1. Make Dietary Changes- There is a proven link between diet and good health, both physical and mental health. Diets that are high in processed foods, sugar, caffeine, and other undesired foods can have an impact on your mental health and state of mind. Eliminating these foods may help decrease your depression and reset your mental state so that it is more positive. Changing your diet alone is probably not enough to eliminate depression, but it is one of many things you can do to improve the outcome that you get.
2. Go to the Doctor For a Physical- If you have not had a recent physical then it is a good idea to schedule one if you are dealing with depression. Sometimes depression can be a sign of an underlying physical disorder or condition, such as insulin resistance or hypothyroidism. A full physical including blood work can help your physician determine whether you are suffering from depression or if there is something else causing your symptoms instead.
3. Have Your Complete Thyroid Panel Levels Checked- Often family physicians and primary care doctors do a cursory thyroid check during a physical or to evaluate certain symptoms, but a full thyroid panel is not performed. Simply checking the TSH levels is not sufficient to determine whether a thyroid problem or malfunction is causing depression.
4. Get Plenty of Vitamin B-12 and Vitamin D in Your Diet
Certain nutritional deficiencies can contribute to depression, and two nutrients that are often the biggest culprits because they are not available in sufficient amounts are vitamin B-12 and vitamin D. In 2009 a study showed that as many as 75% of teens do not get enough vitamin D, and there are many different studies that point to a link between nutritional deficiencies in vitamin B-12 and/or vitamin D and depression.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.