Depression is a growing health concern, and chances are that you or someone you know has experienced it. This condition impacts everyone differently, with symptoms ranging from mild sadness to deep, debilitating lows. If you've been searching for alternatives to conventional medicine, you might be wondering what the naturopathic approach to depression treatment is.
While medication can be helpful for managing severe symptoms, lasting change often comes from intentional lifestyle adjustments that target underlying causes.
As a naturopathic physician (ND), I consider lifestyle to be absolutely paramount in establishing and maintaining good health, especially your mental health. Most NDs would agree with me, but I take things a step further and work in-depth to evaluate your lifestyle by examining your psychological state. I find that these two are closely related.
My five pillar approach to depression focuses on the most important lifestyle habits that influence your mental health. They are evidence-based yet also very much in step with early naturopathic philosophy, which emphasized clean living, positive attitude, and the importance of the basic health concepts. These days everyone is quick to grab a supplement or medicine to help them, but establishing solid foundations in health is far more important.
Dr. Pistoia's Five Pillar Natural Approach To Depression Treatment
None of the five pillars are complicated or difficult to understand. These pillars are not so much about understanding as they are about enacting. Acquiring the right knowledge is one part of health, but by far, the most difficult part is routinely implementing your knowledge. In other words, you have to strive to build healthy habits into your lifestyle.
If you're depressed or seeking improvement in your mental health, my 5-pillar approach teaches you which habits in particular to focus on.
After some time working with patients to help them understand these habits, I decided to create a 5-week interactive group workshop called Foundations of Joy, to help them build the foundations of health into their daily practices and identify sticking points preventing them from doing so.
Working together with others on a weekly basis to implement these pillars not only teaches you what they are, but gives you a first-hand experience of how they make you feel and how effective they are at changing your state. So, if you're sad, stuck, or need a kick in the right direction, Foundations of Joy is where you need to be!
Pillar 1: Socializing
Regular social contact is essential for mental health. Connection with others fosters a sense of belonging and emotional support, helping you feel less isolated and more connected to your community. Depression symptoms, however, can make it tempting to stay home and avoid social contact.
When you’re feeling low, it’s crucial to take small steps toward engaging with others—even if it’s just getting out for a quick coffee or attending a group activity like an art class. Simple, creative group activities can offer both social interaction and a mental boost.
The way you socialize isn't as important as the act of doing it. Even if you just smile and say hello to a stranger, that's been shown to positively impact your mental health and make you feel less isolated.
Foundations of Joy is essentially a supportive social group united by a shared intention: enhancing mental health and well-being together. Meeting each week fulfills the first of the five pillars.
To keep things light and fun, I use this class as a means to explore your emotional state as well as provide an outlet for emotional expression. The way we do that is through art therapy, where I have a practitioner come in and lead us all through an art exercise. You'd be surprised at how effective this can be when it comes to stirring up your emotions and helping to sort them out!
Pillar 2: Movement
Regular physical activity is one of the healthiest habits you can practice if you're searching for a natural depression treatment. You may be familiar with endorphins, the “feel-good” hormones which are released during exercise that boost mood and reduce stress. That's only one small benefit of exercise.
The benefits of physical activity extend beyond endorphins: physical activity also increases other important mood-boosting chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and endocannabinoids.
In addition to your mood, each of these chemicals play a role in regulating focus, pain, inflammation, and sleep.
The good news is that to obtain these benefits, exercise doesn’t need to be intense. Gentle movement therapies like yoga or Tai Chi, when done consistently, can offer similar mental health benefits as vigorous activity.
In my workshop, I have a Tai Chi instructor come in to teach the group about this intentional movement practice. It's very popular in Chinese medicine, as it provides the chemical benefits of exercise while also encouraging mindfulness, boosting lymphatic flow, and stimulating of the body's electrical energy--if you're familiar with Qi or Prana then you know what I'm referring to.
Pillar 3: Nutrition
Diet is essential for more than just physical health—it's crucial for mental health too. It's a key components of natural depression treatment. Brain chemicals that influence positive feelings are made from nutrients found in food. When your diet lacks essential nutrients, your body may struggle to produce enough of these mood-regulating chemicals.
Additionally, certain foods can contribute to brain inflammation, which is linked to depression and anxiety. These foods are usually fast foods, processed foods, and foods rich in simple sugars. Many, many foods have added sugar, except for whole foods of course!
Sugar is problematic because it triggers reward pathways in your brain involving dopamine and serotonin. They make you feel uplifted temporarily, but worse later on, and then you start craving them.
In Foundations of Joy, I simplify nutrition for you with the aim of providing you everything you need to know for the rest of your life, all within 30 minutes!
I also talk more in-depth about how these critical brain chemicals are produced, which involves your microbiome! But I won't spoil the fun here in this article.
Pillar 4: Spirituality
Spirituality has been central to human life for millennia, so much so that it's become a part of our health. Belief in something greater than yourself can provide comfort, perspective, and a sense of purpose.
For many, spirituality has traditionally been accessible through religious practices. However, today, spiritual engagement often takes more individualized forms such as meditation or yoga. These practices aim to develop a sense of connectedness, not only to a higher power, but also to others and the world around you.
Regular spiritual practice can be grounding, helping you feel more centered and protected from the weight of depression.
For the fourth week of my workshop, I have a spiritualist come in and take the group thorough various engaging spiritual practices that encourage you to explore this pillar more in-depth. We engage in grounding practices and share insights around how we each perceive and interact with spirituality.
This is one of my favorite subjects to discuss and I thoroughly enjoy giving the introduction to this class! Grounding practices and music therapy are part of this class, and you may experience a greater sense of peace and self-love.
Pillar 5: Purpose
When you lack a sense of purpose, it can be challenging to find motivation to get up and live each day. A clear purpose provides direction, inspiration, and a framework for finding meaning in life.
Whether your purpose is rooted in supporting loved ones, making a difference in your community, or pursuing personal growth, having something meaningful to live for is vital for mental health.
Your purpose isn’t tied to a single path or stage of life—it can evolve over time. If you feel like you've already connected with your purpose, you can always further refine the way in which you're pursuing it.
But the workshop is really meant for people who are in a life transition, feel stuck, or need to clarify their purpose.
One way to cultivate purpose is to pursue activities that excite you and align with your values, sparking joy and a sense of fulfillment. I spend a good amount of time lecturing on precisely how you can connect with your purpose. It really just involves having the courage and tenacity to pursue your passion, but I understand it isn't that simple for people.
Sometimes you aren't sure what your passion is or how to pursue it. That's why I designed a fun and entertaining group exercise to help identify where your passion truly is.
This is also a really fun class to teach! It's meant to be a light and inspiring experience that encourages you to play, explore, and most importantly, to have fun with your life!
Putting it all Together
Each of these lifestyle habits may sound simple, but taking the steps to integrate them can be tough, especially when you’re struggling. That’s why I designed Foundations of Joy. I'll be there to guide you along, every step of the way!
In Foundations of Joy, you’ll gain practical insights about why each of these pillars is essential and how to incorporate them into your life for long-term mental wellness.
If you're interested in joining my workshop, give me a call and I'll save you a seat. The next workshop is planned for Wednesday, April 2nd at 6:00 PM!
