Get depressed about the holidays? Holistic physician, Dr. Bradley Nelson, author of The Emotion Code, has tips on how to beat holiday depression with natural fixes. Sometimes, it really is just as simple as taking care of yourself.

• Eat well. “Eat foods that are as close to nature as possible,” Nelson advises. “Fill up first on things that are good for you. Eat vegetables, have a good salad, so by the time the gravy and candied yams are there, you can eat smaller amounts.”
• Avoid foods with long lists of ingredients. “This applies in general, not to just the holidays. Any food that has a label that has to explain to you what is in it is probably not something you want,” he explains.
• Move to beat depression and stress. Exercise as simple as getting outside and walking is the natural, drug-free way to combat depression. Moving your body throughout the day burns away stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, that can otherwise linger in your system for up to 24 hours, damaging your immune system and organs.
• Drink up. Staying hydrated is the key to avoiding excess eating and helps cleanse impurities from your body for better physical, emotional and mental health.
• List your blessings. “People suffering from depression tend to be focusing on the negative things in their lives rather than counting their blessings. One of the most important things you can do is to make a list every day of the things in your life that are actually good,” says Nelson.
• Get rid of baggage. Nelson shares a simple way to release unresolved negative emotions that are a root cause of depression: Write a letter to the person who hurt you, then burn it.

 For more information on Nelson and The Emotion Code, visit drbradleynelson.com.