It’s not unusual for people to feel a little down now and again. If you’ve been feeling down more often than usual you’ll want to talk with a doctor before taking any natural or prescription remedies to combat depression. While a doctor may give you a prescription, there are also some natural anti-depressants you can try.

Many people choose herbal remedies to treat depression because they are believed to have fewer side effects. It is important to speak with your doctor before doing so, however, because some herbs can have an adverse reaction with medicines you’re already taking. Natural remedies can have drug interactions which could be dangerous so please keep that in mind before choosing one of these natural anti-depressants.

St. John’s Wort has been used as a natural anti-depressant for centuries in European countries. While there are some studies showing St. John’s Wort to be effective in treating depression, other studies claim the herb to be ineffective. Certain prescription drugs may also interact with St. John’s Wort so you’ll want to check with a doctor before taking this herbal remedy.

You may also want to seek the help of a qualified acupuncturist. Acupuncture uses very tiny needles pushed into the skin at specific points in the body. The Chinese use this method of treatment to control symptoms, treat illnesses and improve a person’s overall health. Tiny needles are placed into the skin and it is believed to help treat symptoms of depression including fatigue, appetite changes and insomnia. It will also help improve a person’s mood.

Many people experience bouts of depression as the weather changes and days shorten. This condition, called Seasonal Affective Disorder, is a form of depression which can be treated by light therapy. This treatment basically uses a specific type of fluorescent light to approximate a sunny day. The added light allows the body to produce the correct amounts of serotonin and melatonin which are required to boost mood and allow for proper sleep patterns in the winter months.

Getting outdoors in direct natural sunlight for at least 15 to 45 minutes a day without sunscreen can also improve a person’s mood and help combat depression. The sun helps the body replenish its level of vitamin D which is necessary to increase the serotonin levels in the brain. Of course, if you can’t get outdoors or use special lighting, you can also use a vitamin D supplement.

Don’t forget that what you eat may affect you depression symptoms. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids are believed to improve the anti-depressive ability of other treatments. Other foods which are believed to affect depression are walnuts, dark chocolate, turkey, Cheddar and Swiss cheese, spinach, whole wheat and citrus fruits. You may also want to change to a natural sweetener such as agave nectar or maple syrup.

Meditation is another natural anti-depressant to consider. There have been a number of medical studies related to meditation and its effect on one’s health. Meditation is believed to help you feel more at peace and release negative thoughts which can plague those with depression.

Many people suffer from depression throughout the year. Not everyone wants to take prescription medications because there are so many side effects. You may want to research the above options. These may be the natural anti-depressant you’re looking for to treat your own symptoms of depression.

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Have you ever been in a situation that brought on sweats, rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath? You probably weren’t having a heart attack but an anxiety attack. If you suffer from anxiety disorders, learning to manage it is the first step to overcoming it.

Anxiety is characterized as extreme reactions to fearful situations. When someone follows you into a dark alley, those anxious feelings of a racing heartbeat and sweaty palms gives way to heightened senses and a rush of adrenalin that can save your life. This is the fight or flight syndrome.

In the case of frequent anxiety, the fearful feelings are dread of a particular situation and not the situation itself. Getting caught in traffic can cause an anxiety attack over what might happen when you get to work late. Starting a new job can bring on anxiety attacks. You don’t know anyone and fear of that unknown can send you into a panic.

Everyone experiences panic or anxiety in small ways. Like the fight or flight example, it can save your life. In new situations, we get panicky but when the outcome we fear fails to materialize, the anxiety stops. For someone with chronic anxiety, this is not the case.

Every situation that brings anxiety is not life-threatening. More than likely it is an extremely stressful situation that has brought on the anxiety as a way of dealing with it. Unchecked anxiety of this type can lead to depression.

If you suffer from anxiety attacks on occasion or a more frequent anxiety disorder, there are steps you can take to keep your anxiety under control.

1. See a professional. This is always a good first step. Self-diagnosis of any type of physical or mental condition is unwise and can be dangerous. A professional psychologist can help you understand your anxiety and prescribe medication or other effective techniques.
2. Get a good night’s sleep. During the sleep cycle, your body repairs itself. You feel more rested after several hours of restorative sleep, reaching the REM stage. Most people need eight hours a night which varies within an hour or two each way.
3. Exercise on a consistent basis. Exercise helps you to use oxygen more efficiently. It helps to get more oxygen to the brain. It also increases focus which may help you see solutions to problems rather than simply worrying about them.
4. Meditate. Meditation is more than chanting mantras. Yoga is an exercise that involves quieting the mind and controlling your breathing. Simple mediation such as taking 5 minutes to clear your mind everyday can work wonders in the fight against anxiety.
5. Manage the worry. When you feel your pulse start to quicken, count backwards from ten. As you count, focus on the situation. What has actually happened? Resist the urge to read anything more into the situation.
6. Don’t use alcohol. You might think that the glass of wine is relaxing your tension but alcohol is a depressant. In anxious situations you could rely too heavily on it and gain another problem in the process.
7. Find some relaxing activities. Stress can rob you of your energy. On a regular basis, do something you like such as gardening, painting, reading or listening to music.

