A relationship may exist between depression and nutrition. Negative moods can cause you to neglect a healthy diet. Munching on sweets or high-fat foods may provide feelings of relief momentarily but add to distress later on. A nutritious diet makes you feel healthier to deal better with mental stress. Nutrition improvements can accompany therapy and medication for people with chronic depression.
Avoiding Unhealthy Fats
British and French researchers found that a diet high in fruits, vegetables and fish protects middle-aged people against depression when compared to people who eat a diet high in processed foods. The researchers looked at data covering 3,486 subjects, averaging just older than age 55, who followed two dietary patterns. They determined depression rates of the subjects from a characteristic scale five years later. People on a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish reported a lower depression rate than those who consumed a processed diet of fried foods, high-fat dairy foods, processed meat, refined grains and sweetened desserts, it was reported in the November 2009 issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Mediterranean Foods
The Mediterranean Diet, often cited for its heart-healthy benefits, may relieve depression. The diet includes a high intake of fruit, vegetables, nuts, cereals, legumes and fish. The diet is low in saturated fats and emphasizes healthy monounsaturated fats, including olive oil. Spanish researchers looked at 10,094 healthy people and asked them about their dietary intake beginning in 1999. During a follow-up study more than four years later, they concluded the people who followed a Mediterranean Diet most closely had a more than 30 percent reduction in the risk of depression than those who had a lower intake of Mediterranean Diet foods, according to the study published in the October 2009 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Several studies have shown that depressed people who took omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat, along with antidepressants had more improvement in their depression symptoms than people who took antidepressants alone, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. However, other studies have not found the same results. Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include mood swings or depression. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, halibut and herring. Walnuts, walnut oil, flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, canola oil, soybeans and soybean oil also contain omega-3 acids.
Carbohydrates
Certain foods help improve moods for people with anxiety and depression. Depression and anxiety often coexist in patients. Eating meals and snacks rich in carbohydrates may help increase serotonin in the brain. Serotonin may help relieve or reduce depression and anxiety. Doctors prescribe medications for patients with depression and anxiety that help raise serotonin levels. Whole-grain foods, such as breads and pasta, and potatoes provide carbohydrates.
Vitamins and Minerals
The B vitamins help improve moods to relieve depression. Depressed patients often have low levels of vitamin B6, which can be found in cauliflower, broccoli, squash, spinach, Brussels sprouts, onions, okra and bananas. Vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B12 may also work to relieve depression by changing moods. Selenium, iron, magnesium, calcium, chromium and zinc may improve conditions because low levels of these minerals mimic symptoms of depression.
References
- BJ Psych: Dietary Pattern and Depressive Symptoms in Middle Age
- Archives of General Psychiatry: Association of the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern with the Incidence of Depression
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Anxiety Disorders Association of America: Depression
- MayoClinic.com: Coping with Anxiety-Can Diet Make a Difference?
- Holisticonline.com: Depression-Nutrition and Diet
