Fight Depression with Delicious, Healthy Foods

• Posted by Shauna Smith June 25, 2012 - Filed in Personal - #food  #depression  #guest post  #mental health  - 124 views

  Fight Depression with Delicious, Healthy Foods

  Posted on June 25, 2012 by Shauna

  This is a guest post from Cindy Johnson. She writes a blog at http://healthyrecap.com/. She was kind enough to offer a post on Fighting Depression with healthy foods. I thought this was a great idea and a great fit for my blog, so you will find her post below: 

  Fight Depression with Delicious, Healthy Foods 

  By Cindy Johnson

  Depression is virtually unknown in some countries and a growing concern in others, including the US. Can bad diets be the cause? Some scientists say yes. Small changes to your diet can make a huge difference in controlling mood disorders.

  According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in any given year nearly 7% of the adult population in the US suffers from serious depression, and almost 17% are treated for depression at some point in their lives. Teenagers are particularly susceptible to mood disorders as well, and depression often starts early. But a growing body of scientific research points to some simple diet changes that can help stave off depression and help you or your teen maintain an even keel.

  Omega-3 fatty acids

  
  Recent studies conducted in Finland and Japan found that people who eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids have remarkably lower incidence of depression and suicide. So how do you add omega-3 fatty acids to your diet? You’ll love this because it’s so easy. Plenty of delicious, nutritious foods are leaded with exactly what you need. Here’s a list in order of highest concentration:

  • Flax seed and flax seed oil offers the most the highest concentration of omega-3 to be found in any food. Find it in butter substitutes (example: Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread) or buy flax seeds and sprinkle them into your cereal or bake them into muffins. Flax seed are tiny and more or less flavorless, so they can be added to lots of recipes.
  • Oily, cold water fish like tuna, sardines, and salmon are great sources for omega-3 fatty acids. Adding just two fish meals to your weekly menu, and sure, one of those can be a tuna sandwich for lunch, will help fight depression. Caviar and oysters are great, too.
  • Spinach – loaded with the good stuff. Eat it often. Hate the taste? How about a yummy spinach dip made with plain or Greek yogurt to up the nutrition and lower the fat? If dip isn’t your thing either, chop spinach fine and drop it in spaghetti sauces, chili, meatloaf (seriously, mix it right into your meatloaf like an herb), soups, or any casserole or stew type dish. You won’t taste it, and you will reap the benefits.
  • Walnuts are not only a great snack loaded with protein to fill you up, they are loaded with good fat. So grab a handful instead of chips.
  • Cooking oils, like canola, olive, soy, and sunflower have no saturated fats and plenty of omega-3. Salad dressings and mayonnaise made with omega-3 laden oils are also excellent. So your tuna salad gets a double dose!
  • A lot of common herbs and spices have omega-3, including basil, oregano, marjoram, cloves, and fresh mint. So load up your dishes with flavor and crank up the health benefits at the same time.

  Folate and Uridine

  
  Folate is a nutrient most people aren’t even aware of, but come up short on your daily intake and it can trigger depression, exhaustion, and insomnia. And researchers at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts found that consuming foods rich in uridine is mood elevating. So what do these two things have in common? Beets. That’s right, by adding fresh beets to your diet, you fight depression on two fronts. Uncooked beets are better, so try grating them up to add to salad or even mixing grated beets into a fruit smoothie. Much like adding carrots, they will add nutrients and color without overpowering the taste.

  Selenium and Vitamin D

  
  Deficiencies in selenium have been linked to a host of disorders, including anxiety, depression and fatigue. Mushrooms are a great source of selenium and they are also jam-packed with vitamin D, a mood elevating nutrient that hardly any of us get enough of that’s been linked to SAD (seasonal affective disorder). They are also filling, meaty, low-cal, and a good source of fiber to keep the plumbing running smoothly. Saute mushrooms in olive oil or flax seed oil spread, add a splash of white or red wine, and you have a delicious side for any meal.

  Here’s the best news. Every food on this list is über-nutritious and a great addition to a healthy lifestyle. So no matter what your health challenges, you can’t go wrong by adding these foods to your diet (unless you have food allergies). Each one has benefits that go above and beyond mood elevation for better nutrition and better health. What’s not to love about that?

  Bio: Cindy Johnson is a health nut and avid fan of Dr. Oz. Read her blog at http://healthyrecap.com/

   

  Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net