. I do not want a bunch of sympathy. I do not want a bunch of suggestions. I want everyone to fuck off and leave me alone.

When I was in a relationship, it was easier. I had to get over depression fast when I was in a relationship because I had to set an example. I had to be the man.

When I felt bad I would usually make my girlfriend feel good. It made me feel better. Of course, more than once I was an asshole about it. I sometimes took it all out on her, then convinced her that it was all her fault, and then apologized, and then we both felt better.

I hope I never do that again.

But now that I am single, I am alone with my thoughts.

I just made a lot of commitments with this magazine, and I have to keep moving. I don’t have time to wallow. I don’t have time to do what I have done in the past, which is to just accept the fact that I am “in a funk,” feel what I feel, and know that I will get over it.

I am prone to depression. I’ve been through a lot and sometimes memories make life hard. I am writing a book about it (or I should say I am trying to write a book about it) and it messes me up. But I always get over it because I know what to do.

1. I exercise. Sometimes I don’t feel like I can move a pound, but I do it anyway. It’s so difficult to work out when I’m depressed. But I go to the gym, I take my time, and I move my body and I move weight. I turn my desire to self destruct into a desire to hurt myself via physical exertion.
2. I exercise. Sometimes I don’t feel like I can move a pound, but I do it anyway. It’s so difficult to work out when I’m depressed. But I go to the gym, I take my time, and I move my body and I move weight. I turn my desire to self destruct into a desire to hurt myself via physical exertion.
3. I make sure I get enough B vitamins. And I don’t do stupid things like go out drinking which wipes out my B vitamins and exacerbates the problem. (Please ignore the fact that I did this last night.)
4. I get enough healthy fats, which are needed to process B vitamins.
5. I make sure my diet is clean, even though I do crave junk food when I am depressed.
6. I get sunlight. I sunbathe. I don’t use sunscreen. If it’s cloudy I will take vitamin D.
7. I get grounded. I connect with the earth. I put my bare feet on the ground. I walk. I sit. I smell.
8. I focus on the little things and on the interesting.
9. I stay in the moment. There are no problems in the moment.
10. I clean up. My home represents how I feel. So does my appearance. I clean myself up and I clean my home.

But I don’t feel like doing any of this right now. I don’t give a damn. I just want to feel depressed and be angry at myself for being depressed. I want to hurt. I’d like to get in the ring with someone and either beat the crap out of them or get the crap beat out of me. Either one would be good. That would be worth getting out of bed for.

But I don’t have that option.

Normally, I would give it a day or two, feel how I feel, and then start doing the list whether I wanted to or not.

I don’t have time to just let this pass. I don’t have a couple of days to feel depressed and do nothing.

So I am putting this out there. I am publishing this for all of my friends, family, and magazine readers to see. And After I publish this I am going to go running at 12am. Then I am going to get a bunch of work done no matter how hard it is. Because there is one character trait I have developed throughout my life that has helped me in many situations and will help me here. I cannot admit that I have a problem without deciding to fix it. I cannot admit that I have a weakness without choosing to strengthen myself. I cannot write this article, publish it on the website for the world to see, and then go back to bed.

I don’t know if this will help anyone. It is certainly written more for me than anyone else. But I have an idea. To insure that this article could help people, I propose that readers comment below and tell us how they deal with depression.

What do you do? Maybe you feel a little down and you know just what to do to cheer yourself up. Or maybe you suffer from clinical, debilitating depression and it is a constant battle in your life, and you know a few things that help.

Now I am going to go running. Damn. I really just want to go back to bed.

Recommended Supplements:

• B-Complex #6  – Thorne Research
• Omega-D3 – Nordic Naturals
• Shillington’s Total Nutrition Formula

Further Reading:

• Natural Remedies for Depression
• How I Overcame Depression Naturally
• Mental Health, Physical Health & B Vitamins – Nature’s Valium
• Alleviate Depression Naturally
• How Candida Leads to Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, and Other Mental Disorders
• Vitamin B6 and What You Should Know About it
• How I Overcame-Depression Naturally
• The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them