Using Diet To Control Depression

Most of us goes through mood swings and suffer from depression at least once in our entire lifetime. For some people, these symptoms are very strong and their depression hinders day-to-day activities as well. However, if you suffer from depressive episodes once in a blue moon, do not despair. There are many ways in which you can get rid of these feelings, or at least reduce them to a large extent. One way in which you can fight depression is by eating the right foods. What many people don’t know is that there are many nutritional blockbusters that prove very effective in fighting depression. These are much more effective and cheaper than pills and can make you feel better without the side effects. The rest of this article focuses on using diet to control depression, including the foods that should be eaten. However, be aware that if your symptoms persist or get worse, you will need to get professional help.

 

 

Experts believe that vitamin B deficiency could trigger off symptoms of depression. Vitamin B1 or thiamin can help beat such feelings. Some of the good sources of vitamin B1 are meats, whole wheat breads, watermelon and black beans. The neurotransmitters in the brain help modulate moods and these are kept in balance by Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine. The vitamin is also found to a large extent in sweet potatoes, spinach, navy beans and bananas.

 

The antioxidant properties of Vitamin E can work wonders to reduce depression. This vitamin is found in wheat germ, green leafy vegetables, sprouted beans, oats, egg yolks, nuts, seeds and canola oil.

 

Anemia, caused due to iron deficiency, affects over two billion people worldwide. This type of anemia can cause depression and therefore, intake of foods rich in iron will help beat the blues. Some of the foods rich in iron are red meat, legumes, quinoa, kale, fortified cereals and green leafy vegetables.

Selenium can aid in fighting depression. People who do not have sufficient selenium intake are usually grumpier and feel more depressed. The rich sources of selenium include poultry, seafood, sea vegetables, mushrooms and wheat.

 

A diet rich in carbohydrates is great to beat the blues. Foods rich in carbohydrates are cereals, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Excess carbohydrates, however, can cause stress levels to go up and depressive feelings to get worse. Therefore, eat such foods in moderation.

 

Fat makes up 60% of the brain and the right kinds of fatty foods help the brain to function better. Foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids help soothe depressive feelings as well. Fatty fish and soybean are rich in these fatty acids.

 

If the folate levels in the body go too low, they can deepen depression. So, try to maintain right folate intake. Folate is found in almost all vegetable and fruits, with the major concentration being in avocados, spinach and asparagus.