First, a disclaimer: Depression is a serious medical disorder. It is not a sign of personal weakness. It is, instead the result of an imbalance of serotonin and other brain chemicals like dopamine, acetylcholine, norepinephrine. When these chemicals get “out of whack” depression can be the result.

There are many “wholistic” methods of treating depression including:

  • St. John’s Wort
  • Kava kava
  • Tryptophan
  • Gingko biloba
  • B Vitamin supplements (especially B12)
  • Omega-3 supplements
  • Sam-e

Eating right is of course, an essential ingredient when achieving good health.  A diet rich in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables combined with low fat dairy products (if you aren’t lactose intolerant) are all good healthy foods which also happen to be natural sources of tryptophan.

Tryptophan is converted by the body into serotonin, one of the essential brain chemical’s needed for optimal mental health. Tofu, or soybean curd, is a food very high in tryptophan as are most other soy products such as dried soy nuts.  (These make a TASTY addition to your salad!) Other tryptophan rich foods are sesame seeds, walnuts, cashews and pumpkin seeds.  Oh, and don’t forget that holiday favorite, TURKEY which is also rich in tryptophan.

The website Indian Child offers this advice:

For a long time, depression and nutritional imbalances have gone hand in hand. A deficiency in certain vitamins or minerals could inhibit the production of the neurochemicals —the good feel chemicals. B vitamins have always been in the news and Vitamin B6 is known to have assist enzymes to convert amino acids to serotonin and norepinephrine –the good mood chemicals. So a deficiency of Vitamin B12 or folic acid can cause depression.

It has also been found that a deficiency in magnesium can lead to nonspecific low mood levels. The point to be noted here is that improvement in the levels of serotonin can be set right by eating the right natural foods which contain the above elements. This in combination with other forms of therapy can alleviate depression. In fact ingestion of Vitamin C has been known to catalyze reactions, which lead to the production of serotonin.

The website Cure Your Depression offers six natural cures to relieve depression.  The site’s author  Merri Ellen Giesbrecht writes:

Eating healthy to cure your depression is worth it! It not only cures your depression but can cure and prevent many other diseases as well. Feed your body well and you feed your mind. Soon, your outlook on life can become completely different! Instead of not wanting to get out of bed, you jump out of bed in the morning – looking forward to the day.

According to Dr. Gregory L. Jantz, author of the book Moving Beyond Depression: A Whole-Person Approach to Healing, (cited by Giesbrecht) because depression can arise from a myriad of factors-physical, relational, financial, environmental, hormonal or spiritual-it doesn’t make sense to treat it with a one-size-fits-all system, he insists.

Organic Authority also offers tips on spotting symptoms of postpartum depression.

Again, depression is serious.  A change in dietary habits will not cure a case of severe depression.  However, implementing a healthy diet can possibly prevent serious depression.

If you or your loved one are experiencing any of the following:

  • Feeling hopeless, worthless or inadequate
  • Frequent crying or tearfulness
  • Insomnia or sleepiness
  • Lack of energy
  • Loss of pleasure in activities you normally enjoy
  • Difficulty doing typical daily chores
  • Change in appetite
  • Feelings of sadness and despair
  • Feelings of guilt, panic or confusion
  • Feelings of anger or anxiety
  • Extreme mood swings
  • Memory loss
  • Fear of “losing control”
  • Lack of interest in sex
  • Withdrawal from social circles and routines
  • Thoughts about hurting yourself or suicide

Seek medical attention IMMEDIATELY!  Depression is serious!