The following article was kindly written and contributed by Lewis Robinson

The celebrity suicides of Chester Bennington (lead singer of Linkin Park), Anthony Bourdain, and Kate Spade have highlighted the prevalence of depression and overall mental health. Even with the stigma around these topics, more celebrities such as Jim Carrey and Lady Gaga are speaking out. However, mental health issues aren’t just limited to celebrities – they are much more widespread than most people believe.

According to the CDC, the use of antidepressants has grown by more than 65 percent between the years of 1999 and 2014. Research has shown that some of the main triggers for depression include chronic stress from chronic pain and health issues. While this is true, there are several natural ways you can help combat depression and improve your mental health. Keep reading to learn what those methods are.

Proper Nutrition and Diet

Modifying the foods you eat will have significant effects on your mental and overall health. Particularly, a healthy diet can help to regulate levels of anxiety. According to experts, it’s a good idea that you try to avoid eating too many processed or sugary foods, along with alcohol and caffeine.

Also, more and more doctors are starting to recognise the role that bacteria in your gut can have on overall mental health. A healthy diet that includes various probiotic foods, such as kefir and yogurt will help to promote a good balance of bacteria in the gut. In many cases, taking a pre- and a probiotic can be beneficial, too.

Supplements and Botanicals

It’s a good idea to use certain herbal supplements and botanicals to treat certain ailments, such as depression. There are some herbs that have been proven effective in managing and treating depression.

Some of the herbs and supplements to consider adding to your routine include St. John’s Wort extract, eleuthero herb, and Kava Kava extract. It’s important to discuss any new supplements of botanicals with your doctor to ensure they don’t interact with any prescriptions that you are taking.

Massage Therapy

When you reduce your oxygen consumption, blood pressure, and reduced heart rate, massage therapy can help to reduce cases of both anxiety and stress.

You don’t have to undergo a massage for over an hour to get these benefits. According to several studies, the psychological and physiological changes took place after just 10 to 15 minutes. Regardless of how busy you may be, you can take time to use this method to de-stress and improve your mental health.

Meditation

Meditation is a type of relaxation technique that has been used for several years. Doing this just 10 minutes per day is a great way to combat an array of mental issues. Meditation can help to improve psychological stresses, including pain, depression, and anxiety. With this in mind, it is really no surprise that meditation is now becoming a more popular option with individuals, as well as doctors and other healthcare professionals.

There are more than a few types of meditation options to choose from. This means that you can find the option that will best help you relieve stress.

Acupuncture

Research has shown time and time again that acupuncture can help to improve a person’s well-being and help to stimulate the healing process of the body. In fact, people who suffer from depression can benefit from acupuncture just like they would from therapy sessions with a counselor. In fact, a recent study showed that one out of three patients who opted to use acupuncture for up to three months was no longer suffering from cases of depression.

Try a Combination of Methods for the Best Effects

If you want to improve your mental health, there are more than a few natural strategies that you can use. Be sure to keep the information here in mind to achieve the best possible results and have the best chance of overcoming depression and other mental problems. This is a long-term option for improving mental health.