A few years ago, I went to a fasting retreat at the Centre of Tree of Life in Patagonia, Arizona. After only one week of juice fasting and yoga, I witnessed people’s moods change dramatically: Sadness, stress and depression were lifted as my fellow retreaters adopted a healthy and holistic lifestyle.
A fabulous book by Gabriel Cousens reminded me of that week and what I learned about treating mood disorders though lifestyle factors. With winter upon us and with so many people prone to Seasonal Affective Disorder, a kind of depression that strikes during these long dark months, I wanted to take some time to share with you what Cousens, a psychiatrist and family therapist, has to say about preventing or thwarting depression.
Depression-Free for Life offer a drug-free program for alleviating the symptoms of mild to chronic depression by treating the underlying physiological imbalances that are major factors in the disease.
The program aims to restore balance to disrupted biochemical processes by increasing the intake of mood-boosting amino acids, vitamin supplements and essential fatty acids and by developing a diet and lifestyle that promotes physical and mental well-being. Cousens also offers invaluable information on the limitations of antidepressants and how people can break addictions, including alcoholism, eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder.
This is truly a well-worthy read for anyone who has battled with depression or who knows of someone who has. The book is available at Amazon.com for about $12.
