6 Natural Ways To Fight Anxiety And Depression

6 Natural Ways To Fight Anxiety And Depression. Photo – Pixabay (PD), Pexels (PD)

Big Pharma’s biggest profits come from selling Americans their daily “happy pills”. In a country where 40 million adults (age 18 and older) are diagnosed with chronic depression, where high school kids are given Prozac to boost their performance, where everyone’s got “adult ADHD” and other made-up diseases, it’s hard to keep away from the fat cats’ apparent agenda to keep everyone in a medicated stupor.

It seems like everything happening in the U.S. these days is meant to drag you deeper into depression and anxiety… and force you to spend more and more on addictive pills. Because that’s the catch: once you start taking these drugs, there’s no way out. I personally know four people who’ve been on Prozac for years and they just can’t quit. Every time they try, they feel worse than ever before and it’s just a matter of time (extremely difficult time, I might add) before they go back to their daily dose of chemical happiness.

Unfortunately, depression and anxiety are very serious disorders that should not be left untreated. Little by little, they end up destroying your life without even realizing. You end up losing your family, your job, your future… and you become incapable of enjoying anything beautiful in your life.

So if you’ve noticed depression or anxiety settling in, or if your loved ones are worried you might be depressed, then try these 6 natural tips.

#1: Be Honest With Yourself

Many people are depressed or chronically anxious but refuse to admit it to themselves. That’s mainly because they don’t want to think about what causes their depression in the first place.

It’s not easy to confront the problems in your life. This sort of confrontation may force you to realize that you’ve failed at some point, that you made mistakes, that you weren’t as good as you’d like to believe. And that’s very hard to take. But postponing this confrontation will only make your problems grow and multiply.

So the best thing to do for yourself and your family is to get to the root of your depression, write your problems down and try to come up with solutions, together with your family. You might not find any quick recipes for success, but the fact that you’re trying already turns you into a better and more trustworthy person than you were before.

#2: Express Your Gratitude

A recent study shows that people who express their gratitude are up to 19% happier. The simple gesture of thanking someone for something they’ve done for you will instantly make you happier. You can watch the video here:

I’ve watched it and I was really impressed with the results. But then I called a friend of mine to tell him how grateful I am for helping me when my wife was in the hospital and I felt like a child on Christmas day. I was happy for no apparent reason. And I made my friend just as happy. It’s a win-win.

So whenever you’re feeling low, just call someone you’re grateful to and just say Thank you. It will put a smile on your face, guaranteed.

#3: Talk About Your Problems

Don’t whine about your problems. That never solves anything. Just talk about them with your spouse or your best friend. Or a therapist. Or your priest. Someone you trust. Someone who’ll listen.

You don’t need advice. You just need someone there to listen to you. That will get a load off your chest, even if you haven’t solved your problems.

Try that once. Just talk about what’s troubling you openly, without asking for advice and without trying to generate solutions. Just talk. It will make you feel much better.

#4: Exercise

Note that this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to go to the gym. It means going for a power-walk every morning. Jogging for 15-20 minutes around the block. Playing with your kids or grandkids in the park. Replacing your car with a bike when going to work or to the grocery store.

Just try to exercise a bit more every day, little by little. You’ll notice serious improvements after only two weeks. Not only will you feel more relaxed, but you’ll notice that what used to make you angry and stressed before has suddenly stopped to make you feel that way. Exercise naturally boosts dopamine levels.
Aside – these some interesting information now about how modern gymnasiums might be harming the body and about exercise systems that realign the body naturally.

 #5: Eat fish

Those Omega-3 fatty acids are real miracle workers. Especially the ones derived from fish oils. These have been proven to help treat depression and anxiety when consumed on a daily basis. That doesn’t mean you need to eat a lot of fish every day. You can eat a tuna sandwich for breakfast, or add some to your salad. Or you can try some natural supplements.

Warning: Before buying fish, check its origin. You don’t want any Fukushima food in your diet!

#6: Get Regular And Sufficient Sleep

Yes, I know sometimes it’s hard to have a good night sleep when you’ve got unpaid bills, a double mortgage on your home and an insecure job. But worrying doesn’t solve anything. In fact, it makes things worse.

When you’re well-rested, you’ve got more energy, your head is clearer, your brain works better and faster… And you don’t need to sleep 10 hours a night to improve your performance. You can sleep as little as five hours, as long as you sleep them well. This means you need to eliminate any source of light, sound or stress from your bedroom.

