How Right Food Can Beat Depression?

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in fighting depression and other mental health conditions. Here are some foods that can help reduce depressive symptoms.

It’s no secret that the mind and body are intricately linked. The connection between physical health and mental well-being is well-established in medical literature, and at the heart of this connection lies the power of nutrition. The physical causes of depression are multifaceted. Depression is no longer seen as solely a result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. Emerging evidence points to various physical factors that can trigger or exacerbate depressive symptoms, including inflammation, infections, deficiencies, and toxin overload. Nutrition plays a pivotal role in addressing these underlying causes.

Getting The Basics Right

People think clinical nutrition is complicated. But the basics of a healthy diet which are required to counter all diseases remain largely the same. Essential nutrients, particularly proteins, which provide the building blocks for neurotransmitters that regulate mood are key in fighting depression and other mental health conditions. But it’s not just about what you should include; avoiding certain inflammatory foods is equally crucial. Common culprits like gluten, soy, corn, dairy, refined sugar, and processed foods can contribute to inflammation and worsen depressive symptoms.

Boosting the immune system

Boosting the immune system becomes essential to combat pathogens like fungi and mold that underlie chronic subclinical infections linked to depression. Incorporating essential nutrients like B Vitamins, Zinc, and Vitamin D as well as immune-boosting herbs like oregano, echinacea, cloves, garlic, Tulsi, etc help with this.

The cytokine model posits that depression is driven by inflammatory cytokines rather than just a chemical imbalance. This shift in understanding highlights the effectiveness of dietary changes in reducing chronic inflammation, often leading to a significant reduction or even elimination of depressive symptoms.

Incorporating plant foods rich in antioxidants can help counter oxidative stress and reduce inflammation, a key factor in the cytokine model of depression.

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and seafood hold notable potential for combating depression due to their anti-inflammatory properties.

Probiotic foods foster a healthy gut microbiome, which has a profound impact on mental health through the gut-brain axis.

Low effort recipes

In the struggle against depression, simple and easy-to-cook recipes can be a lifeline. Depression can zap motivation, making complex meal preparations a daunting task. Opting for nutrient-rich, quick-to-prepare meals ensures that you’re nourishing your body even when the motivation to do so is low.

Avoiding outside foods, laden with harmful substances like MSG (a neurotoxin) and refined seed oils (inflammatory agents), is essential. Instead, prioritize home-cooked meals, which allow you to control the ingredients and cooking methods, ensuring that you’re providing your body with optimal nutrition.

Ketogenic/Low-carbohydrate diets

An intriguing dietary approach gaining traction in the mental health realm is ketogenic and low-carb diets. These diets not only stabilize blood sugar levels, influencing mood and energy but also show promise in improving mental and neurological health. By reducing carbohydrate intake and focusing on healthy fats and proteins, these diets may alleviate depressive symptoms. A more extreme version that not only eliminates carbohydrates but all plant foods altogether has also been shown to have powerful effects in very complicated cases.

Food-based supplements and nootropics offer another avenue for enhancing mental health. Compounds like ashwagandha, green tea, lion’s mane, and fish oil have been studied for their potential to boost cognitive function and mood.

While depression’s origins are complex, the role of nutrition in addressing its underlying physical causes cannot be ignored. Embracing a diet rich in essential nutrients, antioxidants, omega-3s, and probiotics while avoiding inflammatory and processed foods can be a powerful step toward beating depression. For a more targeted treatment, get a full health checkup done and consult a good functional medicine practitioner to address the root causes of your problems.

The article is contributed by Functional Nutritionist Mugdha Pradhan, CEO and Founder, iThrive.