Lift the Blues with Foods that Fight Depression, Part One PDF Print E-mail
Written by Susan Croudace   

Contrary to popular belief, foods that fight depressive symptoms are not our usual comfort foods. Your mother’s meatloaf, Papa John’s Cinnapie and Godiva Chocolate Ice Cream will leave no lasting positive effects on your psyche. Those who suffer from depression need a combination of vitamins and acids to lift the symptoms without the aid of pharmaceuticals. The trick is to bring these elements together in foods that are easy to prepare and require little planning. Because depression typically reveals itself in lack of focus and loss of interest, one who suffers from depression cannot handle complicated food preparation.

 

The essential elements for fighting depression include:

 

  • Omega-3 fatty acids – found in cold water fish, specifically Atlantic salmon, tuna and sardines. Omega-3 is also found in canola oil and walnuts
  • Uridine – sugar beets, molasses
  • Amino acids – found in turkey, chicken, fish, beans, almonds, avocados, bananas, pumpkin seeds. cheese
  • Vitamin B6 – found in Beef, tuna, chickpeas, bananas, turkey, prunes
  • Vitamin B12 – Clams, oysters, chicken, crab, salmon, turkey, tuna, milk, eggs
  • Folate – Turkey, lentils, pinto beans chickpeas, spinach, black beans, asparagus, collards, turnip greens
  • Magnesium: oat bran, halibut, spinach, barley, pumpkin seeds, beans, artichokes
  • Zinc – found in oysters, crab, turkey, lentils, barley, yogurt, pumpkin seeds
  • Vitamin E – found in sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, tomato sauce, turnip greens, hazelnuts, and sweet potatoes

 

You will notice that some foods appear multiple times. (Multi-taskers! In food! What a concept!) The combination of these acids and vitamins helps reduce the symptoms of depression. In case you have a chalkboard available, the formula is this: Amino acids+B6+B12=SAM-e

 

Amino acids produce neurotransmitters which positively affect your mood. However, in order for the body to convert those amino acids into neurotransmitters, it needs Vitamin B6. Add Vitamin B12 into the mix, and your body will get help making SAM-e (which is like neurotransmitter production on steroids). Note: Low levels of SAM-e in the body have been linked to depression symptoms, so it’s wise to get on board with Vitamin B12. If this all sounds too complicated, you might notice from the list above that two foods stand out as having all three of these elements: bananas and turkey. If you haven’t tried a turkey and banana sandwich yet, you’re in for a real treat.

 

Interestingly Magnesium has been reported as a treatment that leads to a rapid recovery of depression – it also helps relieve anxiety and insomnia. Zinc, Vitamin E, Folate, Omega-3’s and Uridine are all beneficial – encouraging clarity, relieving anxiety and irritability and encouraging the production of happy brain chemicals such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

 

So, where do you go from here? Create menus that incorporate these elements. But don’t just think large meals, think snacks and small meals, more often. In Part Two, we’ll explore easy menus to fight depression and even provide a shopping list!

 

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Erica M
December 08, 2009
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Thanks for the article. Can't wait for the recipes and shopping list.

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