Depression and diet
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion activity. It can affect a person's thoughts, behavior, motivation, feelings, and sense of well- being. It may feature sadness, difficulty in thinking and concentration and a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping. People experiencing depression may have a feeling of dejection, hopelessness and sometimes, suicidal thoughts.
It can either be short term or long term. The core symptom of depression is said to be anhedonia, which refers to the loss of interest or a loss of feeling of pleasure in certain activities that usually bring joy to people.
Depressed mood is a symptom of some mood disorders such as major depressive disorder or dysthymia, it is a normal temporary reaction to life events, such as the loss of a loved one, and it is also a symptom of some physical disease and a side effect of some drugs and medical treatments.
Unfortunately, there is no specific diet that's been proven to relieve depression. Still, while certain eating plans or foods may not ease your symptoms or put you instantly in a better mood, a healthy diet may help as part of your overall treatment.
A Mediterranean style diet:
improve your overall diet and you could reduce your depression. That the key takeaway from a first of its kind trial examining the effects of a modified Mediterranean diet on major depression. The link between diet and depression is complex, involving several biological pathways and processes, each of which is under the influence of our gut microbiota.
For the study, one group upped their intake of fresh fruit and veggies, whole grains, legumes, fish, lean and meats, olive oil, and nuts, while cutting back on sweets, refined cereals, fried food, processed meats, and sugary drinks. A control group received only social support for their depression. After three months, a third of those in the Mediterranean diet group reported significant symptoms of relief, compared with just 8% of the control group.
Our bodies normally make molecules called free radicals, but these can lead to cell damage, aging, and other problems.
Studies show that your brain is particularly at risk, although there's no way to stop free radicals completely, you can be able to lessen their destructive effect by eating foods rich in antioxidants, including:
- Beta- carotene: apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, collards, peaches, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato
- Vitamin C: Blueberries, broccoli, grapefruits, kiwi, peppers, potatoes, strawberries, tomato.
- Vitamin E: Margarine, nuts and seeds, vegetable oils, wheat germ
Smart- carbs can have a calming effect:
Carbohydrates are linked to the mood-boosting brain chemical, serotonin. Experts aren't sure, but carb craving sometimes may be related to low serotonin activity.
Choose your carbs wisely. Limit sugary foods and opt for smart or complex carbs (such as whole grains) rather than simple carbs (such as cakes and cookies). Fruits, vegetables, and legumes also have healthy carbs and fiber.
Protein-rich foods boost alertness:
Foods like turkey, tuna, and chicken have an amino acid called tryptophan, which may help you make serotonin. Try to eat something with protein several times a day, especially when you need to clear your mind and boost your energy. Good sources of healthy protein include beans and peas, lean beef, low- fat cheese, fish, milk, soy products, and yogurt.
Turkey:
Turkey contains tryptophan, the amino thanksgiving day revelers love to blame for inducing their post-feast slumber. While turkey probably won't really make you sleepy, tryptophan may be helpful in treating mental health problems like depression. your body uses tryptophan to make the mood-elevating hormone serotonin.
Try a Mediterranean diet for B vitamins:
A Spanish study found that rates of depression tended to rise in men, especially smokers, as they got less folate. The same thing happened for women, especially those who smoked or didn't exercise but when they got less vitamin B12.
This wasn't the first study to find a link between these vitamins and depression. researchers aren't sure which way the influence goes, do poor nutrient levels lead to depression, or does depression lead people to eat poorly.
In either case, you can get both of these B vitamins from foods in a Mediterranean diet. Legumes, nuts, many fruits, and dark green vegetables have folate. Vitamin B12 can be found in all lean and low- fat animal products, such as fish ad low-fat dairy production.
Leafy Greens:
In the new antidepressant food rankings, leafy greens like watercress, spinach, mustard greens, lettuce, and swiss chard got top billing. These foods earned the highest scores out of all animal- and plant-based foods, suggesting that they're an important part of preventing or treating depressive disorders. These veggies are rich in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin. Low folate levels have been linked to depressive symptoms and poor response to antidepressants.
Plus, the vitamin may affect mood-related chemicals in the brain, serotonin levels have been shown to rise with foods rich in folate, noted Torey Armul, RD, a spokesperson for the academy of nutrition and dietetics. Some people with depression have reduced the transmission of these important chemicals messenger.