Take a short walk in the evening, drink a glass of warm milk and honey half an hour before going to sleep, turn off all your lights, close the door and use some good earplugs. Trust me, this is a routine that works like magic!

Prepare Your Mind For The Coming Crisis – Part 10: How To Explain Disasters And Crises To Children

photo source: thistimeimeanit.com

Last time, we started talking about helping children deal with a disaster or a crisis (whether they were directly involved or just saw it happening, even on TV).The article was dedicated to understanding the way a child perceives such an event, according to his or her age.

Today, we’ll talk about how you can identify post-traumatic stress disorder in your kids and what you can do to help them overcome this difficult time.

First, let’s see the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the FEMA website:

• Refusal to return to school and“clinging” behavior, including shadowing the mother or father around the house

• Persistent fears related to the catastrophe (such as fears about being permanently separated from parents)

• Sleep disturbances such as nightmares, screaming during sleep and bedwetting, persisting more than several days after the event

• Loss of concentration and irritability

• Jumpiness or being startled easily

• Behavior problems, for example, misbehaving in school or at home in ways that are not typical for the child

• Physical complaints(stomachaches, headaches, dizziness) for which a physical cause cannot be found

• Withdrawal from family and friends, sadness, listlessness, decreased activity, and preoccupation with the events of the disaster

Keep a close eye on your kids and notice any strange behaviour, even when they’re alone, playing. If they present any of the symptoms above, give them all your support and love, talk to them about their feelings and even look for specialized help. This kind of experiences might traumatize kids for life if the problems stay unsolved.

But even if your children seem fine, you should still take the following measures during and after a disaster or crisis:

According to Divine Caroline (a blog I discovered while looking for some info onthe Haitian earthquake), here’s what you need to do:

“Focus On The Positive”

This doesn’t mean you should paint this rosy-pink picture about disasters. But when a child is face to face with let’s say an earthquake that shattered an entire city and killed millions, their whole world goes upside-down. And they will most likely suffer a great shock.

And a good way to keep the shock to a minimum is to focus on the positive: how lucky they are they’re alive and well, how great it is to be with your family and have your loved ones around.

If they just see the disaster on TV, talk about how organizations are raising money for the victims, how people help their neighbors or even drive from miles away to bring clothes, food, and water and help them rebuild their homes.

This way, they’ll feel better knowing there’s always someone there to help them, even people they’ve never met. And it’s also a great way of teaching your child to help others in need, too. Which brings me to the next step:

“Get Them Involved In The Relief Efforts”

You don’t have to pay hundreds to charity organizations to help families in need. If you can and you want to do so, then let your kids participate. Let them send the money or at least watch you sending it. Tell them how the money will help people in need.

If you can’t afford to donate money, you can send clothes you don’t need, blankets and even canned food. Tell your kids to choose a few of their things they’d like to donate to children in need: clothes, toys, shoes, whatever they don’t wear anymore or they’re willing to give away. Explain to them what happened to those children and how donations will make them feel better.

“Encourage Them To Ask Questions”

Let your children ask as many questions they want. This way, they’ll express their fears and doubts and you’ll find out what’s going on in those little heads of theirs. When answering their questions, make sure you:

• Use words and concepts your child can understand. Make your explanation appropriate to your child’s age and level of understanding. Don’t overload a child with too much information.

• Give children honest answers and information. Children will usually know if you’re not being honest.

• Be prepared to repeat explanations or have several conversations. Some information may be hard to accept or understand. Asking the same question over and over may be your child’s way of asking for reassurance.

• Acknowledge and support your child’s thoughts, feelings, and reactions. Let your child know that you think their questions and concerns are important.

• Be consistent and reassuring, but don’t make unrealistic promises.

• Avoid stereotyping groups of people by race, nationality, or religion. Use the opportunity to teach tolerance and explain prejudice.

• Remember that children learn from watching their parents and teachers. They are very interested in how you respond to events. They learn from listening to your conversations with other adults.

• Let children know how you are feeling. It’s OK for them to know if you are anxious or worried about events. However, don’t burden them with your concerns.

