Enhancing mental wellness with feel-good foods

Enhancing mental wellness with feel-good foods

When feeling down in the dumps or riddled with anxiety, instead of turning to Prozac, why not try nutrient-rich food as an antidote instead?  This approach is becoming more commonplace according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.  The most common form of mental illness in the U.S. affecting 18% of the population is anxiety disorders. Increasingly, mental health professionals are turning to integrative treatments to complement medications and traditional forms of therapy.

Depression and anxiety can trigger a host of feelings from agitation, insomnia, poor appetite or just the opposite – excessive hunger.  It’s the hunger feeling some may use as a crutch to help them cope or comfort themselves from feelings of hopelessness or despair.  This may work temporarily, but depending on their food choices, it can also backfire in making them feel worse.

Here’s why – food choices can affect your mood either positively or negatively.  There are some foods that can boost a person’s mood but others can do just the opposite.  For example, eating too many sweets or highly refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, sugared desserts or donuts, will cause a rapid rise in blood sugar.  Once a sugar spike has reached its peak, it has no other place to go except to come crashing down.  There will be the initial feeling of more energy right after eating sweets followed by the after effect of feeling more sluggish only adding to the depressive state.  Plus, resorting to highly refined carbohydrates will likely lead to weight gain making a person feel even worse. 

Several studies have also suggested a link between eating fast food and depression.  A 2012 study found eating commercially baked goods such as cake, croissants, etc. and fast food such as hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza, resulted in a 51% greater likelihood of developing depression compared to those who ate little to none of these foods.  It also found that the more fast food consumed, the greater the risk of depression.

Another more recent study found that men and women consuming a healthy dietary pattern (whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, fish) when compared to a more “Western” style eating pattern (white potatoes, cheese, meat), had scores that were inversely associated with PHQ-9 depression scores.

More research is necessary to have a better idea of the exact role diet plays in developing depressive disorders.  But studies such as these do suggest that certain nutrients and dietary patterns may have a preventative role in this condition or at the very least, to help reduce depressive symptoms.

The best advice for anyone suffering from depression or anxiety is to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet providing all the essential nutrients our bodies need.  Even though there is no specific diet for depression, there is some research showing how certain foods and nutrients may affect one’s mood:

·      Folate

Folate is a B vitamin important for brain functioning.  In order for the brain to make certain essential compounds and neurotransmitters that carry messages from one area of the brain to another, folate is necessary for this to happen. 

A 2012 study in The American Journal of Psychiatry found that patients with major depressive disorder when given folate had a better response to the antidepressants that were used in their treatment.  This is not to say folate by itself can be used to treat major depressive disorder but that it could possibly be an important vitamin to make certain someone with depression is getting a sufficient intake in their diet.

Here are good food sources of folate to include:

·      Beans – pinto, garbanzo, kidney and black

·      Asparagus

·      Spinach

·      Avocado

·      Broccoli

·      Fortified breakfast cereals

·      Eggs

·      Tomato juice

·      Omega-3 fatty acids

This type of fat is also necessary for building neurotransmitters, including serotonin important for regulating mood.  When a person’s diet is rich in omega-3’s their body will be able to produce enough serotonin.

Studies have found that people suffering from depression had an improvement when omega-3’s supplements were added to their diet.

Many individuals are not getting in enough of this important fat that the body does not make – consuming adequate food sources that naturally contain it or by taking a supplement is how omega-3’s can be obtained.

Here are good food sources of omega-3’s to include each day:

·      Fatty fish – salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, albacore tuna

·      Flaxseed

·      Walnuts

·      Spinach

·      Pumpkin seeds

·      Vitamin D

The sunshine vitamin is aptly named in regards to possibly bringing more light into the lives of those with a history of depression.  Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas conducted a large study of 12,600 people showing that there is a strong link between adults with a history of depression and low vitamin D levels.  It is believed that vitamin D may affect neurotransmitters, inflammatory markers and other factors that could explain the relationship with depression.

Sunlight is the best source of obtaining vitamin D.  The best time of day to be outdoors to maximize absorption of the sun’s rays to activate production of vitamin D in the body is when a person’s shadow is the shortest – around noontime.  If a person can be outdoors a couple of times a week during this time of day and have their face, arms and legs exposed, anywhere from 10-30 minutes (darker skinned individuals need to be in the sun longer), this should provide adequate sunlight.  It is also advisable for adults to have their vitamin D status checked with a blood test to determine if they are deficient or not.  All people with depression should have their vitamin D status checked.

Vitamin D can be found either naturally or in fortified foods such as:

·      Egg yolks

·      Beef liver

·      Cheese

·      Cod liver oil

·      Fatty fish – tuna, mackerel, and salmon

·      Fortified food such as milk, orange juice, soy milk, and cereals

Substances to use in moderation

There are certain substances that can make depression worse – caffeine and alcohol.

Even though caffeine is a stimulant, too much can disrupt sleep patterns making a person feel anxious which will not help with depression.  Caffeinated drinks should only be used in moderation with no more than 400 milligrams a day being consumed.

Alcohol is often used by some as a way to “self-medicate.” This may bring short-term relief but alcohol is just a temporary fix that will usually make things worse.  It can throw off a person’s sleep cycle, and can cause mood swings and anxiety.  Alcohol can also cause negative side effects if prescription medications are being taken for depression.  Anyone who has depression should abstain from alcohol to avoid any negative interaction.

Putting it all together

Eating a healthy diet containing good food sources of folate, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D can be a start to reducing depression but it is not considered a cure-all for it.  When it comes to food, choose wisely and use other lifestyle interventions to help deal with depression.  Exercise is another important part of creating feelings of positivity.  It releases endorphins helping a person feel better along with maintaining a healthy body weight. 

Anyone with depression should talk to their doctor about the best way to manage their condition.