If you crave sweets, salty or fatty foods when you’re feeling blue, you aren’t alone, according to Dr. Shawn Talbott, Ph.D., a nutritional biochemist and author, who explains via Everyday Health, “If we eat better foods, like lean proteins, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and fish, we short-circuit the junk food cravings and have higher energy levels and sharper mental focus."
What we eat can affect our bodies in many ways. Some foods increase physical stress on the body because they are more difficult to digest, or they fill you up while denying the brain essential nutrients. What we drink can have just as great an impact: caffeine-laden drinks and alcoholic beverages can both put considerable strain on the body and mind.
For people with depression, the negative effects of poor diet choices may be felt more intensely than for others. For example, studies have shown that people who suffer from depression may have a lower threshold for pain, so their perception of gastrointestinal upset from eating a fast-food meal may feel more intense than a similar case in someone not fighting depression. A hangover may mean a day in bed recovering from a night on the town, rather than the ability to take two aspirin and head into the office. Food choices, especially those used to self-medicate, can have negative consequences.
Relying on caffeine as a pick me up, for example, can raise stress hormones and can cause insomnia, both of which can exacerbate depression symptoms. Heavy consumption of caffeinated beverages like coffee has also been linked in studies to other unhealthy lifestyle choices, including smoking. These lifestyle choices can take a physical toll and further increases anxiety, headaches and withdrawal symptoms when we try to eliminate them, and otherwise exacerbate depression symptoms.
Like caffeine overconsumption of alcohol will have unpleasant effects the morning after, and can lead to long-term consequences. Many people battling depression turn to alcohol or other methods of “self-medicating.” While there may be a sense of short-term relief, these substances throw off sleep cycles, cause mood swings and anxiety, and can compete with or render prescription medications ineffective.
Instead of turning to junk foods, caffeine or alcohol as a coping mechanism, experts advise finding super foods that will help boost your mood and keep your body in better shape to battle depression. These foods not only boost your overall health, but they also help trigger the body to release hormones that can improve mood and boost relaxation. Among the foods you can try:
Turkey or Lean Proteins
Lean proteins have been shown to have a positive effect on easing depression symptoms, and turkey has the added edge of containing high levels of a chemical called tryptophan. Yes, that same chemical that has us all planting ourselves on the couch after a heavy Thanksgiving meal has a mood-boosting component. Tryptophan stimulates serotonin production, which helps maintain mood. Eating a serving of turkey instead of a greasy burger not only will make your digestive system happy (and your arteries), but it also likely will put you in better spirits.
Walnuts
Another holiday staple, walnuts (and nuts in general), offer a great source of monounsaturated fats, which are good for cardiovascular health, and protein. However, unlike their nutty peers, walnuts are best recognized for their ability to fight depression symptoms because of their high omega-3 fatty acid content. These fatty acids support the brain’s overall health, and numerous studies have demonstrated that diets rich in them can help reduce depression symptoms. In fact, in a study published by the British Journal of Psychiatry implied that there is a link between the shift in Western diet away from foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids over the past century and the increase in psychiatric disorders over the same period.
Fatty Fish
While walnuts offer one of the richest plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids, there is no food source more rich in these essential nutrients than fatty fish, like salmon, Arctic char, sardines, halibut, trout and tuna. The fatty acids in these fish are great for boosting brain health, but they also have countless overall health benefits, including protecting against heart disease and possibly preventing stroke. The body does not manufacture these fatty acids, so eating foods rich in these nutrients is essential for overall health, as well as our state of mind.
Low-Fat Dairy
Want foods rich in calcium, vitamin D and protein? Try skim milk, yogurt, low-fat cheeses and other low-fat dairy products. These have several benefits -- including bone health, cardiovascular health and immune system function -- but they also are linked to easing symptoms of depression. Low-fat dairy is the richest dietary source of both calcium and vitamin D, along with specific peptides or proteins that induce a sense of well-being and relaxation, according to an interview with Shawn Talbott, Ph.D., a nutritional biochemist, for Everyday Health.
Whole Grains
While some people have a gluten sensitivity that can trigger depression or worsen symptoms of depression, healthy, high-fiber carbohydrates found in whole grains can help those without a gluten sensitivity ease their symptoms. Whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal, sweet potatoes and whole-wheat pasta all aid in serotonin release, which boosts mood and eases anxiety.
Green Tea
Green tea is a rich source of antioxidants that provide the body with health benefits, but its funk-busting properties are tied to an amino acid it contains called theanine. Theanine, found naturally in tea leaves, provides tea drinkers with a feeling of relaxation and helps them de-stress. While coffee drinkers may experience an increase in anxiety as a result of caffeine intake, tea drinkers more often report a feeling of “relaxed alertness.”