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Around 21 million adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with major depression. That means they experienced fatigue, sadness, trouble sleeping and difficulty concentrating for most of the day, nearly every day, for more than two weeks. And that number doesn't include the many folks who have transient depression because of difficult life events or health issues.

What if you could simply walk away from those life-dampening feelings? Well, a new review and meta-analysis of 33 studies found that walking 7,000 steps daily eased symptoms of depression significantly -- and reduced the risk of developing depression. Plus, the further you walk, the greater the relief! So go for that 10,000-step goal.

Other interesting, non-medical approaches to decreasing depression risk and symptoms include diet, meditation, and supplements.

-- A study in Psychiatry Research found that eating a diet loaded with fruit, vegetables, whole grain, fish, olive oil, low-fat dairy and antioxidants, and not eating a lot of animal foods is associated with a decreased risk of depression.

-- Meditative techniques, including mindfulness, yoga, tai chi, Transcendental Meditation, and qigong, have been found to have substantial benefits for folks dealing with an acute major depressive episode and those in partial remission, according to a study in Psychosomatics.

-- Taking 50 micrograms of vitamin D daily was found to ease symptoms of depression better than placebo in a 2022 meta-analysis of 41 studies.

So, talk to your doctor about possible medications and talk therapy and discuss the use of self-care techniques. Then check out the life-enhancing info in Dr. Mike's book "The Great Age Reboot."

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).

(c)2025 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.