Your depression could be caused by imbalances related to your nutritional consumption. The link between your diet, your physical health, and your vitality has already been established. The clichŽ, ‘you are what you eat’ exists for a reason. Thus, getting in touch with your body’s unique health needs will impact not only your physical health but your emotional stability as well.

Your nutritional needs are directly related to your blood type. There is no magical list that tells you what is good for and bad for all of us as one. But there are several lists that guide you towards healthy eating for your particular blood type. So for instance, yogurt, apples, and oranges may be healthy for one person and detrimental to another.

There are, of course, some things that we should all stay away from. Take coffee, for example. It is a great stimulant, but has a deleterious effect on your body. If it had a warning label, it would read, “warning ... drinking too much of this product may increase your chances of cancer in the stomach and pancreas, may cause ulcers, headaches, and mood swings. Worse, it is derived from the same organic family as cocaine and is highly addictive.”

I have always had a problem with hypoglycemia related to nutritional imbalances. If I don’t eat properly, my blood sugar drops, and I break out into a cold, grey sweat, accompanied by faintness and sudden fatigue. Coffee aggravated the condition, creating an emotional roller coaster with exhaustion, mood swings, and panic attacks. I find that when I stop drinking coffee, my emotions stabilize, and I became calmer, happier, and less anxious.

Most of the time, I do not drink it anymore. However, occasionally the smell of a brewed cup of Colombian coffee will drive me insane, and I will have a cup, always telling myself that it’s just this one cup. Caffeine is highly addictive, and within days I am back to drinking two to three cups a day. And inevitably, I am back on my emotional roller coaster until I stop drinking coffee again.

Remember to take good care of yourself, especially if you are depressed. We only have one body, so treat it well. Walk every day, whether you feel like it or not. Drink extra water and concentrate on natural foods, preferably organic and not loaded with preservatives and chemicals.

Opt for healthy alternatives as opposed to potentially dangerous medications. I admit that during my worst times, I turned to Paxil and Prozac, both strong anti-depressants. I was desperate for relief, and the drugs stabilized me. The medication gave me a bottom, a place I could land so I didn’t feel like I was continually falling through. I didn’t like taking the anti-depressants, because although they took the edge off my emotions, I felt distant. I stopped taking them as soon as I could, because I believe that the body can be healed from most ills through herbs, supplements, nutrition and the power of the mind.