Holistic Approaches to Treating Depression – Mindfulness, Yoga, and Nutrition

1. Nutrition and Depression

People often talk about ‘good mood food’ when discussing food that can benefit your health and well-being. We know it’s important to eat well, but what is the relationship between food and depression?

Research shows links between good nutritional diets and low levels of depression. For example, a study found that the Mediterranean diet (prioritizing plant-based foods, fruits, and whole grains) had the potential to reduce symptoms of depression. 36% of participants said they experienced far fewer symptoms of depression after eating this diet for several weeks.^[1]

Other research also supports this, showing that a diet rich in fruit, veg, fish, whole grains, antioxidants, low-fat dairy, and olive oil may decrease a person’s risk of depression.^[2] On the flip side of this, diets rich in unhealthy foods can potentially worsen depression symptoms.^[3]

2. Mindfulness for Depression

Sometimes our mind is constantly whirring, so much so that we don’t even realize it’s happening until we feel mentally exhausted. If this is you, then mindfulness can be a great way to help you slow down, breathe, become more aware of what is happening, and accept how things are in the moment.

Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness can reduce symptoms of depression like repetitive negative thoughts or rumination.^[4] What’s more, mindfulness can reduce stress and anxiety, which can feed into depression and worsen your symptoms.^[5]

What’s more, mindfulness-based therapy is shown to be highly effective at helping people notice their negative thoughts, challenge these, and replace them with healthier alternatives. This can reduce the symptoms of depression, even in treatment-resistant depression.^[6]

3. Acupuncture for Depression

Acupuncture is where very thin steel needles are inserted into your body to treat a health issue, including muscle and joint pain and the side effects of cancer treatments.^[7]

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that if the flow of energy through the body becomes blocked or disrupted, you can become unwell and that by inserting needles into specific points on your body, you can restore the energy flow and feel better.

There is little research into acupuncture and its effect on depression. Nevertheless, a meta-analysis of 22 studies found that acupuncture helped relieve depression. However, there were differences between studies relating to the number of treatment sessions that patients received. Overall, the review found a lack of knowledge about the best acupuncture treatment regimen, which means we can only take these findings with a big pinch of salt.^[8]

4. Meditation for Depression

Meditation for depression uses mental and physical techniques to help you focus and clear your mind. This sounds similar to mindfulness, right? While meditation can be a way to develop mindfulness, there are differences. Meditation involves training your attention, focus, and awareness to achieve a mentally clear, emotionally calm, and stable state. Mindfulness, on the other hand, is the awareness that comes from paying attention to the present moment.

Meditation could involve breathing in mindful ways, repeating mantras, progressive muscle relaxation, or walking meditation. As you can see, meditation can be integrated into many everyday activities, which can make it easy to implement into your existing routine.

Research shows meditation makes positive changes in the structure of the brain, which can help with depression.^[9] What’s more, meditation calms the body’s stress system, reducing the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline in the body and triggering the “happy” hormones, such as dopamine. As stress and anxiety can worsen depression symptoms, meditation can indirectly alleviate depression through these avenues.^[10]

5. Exercise and Depression

Exercise can affect more than just your physical fitness, it can also play a part in managing depression. Exercise causes the release of positive chemicals in your body, such as endorphins and dopamine, which make you feel good and give you energy.

The benefit of exercise on depression can be multifaceted. Research shows that exercise can be a healthy distraction, improve your confidence and self-esteem, and increase opportunities for social interaction.^{[11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]}

What’s more, research has shown that exercising on a regular basis can actively reduce symptoms of depression. In fact, one study found that exercise can be as effective at reducing depression symptoms as antidepressant medication. The most effective forms of exercise for depression appear to be walking, jogging, yoga, strength training, and dancing.^[17]

6. Herbal Remedies for Depression

Some people may choose to look to herbal remedies for depression, rather than prescribed medication. One of the herbal remedies most talked about is St John’s Wort, which some claim can help people with mild to moderate depression.

However, it’s important to be wary when it comes to herbal remedies, as the evidence for such approaches is lacking. For example, a meta-analysis reviewed 27 different clinical trials into the use of this remedy for depression, and found that the evidence was limited in terms of long-term safety and effectiveness.

That being said, this herbal remedy may be effective for people with mild depression symptoms. The evidence suggests that St John’s Wort can be comparable to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors short-term.^[18]

7. Yoga for Depression

Yoga has the ability to make you stronger, improve your flexibility, and boost your overall well-being. The spiritual side of yoga encourages you to be compassionate towards yourself and promotes calmness and self-awareness.

Studies show that yoga can be a helpful complementary therapy to depression (alongside medication or therapy) because it encourages you to develop and enhance these qualities, and it can help you to feel less irritable and more relaxed.^[19]

When using yoga for depression, try to stick to a routine. Consistently building yoga into your weeks can have a more significant impact on your depression symptoms.^[20]

8. Therapy for Depression

If any underlying problems may be contributing to your feeling depressed, therapy can be a big help. It can support you to learn coping strategies and find out what triggers strong feelings inside you, which helps to create long-lasting change.^[21] There are a few different types of holistic therapy that can help depression, which we’ll go into a little bit below.