Depression is a serious mental health condition that is affecting millions of people across the world. In fact, it affects one in 10 adults which means 50 percent of the world population will at least experience it once in their lifetime.
If you are struggling with depression too, maybe it's time to rethink your diet. Our diet and lifestyle can have a strong effect on our mood. Current research reveals that depression is actually linked to a number of underlying factors that include: inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, poor methylation, and hormone imbalances.
By tackling these factors, there is a chance of improving the brain health as well as the mood of the person. In fact, evidence-based research on brain health, proactive lifestyle and dietary changes found that it can actually have a profound difference on how you think and feel no matter what age you are, Daily Mail reported.
This is the basis of Functional Nutritionist and Chef Christine Bailey' s new book The Brain Boost Diet. Christine has developed a Mood Boosting Diet that will help you to be happy. Take a look at 6 healthy eating strategies suggested by her to boost your mood:
Processed foods should be avoided
One should avoid processed food and other refined sugary carbohydrates, to keep a check on blood sugar imbalances. It is one of the quickest ways to notice an improvement in the mood.
Add green tea to your diet
Green tea has potent antioxidants that include 'catechins' which are known to protect the brain as well as L theanine that help in improving focus, concentration and lowers the stress which, in turn, helps in changing the mood of the person.
Fat is important
The growing trend of avoiding fat completely to lose weight is actually harmful. 60 percent of our brain is fat and it comprises mostly of phospholipids and omega 3 fats. If our body is deprived of these healthy fats it will affect the mood.
It is important to note that daily dose of healthy fats which are particularly beneficial to the brain is essential. You can include three different oils like olive oil, coconut oil, and omega 3 rich oils such as oily fish in your diet.
Add fermented foods to daily diet
The importance of healthy gut flora to mood change has been revealed in the recent studies. Boosting the levels of beneficial gut bacteria can help in coping with stress, anxiety and also improves the mood. To do that, you should include fermented foods in your daily diet which includes yoghurt, kombucha, sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, and miso. Or, you may also take a good quality probiotic supplement.
Vitamin D rich foods are essential
Low mood and depression are associated with low levels of vitamin D in the body. Add more of Vitamin D food in your daily diet which is present foods like mushrooms, egg yolks, liver, full-fat dairy and oily fish.
Magnesium
Magnesium is known to be a powerful relaxant mineral and is really helpful to those suffering from stress and anxiety. Moreover, stressed people tend to drink excessive alcohol or take too much of sugary foods that deplete our body's magnesium reserves. So, it is important to add magnesium to your daily diet.
