Music Therapy May Help Alleviate Depression: Try These Foods Too

Are you a music lover? Think good music can cure about anything and cheer you up in the difficult times? Your assessment may not be entirely wrong. According to a latest study Traditional depression treatments like psychotherapy or medication when complemented with a dose of music therapy could show better results as compared to those being treated with just traditional medication. According to the analysis in the Cochrane Library music could prove to be therapeutic for those struggling with depression. For the study the team examined data on 421 people who participated in nine previously completed short-term experiments that tested music s role in easing depression on its own or added to traditional interventions.The findings revealed that patients felt less depressed when music was included as part of their treatment regimen. It also played an effective role in cutting down anxiety and improve mental and physical functioning of depressed individuals by a significant margin. Senior study author Christian Gold of Uni Research Health in Bergen Norway said that the study was safe and holds across a variety of settings countries types of patients and types of music therapy. Depression is projected to be the leading cause of disability by 2020. Researchers across the world are finding ways to curb depression and spread maximum awareness. The study mentioned that music therapy could include passive approaches that involve listening active treatments that involve playing an instrument or singing or participating in a musical performance or some combination of these approaches. The therapy would be led by person with training in counseling psychology or treating depression.In the recent past too music therapy has gained enough momentum research to date hasn t offered a clear picture of its benefits. Scientists believe that their findings may help encourage the victims to tend towards their therapy. While they also said that more research is needed but from now more researchers can employ themselves to discover more specific questions related to music therapy. Studies included in the current review ranged in duration from six to 12 weeks. The smallest study had just 14 participants and the largest one included 79 people. The total number of treatment sessions ranged from eight to 48 and the duration of sessions varied from 20 minutes to two hours.Here s how the researchers tried to explain the mechanism modern brain imaging studies indicate that music therapy activates regions of the brain that are involved in regulating emotions. Joyful and sad music can have different effects too. Depression is a serious mental disorder and may require prolonged treatment just like any physical ailment. But there are some natural ways to curb depression. You are what you eat and your diet can play a crucial role in maintaining mental health. Try to include these foods in your daily diet to curb symptoms of depression.1. Complex carbohydrates: Include foods that are rich in complex carbs in your diet like whole grains and brown rice. A lot of studies have shown that low carb diets have been linked to nervousness anxiety decreased concentration and insomnia.2. Vitamin D: A deficiency of this nutrient if often linked with mood swings and depression. Add natural sources of Vitamin D like mushrooms eggs and soy milk to your diet.3. Antioxidants: Antioxidants can help in reducing the oxidative stress on your mental health. Berries and foods like cherries grapes and dark leafy greens are your best bet.4. Good quality proteins: Protein rich foods are known to boost alertness. Some of them contain an amino acid called tryptophan which helps your body make the mood boosting brain chemical serotonin. Peas beans soya lentils and paneer are good options and so are chicken and fish.These healthy foods can really help in lifting your mood and making you feel better. New Delhi: A dose of music in the life of depressed patients might work better on their condition suggests study. Apart from traditional depression treatments like psychotherapy or medication music too effects the mental health of a patient. The study was carried on 421 people who had already participated in nine short-term experiments which tested the benefits of music therapy on the people. The study found people felt less depressed when music was added to their treatment. Music therapy also helped to ease anxiety and improve the functioning of depressed individuals and the therapy has been named as safe as the traditional ones. Senior study author Christian Gold of Uni Research Health in Bergen Norway said We can now be more confident that music therapy in fact improves patients symptoms and functioning and that this finding holds across a variety of settings countries types of patients and types of music therapy. Music therapy includes listening actively playing an instrument or singing or participating in a musical performance or a combination of all of these. We still think that more research is needed; however we feel that research on music therapy for depression can now turn to more specific questions such as comparing different types of therapy to each other Gold said. The duration of the studies ranged from six to 12 hours with minimum participants being 14 and maximum being 79. Dr. Gjin Ndrepepa a researcher at Technical University in Munich Germany said The most important finding is that music therapy shows short-term beneficial effects for people with depression when added on top of baseline psychological or pharmacological treatment. Modern brain imaging studies have shown that music therapy activates those regions of the brain which are not involved in regulating emotions. Joyful and sad music can have different effects. Also Read: Learning physical task with music helps boost brain wiring says study Gold emphasized on the thought that more research is still needed. Until we have more specific research results comparing different music therapies to each other music therapy should be seen as one of a variety of options. It is important to have choices because no therapy works for everyone he said. The Duchess of Cambridge has heard the stories of mothers caught up in the Grenfell Tower blaze when she visited a centre supporting the local community. Kate had a private informal meeting with a group of young women who have been helped by the Rugby Portobello Trust at its community centre in North Kensington. Today The Duchess of Cambridge is joining families to celebrate the work of the @RugbyPortobello Trust in North Kensington. pic.twitter.com/cguhGZzFbV Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 12 2017 She even played Father Christmas helping to hand out presents to children whose parents attend the Magic Mums group many of whom were affected by the Grenfell inferno which claimed 71 lives including that of a stillborn baby and left hundreds homeless. The Duchess of Cambridge arriving at the Rugby Portobello Trust community centre (Victoria Jones/PA) The trust has been a key institution for survivors of the blaze helping to distribute much-needed donated funds to families who lost everything in the fire. The Duchess helps set up for a Christmas party which will take place @RugbyPortobello Trust s community centre later today. pic.twitter.com/UDNBgGUVxi Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 12 2017 The duchess who wore a coat by Seraphine sympathised with the plight of the community and praised the work of the trust telling a group of youngsters in a music therapy workshop: It s amazing for all of you to have this support particularly at such a difficult such a tragic time. The Duchess met the young mothers when she first arrived at the centre based near Grenfell Tower which still casts a shadow over the area. Her Royal Highness meets young people taking part in a @RugbyPortobello music workshop. pic.twitter.com/w0BIISkR2E Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 12 2017 She is due to attend the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service on Thursday together with the Prince of Wales Duchess of Cornwall Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry survivors and other guests. Her first task at the centre was to hand out presents and as the name of a child was called out by a member of staff they came up with their mother to receive their gift. As she presented a wrapped box to a little girl called Alice Kate said: It s very big is she going to be able to carry it? The Duchess of Cambridge hands out Christmas presents at the @RugbyPortobello Christmas party for the Magic Mums group. pic.twitter.com/zoaTp2jrVZ Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 12 2017 Kate spent around half an hour chatting privately to the mothers before she met a group of youngsters who were taking part in the music therapy session. She chatted to a group of teenagers and local resident Reece Yeboah 23 who had joined the group and knew someone who died in the Grenfell blaze. He said of Kate s visit: I think we need more of these people coming through to help the community and keep spirits strong. A huge thank you to everyone @RugbyPortobello involved in today s Royal visit and congratulations on your award. pic.twitter.com/Kd1k6rHkTW Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 12 2017 It lifts our spirits shows someone does care and makes us feel we re not abandoned. I was saying to her with the fire it s affected everyone people are still coping with it now. The 23-year-old who was using the music therapy session to write down lyrics about his experiences added: We are some way coping with it a little bit but things like this do help our spirit.