Depression Food

This disease has been known since antiquity, although it was seriously studied only in the XNUMXth century, when the term “depression»To indicate it. Before that, the depressed and depressed mood of patients, which could last for weeks, or even months, was called melancholy.

Moreover, the same name was used by ancient healers, including Hippocrates. By the way, he said that “melancholy is a separate disease, which is accompanied by certain physical and mental symptoms.”

Is Depression a Fashionable Disease or a Dangerous Mental Condition?

In 2013 in the magazine “JAMA Psychiatry“An article appeared that, according to research by American scientists, depression affects 30.6% of men and 33.3% of women. Of course, the difference is not big, but it proves the fact that women are more prone to it. In addition, in different countries, the incidence statistics are different.

For example, according to the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), in the UK, 17 out of 1000 men and 25 out of 1000 women are affected. However, if we also count people experiencing feelings of depression, their number among both sexes will increase to 98 people per 1000.

Studies in Australia have shown that only 1 out of 5 depressed people comes to specialists for help, while the rest are unaware that “chronic pain, insomnia and fatigue” are characteristic signs of severe mental illness.

By the way, even in different people, depression manifests itself in different ways. Men and women, old people and adolescents can experience various symptoms, which are accompanied by feelings of depression, dissatisfaction with themselves and eternal fatigue. But the worst thing is not even the very state in which the patient lives. These are dire consequences that can affect the entire body as a whole and cause irreversible changes.

Treatments for depression

Almost everyone knows that today depression is most often treated with antidepressants. However, such drug treatment is not always advisable. This is proved by the fact that in ancient times this disease was successfully treated with music therapy and a complex of useful tinctures.

Today, when treating depression, doctors advise primarily:

1. 1 change the train of thought and learn to love the world around you and yourself in it;
2. 2 spend more time with family and friends;
3. 3 communicate a lot, especially since a huge number of sites and forums for like-minded people have appeared on the network, who together learn to live without depression;
4. 4 walk more;
5. 5 workout;
6. 6 get rid of bad habits;
7. 7 finally redefine your own diet.

Eating the Right Fight Against Depression

Recent studies have shown that residents of Scandinavian and Asian countries are less prone to depression than residents of other countries. And the whole point is what they eat. Doctors say that, even despite the absence of a diet for depression, as such, we must not forget that there are certain foods that can not only help to overcome it, but also affect the further course of its treatment.

Citing as an example all the same population of the above regions, doctors list food groups that must be present in the diet of patients and in the diet of healthy people to prevent the development of this disease.

• Carbohydrates… They are mood boosters that promote the production of serotonin and thus significantly improve our well-being. The only thing is that not all of them are equally useful. Therefore, it is better to replace a sweet donut with fruits, vegetables and cereals, which will not only benefit, but also cleanse the body due to the content of dietary fiber in it.
• Protein-rich foods… For example, chicken or turkey meat. It contains tyrosine, which increases the level of dopamine in the body. As a result, a person’s feelings of anxiety disappear and concentration improves, as well as an increase in the level of vital energy. In addition to the meat itself, you can eat fish, soy and dairy products, legumes.
• Vitamin B foods… They reduce the risk of developing this disease. Moreover, it is best to give preference to vitamins B2 and B6, supplementing them with folic acid. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes.
• Amino acidsin particular tryptophan. It stimulates the production of serotonin and relieves annoying depression forever. In order to replenish the body’s reserves with tryptophan, you should introduce into your diet more meat, preferably chicken, fish, eggs, soy products, chocolate, legumes and oatmeal.

Top 7 foods to help beat depression:

Turmeric. Recent studies have shown that this seasoning can not only fight depression, but also improve the effects of antidepressants.

Green tea. It not only has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart and brain, but also soothes and also improves mood. This is because it contains L-theanine, an amino acid that penetrates the brain and has a positive effect on brain function. Moreover, it is quickly absorbed and acts almost instantly.

Fish. It contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for normal brain activity.

Nuts and seeds. They contain alpha-linolenic acid, or a type of omega-3 acid, which improves brain function, helps you stay calm and prevents anxiety, as well as magnesium, which contributes to the production of serotonin.

Bananas. They contain melatonin, or a hormone that helps regulate sleep. After all, insomnia is a common symptom of depression.

Spinach or seaweed, although any other kind will do. These are natural antioxidants.

Cocoa. It not only improves mood, but also promotes the production of nutrients to normalize brain activity. Also, despite the small amount of caffeine (100 ml of cocoa from natural powder of beans is 5-10 mg of caffeine, which is six times less than tea and 12-15 times less than coffee), cocoa contains special substances that increase mood and reduce feelings of anxiety, as experimentally proven by scientists from Australia.

In conclusion, I would like to note that no matter what method of dealing with depression you choose, the main thing is to believe in its success. After all, depression is not a sentence, but simply one of the integral parts of modern life!

By the way, for the first time we experience it at birth, leaving mother’s cozy little world, and do not even remember about it. So is it worth grieving about what you can handle? Hardly.

There is only one life! So let’s enjoy it!

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