Anti-depression diet?
Depression can have various causes. Poor nutrition combined with psychological stress is the most common cause. Addressing psychological stress with nutrition works to a certain extent, especially if the stress stems from anxiety in the subconscious. To fully address the anxiety in the subconscious, we offer help in the form of trip therapy. Nutrition addresses the underlying cause, allowing depression to be better combated and, in some cases, even completely resolved. If the diet is correct, the neurotransmitters in the brain will be restored to balance, creating a foundation for more positive thoughts.
Most diets focus on the body. The primary goal is to lose weight as quickly as possible, and whether that's achieved healthily or unhealthyly is often secondary to the visual results or what the scale says.
The nutritional advice below is designed to help you feel better about yourself. It primarily affects the brain, but the body benefits as well. One can't exist without the other, as the brain is, after all, an organ of the body. This nutritional advice is more of a guideline than a standardized diet. We'll provide you with the ingredients you need to combine, but the best part is, you'll notice a difference within a few days.
Free radicals
When you breathe, your body fills with oxygen, which your mitochondria (the powerhouses of your cells) use to produce fuel. They leave behind free radicals, the portion of oxygen they can't use. This oxygen is highly reactive and wants to bond with anything, which then oxidizes (like iron rusts).
A few free radicals are good; they destroy damaged cells so you can replace them. But excess free radicals begin to attack strong cells, causing inflammation and premature aging. Chronic stress, toxins from smog and poor-quality indoor air, mold, sugar, pesticides, and many other attributes of modern life produce high levels of free radicals, so that inflammation in the body leads to the release of less serotonin and BDNF, which causes low mood or even depression.
More info about BDNF and serotonin
Polyphenols against free radicals
All vegetables contain polyphenols that neutralize free radicals and prevent them from causing damage. Low inflammation increases blood flow to your brain, providing it with the oxygen it needs to produce more energy. Increased blood flow gives you stable energy and focus. Polyphenols also help you produce more BDNF (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a protein that promotes neurogenesis. Neurogenesis is what builds new brain cells.
Dark green vegetables are a good source of polyphenols. For an extra anti-inflammatory boost, add dark red, purple, and blue plants. They often have the strongest polyphenols in the largest quantities. Here are some of the most potent polyphenol sources:
Coffee Coffee contains special polyphenols that protect cells with high fat content, and the brain is made up of some of the fattiest cells in your body. Coffee is highly neuroprotective. It should be consumed in moderation and no later than 1:00 PM to promote sleep. More than two cups of coffee a day can actually be detrimental to your health, so drink in moderation.
Green tea Contains theanine and catechins, both of which prevent cognitive decline. Theanine also improves attention and mood when combined with caffeine, so drink your caffeinated green tea. You won't find green polyphenols in coffee. Drink a cup of each for extra cognitive performance in the morning.
Blueberries Blueberries get their deep blue color from anthocyanins, powerful polyphenols that increase blood flow and dramatically extend lifespan in animals. Blueberry polyphenols also directly increase BDNF, helping you create new brain pathways. Blueberries are relatively low in sugar, but they still contain a few grams, so stick to two handfuls a day.
Pomegranates contain ellagitannins, special polyphenols that go directly into your mitochondria and protect them from damage. In addition, you break down gut bacteria pomegranate It breaks down into something called urolithins, which can protect the brain against cognitive decline. Stick to a few handfuls of pomegranate seeds a day. Avoid ready-made pomegranate juices, which contain more sugar and far fewer polyphenols.
Red cabbage Contains anthocyanidins, which are particularly potent in combating inflammation. They give red cabbage its color; white or green cabbage doesn't have the same potent effect.
ORAC list. The ORAC list lists foods rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants absorb oxygen freely and thus prevent inflammation.
Good fats. Most polyphenols are fat-soluble, so make sure you get them with a good dose of good fats, which we'll write about below.
Saturated fat to keep your brain cells insulated
The brain contains approximately 60% fat, of which 25% is cholesterol. If you've ever followed a low-fat diet and always felt tired or unfocused, now you know why: you're starving the brain of one of its most important components.
Brain cells send signals to each other along long nerve cell connections. Many of these nerve cell connections are covered with myelin sheaths, fatty coatings that insulate your brain cells, allowing electrical signals to travel more quickly through your brain. It's similar to how electricity travels through an insulated wire.