Get enough vitamin D:
Vitamin D receptors are located throughout the body, including your brain. A recent national study found that the like hood of having depression is higher in people with low levels of vitamin D. In another study, researchers from the University of Toronto noticed that people who had symptoms of depression, particularly those with seasonal affective disorder. Tended to get better when the amount of vitamin D in their bodies went up as you'd expect it to during the spring and summer.
Select selenium-rich foods:
Studies have reported a link between low selenium and poor moods. The recommended amount for selenium is 55 micrograms a day for adults.
- Beans and legumes
- Lean meat
- Low-fat dairy products
- Nuts and seeds
- Seafood
- Whole grains
Omega-3 fatty acids:
Recently, scientists found that societies that don't eat enough omega-3 may have higher rates of major depressive disorders. Other studies show that people who don't often eat fish, a rich source of these fatty acids, are more likely to have depression. As a double benefit, omega-3s are good for your heart.
Brain- healthy fats:
Fat is back and with good reason. healthy fats like those found in nuts and fish are crucial for brain health and may play a role in fighting depression.
In a large review of studies, people eating the most fish had a 17% lower risk depression than those eating the least fish, another review found that omega-3 fish oil supplements boosted the effects of medication in people with depression, compared with taking a placebo.
Fermented Foods:
Animal studies suggest that certain live bacteria and yeast, known as probiotics, may be helpful in fighting depression and anxiety. Fermented foods like kimchi and kefir are chock full of healthy bacteria thought to soothe gut inflammation.
Leafy greens:
In the new Antidepressant food rankings, leafy greens like watercress, spinach, mustard greens, lettuce, and swiss chard got top billing. These foods earned the highest scores out of all animal and plant-based foods, suggesting that they're an important part of preventing or treating depressive disorders. These veggies are rich in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin. Low folate levels have been linked to depressive symptoms and poor response to antidepressants.
Dark chocolate:
Cocoa beans contain flavonoids, plant-based nutrients that are powerful antioxidants and can improve mood. In a large study of U.S. women without previous depression, higher flavonoid consumption was linked with a lower risk of depression, especially among older women.
Sweet potatoes:
Carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes get their organ hue from carotenoids, a type of antioxidant that helps in warding off depression. A study of men and women in the U.S. revealed an association between greater blood levels of carotenoids and optimism. Researchers weren't able to tease out cause and effect, but they suspect that optimistic people eat healthier diets and people in better physical health are more optimistic.
A Mediterranean style diet:
improve your overall diet and you could reduce your depression. That the key takeaway from a first of its kind trial examining the effects of a modified Mediterranean diet on major depression. The link between diet and depression is complex, involving several biological pathways and processes, each of which is under the influence of our gut microbiota.
For the study, one group upped their intake of fresh fruit and veggies, whole grains, legumes, fish, lean and meats, olive oil, and nuts, while cutting back on sweets, refined cereals, fried food, processed meats, and sugary drinks. A control group received only social support for their depression. After three months, a third of those in the Mediterranean diet group reported significant symptoms of relief, compared with just 8% of the control group.
Anti-oxidants prevent cell damage:
Our bodies normally make molecules called free radicals, but these can lead to cell damage, aging, and other problems.
Studies show that your brain is particularly at risk, although there's no way to stop free radicals completely, you can be able to lessen their destructive effect by eating foods rich in antioxidants, including:
- Beta- carotene: apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, collards, peaches, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato
- Vitamin C: Blueberries, broccoli, grapefruits, kiwi, peppers, potatoes, strawberries, tomato.
- Vitamin E: Margarine, nuts and seeds, vegetable oils, wheat germ
Smart- carbs can have a calming effect:
Carbohydrates are linked to the mood-boosting brain chemical, serotonin. Experts aren't sure, but carb craving sometimes may be related to low serotonin activity.
Choose your carbs wisely. Limit sugary foods and opt for smart or complex carbs (such as whole grains) rather than simple carbs (such as cakes and cookies). Fruits, vegetables, and legumes also have healthy carbs and fiber.
