Five Natural Cures For Depression

I am crying because I feel normal. I don't know how long this is going to last. I had forgotten what normal feels like. This is the real me. I can think, and laugh, and cry normally, under normal circumstances. I can feel lightly about things. I am not mulling things over and over again, rather, I am just living the moment, and thinking clearly.

This was a note I wrote to myself a few years ago when I first started taking antidepressants. It was the very next day after I took a famous antidepressant sold on the market. I felt fantastic.

If you know anything about antidepressants you would recognize that this was simply a placebo effect. The fact is antidepressants take months to take effect on the body, and most of the time are not very effective. Many report the "placebo effect" of immediate relief of depression symptoms after their first few doses of antidepressants.

Sadly, this placebo effect is over quickly, and people are left disillusioned and often feel worse than before. In my story, the normal feelings gradually disappeared within a week, and I did not feel "normal" again until years later when I discovered natural cures for depression that completely improved my quality of life, and ended over 20 years of suffering from depression.

For years I tried to get that "normal" feeling back. I worked harder than ever to get it back with medication, and the best professional counseling. I knew what normal felt like, and wanted to get that feeling back so bad. I was tired of being tired, and sad, and even suicidal.

After years of research, trials and errors, I have achieved this "normal" feeling on a permanent basis. No more depression. Something I never thought possible!

I realize many people are suffering with depression, just as I did for so many years, so I want to pay it forward to those who struggle with debilitating depression, as much as I did.

Here's five natural cures for depression that can help change your life forever:

1. Move. As simple as this sounds, exercise is a huge contributor to people feeling happier.

Strength training plus aerobics is a must to get rid of the body's accumulated stress toxins. Exercise daily, at least six times a week, with strength training, followed by 20 minutes of aerobics exercise.

Join a gym, or set up a home gym. Even a home gym is easy as you do not need that much equipment for a good workout. You can find many free resources on the web on how to properly workout.

2. Drink And Eat More Often. Athletes have this system figured out for best body-mind performance and muscle toning and building. The body connects to the mind, so we need to take care, and feed our body well so our mind can work properly as well.

Drinking plenty of fluids and eating healthy meals five to six times a day keeps your body and mind balanced and fueled throughout the day.

Spread your meals apart by eating your three main meals, especially a hearty breakfast, but save some portions for a mid morning and mid afternoon snack.

Eating healthy snacks between meals, especially proteins, help your body stay constantly fueled and well satisfied.

Drink lots of fluid, especially water all day long, at least eight glasses daily. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, sugared, and carbonated drinks, for these interfere with your body and brain's natural ability to maintain balanced levels of physical and mental energy.

3. Sleep On It. Many can lose their depression simply by getting proper sleep.

Lack of sleep is one of the biggest causes of depression. With so many options for late night entertainment such as TV, computers, video games, etc., we tend to stay up later and later at night.

Make sure you go to bed at the same time every night, and get up in the morning even if you feel tired.

Ensure you get the full amount of sleep necessary to feel fully rested. Be truthful to yourself about this. Most people need about 5 to 9 hours sleep, but everybody is different. Figure out what is the proper amount of night sleep for you and stick with it.

Avoid naps during the day. Naps tend to interfere with restful sleep at night.

If you can't sleep, stay in bed. Getting up to do things just keeps you away from your goal of sleeping. Avoid reading in bed, as this stimulates your mind. Instead, do some self-guided meditation where you mentally take yourself somewhere peaceful.

4. Schedule Your Worries. The biggest symptom of depression is the non-stop ruminating of thoughts and worries.

Schedule a daily "worry" appointment with yourself, preferably late afternoon, and give yourself 20 minutes of worrying. If you have worrying thoughts, write them down to defer it to your "worry time," and press on with your day knowing you'll tackle that issue later.

During your worry appointment, review your worry list and problem solve the issues. If you have no control over a situation, give yourself permission to let go of that worry.

The idea is to reduce and eliminate the ruminating of thoughts and worries throughout the day, yet not ignore your problems. Rather, you are facing your problems in a time and setting that is convenient for you. You tackle your worries at your own time, rather than your worries control your daily life.

5. Do A Good Deed For Someone Every Day. Depression tends to keep a person thinking about themselves all the time.

Break that selfish pattern by looking for ways to help others. Volunteering to help the needy, helping somebody in your own family, or simply doing a good deed (daily) is rewarding, and keeps the "poor me" self-talk away.

Following these simple but very effective steps can break the depression pattern for good. You deserve the happiness, energy and love that makes life such a wonderful event.

You can feel "normal" too. I know you can. I go through my routine every day and not only feel great but I feel emotionally and physically stronger.

Smile easily as you stroll around your neighborhood and think of a funny thing that happened to you. Welcome your own smile that you know livens your face, as you greet strangers walking by.

Start your new life! Follow the steps above and you'll see fantastic results almost immediately. Live well, be happy, live depression free.