| The fight against depression has many | | | | consume unprocessed foods and a lot of green |
| components. One that cannot be emphasized | | | | leafy vegetables to ensure a healthy amount of |
| enough is the connection between nutrition and | | | | vitamins and minerals. Including supplements such |
| emotions. The difficult fight that depression | | | | as vitamin B12 and folic acid is important because |
| sufferers face is eating the right things while their | | | | up to 35% of depressed people show folic acid |
| brains are directing them to eat the wrong things. | | | | deficiencies. Foods that are rich in folic acid are |
| It is difficult to do the right thing nutritionally when | | | | seeds, legumes, livers and leafy green vegetables. |
| all your cravings are for high carbohydrate, sugary | | | | Vitamin B12 rich foods include meat, poultry, milk, |
| foods that offer fleeting feel-good reactions. | | | | eggs, cheese and fish. |
| Eating this comfort food starts a chain reaction | | | | Your diet should include 800mcg of both folic acid |
| that will lead to more depressed feelings. | | | | and B12. Depressed patients also typically have |
| Accepting the fact that nutrition plays a large role | | | | low levels of B6, which you can get from food or |
| in your emotional state, is the first step in | | | | supplements and is vital for the production of |
| stopping the hormonal reactions that lead to | | | | amino acids. Foods rich in B6 include protein-rich |
| depression. | | | | foods like fish, poultry, eggs, lentils, peanuts and |
| The first recommended step is supplementing a | | | | wheat products. |
| healthy diet with high dose fish oil. Fish oil has been | | | | It is believed that amino acids play a role in |
| shown to reduce the "bad" hormones, eicosanoids | | | | depression as they are the precursors to |
| and cytokines, and increase serotonin which is the | | | | neurotransmitters. Amino acids help our brains |
| "feel good" hormone. When you have higher levels | | | | send chemical and hormonal messages more |
| of eicosanoids and cytokines you have increased | | | | efficiently to our bodies. GABA |
| inflammation that carries a host of problems. | | | | (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is a natural anti-anxiety |
| This can lead to strong cravings for high | | | | chemical that depressed patients generally have |
| carbohydrate foods like potatoes, pizza and | | | | low levels of. This amino acid is vital for the |
| candy. Once you give into the craving and eat | | | | production of serotonin, which makes it extremely |
| these foods you will feel better but it will be short | | | | important for people fighting depression. |
| lived. As your blood sugar increases, your insulin | | | | For patients suffering with a seasonal affective |
| levels increase causing the short lived good feeling. | | | | disorder type of depression, melatonin has been |
| This information leads to the obvious conclusion | | | | shown to ease symptoms and can help with |
| that nutrients do affect our emotions. | | | | insomnia. SAM (S-adenosyl L-methionine) is |
| Food is a large part of our emotional health and | | | | comparable to synthetic anti-depressants minus |
| can have amazing results when used in the | | | | the side effects. It has been studied extensively |
| treatment of depression. Complex carbohydrates | | | | and can increase production of serotonin and |
| are a vital component in well rounded nutritional | | | | dopamine, which both help produce improved brain |
| plans. As complex carbohydrates take a long time | | | | cell membrane fluidity causing improvement in |
| to break down and release sugar steadily and | | | | depression. |
| slowly into the body you do not get a sugar | | | | It is a project to find the right balance of nutrition, |
| overload. | | | | supplements and exercise to improve each |
| Complex carbohydrates are found in whole grains, | | | | person's depression, but the alternative is |
| vegetables and fruits, and within minutes of | | | | synthetic drugs that carry a host of problems. |
| consuming these foods your serotonin levels will | | | | With synthetic drugs many people must try many |
| increase. | | | | different pills to find one that works for time, |
| As with any healthy diet, it is important to | | | | each time changing their brain chemistry. |