Protein-rich foods boost alertness:
Foods like turkey, tuna, and chicken have an amino acid called tryptophan, which may help you make serotonin. Try to eat something with protein several times a day, especially when you need to clear your mind and boost your energy. Good sources of healthy protein include beans and peas, lean beef, low- fat cheese, fish, milk, soy products, and yogurt.
Turkey:
Turkey contains tryptophan, the amino thanksgiving day revelers love to blame for inducing their post-feast slumber. While turkey probably won't really make you sleepy, tryptophan may be helpful in treating mental health problems like depression. your body uses tryptophan to make the mood-elevating hormone serotonin.
Try a Mediterranean diet for B vitamins:
A Spanish study found that rates of depression tended to rise in men, especially smokers, as they got less folate. The same thing happened for women, especially those who smoked or didn't exercise but when they got less vitamin B12.
This wasn't the first study to find a link between these vitamins and depression. researchers aren't sure which way the influence goes, do poor nutrient levels lead to depression, or does depression lead people to eat poorly.
In either case, you can get both of these B vitamins from foods in a Mediterranean diet. Legumes, nuts, many fruits, and dark green vegetables have folate. Vitamin B12 can be found in all lean and low- fat animal products, such as fish ad low-fat dairy production.
Leafy Greens:
In the new antidepressant food rankings, leafy greens like watercress, spinach, mustard greens, lettuce, and swiss chard got top billing. These foods earned the highest scores out of all animal- and plant-based foods, suggesting that they're an important part of preventing or treating depressive disorders. These veggies are rich in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin. Low folate levels have been linked to depressive symptoms and poor response to antidepressants.
Plus, the vitamin may affect mood-related chemicals in the brain, serotonin levels have been shown to rise with foods rich in folate, noted Torey Armul, RD, a spokesperson for the academy of nutrition and dietetics. Some people with depression have reduced the transmission of these important chemicals messenger.
Get enough vitamin D:
Vitamin D receptors are located throughout the body, including your brain. A recent national study found that the like hood of having depression is higher in people with low levels of vitamin D. In another study, researchers from the University of Toronto noticed that people who had symptoms of depression, particularly those with seasonal affective disorder. Tended to get better when the amount of vitamin D in their bodies went up as you'd expect it to during the spring and summer.
Select selenium-rich foods:
Studies have reported a link between low selenium and poor moods. The recommended amount for selenium is 55 micrograms a day for adults.
- Beans and legumes
- Lean meat
- Low-fat dairy products
- Nuts and seeds
- Seafood
- Whole grains
Omega-3 fatty acids:
Recently, scientists found that societies that don't eat enough omega-3 may have higher rates of major depressive disorders. Other studies show that people who don't often eat fish, a rich source of these fatty acids, are more likely to have depression. As a double benefit, omega-3s are good for your heart.
Brain- healthy fats:
Fat is back and with good reason. healthy fats like those found in nuts and fish are crucial for brain health and may play a role in fighting depression.
In a large review of studies, people eating the most fish had a 17% lower risk depression than those eating the least fish, another review found that omega-3 fish oil supplements boosted the effects of medication in people with depression, compared with taking a placebo.
Fermented Foods:
Animal studies suggest that certain live bacteria and yeast, known as probiotics, may be helpful in fighting depression and anxiety. Fermented foods like kimchi and kefir are chock full of healthy bacteria thought to soothe gut inflammation.
Leafy greens:
In the new Antidepressant food rankings, leafy greens like watercress, spinach, mustard greens, lettuce, and swiss chard got top billing. These foods earned the highest scores out of all animal and plant-based foods, suggesting that they're an important part of preventing or treating depressive disorders. These veggies are rich in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin. Low folate levels have been linked to depressive symptoms and poor response to antidepressants.
Dark chocolate:
Cocoa beans contain flavonoids, plant-based nutrients that are powerful antioxidants and can improve mood. In a large study of U.S. women without previous depression, higher flavonoid consumption was linked with a lower risk of depression, especially among older women.
Sweet potatoes:
Carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes get their organ hue from carotenoids, a type of antioxidant that helps in warding off depression. A study of men and women in the U.S. revealed an association between greater blood levels of carotenoids and optimism. Researchers weren't able to tease out cause and effect, but they suspect that optimistic people eat healthier diets and people in better physical health are more optimistic.
nice... lots of knowledge about about this disease.. thank you doctor FAROOQ
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