Can anyone suggest natural ways to deal with depression

asks archiemac:
A. There's more demand than ever for natural ways to deal with depression now that the 'safer' antidepressants have been shown to have strong side-effects and cause dependency.

�

And now it's been discovered that more city people suffer from depression in the UK than any other country in Europe. A survey for the Journal of Psychiatry found that 17% of people living in British cities are depressed, compared to three percent of Spaniards.

�

Q. Maybe the lack of sunshine has something to do with it
A. There's no doubt that a sunny day can perk you up. And there are a number of other natural remedies to help you overcome the symptoms of mild to moderate depression.

�

Q. What are they
A. Probably the best known is St John's Wort, a natural antidepressant which works by balancing the levels of feel-good hormones in the brain. It has been put through clinical trials to prove its effectiveness. The best results are with a standardised extract containing 900mcg of hypericin (you'll find it in health food shops). It can take three weeks to notice a difference.

Although St John's Wort has fewer side effects than conventional antidepressants, it may affect other drugs, so always check with you GP before taking it.

�

Q. Any other supplements
A. Yes - Stabilium - or garum armoricum, which is made of extracts from a blue fish, found in deep waters off the coast of France.

Recent studies in the US and Japan found that it improves anxiety in 90% of cases, compared to 30% for a placebo. And a clinical trial in California found that it reduced anxiety within a few days - and the beneficial effect lasted for weeks after taking it.

�

Q. Does what you eat affect your mood
A. Yes. There has been a lot of research into how essential fatty acids affects depression. Most important are the omega-3 fats, which are found in oily fish such as salmon, herring, sardines, tuna and mackerel. Try to eat oily fish every other day, or take fish oil capsules. Cutting down on processed foods, sugar and caffeine will also help balance your mood.

�

Q. I feel better after I exercise - is there any reason for this
A. Yes. Scientists have linked the high that exercise gives to a brain chemical called phenylethylamine. Phenylethylamine is associated with mood regulation and levels of energy. It's thought that people suffering from depression have low levels of this chemical. Researchers from Nottingham Trent University found that levels of this acid rise by 77 per cent after exercise.

�

Q. Is there anything less strenuous that would help
A. Walking and yoga are just as good. And you could try meditation, which has been shown to help anxiety and panic, and a number of stress-related illnesses such as IBS.

�

NB These measures won't help with severe depression, which should be treated using a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressants. See your GP if you are very depressed.

�

Do you have a question for Body & Soul Post it here

�

By Sheena Miller