According to Dr. David Mrazek on Mayoclinic.com, lifestyle changes such as eating different foods can improve your psychological health in addition to your physical health. "The New York Times Health Guide" web page says that if you are prone to seasonal affective disorder, you can introduce certain foods into your diet that can alleviate your depression symptoms and reduce your risk of experiencing seasonal affective disorder in the future.
Symptoms
Seasonal affective disorder refers to a form of depression that occurs at certain times every year. Seasonal affective disorder usually begins in the fall and persists through winter, but some people experience seasonal affective disorder in spring and summer. Common symptoms include sadness, lethargy and cravings for foods high in carbohydrates.
Cause
According to the American Psychiatric Association, seasonal affective disorder is due to a lack of exposure to sunlight in winter. Your body produces higher levels of the hormone melatonin in the dark, which can bring about depressive symptoms. Similarly, your body requires sunlight to produce high levels of serotonin, and people experience depression when they have low levels of serotonin. Therefore, when days become short in winter, some people experience seasonal affective disorder because they have higher than normal levels of melatonin and low levels of serotonin.
Foods
A diet that combats depressive symptoms can help to stave off seasonal affective disorder. According to psychiatrist David Mrazek on MayoClinic.com, eating a Mediterranean diet can help ward off depression. A Mediterranean diet consists of eating a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, with low amounts of meats. Dr. Mrazek says that a Mediterranean diet can lower your risk of depression by as much as one-third.
Supplements
"The New York Times Health Guide" web page says that dietary supplements might help to improve the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. Increasing your omega-3 and decreasing your omega-6 intake might reduce your risk of seasonal depression.. Fish, nuts and canola oil contain high amounts of omega-3, and corn and sunflower oils contain high amounts of omega-6. B-complex vitamins, such as vitamin B3, vitamin B12 and folate can protect against depression. You can get vitamin B3 from oily fish, beans and whole grains.
Carbohydrates
Most sufferers of seasonal affective disorder crave foods high in carbohydrates. In a November 1995 article in the journal "Obesity Research," R. J. Wurtman and J. J. Wurtman say that consuming foods high in carbohydrates raises the levels of serotonin in your brain, which alleviates the symptoms of depression. However, the tendency to eat carbohydrates among sufferers of seasonal affective disorder can cause unwanted weight gain. This weight gain can cause depression symptoms by decreasing your self-esteem, so monitor your intake of carbohydrates if suffering from seasonal affective disorder.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- American Psychiatric Organization: Seasonal Affective Disorder
- MayoClinic.com: Depression and Diet: Make Healthy Choices
- The New York Times: Seasonal Affective Disorder
- "Obesity Research"; Brain Serotonin, Carbohydrate-Craving, Obesity and Depression; R.J. Wurtman & J.J. Wurtman; November 1995