Anxiety can come into your life at any time. It’s normal. When the anxiety becomes frequent you could be at risk for more serious conditions. If you feel your anxiety is starting to take over your life or increasingly causing you problems, seek professional help immediately. There is no need to suffer this terrible condition in silence.

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Stress has always carried a negative connotation. If you are stressed it is often because of a bad situation. But, there are a few times that we are glad for the stress response.

Good instances of stress can be termed, eustress. The prefix “eu-”means “good.” It is a name given to stressful situations that bring about good results.

For instance, let’s say that you are getting ready to make an important speech. All eyes will be on you and you want to do well. The stress accompanying this task causes you to focus on the speech and nothing else. As a result, you practice until you are comfortable with the words and relax to be able to deliver it.

The same goes for a big competition. Your nervousness leads to more intense practice sessions to get you ready. Your pulse quickens but it strengthens your resolve to do your best.

Any time that stress is related to physical activity it produces endorphins. Those who are involved in practices and big sporting competitions reap the reward of good feeling endorphins from the physical exertion. The endorphins make us want more of the same to keep us in that feel good mode.

Have you heard of the fight or flight response? It is what happens when we are scared or confronted by someone who may want to hurt us. Adrenalin is released. Our senses become more acute as the body prepares to hit the ground running or stand and fight.

In those moments, our basic instincts take over and we are primed for the best response in the situation. You hear about extraordinary situations where people have lifted cars off of their loved ones who were hurt in an accident. Or, someone thinks to use their cell phone to call from the trunk of a car when they’ve been kidnapped.

People wonder how someone can think of those things but it is the fight or flight response that occurs when we are in the midst of those harrowing experiences. This response extends to people like hostage negotiators who talk a kidnapper into releasing his hostages or the doctor who is performing emergency surgery to save a person’s life.

Good stressors abound in our lives but often go unnoticed in favor of the unhealthy stress. A dose of good stress can save our lives. Cultivate good stress in your life.

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Handling conflict does not have to be confrontational in the classic sense. When someone mentions an altercation we think of the showdown at the OK Corral. Coming into the meeting ready to fight is not the best way to handle a conflict.

Conflicts can occur at any time. You could be in a grocery store and the cashier may act rude as they ring up your groceries. We’ve all had that happen at least once, right? The first reaction is to slam the money on the counter or to snap back at them. In that instant we have taken their problems as our own and created a stressful situation that changes the tone of the rest of our day.

Here are five tips for handling conflict. They work for coworkers, family members, friends, and even strangers. You never know when the proper response to a conflict could save your life or someone else’s.

1. Think about the situation. We are quick to respond when someone says what we don’t like. Take the time to breathe before responding. In that breath replay the words spoken.
2. Make the hard decision. In many cases, the conflict that arises is not the first of its kind. Harsh or offensive words or deeds could be a recurring theme in the relationship. Decide if this affiliation is worth saving or if it is time to cut the person loose. Leaving the association could result in a lost friendship, a divorce, or changing jobs. Sometimes, for our own sake, these things are better in the long run than staying in a bad relationship.
3. Wait a day. Don’t respond right then. Give yourself time to talk over the situation with a trusted friend. Maybe you overreacted. Sometimes, a third party can see something that you missed in the heat of your anger. In these cases, apologize where necessary. If the consensus is that you were wronged, then bring the matter to the attention of the other person with a level head not a hot one.
4. Find a solution. A common conflict, especially among spouses could result from wanting to make a purchase that there isn’t enough money for. Instead of brooding, come up with favorable solutions that could get you what you want or need. Get a second job to earn the money.
5. Apologize if you were in the wrong. Just because something is true doesn’t mean that it has to be said. Telling someone that they are wearing a dress that is too small for them is not a positive way to help them lose weight. Understand how it could be offensive to them and apologize. Better yet, stop and think before you respond in situations such as these. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes before hand. Part of resolving conflicts is realizing our role in it.

