Summer is over… days are shorter… it gets dark earlier… you spend less time outside, thanks to the cold… It all adds up to a recipe for worsening depression. If this describes what you’ve been feeling, especially lately, you’re not alone. People suffer from winter depression, which experts term seasonal affective disorder or SAD. Countless others are affected by a less severe form of depression, known as the “winter blues. Though even short-term depression can have consequences for both your health and the quality of your life, don’t head off to the doctor for a prescription of anti-depressants just yet. There’s another way to beat your depression and boost your mood without taking those pills that can cause nausea, weight gain, blurred vision, and even sexual dysfunction…
In fact, a recent study suggests this mineral may be effective enough to step in and steal the crown away from SSRIs as the go-to treatment for depression…This mineral is Magnesium. Magnesium diminishes depression.
In one of the first clinical trials to study the effect of magnesium on depressed people, researchers from the University of Vermont found that magnesium supplements could be an effective treatment for depression. When it comes to using magnesium to treat your depression, it’s generally pretty safe. You can even take it while you’re still taking your SSRI antidepressants. Your body tends to absorb magnesium citrate best anyway, so look for that. You can take up to 400 mg per day. High magnesium foods include dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, beans, whole grains, avocados, yogurt, bananas, dried fruit, dark chocolate, and more. The current daily value (DV) of magnesium is 400mg.
That’s right – a new study has given us, even more, proof that the best prescription for your depression could just be regular exercise. Here’s what they found… Activity leads to happiness. According to the researchers from Michigan State University, Physical activity has been shown to be effective in alleviating mild to moderate depression and anxiety. Current physical activity guidelines advise at least 30 minutes, five days a week to promote mental and physical health, yet many of those surveyed weren’t meeting these recommendations. After all, depression manifests physically by causing disturbed sleep, reduced energy, appetite changes, body aches and increased pain perception — all of which can result in less motivation to exercise.
That’s why experts say it’s best to start small.
Both vitamin D and vitamin K defeat depression. According to the Vitamin D council, to get the most benefit from vitamin D, you must have other cofactors in your body, one of the most important being vitamin K. By now you’re probably wondering how much of each you need to help lift your depression, boost your mood and overcome your anxiety. Since your body makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight, it’s best to use brief sunbathing when appropriate and supplement with 5,000 IU/day of D3 with 800 mcg of vitamin K. You should also increase your intake of green leafy vegetable to get more vitamin K from your diet. If you’re taking blood thinners, talk to your doctor before taking vitamin K as it does affect your clotting.
Good sources of vitamin K include:
* Kale
* Spinach
* Collard greens
* Scallion
* Natto (fermented soy)
* Brussel sprouts
* Cabbage
* Broccoli
* Kefir
* Prunes
