The blues. People get them all the time. It seems natural to have highs and lows in life, unfortunately, the lows always seem to last longer and hit much harder than those great highs. Blues that last for extended periods of time can lead to depression.

Some symptoms of depression include irritability, insomnia, digestive disturbances, fatigue, argumentativeness, and a general lack of motivation. Modern medicine has had difficulty accepting these symptoms as belonging to a true illness - instead, doctors have given them the "catch all" pseudonyms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Epstein-Barr Virus, Candida and even the "Yuppie Flu". Chinese medicine, on the other hand, describes these symptoms as imbalances in the life force, known as Qi (pronounced "chee"). The Qi energy becomes stuck and these imbalances manifest as depression.

One important key to avoiding depression is to stop putting things off. Procrastination leads to anxiety, fear and ultimately, depression. The longer you put something off, the closer a deadline will loom - and then, the resulting anxiety triggers full blown depression. The solution? Set your goals, focus on the results and take those goals one step at a time. By breaking goals down into easy "mini" goals, they don't seem so overpowering - less anxiety, less depression.

If you take a look in the mirror when you feel depressed you'll probably note that your posture is poor, your face is lacking in color and your breathing is shallow. The body "holds" depression as a lot of weight - hence, the stuck Qi. One of the solutions to breaking the cycle of depression lies in the increase of physical activity. Simple exercise will get the body's own natural healing forces to work on that stagnant energy. Increased physical activity also causes the release of endorphins - the body's own natural painkiller. Endorphins, by some accounts, are 200 times more potent than morphine. Vigorous workouts can increase endorphin levels as much as fivefold - accounting for what some athletes call a natural high.

In addition to increased physical activity, studies have shown that endorphin release can be achieved through acupuncture. This ancient Chinese method of achieving balance in the body can eliminate bouts of depression through strategic placement of sterile acupuncture needles, healing therapeutic massage and Chinese herbal formulas. Even from a Western standpoint, these Chinese herbal formulas are categorized as "anti-depressant". The combination of acupuncture, massage and herbal formulas can help to move the stuck Qi, allowing it to flow smoothly throughout the body.

Keeping healthy, exercising regularly and avoiding procrastination are three great ways to avoid depression. Let blue be your favorite color - not your state of mind!

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