Depression and Diet
A diet that lacks essential nutrients can make you more prone to moodiness and depression and an overall healthy diet may help ease depression. Let’s have a look now how depression and diet can be related..
Minerals, vitamins, complex carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, amino acids- protein and other nutrients are essential for your body’s well-being and a balanced mood.
You need antioxidants– fat soluble vitamin E (spinach, nuts, broccoli, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, olive oil, salmon), water soluble vitamin C (kiwi fruit, orange, broccoli, strawberries) and beta- carotene (carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, dried herbs, red-leaf and green leaf lettuce) to fight the harmful effects of free radicals (aging and diseases like heart disease, cancer, immune system and brain malfunctioning).
There may be a link between the way you feel mentally – psychologically and the types of carbohydrates you eat. Choose low GI and high fiber carbs– vegetables, fruits, wholegrain over high sugar foods.
Omega 3 fatty acids (salmon, sardines, tuna, walnuts, flaxseed), selenium (Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, tuna, salmon, beef, chicken, turkey, eggs, mushrooms, onions) and vitamin D (sunlight, tuna, salmon, eggs, fortified milk, fortified cereals) deficiency in both men and women, folate (peanuts, liver, chickpeas, beans, lentils, spinach) deficiency in men and vitamin B12 (oysters, clams, liver, mackerel, herring, Swiss cheese, eggs) deficiency were found to increase the risk of bad mood and depression.
Well balanced diets like Mediterranean diet are rich in fish, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, whole grains, nuts and it helps protect against diseases like diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease which may well increase the likelihood of depression.
Don’t forget to have small regular meals throughout the day to keep stable blood glucose levels, at least three meals per day. Do not ever skip breakfast as this may cause fatigue and bad mood.
Choose low sugar, high fiber cereals for breakfast or they will be nothing more than breakfast candies and wholemeal, rye, multigrain breads over plain white bread.
Amino acid tryptophan is found in eggs, beans, fish, chicken, beef and it is converted to serotonin in the brain and body. In case of tryptophan deficiency, you are more likely to experience depression and mood swings.
Your brain works on glucose and all carbohydrates that you eat are converted into glucose, so the more stable your blood sugar levels, the more stable your moods will be.
Tyrosine is another amino acid that may increase your energy levels, clear your mind, make it easier for you to concentrate and be more alert and is found in turkey, fish, chicken, peanuts, avocados, soy and dairy products.
If you’re suffering from depression, you just need to drink more water– at least 1.5 litres per day to keep yourself happy and your mind clear.
It is OK to drink a cup of coffee in the morning but too much of it will not be good for you: first an energy increase, followed by a crash. Tea is better for you due to its antioxidant content, despite the caffeine.
If you make a real effort to improve your diet, this will have a great impact on your physical and mental health. Start with trying to focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins from both animal and plant sources, good fats, high fiber whole grains and avoid sugary processed foods with added preservatives and alcohol, you will soon start feeling the vitality and physical and mental stability.
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