Could Your Diet Be Affecting Your Depression?

freestockphoto from picjumbo

What foods have been shown to decrease the incidence of depression, and what can you eat to incorporate these nutrients into your diet?

• Omega 3 Fats:
  • Oily fish (Salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, trout, and (fresh, not out of the can) tuna)
  • Flaxseeds and walnuts
• Vitamin B
  • B6: poultry, seafood, bananas, and leafy green vegetables
  • B12: animal foods (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and milk) and shellfish, such as clams, mussels, and crab
  • And you can supplement vitamin B6 or B12!
• Folate
  • Dark leafy greens, beans and legumes, citrus fruits and juices
• Amino acids
  • The chemical Serotonin is made in your body from an amino acid produced from Tryptophan
  • Find Tryptophan in protein rich foods such as meat, eggs, fish, beans, seeds, and nuts
• Chromium
  • Broccoli, oats, green beans, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, black pepper
• Selenium: One of the minerals that help antioxidant balance
  • Cod, Brazil nuts, walnuts, poultry

You should…

• Balance your blood sugar!
  • Avoid, as much as you can, refined sugar and processed or refined foods, eating instead whole foods, fruits, vegetables, and regular meals.
• Get some sun!
  • Get your dose of Vitamin D from the sunlight.

“Bad Mood Foods” to avoid:

• Refined sugar and refined foods
• Alcohol
• Caffeine

Read more at: Food for the Brain: Depression

What do you think? Have you noticed that your diet can affect your mood?  Share with us below!