Do you suffer from depression or just occasional dips in your mood?
Instead of nourishing your mind and body with the proper nutrients to get you out of a rut, are you abandoning food altogether and skipping meals, or rather binge eating to numb the pain?
Here are some nutritional tips that you should consider when managing your depression:
- Are you eating enough quality protein? Though it may vary from person to person, strive for about 20 grams per meal. Certain amino acids fround in protein-rich foods will help to support normal levels of neurotransmitters necessary to support a positive mood.
Foods rich in protein: whole eggs, beef, poultry, fish - Avoid the following foods which can cause blood sugar imbalances, and therefore may affect mood: refined carbohydrates and excessive sugar, stimulants (drugs, caffeine), alcohol, trans-fats and hydrogenated oils (highly refined and processed oils)
- Eat omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods which have been shown to support a healthy mood and support optimal brain health.
Omega-3 rich foods: wild fresh fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel), walnuts, hemp seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds - Do not skip any meals. By avoiding food altogether you’ll just be setting yourself up for nutritional deficiencies and potentially further disrupting blood sugar regulation.
Please note:
I am a nutrition educator/consultant and not a physician. As such, I do not diagnose or treat disease, rather I support lifestyle balance and health with my work. Please understand that any information provided on the relationship between nutrition and health is not meant to replace competent medical treatment for any health problem or condition.
If Mood Food: Nutritional Tips for Managing Depression was helpful, please share this post with a friend so that they too may learn something from reading it. You may also find this recent post helpful:
How to Get Out of a Funk More Quickly and Feel Like Yourself Again
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Mike is a holistic nutritionist that helps people feel more optimistic about their health and wellness through changes in diet and lifestyle shifts.
He has authored posts and articles featured on MarthaStewart.com, today.com, and iVillage.com.