Depression

 Depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of loss, anger, sadness, or frustration interfere with everyday life .

                  Causes of Depression : Depression seems to be related to a chemical imbalance in the brain that makes it hard for the cells to communicate with one another. It also seems to be genetic (to run in families). It is caused by Sleep disturbances, Amount of exposure to light, Heredity, Nutritional deficiencies or Serious medical conditions, such as heart attack or cancer.

Depression Symptoms : Sadness, Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, Difficulty in Concentrating, Difficulty in making decisions, Crying easily or Crying for no reason, Aches and pains (such as recurrent headaches), Sexual problems (for example, decreased sex drive), A change in appetite causing weight loss or gain, Thoughts of death or suicide.

Depression Prevention : Using mind/body techniques, such as biofeedback, and meditation are effective ways to prevent or reduce symptoms associated with depression, Adequate sleep, regular exercise, and a balanced healthy diet may help prevent depression and diminish symptoms of this mood disorder.

Diet and Lifestyle : Avoid coffee, sugar, alcohol, dairy products: Depression has been associated with a high intake of caffeine. If you drink four or more cups of caffeine in a given day, try substituting decaffeinated coffee and soft drinks. Avoid any processed food, artificial colors, stimulant food, canned foods, smoking, dairy products, meats, eggs, and fish. Limit your total daily fat intake to 30 percent of your total calories. Try not to consume more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day, Vitamin B1 is necessary for the brain to metabolize carbohydrates. A deficiency of B1 can result in fatigue, irritability, memory lapses, insomnia, loss of appetite, and stomach upset. Don't believe all of your negative thinking. Avoid drugs and alcohol. Both make depression worse. Avoid making big life decisions when you're depressed.                                                                   ”siddhars way of yoga and meditation certainy help to reduce depression’’.

- Dr. S. Senthil Karunakaran