Depression is considered to be the most common mental illness in the world. There could be many factors causing your depression. One thing's for sure: The food you eat has a major impact on how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally. Depression is 2-3 times more common in women than in men. According to several studies, millions of people who suffer from depression have dietary deficiencies.
If your depression is diet-related or due to a deficiency in some nutrient, and if you are not dealing with a major depression, you may try changing your moods with some diet modifications.
Below you will find a list of nutrients that significantly affect the way we feel, think and behave. When people are deficient in these nutrients, they become more prone to developing depressive symptoms. More importantly, for people who are already depressed, lack of these nutrients often contributes to the exacerbation and / or perpetuation of their depressive symptoms. The nutrients involved are: b-vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and essential amino acids. There are many positive things to do with regard to diet and nutrition, as well as many things to avoid.
Eat a meal high in carbohydrates: Carbohydrates trigger release of the brain neurotransmitter serotonin, which soothes you. High level of serotonin boosts your mood, but low levels can often result in depression. No other nerve chemical is as strongly linked to your diet as is serotonin.
What you can do is make sure that every meal contains some carbohydrate-rich foods, especially whole grain foods such as whole wheat bread, oatmeal, or brown rice. Carbohydrates trigger the release of insulin, which allows tryptophan to freely enter your brain, causing serotonin levels to rise. In addition, plan an all-carbohydrate snack for the time of the day when your mood is the lowest.
Eat more vegetables: Eating more vegetables can increase your brain's serotonin production. This increase is due to improved absorption of the amino acid Tryptophan. In other words, eat a salad for lunch.
Taking Birth control pills & Hormonal replacement therapy?
Depression can be a side effect of these medications, possibly because they may suppress the action of vitamin B6, a nutrient that's critical to your brain function. Depression is a well-documented and common symptom of vitamin B6 deficiency. Women typically consume only half of the recommended daily amount of vitamin B6. If your B6 intake is marginal, and you take medications that interfere with B6 action, the result might be underproduction of the mood-elevating brain chemical serotonin. Meat, fish, poultry, potatoes, green vegetables and fruits (purple) offer Vitamin B6.
Folic Acid is one of the key mood-related nutrients. Many patients experiencing depressive behavior have been found to be folic acid deficient. Folate levels are high in foods such as beans, greens, okra, sweet potatoes and squash. Raising the consumption of such foods can alter and in some cases, completely eliminate mood swings and depressive behavior.
Multi-vitamin supplements - Better mood?
Taking a balanced multiple-vitamin supplement, combined with good eating habits, could stack the deck in favour of a better mood and a clearer mind.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain, where they comprise up to 50% of the total fats in nerve tissues. Experts note that depression rates have increased a hundred fold in the last century, just as human consumption of omega-3 fatty acids has declined. The omega-3s are found in cold water fish (eg: mackerel, herring, tuna) and in most nuts. Smoking and alcohol depress omega-3 levels, too.
Eating the right foods can meet several needs, including your need for energy, the correct balance of nutrients and reduction of depression. Don't eat fast food meals. Fresh fruits and vegetables have a wider range of flavours than grease-laden burgers. If you put some thought to it, you can make sure there's time to eat a diet rich in these foods.
Diet to combat depression:
Foods to limit - Alcohol, Chocolate, Cola drinks, Tea, Sweets, Junk food, refined flours.
Foods to choose - Fresh fruits, Fresh vegetables, Herb teas, Lean meat, fish, poultry, Whole grains, low or non-fat dairy products, water.
By correcting dietary deficiencies and improving nutritional status, depressive symptoms tend to improve along with the patients' response to antidepressant medications.
By making wise food choices, drinking lots of water, being physically active with enough rest and sleep you will have no place for depression in your life.
For further information, mail us.
