You probably won’t be surprised to hear that rates of depression are skyrocketing…

You or a loved one may currently be experiencing depression and really struggling to get a handle on it.

But you might be surprised to learn that…

Depression rates are higher now than in early 2020 when everything was so uncertain.

Why are depression rates still so high? And more importantly, what can we do about it?

First, let’s look at What Really Causes Depression…… (read them all, there are a few surprises for you)

We all know that sad and stressful circumstances can cause not just a temporary feeling of sadness, but longer-term depression.

That means that even though the stressful circumstance might resolve, you still feel bad. Why does this happen?
It’s more complex than I can explain here, but I’ll outline some key factors you should be aware of.

1. Unresolved Trauma- this is a leading cause of both depression and anxiety. I had unresolved childhood trauma that went misdiagnosed for years, causing me a whole host of health issues and anxiety. Once I began to learn tools to work with my unconscious mind, old conditioning (learned beliefs and behaviors), coping strategies, and biochemical reactions to stress, things resolved. I’m living proof that you can completely heal from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)

Here are a few modalities that helped me and others I’ve worked with. Some had trauma, others did not.

  • Acupuncture and Asian medicine with a trauma-informed practitioner
  • Advanced CranioSacral Therapy and SomatoEmotional Release (releasing cell memory and trauma from your tissues)
  • Neural therapy and IVs with procaine (can be a complete reset to your nervous system… ask me more or come to see me and I’ll show you)
  • Family Constellation work
  • Deconditioning exercises work to bring awareness to the unconscious strategies and beliefs that keep you stuck and suffering
  • EMDR (has worked for some and not others, so try it out with a well-trained practitioner)
  • Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM), find a trained practitioner, I love the MEND unit and am using it with myself and my patients.
  • MDMA and Psylocibin facilitated psychotherapy: absolutely effective and life-changing with the right team of trained professionals
  • Psychosomatic Therapy: body, face, hand, and foot reading with detailed structural/postural adjustments to realign your body and life
  • Internal Family Systems work
  • Holotropic Breathwork and other guided breathwork with well-trained professionals
  • Integration after any of these or other modalities! I mean weeks to months of integration after every single session!
  • Near Infrared Technology Helmet (please work with a trained professional)-super cool for working with parts of the brain, down-regulating the sympathetic nervous system response, good for sleep, and deep states of meditation, and enhancing mood and function.

There are certainly more, but the list above is a great start for you.

2. Inflammation: Research suggests that one major driver of depression is actually inflammation.

  • A leading theory is that ongoing stress leads to the ongoing release of inflammatory compounds like cortisol…
  • Further, that inflammation can cause imbalances in hormones that effect your mood such as serotonin and dopamine. Unfortunately, even if the original stress resolves, those hormones remain out of balance and this can lead to prolonged depression.
    The research shows that those with depression have higher levels of inflammatory markers and that high levels of inflammation can actually predict future depression in kids and adults.
  • Not only does stress cause inflammation but the foods you eat (or avoid), the water and air you drink and breathe, the relationships you have, and the chemicals in your environment (pesticides on foods, toxins in body care products and perfumes, toxic cleaning products etc), and excipients in supplements, pharmaceuticals, and vaccines.

You may be thinking that Antidepressants are the answer, but sadly, they Totally Miss the Mark!

Here’s why……Most antidepressant drugs work by attempting to raise or lower levels of mood hormones like dopamine and serotonin in the brain.
But that does nothing to address the inflammation that researchers think could be at the root of the imbalance in neurotransmitters.
It also doesn’t address the gut, which makes more serotonin than your brain.

That’s why, for many people, antidepressants are at best a bandaid – and at worst, cause of some really awful side effects. I’ve personally seen this with my own parents and patients.

3. High levels of heavy metals, such as Mercury in your system. Yep, that’s right, this is linked with long-term depression. So those silver fillings in your teeth, all that tuna you’ve eaten (even tuna sushi), the air you’ve breathed in various cities such as Chicago (super high content of Mercury in the Air!), other larger fish you’ve eaten (these larger fish accumulate more Mercury than the tiny fish like sardines and anchovies), likely some of the water you’ve had over your life, and that broken thermometer you may have played with as a child.

First, identify all the places you may have gotten or are currently exposed to heavy metals, especially Mercury.

Secondly, remove it from your body, home, and life. If you need specific support, please reach out. Detoxing from Mercury is no small feat and requires a trained professional to guide you. Don’t just take a tincture of cilantro, this is dangerous!

4. Structural issues: Your neck could be holding the key to unlocking depression for good!

The Upledger Institute conducted a study that showed every single person that they worked with in the clinical study, who had diagnosed depression, also had a significant compression between their occiput (base of your skull), and the first cervical vertebrae. And once that compression was completely dealt with, which may also mean working on other parts of the head, neck, and body), the depression was gone.

They were using advanced craniosacral therapy to gently allow a permanent release of those compressed bones. Often there had been a birth trauma (C-section, forceps delivery, long labor etc), a whiplash, a fall down the stairs, or even just regular childhood injuries that caused the compression.

5. Your Gut is Your Second Brain.

The reason many people experience depression is because their gut is unhealthy. The Microbiome aka The Garden in your Gut, should have the right balance of healthy bacteria. This actually impacts your mood, neurotransmitter production, immune system function, food cravings, weight gain/release, energy levels, and so much more.

Consider reading my first book on healing the gut called Holistic Keto for Gut Health; A Program for Resetting Your Metabolism.

There are “mood foods” that you can eat between meals that have been shown to enhance mood. I have a list in my book above.

Ways to Naturally Boost Mood

1. Exercise – It may seem simple, but it works. Getting your heart rate up there, releases “feel-good” neurotransmitters and hormones and can help you work with depression as you get to the root of the issue.

2. Use food as medicine-avoid, processed foods and gluten, dairy, soy, corn, and sugar. These are generally the biggest offenders. Include plenty of healthy organic protein, veggies, and low-sugar fruits such as berries and apples.

Hint: a few mood foods to eat in between meals: 6 Brazil nuts, or a small can of wild sardines (I love them with bones so I get added calcium, and the mustard or olive oil are my fav),

3. Reduce inflammation. Researchers found that a compound called curcumin in organic turmeric, when compared to Prozac, was found to have a similar effect! And it even improved the benefits of Prozan when the two were taken together.

If you want to see what turmeric can do for you, make sure you’re choosing a super high-quality source.

Turmeric is notorious for being poorly absorbed… but the real problem is low-quality supplements that ignore what we know about turmeric and skip critical steps in formulation! It also must be combined with black pepper to make it effective.
Be an informed consumer and do your homework!

4. Take Omega 3 Fatty Acids – Researchers compared a daily dose of brain-supporting Omega-3 fatty acids vs the antidepressant fluoxetine (better known as Prozac). They found that 1,000 mg of the Omega-3 EPA was equally as effective as the antidepressant.

They also found that when 1,000 mg of EPA was given with fluoxetine, patients had better results and even needed less of the drug.

If you’ve tried everything….. there may be something “blocking” your progress. I’m passionate about finding those blocks to healing and empowering you to resolve them quickly.

I won’t cut corners for something as serious as your mental health.

Please consider reaching out to chat. I’d love to offer you a Complimentary Optimal Wellness Consultation to see if I can help.

Take Care of Your Brain!

We get one go at this life, and only one brain to carry us through. I hope these natural mood boosters can help you take care of yours!

Blessings of Vibrant Health,
Kristin Grayce

Blessings of Vibrant Health,
Kristin Grayce