Aug 24 2008
Ease Depression by Eating Delicious, Satisfying Foods
By Lisa Fyfe
Can what we eat help our depression? I believe it can.
Did you know that during the time period of 1983-2008, outpatient treatment of depression increased by 300%? During that period of time, there was a push to get Americans to lower their fat intake in order to gain greater heart health. While we haven’t seen the great reduction in heart disease that we’ve hoped for, food producers have profited from this new market with lots of “healthy” foods like imitation eggs, low fat milk, and margarine instead of butter.
Now, I know that it’s counter-intuitive to believe that eating foods that are higher-fat diet might be good for you, but I just want you to entertain a few points on this issue:
1. Foods like butter and whole milk contain much more of vitamins A and D than found in the standard American diet. In fact, both of these vitamins are important to brain health, and vitamin D deficiency is linked to depression. Natural vitamin D is found in seafood, in foods like cod liver oil, and in eggs. All of these foods have become out of vogue in the last few decades, especially egg yolks, which contain most of the nutrients in the egg.
2. The brain and neurological system are very dependent on cholesterol. In fact, cholesterol is responsible for the production of serotonin, the “feel-good” chemical that balances our mood. This means that low cholesterol may lead to depression.
3. If we don’t eat fat, then what is there left to eat? Well, lots of grains, processed foods, and protein. Eating a diet high in “whole grains” (in fact, very few of the grains we eat are truly whole, and are in actuality, refined white flour with nutrients added) can cause a cycle of hypoglycemia – low blood sugar – which can cause the mood to shift from jittery, short bursts of energy, to very low, lethargic moods – a.k.a. “sugar crash.” Processed foods are hard to digest, and contain lots of additives and preservatives which are relatively new to our bodies and we don’t know the long term effects they may have on us. And, finally, while protein is crucial to the health of our bodies, a low-fat, high-protein diet depletes us of vitamin A, an extremely important nutrient for health of all tissues, including the brain.
So, what do I eat? Lots of delicious leafy green and seasonal vegetables, some brown rice and some natural true whole-grain breads. I also eat meats that haven’t been treated with hormones or pesticides and have come from animals eating their natural diets – pasture, or grass, mostly. I also eat fish from the cold waters of the Arctic like wild salmon, free range eggs, whole milk from grass-fed cows, and real butter. This keeps me satisfied, and all the nutrients and fats I’m eating, I’ve found, help to keep my mood balanced.
The best part is that I’ve regained my love for food. I no longer have the cravings I used to have when eating low-fat, and, surprisingly, I haven’t paid for all this indulgence with extra weight, either.
Did I mention that I’ve regained my love for food?
Lisa Fyfe, M.S., is a former high school English teacher turned stay-at-home-mom. Her interests include natural health, nutrition, and parenting as a path to spiritual growth. She is a Reiki Master, essential oil healer, and also runs a website that documents her natural recovery from depression, at http://www.holistic-treatment-for-depression.com
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