Got the Blues?

**QuilterMom** · 10-06-2005, 02:05 PM

http://www.publix.com/wellness/green...1&childId=1146

Depression, a mood disorder characterized by feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and withdrawal, is a serious and widespread disease. The good news is that nutrition and exercise can ease symptoms of mild to moderate depression and help you feel like yourself again.
A Common Condition
At some point in life, one in ten Americans is diagnosed with depression, sometimes called "the common cold of mental health." Women are twice as likely as men to become depressed and, in some cases, vulnerability to depression seems to be hereditary. Most often, depression is a temporary condition, and 80 to 90 percent of depressed people can be treated effectively, so check with your healthcare provider immediately if you feel depressed.

Natural Solutions Can Help
Good nutrition is a matter of making careful choices. Try to avoid or limit sugars and junk foods, processed foods, and saturated fat. While alcohol may initially relieve stress (with a sugar rush to the brain), it can aggravate depression, as can caffeine.

Choose instead protein-rich eggs and soy products, fish and lean meat, antioxidant and vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables, and whole grains loaded with brain-boosting B vitamins.

Heard of "Brain Food"?
Keeping your brain healthy so that it produces the natural substances you need to enjoy life means keeping it well fed. The brain is composed of and runs on fat¿particularly the omega-3 essential fatty acid called DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Essential for health, DHA has been shown to relieve depression. Although not plentiful in American diets, DHA is abundant in cold-water fatty fish including salmon, tuna, and sardines. It's also widely available in supplement form as fish oil capsules.

B Happy
Depressed people typically have low levels of B vitamins in their bodies, so eat foods rich in this important vitamin¿meat, fish, eggs, whole grains, fortified cereals, along with fruits and vegetables. B vitamins are fragile, however, and can be destroyed by microwaving or high heat. Getting enough of these vitamins, especially folic acid (found in leafy greens, beans and peanuts, orange juice, wheat germ, and many fortified cereals), is key to relieving depression. Experts agree that reducing stress and getting enough sleep also help people to recover from depression, and B vitamins can combat stress. There are several brands of B-complex supplements that offer all these components, including folic acid.
Refresh Your Mind
Victims of depression often feel "stuck" or sluggish, as if they are pushing a ten-ton load uphill or wading through mud. An excellent antidote for this feeling is activity. Meet friends or see a movie. Meditation, yoga, and aerobic exercise (walking or swimming) help to ease stress and relieve depression. Some researchers believe exercise may work better than medication for mild to moderate depression. Acupuncture is also being studied as a mood enhancer.

Herbs Can Help
While many herbal remedies have been used traditionally to treat depression, the most substantial amount of scientific research has involved St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum). Used in Europe for many years, this herb has been proven in many studies to relieve mild to moderate depression. Professional herbalists also recommend valerian root (Valerian officinalis) to help with depression-related insomnia or ginseng (Panax ginseng) to help combat stress. More clinical research on the power of herbs is taking place today. Share this information with your healthcare provider, and take positive action on your own behalf.
SELECTED SOURCES
The Better Brain Book by David Perlmutter, MD ($24.95, Riverhead Books, 2004)
Depression, National Institute of Mental Health brochure, www.nimh.nih.gov
8 Weeks to Vibrant Health by Hyla Cass, MD, and Kathleen Barnes ($15.95, McGraw-Hill, 2005)
"Natural Remedies for Depression" by Andrew Weil, MD, www.healthyplace.com
Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, and James F. Balch, MD ($23.95, Penguin Group/Avery, 2000)

**Michelle** · 03-31-2009, 09:26 PM

I found this article while reading the health forum. Good information in there. As someone who suffers with depression, I am going to make an effort to eat more of the foods they suggest.