It’s strange. More and more is talked about mental health each and every day. And yet if we look around us mental health in a sharp decline. People are less happy and more crazy with every passing moment. The mainstream advice around this is generally take a cocktail of pharmaceuticals that may or may not help you but do have the strange side effect of making really rich people and companies even richer.
I’m not saying drugs are never the option, but there’s more to mental health then take this drug or that pill. There’s a natural component to it that most people overlook. Use a qualified doctor, listen to what they say, but then also do your own research and take steps to make your life healthier and better.
What I’m going to look at here are natural ways to increase your happiness and wellbeing. This can be used in conjunction with prescriptions in the like or just used if you want a little more happiness in your life. They are not to be used as a replacement of drugs and pill, which require doctors help to get off of, but as a supplement to aid you in moving towards vibrant mental health.
So let’s get started.
The Many Headed Hydra Of Mental Disease
I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. This is just a man rambling on a topic that he has experience with, it is an opinion, nothing less and nothing more. When it comes to mental disease it’s hard to nail down one thing. When someone is mentally unwell there are a great many factors that go into it. Genetics, environment, thinking patterns, biological health, chemical imbalances, and so much more.
Each time one aspect is addressed it seems like there’s twenty more waiting to be. And especially in our modern world that by it’s very function is designed to make us insane. What do I mean by that? What I mean is when we look at how our lives are constructed and lived, it’s not wonder we’re going crazy at higher and higher rates. It’s not natural.
Not eating real food, not seeing family, living among people who don’t care about us, no tribal group, no community, constant bombardment of negative news, chemicals in the water, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, lack of laughing and smiling, and so much more. We’re grinded down to make money while seeing little of it ourselves, living in a world where everything costs more and more yet gives us less and less.
Sometimes it seems the only question is, “How can anyone be sane?”.
However there’s hope, despite all the gloom.
N.L. To The Rescue
What is N.L.? NL is natural living or natural life. As humans we were created to function and live in a certain way. Not much different than all the other creatures on earth. Yet we are forced and also choose to live in a way that is completely opposite to our natures. Like throwing a whale in the desert and yelling at it to “thrive”, it just isn’t going to work. No matter how much profit the whale generates for those that threw it there.
We’re no different. The closer we can get to natural living, our natural state, the better off we’ll be. I don’t mean we need to live in the woods and eschew all technology. Technology and man were made for each other when used properly. Rather that moving away from the craziness of the modern world can do wonders for your health?
But what does this look like in reality?
What To Do?
The first thing is check your diet. If you want more in depth advice on this I recommend checking out the Weston A. Price Foundation especially this flyer. But essentially focus on eating nutrient dense foods that give you the vital micronutrients that your body needs to thrive and operate. It’s not enough to just get enough calories, or even just get your macros right. Macros meaning protein, carbohydrates, and fats. You have to get the micro right, meaning vitamins, minerals, and more.
And since that’s just about impossible to measure it all without going insane you have to focus on eating the most nutrient dense foods that you can find. Liver, eggs, other organ meats, grass fed beef, lamb, and the like. Game meats. Wild caught fish. Fresh and preferably raw dairy products. And so on and so forth. Abide by the laws of your land but get the food that you need.
You should spend time in nature, even if it’s just a walk in a park once a week. Spend time breathing fresh air. You’ll probably want to mediate, even if it’s just walking through nature. Find time for silence and solitude. Put on head phones and do it on floor of bedroom if you have to.
Invest in yourself and take time for yourself. Do things that will benefit you. Go to the gym, buy a book for yourself, invest in a quality mattress. Value yourself, because no one is going to do it for you. Stop beating yourself up. Work every day to correct negative thinking and the all hope is lost mentality.
It’s not easy but awareness is the first step.
A Small Step But A Step In The Right Direction
None of this is rocket science but it’s the basics that so many would benefit from studying, understanding, and above all else implementing. I see so many focused on getting club girls, buying an expensive car, and all the like when they have much more basic problems they need to solve first. Don’t worry about any of that without first addressing the basics of life.
If you struggle paying rent, holding a girlfriend, or things of that nature, don’t concern yourself with some big lifestyle. A big lifestyle that’s often used to cover up for having a lack of basics. Not always, but sometimes. Get the basics right first and then worry about other things. It’s simple and a little boring, which is why so many ignore it. But it’s pay off and gives you a foundation to go and conquer whatever else you want from life.
Best Wishes,
-Charles Sledge
