Depression And Weight Gain

Two simple but effective strategies to beat
depression and weight gain

There’s a definite link between depression and weight gain.

I know because I personally lived with BOTH for many years...however I discovered two simple strategies that worked to relieve BOTH problems.

Read on...

So, does depression cause belly fat?

Personally, I felt depressed and sad for no real reason some days so I ate to medicate myself and inevitably, I gained no less than 25 pounds.

And no doubt it seems to be a real trend that we’re seeing more and more of these days as our lives become faster and the demands on our emotional and physical well being can become overwhelming.

Antidepressants and Weight Loss

Depression and weight gain is increasing exponentially these days because doctors are prescribing antidepressants for mid to moderate depression more often.

My research shows that antidepressants and weight loss almost seem like a contradiction.

Did you know that antidepressants can also cause weight gain and can actually increase belly fat?

The jury is still out amongst the medical experts as to the effectiveness (or not) of antidepressants to treat depression and stress. However, one interesting connection they have made (and most agree on) is that their recent research shows that one (amongst others) of the side effects of using antidepressants long term is weight gain.

That’s NOT good news if you’re already struggling with belly fat loss.

Long term use of antidepressant drugs can create a vicious hormonal cycle.

Apparently, the chemicals released in antidepressants increase serotonin levels (the “feel good” hormone) in the body.

Now while this sudden surge of serotonin does in fact make you feel better in the short term, it's wreaking hormone havoc inside you in the long term.

I found a far more natural and safe solution you’ll soon discover if you keep reading.

Here’s what’s actually happening -

In the simplest way I can explain it, our body is a wonderfully intricate machine and it aims to ALWAYS maintain homeostasis or internal balance.

So when the brain and body now perceives higher than normal serotonin levels (created by the antidepressants), its natural response is to release extra cortisol and adrenaline hormones in an effort to “offset” the perceived imbalance.

Cortisol and adrenaline are stress hormones.

Studies show that people who are in a state of constant stress – in other words they’re constantly in “fight or flight” mode – naturally secrete higher levels of cortisol and adrenaline.

And cortisol and adrenaline have been intricately linked to encouraging the storage of excess belly fat, especially toxic visceral fat.

It’s also no secret that one of the other side effects of antidepressants is often an increase in appetite ...which in turn leads to even more dreaded belly fat storage.

Furthermore in the long term, a constant stream of excess cortisol and adrenaline in our body can also cause high blood sugar (a precursor to diabetes), memory loss and bone density loss; it can also be a significant stress on adrenal function and can cause adrenal fatigue over time.

Natural Remedies for Depression and Weight Gain

The easiest and perhaps most overlooked benefit of exercising regularly is that it’s a natural mood lifter.

Yes, exercise for depression is really effective!

In fact exercise is one of the best known natural ways to relieve stress, tension and mid to moderate depression and to lift your mood.

Exercise releases natural “feel good” endorphins into your body that have a natural calming effect.

For many, exercise can be a far healthier alternative to taking antidepressant pills. In fact those mood lifting endorphins kick in within 10 minutes as you begin to exercise!

How’s that for a fast acting natural remedy?

Numerous studies have clearly shown that doing only 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day (that could be something as simple as a brisk half hour walk daily) is far more effective in relieving stress and lifting depression than antidepressant drugs.

Just to be clear, I’m not advocating that you suddenly stop taking antidepressants “cold turkey” if you’ve been taking them for some time as there are some seriously dangerous side effects with doing that. Always consult with your doctor first.

What I AM advocating is that you introduce some sort of physical activity into you daily routine each day for at least half an hour.

Hormones, Depression and Weight Gain

One of the causes of depression, irritability and anxiety are low serotonin production and fluctuating hormones, causing hormone imbalance, and more importantly, a decrease in estrogen production during peri-menopause and into menopause.

A menopause natural supplement can help with achieving that much needed hormonal balance and natural herbal supplements for depression can be extremely effective for addressing symptoms of depression during menopause.

How I Finally Won The Depression and Weight Gain Battle

I followed this particular protocol to successfully treat my weight gain, depression and menopause symptoms:

1) I began taking Total Balance Women’s (a high quality menopause nutritional supplement) plus a daily Omega-3/DHA Fish Oil (one of the most beneficial fats that actually helps you burn fat) and added Neuro-Natural Serenity (one of the best depression supplements I know of) to treat my symptoms of depression.

Yes, ladies...it worked exceptionally well and within a week or two I felt better both physically and mentally than I had in years.

Nutritional supplements have been well proven and documented as being extremely helpful for both depression and weight loss.

In fact in a recent study on the effects of multivitamin and mineral supplementation on weight loss that was published in the International Journal of Obesity, research clearly showed that women who took daily nutritional supplements had significantly lower body mass index, lower body weight and less body fat.

When your body is supplied with important nutrients, weight loss requires far less effort. Of course diet and weight loss industry doesn’t want women to know this. It’s one of their best kept secrets, ladies!

It’s also the reason I recommend natural nutritional supplements from Xtend Life Natural Products. They’re effective and they work and if you’re not fully convinced, they’ll give you your money back.

Depression and weight gain CAN be treated nutritionally.

2) I introduced daily exercise regime into my life.

I made exercising a daily habit…some days more, other days less, but I made a point to be active each day.

As a result my depression virtually disappeared and I was able to avoid taking harmful antidepressant drugs that only encouraged more weight gain….and brought on more depression because I felt so bad about the way I looked!

Making these 2 simple but effective changes can literally destroy the depression and weight gain cycle that plagues so many otherwise healthy women today.

Trust me, they can work for you too as I've seen the results in many other women as well!

Depression and weight gain can be avoided.

Begin by taking a good quality natural menopause supplement and carving out just 30 minutes each day for a brisk walk – you’ll soon notice the difference.

Antidepressants and Weight Loss

Depression and weight gain is problem for many women. In fact antidepressants and weight loss studies show that one in four women gain 10 pounds or more with the use of antidepressants.

Effective Ways To Deal to Deal With Depression During Menopause

About 8 - 15% of women experience depression during menopause. Here’s some effective ways to help you deal with the symptoms of menopause and depression.

Nutritional Supplements for Menopause and Depression

My take on the best nutritional supplements for effectively treating depression during menopause.

Return to Belly Fat Blues Home from Depression and Weight Gain

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