Spray your face with cold water or stand with your head in the air from the freezer for a few moments to reduce redness.
Style Tip of the Day:
How to Dress 10 Pounds Thinner
To deemphasize big bust, avoid lighter colors on top and go for a geometric-shaped top with a slim pant. you will have a more balanced look.
Fighting depression naturally, without medication, is no easy task. Lifestyle changes are needed in order to make accomplishments. While your depression medications are key into controlling your depression and helping to hide the symptoms, when using natural depression remedies we are looking for ways to combat it's source. These changes can involve bits and pieces from every part of your daily routine. Exercise, diet, sleep, goals, your responsibilities and relaxation are all components of this process.
Let's start by talking about exercise as it is a key component to treating depression naturally. How much are you getting every day? The 5 flights of stairs from your apartment that you take every day doesn't count. You need to set aside some time every day where you can partake in dedicated physical activity. Whether it be jogging, yoga or Pilate's, boxing, weight lifting, a spinning class, etc... Effects of exercise, especially when done purposely for self improvement, can really improve your mood and help to relieve stress. During your workout you may find that it is easier to forget about everything else in life that may be bothering you as well.
The next part of the formula is diet. Can what you are eating really contribute to your depression? In many ways the answer can be yes. Eating fast foods, caffeinated beverages, refined carbohydrates, and other sweets all cause mood swings. These are metabolized very quickly by your body causing a huge rush in blood sugar levels followed by a huge drop... These quick changes in mood levels can really effect your overall mood stability and make it very hard to treat your depression naturally, especially since depression can make the crashes even worse. Try eating foods that take longer to digest such as complex carbohydrates, lean protein rich meats, and skip out on caffeine. It may be hard at first but after a while (which may be a month or so) you will start to not need it. Caffeine can be a vicious cycle. You drink it to pick your self up, and when you crash you need to drink more of it. When you cut it cold turkey, after a while, you wont need it anymore, however this ties in heavily with your sleep patterns. If you don't sleep enough you may still feel as though you "need" it.
Lets talk about goals. Just setting small goals that are easy to meet is a great way to feel accomplished about yourself. For example, maybe there is a new recipe you've been wanting to learn how to cook right... maybe you've had a broken picture frame that you've wanted to fix for a while. Maybe you've been wanting to take up a hobby like painting and just haven't gotten around to it. Setting small goals where you can meet these lingering wants that are in the back of your mind can be a great way to not only relax while you are doing them, but the sense of accomplishment that comes once it's done can be very invigorating. This invigorating feeling can be addictive and act as a natural remedy for depression.
Responsibilities are another factor. When you are depressed you might let your normal responsibilities slide a bit. You might work less hard and let the condition of your living space suffer. This is something you should fight against. Don't push yourself too hard though. If its too soon to go back to work or school take some more time off.
Relaxation. Do not forget to relax. Don't wait for these times to come, make them happen. Take that candle lit bath, take that quiet walk through the park, take that extra nap during the day. These things wont happen on their own. It is important to set aside time to relax.
Your Sleep patterns are another major factor to helping treat depression naturally. If your brain is tired, how are you supposed to support it's mood? 8 Hours of sleep is enough for most people but when you are depressed you may want more... But you shouldn't have it all at once. Take a siesta during some part of the day to help rest your mind. If you are having trouble sleeping because of what is on your mind, consider natural sleep aids like warm milk, tea, shutting all the blinds, and possibly a long old movie that you know will put you to sleep.
There are also many supplements which can help remedy your depression naturally without prescription medications. These include St. John's Wort, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Folic Acid, Sam-E and other essential vitamins and minerals. Consider taking a complete multivitamin to supplement your diet.
It is easy for you to sit at your computer at home, read these things, and not take any action hoping things will get better on their own. Taking action is key. Write something down that will help you stick to your goals. Put some post-it notes on the fridge, be dedicated to feeling better and to treating your depression naturally, at its source. It is possible.
Joe Powers
