Diet and Depression

Your diet and depression are considered to be linked and your lifestyle is also important to your mental functioning.

I have compiled a list on ways that you can improve your lifestyle and, slowly change your mental status one day at a time.

As with all the advice found on this site, don’t try to do everything at once as you will become overwhelmed. Rather choose a few items that you can do easily and roll from there, involving your family and friends to assist in keeping your moral up.

In addition to concerns about diet and depression you should also look at making the following changes to your lifestyle:

•See your doctor, therapist, psychiatrist or counsellor to check if you need medication

•Ensure that you get adequate daily exercise, and sleep

•Spend time out in the sunshine and fresh air before it gets too hot, as it is thought that the likelihood of having depression is higher in people with deficiency in vitamin D compared to people who are sufficient in vitamin D.

Depression appears to improve as levels of vitamin D in the body increases and it seems that vitamin D receptors are found in the brain. Researchers, though, are unsure how much vitamin D is ideal.

•Avoid or cut out alcohol, caffeine and soft drinks which can not only interfere with your mood, sleep patterns and motivation but, also affect the effectiveness of your depression medications •If you have a problem with alcohol and/or drugs please seek assistance for this serious lifestyle concern

Diet and Depression

•Do your best to avoid junk, processed and refined foods

•Avoid foods high in saturated fats or hydrogenated (trans) fats

•Healthy fat choices include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and oils that are, preferably, organic and cold-pressed

•Grains should be whole and unrefined.

•Fresh food is always preferable to frozen and frozen is always preferable to canned.

•Food should be whole unprocessed and unrefined and, where possible, organic.

•Include at least five servings of vegetables and fruits daily. Try not to use foods that have been pre-packed or refined/treated in any way

•All meals and snacks should contain a balance of protein, fat and complex carbohydrates

•Limit sugary foods and artificial and natural sweeteners, even honey and molasses

•Cut down on fruit juices and, if you do drink them, you should dilute with water

•Neurotransmitters in the brain, which are closely linked to mood, are controlled by what we eat. The neurotransmitters most commonly associated with mood are dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine.

Protein rich foods, such as tuna, chicken or turkey are rich in an amino acid called tyrosine. Tyrosine may help boost levels of the brain chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine. Dopamine and norepinephrine play a role in many bodily functions such as hunger, thirst, digestion, blood pressure regulation, heart rate, respiration, thermoregulation, aggression and sexuality.

•Deficiencies, excesses or imbalances of these neurotransmitters cause disturbances resulting in mental and emotional problems which affect our perception of pain and pleasure

•Free radicals are damaged molecules produced in our bodies during normal bodily functions contributing to aging and disease. Beta-carotene and vitamins C and E are antioxidants that combat the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are extremely damaging to the body and antioxidants have been shown to nullify their power

The brain is particularly at risk to free radical damage and, though there's no way to stop free radicals completely, we can reduce their destructive effect on the body by eating foods rich in antioxidants as part of a healthy diet

•Research shows that people who are obese may be more likely to become depressed and that the opposite is also true, in that people who are depressed are more likely to become obese.

Researchers believe that physiological and hormonal changes that occur in the immune system when you are depressed can lead to obesity

•Gluten found in some grains such as wheat, spelt, rye, oats and barley have been linked to depressive disorders

Taking diet and depression into account and following a healthy lifestyle with a protein rich wholefood diet will boost your energy levels, improve your mood, and help you to concentrate.

For more information on depression have a look at depression warning signs and take a depression test. You should also have a look at the many natural depression treatments available.

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