For the past decade, I have used light therapy first thing every morning—either my UV therapy light or a morning walk outdoors without sunglasses.
I have also intentionally exercised most every morning too.
Addiction and depression go hand in hand.
I do everything I can to stay out of both, because both hijack God’s best for my life.
And let me be honest, throughout the winter months I have to fight twice as hard to exercise and do the things that come so naturally to me the rest of the year.
I’m sharing this because depression and addiction are real. I encounter many who struggle with both—it’s not just me.
We need to remove the stigma of mental illness. The brain is an organ. It can become sick just like every other organ of the body. And, it is not a moral or a spiritual issue, it is a health issue.
A few years ago, I attended The Gathering on Mental Health and the Church hosted by Saddleback Church in California. They brought in experts from all over the country to speak. I learned that 5-20% of the US population get the flu in any given year. . .and 26% experience some degree of mental illness. (Of those 26%, 1 out of 20 become disabled by the illness.)
As a proponent of freedom from food addiction, I’m equally a proponent of freedom from depression, because they are entwined.
Achieve a healthier body and the mind becomes healthier, which in turn fuels a healthier body. . .
It doesn’t need to be a complicated process; nor does it need to be cloaked in shame.
Dr. Fuhrman has some pretty basic tips for the treating depression naturally in his online library. That’s a good place to start.
And, the Apostle Paul has some pretty basic tips too: “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8) Those wise words are beneficial too!
Counseling by a licensed and skilled professional, meditation, journaling, prayer support, a loving and supportive community, quality sleep hygiene, and the good ole fresh air are all beneficial too!
If you are struggling, reach out to someone you trust.
Don’t isolate, because isolation will only make it worse.
Here’s to living in the best health that’s possible!
Emily Boller, artist, mother, and author of Starved to Obesity, lost 100 pounds more than fifteen years ago by eating an abundance of high-nutrient, plant-rich foods. Today, she’s certified in whole plant nutrition from the Nutritarian Education Institute. She’s on a mission to combine practical, no-nonsense and cost-effective tips—with easy to understand science—in order to help anyone escape the addictive grip of the Standard American Diet. And now, she’s on a mission to bring awareness to the suffocating and potentially deadly trap of eating disorders as well.