According to a recent article in CNN Health, there are some 30 to 50 million Americans taking psychiatric drugs and a growing number of those are for treating depression.
The "sad" but statistically sure skyrocketing rates of these medicine taking patients are not all becoming "happy" and well after taking them, however.
As researchers are finding out, the majority of those taking anti-depressants are not beaming with joy.
Actually, in a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, only one-third of patients achieved remission of depressive symptoms, defined as becoming symptom-free.
The downfalls of relying heavily on happy "normalizing " pills for comfort is this: it does not prevent any of the psychiatric illnesses, they do not build resilience and they certainly do not teach coping strategies or foster organic wellness, claims CNN Health.
I talk about seeking the root cause of chronic disease, illness, and symptoms to my patients and clients. People want to reach their happy place and feel good.
The sustainable answer to optimum wellness and to feeling good (consistently) is always found by symptomatic searching for the overworked, weak foundation and source of pain and discomfort when our body tells us that they are in distress.
From a holistic viewpoint, no amount of artificial drug will be able to find that root cause of pain, patch it up for good and send you on your merry way without dangerous and toxic side effects.
Prescription drugs may help some people deal with surface pain and relieve emotional and physical discomfort, but for longevity and a way of life, the best is to seek natural and alternative routes, such as meditation, yoga, body movement (exercising) and vibing and deep breathing.
Draw a line for yourself and make a commitment that drugs and surgery are out of the picture. There are really effective, low-cost, good-for-you-self-loving-techniques out there.
Duke University researchers found that practicing yoga consistently holds tangible benefits for disorders ranging from sleep complaints and ADHD to schizophrenia and depression, though evidence for yoga's effect on eating disorders and cognition problems was either conflicting or lacking.
Scientists have cited evidence that the practice of yoga may affect the human body in ways similar to antidepressants and psychotherapy.
One study of biomarkers, for example, found that yoga influences brain chemicals by boosting serotonin levels, lowers inflammation, reduces oxidative stress and exerts a positive influence on other key elements of the human body that play a role in mental health.
If you can only do one yoga move, I recommend the downward dog.
Studies have shown that this simple move is big enough to circulate blood and oxygen throughout the body more efficiently, slow the heart rate, stretch most of the major muscles and help with concentration and mental well-being when performed with deep, intentional breathing.
Though there are so many different types of meditation one can practice, only transcendental meditation (TM), or Vedic meditation, stands out.
This has been scientifically backed by hundreds of scientific studies and more than 200 independent universities and research institutions worldwide in the past 40 years, to:
❈ decrease stress and stress-related disorders
❈ reduce substance abuse
❈ increase intelligence
❈ increase learning ability
❈ improve memory
❈ improve academic performance
❈ improve standardized test scores.
Benefits for teachers include decreased stress and stress-related disorders, decreased anxiety, reduced substance abuse, increased creativity, improved job satisfaction, improved interpersonal relationships, and reduced health care utilization and costs.
You can even go outside and practice meditation by the beach, in the woods, in Mother Nature (after a nice refreshing and sunny walk). For more information, visit: greentreemeditation.com
Vibing is a rather new age way of healing the body through standing or laying down on a vibrating plate that uses “electromagnetic radio wave vibration energy.
It’s basically a Chi device. It breaks down blockages in the meridians. It centers you and lets your body heal itself.
The purpose of the vibe machines is not only to bring people back to a neutral frequency but also to break down blockages in the body, free radicals and begin the healing process from asthma all the way to cancer.
The vibe machine stands for "Vibrational Integrated Biophotonic Energizer" and though it is not blessed by the FDA, a tiny notion in the grand scheme of all things good for mankind, in scientific research, consistently, subjects had a higher than 50 percent decrease in depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as an improvement in pulmonary, concentration and lung function.
Each one of us takes about 20,000 breaths a day, but mindful, deep breathing is very different from shallow breathing, which is linked to stress, sub-par mental performance, fatigue and increased risk of heart disease.
Deep breathing allows people to release tension and anxiety, improve physical and mental wellness and raise the happiness level.
It raises levels of oxygen in our blood and presents a wide range of benefits for our health.
You can reverse your body's natural reaction to stressful situations by practicing deep breathing exercises.
✽ Allow yourself to be free of distractions for at least ten minutes
✽ Inhale for 6 seconds (belly will rise first and fill your chest second)
✽ Hold your breath for a count of 18
✽ Exhale for 12 seconds
✽ Repeat at least 10 times - twice a day
✽ Watch how you feel
When you breathe slowly and consciously, your body reacts in many positive ways. Without oxygen, there is no life. It is a key element of life force and an invaluable aid to peak performance, life extension, and perfect health.
Additional resources: sciencedaily.com, drweil.com, livestrong.com, CNNhealth.com, naturalnews.com, greentreemeditation.com, scienceblogs.com
