Food for depression

Hey there,

About 20 years ago I spent some time in mental health care.

One of the first sessions we had was about diet. They told me that "bananas and stodge" were the best foods to help. Stodge = Foods that are heavy and high in carbohydrate like potatoes.

This is quite a while ago and I'm sure nutrition might have moved on.

Does anyone know

a. Why these foods in particular are good for you?

b. What is the current beliefs around diet and depression?

ps. Nice to make human contact and discuss with people so I'm asking here, but obviously I will be googling and researching too.

It's the vitamin B6 in bananas that's meant to help. But too much simple carb is not your friend. They were probably working from the comfort food angle and while those foods will make you feel good in the short term, in the long term it's not so great. The best foods for depression* are just regular healthy foods - good meats, oily fish, fruits, vegetables and some nuts with all the stuff we know is bad for us - high sugar, high salt ect... in moderation.

I'm using depression as regular level feeling sad. Depression that's long term and persistent needs medical intervention. Exercise and diet can only go so far on their own.

Carbs are the enemy of those of us with diabetes so bananas and other foods with lots of carbs are a no no. Everyone should eat a healthy diet, fruits, veggies, protein, dairy, also taking into consideration health concerns and allergies. Binging on carbs will most likely result in a long nap on the couch as they make you sleepy.

hiya happytown!

food can have a supportive role, sure.

i do notice some mood enhancement with omega3s. starches don't work well for me, unless we're talking whole grain. magnesium helps me a little too. i try to get most from food rather than supplements.

the omega3 (my body is fine with plant based like linseed but some people can't utilize it from plant sources) have a very noticeable effect for me.

i used to feel awful mentally from sodium glutamate.

have you found any particular foods helpful? i'm prone to depression and currently cleaning up my diet so quite interested.

l-tryptofan rich foods are often suggested for depression because you need it for both serotonin and melatonin production.

Thanks very much^

I've tried various different things over the years, but nothing I could say consistently worked. Plus I always wonder whether the very act of taking care of myself also plays a part. So I'm never quite sure.

Certainly at the moment I'm finding regular small doses of very dark chocolate is good (my therapist recommended). Other than that I'm just happy to be cooking at the moment. I'm trying to eat plenty of veg.

I'm not a big fan of bananas or starchy stuff. My body doesn't seem to like them. That's why I'm reaching out here. I tried the whole pills and supplements route a few years ago but it really started to feel like an expensive con.

I've been using St Johns Wort which is dangerous except i take 1/day if any, not the 3/day recommended. It seems to bring me back to center beautifully.

I have already a chemical imbalance of the adhd sort. Starches and sugars are like drugs for me, i do poorly on sugar but am drawn to it. Dark chocolate is a staple and doctor recommended. I thrive on proteins of all sorts, especially salmon and oddly? beef. Am also drawn to chicken... but beef and fish are best for my mood. Sashimi is absolute best.

Avoid chicken and eggs if you are depressed. According to nutritionfacts.org they are both high in arachadonic acid which causes brain inflammation and depression.

I read a book called The Starch Solution which recommends a whole food, plant-based diet centered around starches like potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, rice, and corn. I have been following the recommendations and have a ton more energy, have lost weight, and am off my anti-depressants. I know you say you don't seem to do well with starches but it's been proven over and over to be an incredibly healthy diet for humans, so I would give Dr. McDougall's recommendations a try.

Also Walter Kempner was able to cure type 2 diabetes with a diet of white rice and fruit. Fat is the real enemy as it gets into the cells and makes it hard for the insulin to get the sugar into the cells, so it stays in the bloodstream.

A lot of people offered great advices regarding food already (I agree about starchy and high carbohydrates food may not be a good choice, along with gluten overload)

Based on personal experience I found out it's not just the food itself that helps me most, it's my attitude towards food.

For example, the eay you eat.

Do you chew properly? Do you appreciate the texture and taste, with no distraction?

I know it may sounds weird, but it really can make so much difference.

Also, make sure to get enough sunshine as not enough of it may caused and affect depression.

You are doing good! Good luck and let's all be well!

Avoid chicken and eggs if you are depressed. According to nutritionfacts.org they are both high in arachadonic acid which causes brain inflammation and depression.

Nutritionfacts.org is a vegan website whose author believes that animal products are all harmful to humans. Of course they're going to say that. Also they're basing that on a study that actually about the effects of air pollution.

Always see what websites are selling. Always consider how that might affect how they talk about things.

I don't suffer from depression but drinking more water energizes and refreshes me and I believe avoiding soda including diet soda is really important too. I would try avocado and nuts because you get the right kind of day and protein and it's stabilizing.

Probably eliminating empty calories, junk food, sweets, alcohol, etc is the best bet. An overall healthy diet with lean protein, lots of vegetables, etc.

The Mediterranean diet has been getting a lot of attention recently regarding the benefits it has for people with depression.

As it has been mentioned, if you have a significant problem with depression, diet won't cure it alone. I view stuff like diet, exercise, sleep and so forth as pieces in a larger puzzle.