Facing confrontational situations is not easy. But, it is not inevitable and sometimes it has to be done. Learning conflict resolution techniques can alleviate the stress of these situations.

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In reality as wives and mothers, we often think about our children and spouses well before we think about ourselves. Before we know it, we begin to realize is that if we don’t take care of ourselves, we can’t adequately take care of the ones we love. Moms, with the new year here,  it’s time to learn to pamper your inner soul!

Do you even know how to pamper your inner soul? Here are some ideas of things you may want to try:

Take a bubble bath. Set aside an hour one evening or during the weekend. Fill up your bathtub with your favorite bubble bath and soak. Every woman knows that a long, hot bubble bath can soak away the cares of the day. Why not set aside the time and take one soon?

Go for a walk. Exercise can clear your mind and nourish your inner soul. It also does great things for your body. Whether the air is crisp and cool or warm and breezy, going for a leisurely walk can make the difference in how you feel.

Share the love. Nothing pampers your soul like getting the love and attention of your children or spouse. Bear hugs and sticky kisses can make even the worst day seem better.

Splurge and head to a day spa. Talk about being pampered. Go for the full treatment – facial and massage. Why not get the works? Remember that you’re worth the time and money you’ll be spending.

Listen to your favorite music. It has been said that “music soothes the savaged soul.” Pull out your favorite tunes and relax. Add to the fun by singing or dancing along.

Hydrate yourself. Be sure to drink plenty of water. Dehydration can make you feel run down and inhibit clear thinking. Take a few minutes to drink a cold glass of water and you’ll pamper your mind as well as your soul.

Buy yourself a journal. Let out some of the feelings you may have been keeping bottled up inside. Don’t suppress tears if you feel them coming. It’s been said that crying is good for the soul; it may be time to let the tears fall.
While you have your journal out, list three things that you like about yourself. Quite often we’re guilty of not thinking well of ourselves. Take a few minutes and seriously think about things you admire about yourself and write them down.

Reach out and touch someone. Is there a friend you’ve lost touch with? Now would be a great time to reconnect. Talking with an old friend can be good for your soul. Who have you been missing?

Meditate or pray. Meditation and prayer can both be rejuvenating. It can also reach a part of your soul that nothing else will.

You want to be a better wife and mother so you may want to take the time to pamper your inner soul. If you’re relaxed and at ease it will show through in the love you give, the time you spend, and how you make others feel.

Taking care of yourself and your inner soul is especially important during the winter months this can help prevent SAD. I am not saying it will prevent it all together, what I am saying is keeping in your heat and mind your self worth can help you from falling in to depression.

What are some ways that You do to Pamper your Inner Soul?

Thanks for Stopping by

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Stress doesn’t just affect women. Maybe we seem to be more frazzled by it than the other sex, but they experience stress as well. Men also have to learn to deal with stressful situations before they ruin their health.

Where do men get the majority of their stress? It is from their jobs. Men are thought of as the breadwinners in traditional households and it is they who have to shoulder the responsibility of household finances. This doesn’t mean that wives don’t work, but if there is any shortfall, the man is almost always purposed with finding a way to deal with it.

Most men internalize their feelings. Unlike women, men are taught from an early age not to show too much emotion. It is one of the reasons that men have such a hard time in relationships. They equate being strong with absence of outward emotion.

The problem with this philosophy is that stress can still attack the body without our consent. All of that bottled up anger and frustration results in poor health and even poorer choices for coping mechanisms. Many men have high blood pressure. It could be a result of getting older but more often than not it is due to stress-related factors.

High blood pressure can lead to other health problems. Strokes and heart attacks are prevalent in males due to high blood pressure. In the bedroom, stress can result in problems in the sexual arena. No one wants to talk about sexual dysfunctions but they do occur and stress can play a part.

Men gain the majority of their weight in their abdominal region. Stress releases a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol causes the body to hold on to fat like during a famine. Their body preserves the amount of cushion so the body can survive tough times.

We are well out of those tough times now, but cortisol is still produced in stressful situations. People experiencing times of high stress also crave sweet or salty foods due to the rise in cortisol levels. In spite of ourselves we tend to eat too much of the bad stuff when we are stressed.

Men also take up destructive habits such as alcohol, smoking, and gambling. These activities numb the pain of stressful situations but create their own nightmarish reality. A man may never say that he is experiencing stress but his actions will tell the entire story.

Dealing with stress is not just a job for women. Men also experience stress and it is important for them to find healthy ways to handle it. Taking up exercise, a hobby, and learning conflict resolution skills are a few of the ways that men can deal with their stress without turning to less helpful strategies.

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