MENTAL HEALTH
A GUIDE ON CLINICALLY TESTED METHODS THAT HELP
You're not alone and there is a way out!
MJ RENSHAW
PAGE 1 MENTAL HEALTH
WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
Please note depression is a real medical condition. Please work with a doctor always. If you are having
suicidal thoughts then reach out to someone.
Text START to 741741 for Canada suicide hotline.
1-800-273-8255 for US.
The DSM-5 (the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders) lays out the
diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive
Disorder (MDD) like this (more or less):Five
(or more) of the following symptoms have
to be present for a consecutive 2-week
period. At least one of these has to be
“depressed mood” or “loss of interest or
pleasure”:
Depressed mood (i.e., sad, empty,
hopeless)
Diminished of pleasure in all (or almost
all) activities
Change in weight more than 5% in one
month when not dieting Depression isn't ever black or white and tends to show up
Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every differently in everyone's lives since every body is different. We
day don't know the root cause but there are speculations that it
Psychomotor changes (slowed down or could be inflammation related, neurotransmitter related, be the
sped up) – must be observed by others result of unprocessed trauma, be the result of a brain injury
Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every (impact or toxin such as heavy metal or mold), or nutrient
day deficiencies.
Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or
inappropriate guilt nearly every day There are many different causes but the good news is there are
Diminished ability to think or many different options that can provide help!
concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly
every day Please keep in mind that there is nothing wrong with taking a
Recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal pharmaceutical. They do have side-effects but it is better to
thoughts, or suicidal attempts have help then no help.
PAGE 2 MENTAL HEALTH
COVER THE BASICS
1 G O O D M E A L
1 M I N D F U L N E S S H O U R
1 B I T O F M O V E M E N T
NUTRIENTS
D A I L Y
Food plays a huge role in how we think, feel, and process emotions. There is no one diet that works best, but there
are foods the help and food that don't help. You never need to be super strict because sometimes eating the french
fries can help us feel better then the stress of not eating them. In general here are the things to avoid: high PUFA oil
(canola, sunflower, safflower, margarine, etc.), excessive amounts of refined sugar (small amounts might be ok!, We're
all different), or gluten (again, might be okay, but we're all different).
Things to add in are: omega-3 rich foods, lots of vegetable variety, herbs, minerals, and lots of fibre for your bacteria
(they help with your mood!).
MINDFULNESS
This can be meditation but also could be lots of
other things too! Anything that brings you into the
present moment and makes you feel happy and
calm. If you struggle with meditation then try
hypnosis (great app called HelloMind), a hobby like
playing an instrument or painting, singing and
dancing, or even cleaning. All of these take focus and
this can help our brains a lot.
MOVEMENT
Exercise naturally increase BDNF, a compound that
increases the production of new neurons and neuronal
connectivity. This is likely just one of the ways exercise
reduces stress and improves depressive symptoms. There’s
plenty of evidence that running and lifting can help
alleviate anxiety and depressive symptoms. Some
forward-thinking doctors are even prescribing exercise
instead of antidepressants, taking into account the poor FUN FACT: When you move, your muscles produce
risk-to-benefit in patients with mild depression. In other something called the "hope molecule" which actually helps
words, exercise is more effective and safer, at least for us feel more hopeful!
people with mild depression.
PAGE 3 MENTAL HEALTH
TAKE CARE
B O D I E S A R E N O T M A C H I N E S
GUT
EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT
Some people might take up meditation and feel better while some people might need more. We are all built
differently in terms of our genetics and also in terms of our life experiences. It's okay to need more help than
someone else.
TRY THERAPY TRY TECHNOLOGY
I love Betterhelp.com because it is accessible, asks
your a quiz to pair you up with someone, and it's Apollo Neuro helps you feel calm.
easy to use. You also have a place to chat with
someone if you need to. Muse Headband makes meditation easy.
TRY MICRODOSING Red Light Therapy has been shown to help with
depression.
Sero is a Canadian company that offers great
microdosing options and studies have shown this to
Infrared Sauna has been shown to help with depression.
be beneficial for depression.
PAGE 4 MENTAL HEALTH
HABITS THAT HELP
THINGS TO ADD INTO DAY
Text or call one person and give them a compliment.
Make your bed and tidy your room.
Drink a glass of water.
Make yourself a good breakfast.
Start a gratitude journal. This will train your brain to start looking for the good stuff.
Be honest with your friends and family. This will help you feel less alone.
Suicidal thoughts are a coping mechanism for the nervous system that gets too
overwhelmed. It's common, and means you need to help your nervous system cope.
It's okay to need time away from things or people that make it worse.
Alcohol makes it worse. It can be relaxing in the moment but overall will make you more
anxious and sad.
Go outside for a walk everyday if you can.
Shower, wash your face, and brush your teeth. Grooming and taking care of yourself feels
good.
Watch TV or read books that make you feel good.
PAGE 5 MENTAL HEALTH
REMEMBER...
Y O U ' R E H E R E F O R A R E A S O N
PAGE 6 MENTAL HEALTH
ACTIVITIES
COLD IMMERSION
Trust me, it sounds terrible but you will feel
ALIVE after and it also makes your hair look
cute.
After a regular shower, put the water to cold
and see how long you can keep it on your
back, chest, and face. Work your way up!
I promise you it becomes addictive--it feels
that good.
CONNECTION WITH OTHERS
Humans are social. You may feel like you want
to isolate and not reach out but TRUST ME it
will always help. Just simply go through your
contacts and text a someone every day. Let
them know you're thinking about them, that
BREATHWORK you appreciate them, or recall a time that they
made you laugh.
Practicing breathing sounds simple but has profound effects on our Life is the best because of other people.
physiology! Just doing 5 second in and 5 second out can change
someone's heart rate variability by a lot! When we have a higher HRV it Keep them close.
means that we are in a more parasympathetic state so that our body can
heal what needs to be healed.
PAGE 7 MENTAL HEALTH
SUPPLEMENTS
Y U M
SAMe OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) is a compound These fats are important for neurological
made naturally by the body. An artificial form of the development and growth. However, the human
compound can also be made in a laboratory setting. body can’t make omega-3s on its own. It are best
found in supplements or oily fish like mackerel.
In your body, SAMe plays a role in many important
functions. In the brain, for example, SAMe helps VITAMIN D
produce serotonin, melatonin, and dopamine.
Most of us don't get enough. Especially if you don't
Serotonin is an important chemical and
live near the equator.
neurotransmitter. Neurotransmitters help carry
signals through your brain and into your body. PROBIOTIC
GABA A happy tummy means a happy brain. You can get
this from fermented foods like kimchi and kefir, or in
GABA helps with neurological function and can be a
a supplement form.
great option if you also feel anxious.
WE CAN DO IT!
IT'S NORMAL TO STRUGGLE RIGHT NOW. THE WORLD IS A
WILD AND WEIRD PLACE TO LIVE.
DON'T DO IT ALONE. ALWAYS WORK WITH A DOCTOR OR
SOMEONE YOU TRUST.
YOU BODY CAN HEAL, AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG
WITH YOU.
Please don't hesitate to email me at
meganjanerenshaw@gmail.com if you have questions!
*There will be lots of typos in this workbook, don't stress!
Mistakes are okay!!!
