Are you down all the time? Not feeling like yourself?

Of course all of us experience this from time to time but what if it continues on a regular basis? At this point chronic depression is often suspected by health-care practitioners. The CDC reports that 1 in 10 Americans are depressed – an epidemic!

Treatment in the mainstream medical world is mainly pharmaceutical drugs like SSRIs: Prozac, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft. At times talk therapy is also advised in this model of medicine. The pharmaceutical approach to depression is an important one that is helpful in serious situations and where short term immediate relief is required. (*drugs are necessary with some issues – for example bipolar disorder check with your doctor).

It is good to know there alternative ways to treat depression especially when it is chronic and one doesn’t like taking drugs everyday for years.

Medications only treat depression based on biochemical factors. In my experience, a combination of Chinese Medicine, nutritional supplementation, meditation and yoga are a comprehensive approach that is much less invasive than meds. Using these together can be tremendously helpful support that addresses the problem from an energetic, nutritional, and spiritual perspective in addition to biochemical.

In Chinese Medicine depression is diagnosed as imbalances in functions of the body pertaining to organ systems, blood and Qi flow. For example weakness in the Heart and Spleen will have a very different picture than one of Liver Blood stagnation. Based on discernment of the issue at hand, herbs and acupuncture will be prescribed. Although this is a longer term approach, the effects are more foundational and long lasting.

Acupuncture will often create a deep feeling of relaxation and well-being soon after treatment which begins the healing momentum. Next, beginning herbs, nutritional supplementation, yoga and meditation will continue build momentum out of the pattern of depression.

What you eat has a big effect on how you feel.

Many people who are battling depression have blood sugar imbalances. Eating too many carbohydrates and sugary foods worsens this balance worsening depression. Instead be sure to include protein and healthy fats throughout the day especially at breakfast.

Start your day with things like turkey bacon, eggs, oatmeal or even some leftover chicken! Make sure you include snacks like raw nuts, an apple with almond butter or hummus every few hours. Of course including vegetables- especially greens will give you needed nutrition and fiber.

Consider eliminating refined carbohydrates and sugar from the diet for a month to see how it affects your mood. I know of a woman who fell into an immediate depression if she ate sugary foods. Not everyone has this strong of a response but it indicates a reason to consider the effects of some foods.

Supplements to get started with are 5HTP, SAMe, Fish or Krill Oil and a high quality B-vitamin complex. This is a simple way to support and help rebalance body chemistry toward health.

Meditation and Yoga help us to reconnect with our breath allowing us to breathe more deeply.

It has been noticed by therapists for years that depressed people tend to breathe more shallowly. Many people will say they are not themselves when depressed. Meditation creates a space that allows you to re-connect with yourself. Yoga postures can be a powerful ally in healing depression as stagnation in our inner and outer world beings to move.

Recreating flow allows one to immediately feel better. Through mediation and yoga one can realize they are empowered to control their depression and it doesn’t have to run their life anymore. Through practice, the nervous system begins to function more normally.

It is important to mention that sometimes depression is trying to tell you something.

Here there is value in stepping away from focus on fixing symptoms and looks at the bigger picture of your life. Do you need to make a change in your life? Are you allowing yourself to be heard or do you bury your feelings. In any matter, the practices in this article can offer profound support in getting to the core of depression and inducing a gentle course in a new direction of insight and inspiration.