Five Keys to Dealing with Depression by Gregory L. Jantz

While I have many family members and friends that have had bouts of depression, even I myself have suffered. My main reason for reading for this book by Dr. Jantz was to seek out some new insights on depression for a friend. God is so amazing. Only last week one of my ladies asked me to teach Daniel for our next bible study. Of course the first chapter of Daniel talks about the healthy appearance of the four Hebrew boys that decided not to eat rich food and wine. Then I begin to read the Five Keys to depression and on page 89 is a quote from Daniel 1:15. Key # 4 is Physical Healing and one authority says not to be too quick to diagnose depression until the physical conditions have been assessed. I had no idea all of the medical and health conditions that could contribute to depression. Diabetes, hypoglycemia, sleep apnea, hormonal imbalance all can be a trigger for symptoms of depression.  Even environmental factors in our water pipes, carpet, and paints can be harmful.  But the good news was healthy eating with a diet not unlike young Daniel and his friends had chosen. Once I even tried the Daniel fast for healing and was quite pleased with the results. We are told a common soda can be used to clean you copper pots or your car battery. Hmm, what’s in that stuff? At any rate natural foods free of additives are definitely better for our health. We should be careful what we put in our bodies. Exercise and sleep will help improve your mood, but I think key # 5 Spiritual Support has to have the greatest impact on the physical and mental health of a person. We all can have highs and lows. It is natural to be depressed if you lose four members of your immediate family in a matter of months, but clinical depression goes beyond a feeling of sadness. It is debilitating and affects all areas of life and those we love. Prayer is a wonderful habit and God is the only one who can change a person who is mired in the deepest and darkest depression. While Christians are not immune to disease or depression we do have divine help available. The points included in the last chapter of this book are my favorite and I think the most useful. This book was given to me for my review by Rose Publishing.