• Don’t confront your child’s way of handling events. If a child feels reassured by saying that things are happening very far away, it’s usually best not to disagree. The child may need to think about events this way to feel safe. (aacap.org)

Now here are a couple more techniques you can use to comfort your kids. I got these from elev8.com, I find them very useful:

“Try to keep your emotions stable as you talk with your child”

Don’t let your kids see how upset, afraid or disoriented you are. Tell them how you feel, but don’t break down and cry for hours, because that will make your kids break down as well. Especially when they don’t understand why you’re having these feelings. So no matter how strong your feelings are, be patient enough to answer your children’s questions and ask them how they feel. Always be connected with their minds.

Also, if it helps calm you down, say a prayer together with your kids. Sometimes, it all it takes.

“Take them out of the house and enjoy being out”

This is ok only if the area you live in is safe. Getting out of the house helps you disconnect from the negative feelings and reconnect with your family. Don’t feel guilty for having fun. Life has to go on and you need to keep your family happy.

“Turn off the television”

From time to time, turn off the TV. Even if you don’t go out, just play with your kids, cook something yummy or just talk to your loved ones about anything else but the disaster. Relax and try to have a good time.

These moments are crucial because they keep you away from depression and they reassure your kids that life will be good again.

You can find more practical information on how to overcome any crisis or disaster on www.myfamilysurvivalplan.com.

By Anne Sunday

Emergency Food Recipe Of The Week #10: Tomato Pesto Bean And Shrimp Salad

photo source: busycooks.about.com

This is it. The moment I’ve feared ever since discovering the emergency food recipes on busycooks.about.com. This is the last recipe left untested by me, so I thought it’s time I’d give it shot.

It’s a tomato pesto bean and shrimp salad. I’m not crazy about pesto, especially tomato pesto, but I’ve got to admit… I actually liked this salad. And so did our friends’ kids, and they are very picky when it comes to food.

So this is the proof that you can make great meals with emergency food that even your kids or grandkids will eat. And very healthy, too.

You may not know this, but shrimps have no less than 10 health benefits, according to HealthMad. Here they are:

#1: It helps fight cancer

“Every 85 g (8oz) of steamed shrimps can provide the body with 48% of the DV of selenium. Lack of selenium in the body has been linked to the incidence of many types of cancer, including prostate.”

#2: It keeps skin, hair and nails healthy and beautiful

“The most expensive shampoo and lotion will be useless to hair and skin without the adequate supply of protein in the body. Protein is a vital part of every living tissue and shrimps are excellent sources of this mineral.”

#3: It prevents anemia

“Shrimps are rich in vitamin B12, a nutrient which supports the production of red blood cells and help prevent pernicious anemia.”

#4: It gives you energy

“Fatigue and weakness may indicate low levels of iron in the body. Iron is an essential nutrient needed for energy and vitality and shrimps are rich with this mineral.”

#5: It keeps your bones strong

“These crustaceans are loaded with phosphorus. Calcium and phosphorus are the two chief nutrients which work closely together to build strong bones and teeth.”

#6: It helps process fats

“Niacin (vitamin B3) helps process fats, carbohydrates and protein and turns it into energy. Shrimps can provide a good amount of this essential vitamin.”

#7: It helps fight depression

“Just like fish, shrimps can also supply omega-3 fatty acids. Study participants have shown that omega-3’s offer powerful protection against depression and may help improve mood to those who are already suffering from the disorder.”

#8: It improves prostate health

“Preliminary studies have shown that zinc slow down prostate cancer cell growth. Eating shrimps will add to the body’s needed daily value of this mineral which is only 10-15 mg.”

#9: It keeps thyroid healthy

“Shrimps can contribute to thyroid health through its supply of copper.”

#10: It helps stabilize blood sugar levels

“These scrumptious seafoods are also good sources of magnesium, which studies suggest can help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes”

Now let’s see what you need for this recipe:

• 1/2 cup dried tomato pesto mix

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup tomato juice

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 tablespoons evaporated milk

• 1 (15-ounce) can butter beans

• 1 (15-ounce) can Great Northern Beans

• 3 (6-ounce) cans medium shrimp, drained

• 1 green bell pepper, chopped

• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped

• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained, reserving juice

You’ll also need a large bowl, where you’ll throw in the pesto mix, olive oil, tomato juice reserved from the drained tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Mix it well, then add evaporated milk and stir. Then let it stand for 5 minutes.

Next, you can add the remaining ingredients, using fresh vegetables (if you have any at hand. Last thing on the To do list: stir to coat.

Now you can enjoy this wonderful salad with your family. Hope you’ll like it.

By Anne Sunday