We’ve all experienced “the blues.” Feeling sad often follows a stressful event or a loss, but eventually, we bounce back and feel like ourselves again. So what are your options when that bounce-back doesn’t happen — when you just can’t seem to feel better?
Depression that interferes with your ability to work, sleep, eat, or enjoy things you used to love is more common than most people realize, and it’s become more common still. Recent data shows about 18 percent of U.S. adults currently have depression or are being treated for it — a historic high, and a 60 percent increase over the past decade. Women are affected at meaningfully higher rates than men, and young adults between 18 and 29 now have the highest rates of any age group. We call this a depressive disorder.
What’s Actually Driving It
Depression can be genetic, but low mood can also stem from nutritional gaps, underlying metabolic issues, or lifestyle habits. If you’re depressed, it’s essential to review your full symptom picture with a doctor you trust. Sometimes there are contributing factors that are surprisingly straightforward to treat — iron or vitamin D deficiency, for example.
Neurotransmitter Testing
You can also request a neurotransmitter test. This non-invasive test measures the levels of different neurotransmitters in your nervous system — the chemical messengers that tell your body how to move, breathe, and feel. Since neurotransmitters are directly tied to mood, it helps to know which ones are running high and which are running low. Serotonin, for instance, contributes heavily to feelings of happiness and well-being, which is why SSRIs (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and similar medications) work by increasing the amount of serotonin available in your system.
That’s one approach to low serotonin, but diet, lifestyle, and targeted supplements can shift serotonin levels too. And what if serotonin isn’t actually your problem? This test can measure up to twelve different neurotransmitters tied to mood, which makes it a genuinely useful starting point, especially if certain supplements or medications haven’t worked for you in the past.
Naturopathic Mood Support, With or Without Testing
Even without testing, there’s a lot of naturopathic support available. Here are a few of my favorite baseline recommendations:
Move your body. This doesn’t mean hours at the gym. A simple 5-minute stretching routine can boost circulation, stimulate lymphatic flow, and support toxin removal. Short 60-second bursts of movement — running up the stairs, jumping on a rebounder — flood your system with endorphins, which help lift mood. Research consistently shows that just 30 minutes of walking a day can meaningfully improve mild to moderate depressive symptoms.
Find your food triggers (hint: they’re usually the foods you crave most). If you’re regularly eating something your body doesn’t tolerate well, there’s a real chance it’s affecting your mood. Sugar, gluten, starches, caffeine, and dairy are common culprits behind anxiety and low mood. I can design an elimination and re-challenge diet with you to pinpoint exactly which foods are making you feel worse.
Talk to someone. Working with a counselor, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional can do wonders for your mental and emotional health. Research shows cognitive behavioral therapy can be as effective as medication for many people, even in more severe cases of depression, though combining therapy with medication is often considered the strongest approach for moderate to severe depression.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of depression, or you’re curious about neurotransmitter testing, please reach out. I’d love to work with you.
If you’re having thoughts of harming yourself, please don’t wait — contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) for immediate support.
— Dr. Faith Christensen