When myelin begins to break down, electrical communication in the brain slows down. That's when people forget keys and lose their train of thought. Myelin is made almost entirely of cholesterol. Cholesterol is also the basis for all sex hormones: testosterone, estrogen, cortisol (which is needed in healthy amounts), and so on. Give the body enough cholesterol to work with, and it balances the hormones.
Carbohydrates should not be consumed in excess alongside saturated fat. Carbohydrates, especially fast sugars, cause oxidative inflammation, which ultimately leads to cardiovascular disease (oxidized LDL and saturated fats). In other words, it's the inflammation from excess sugar that weakens the heart, not just the saturated fat. A low-carb (primarily low-sugar), anti-inflammatory diet is ideal for most people.
Best Sources of Saturated Fat and Cholesterol
Grass-fed butter. Note the sunny yellow color and creamy consistency. White or waxy butter is a sign that the cow that produced it ate a poor diet, which also means the butter is of poor quality.
Eggs. Free-range, pasture-raised, and omega-3 eggs are the best choice. Avoid eggs from grain-fed chickens.
Dark chocolate. Beware of added sugar. The darker, the better. It's best to use unprocessed chocolate, such as cacao nibs. Chocolate is also packed with polyphenols.
Grass-fed beef and lamb. Go for the fattiest ground meat available. It's usually the cheapest because most people think fat is bad, but that's not the case with grass-fed beef and lamb.
Omega-3s against inflammation and brain structure
There are two types of omega-3s that are very beneficial for the brain. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) competes with omega-6 fats, reducing inflammation throughout the body and particularly in your brain. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the main structural component of your brain and central nervous system. In fact, there is strong evidence that high-DHA diets played a significant role in the evolution of the modern human brain.
DHA is one of the most important factors in sharp memory and brain cell integrity. It's also essential for mood: a global study of fish consumption, DHA levels, and depression showed that eating more DHA-rich fish is strongly correlated with greater happiness. This isn't a proven cause-and-effect relationship, as the link could also be the other way around, with happier people eating more fish.
The third type of omega-3 is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is found in plants. The body can't use ALA, so it converts it to DHA and EPA, but this conversion is inefficient. You only convert about 6% of ALA to DHA/EPA. All those superfood companies claiming their plant-based products are high in omega-3 are using misleading marketing; with the exception of a few types of algae, plants only contain ALA, which doesn't actually do you much good. Get your omega-3s from animal fats (or algae, if you're vegetarian/vegan).
Here are top sources of omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA):
Wild-caught, low-mercury fish. Alaskan salmon, anchovies, sardines, mackerel, and trout are all good sources. Make sure they're wild-caught, and if you get canned, check to see if they're BPA-free.
Fish/krill oil. Krill oil tends to be a little bit better, but it is also more expensive.
Grass-fed organ meats It also contains plenty of omega-3 fatty acids. Brain is by far the best source. Avoid cow brains due to their history with mad cow disease, but lamb brains are excellent if you can find them. Heart, liver, and kidneys are also high in DHA and EPA. Make sure your organ meats are grass-fed.
What else can you eat?
We've previously written about how you can increase BDNF production through diet and lifestyle, thus combating depression. We recommend reading the section on nutrition. The nutritional advice there combines perfectly with the information in this article. Together, this information forms a solid foundation for a healthy body and mind.
Read more about it here nutrition, BDNF and depression
Supplements
Supplements can be a welcome addition to your diet. We've written about this before.
Read here which supplements work against depressive complaints
Other things to consider
Incorporating the foods mentioned above into your diet is a solid foundation for a fast, resilient brain that's more resistant to depression. This article covers the tip of the iceberg: you can boost your brain even more by eating even fewer carbohydrates and more healthy fats, and by intermittent fasting. Fasting can have a cleansing effect. Even part-time fasting works. Eating only between 12:00 and 18:00 for a few weeks can already yield greater improvements.
Citation
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19249420
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16507475
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19772322
http://www.crcnetbase.com/doi/abs/10.1201/9781420028096.ch17
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jphs/91/4/91_4_267/_article
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1112010#t=article
http://naturamedica.lt/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Rodriguez-Mateos-Am-J-Clin-Nutr-2013.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1413581/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18681988
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665790/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8344531_Bioavailability_of_ellagic_acid_in_pomegranate_Punica_granatum_L_juice
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24907980
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15812120
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151209135740.htm
http://www.ocl-journal.org/articles/ocl/pdf/2004/01/ocl2004111p30.pdf
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0120391
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(05)79168-6/fulltext
http://www.dhaomega3.org/Overview/Conversion-Efficiency-of-ALA-to-DHA-in-Humans