Depression and anxiety affect millions of people each year in the United States alone. Anxiety is characterized by feelings of apprehension and worry, depression by feelings of sadness and "the blues." If these feelings are severe you should seek professional help from a counselor or psychologist. However, there are a number of natural remedies you can try to alleviate milder symptoms.
Breathe Deeply
- It is as simple as it sounds and it can make a huge difference. Take a few minutes to just breathe deeply, holding each breath in for a few seconds before exhaling through your mouth. You will be cleansing yourself with a refreshing burst of oxygen that can fight anxiety and depression. Try 10 of these double deep breaths several times during the day and feel the difference.
Get Moving
Aerobic exercise releases natural pleasure chemicals in our bodies that fight depression and anxiety. If you are not already exercising start slowly and build up to a routine that includes at least 20 to 30 minutes of exercise almost every day.
Water and Diet
Drink lots of water and avoid processed foods. Typical American diets incorporate far more junk food than is healthy for us. All this processed food contains bunches of unhealthy additives that can overload and stress our bodies. By eating a diet of fresh fruits and veggies and drinking several glasses of water each day we give our bodies a chance to cleanse and release toxins. A healthier body can cope with depression and anxiety better than a stressed and unhealthy body.
Be Thankful
No matter how difficult our lives get there is always something to be thankful for. Focusing on what we are thankful for takes the focus off whatever we are anxious or depressed about. Keeping a gratitude list, a list of things you are thankful for, in your purse or wallet or on the door of your fridge can help keep you focused and moving away from depression and anxiety.
Forgive People
This can be a tough but research from the last few years proves that being able to forgive the people who wrong us is healthy for us. You may not be able to do this all at once but just resolving to work on it can be a step in the right direction.
WARNING: If your symptoms of depression or anxiety do not subside or get worse, please consult a professional counselor or psychologist.
