feeling anxious and depressed, you may want to take a look at your diet. most people don't realize this but our mental health is directly related to the food that we eat. just to clarify we're not referring to the temporary good feeling that you usually experience after eating a cup of ice cream or after eating a whole pizza.
that feeling doesn't stick we are talking about
overall mental health which is directly defined by what you put into your mouth.
hence food can help you to tackle different mental conditions anxiety and
depression are no exception how can food help against anxiety and depression.
we discuss this correlation in detail. also we'll
share with you eight amazing foods that can help you in your fight against
depression and anxiety. according to the anxiety and depression association of
America around 264 million people live with depression worldwide.
the person
suffering from depression may experience a lack of interest in daily activities
insomnia or hyper somnia, irritation, guilt etc.
anxiety on the other hand is the body's natural
response of fear and nervousness towards stressful situations like going for a
job interview or delivering a public speech. most of the time this response is short-lived
and only lasts until the stressful situation is taken care of.
but if the fear and apprehension become your normal
way of life and you start worrying about trivial things then you may have an
anxiety disorder. according to the national institute of mental health anxiety
disorder is the most common mental illness in the united states and nearly 40
million adults struggle with it.
anxiety and depression usually occur simultaneously, anxiety being a sign of depression. research shows that different foods can help
us fight against these disorders.
let's look at eight such foods which have been found effective against anxiety and depression.
No.1 fish.
our brains love omega-3. it is a fatty acid that is
found in fatty fish such as salmon, trout and sardines etc. this omega-3 has a
strong relation with cognitive function and so it can improve mental health.
omega-3 rich foods contain fatty acids that regulate neuro transmitters, reduce
inflammation and promote healthy brain function.
thus fish is
a beneficial food for people that are suffering from depression and anxiety. a
study has found that eating salmon three times a week produce self-reported
anxiety in men another way in which fish can help with depression is through
vitamin D.
according to a report in the journal of affective
disorders vitamin D has a positive impact on depression. fish especially salmon
and sardines are rich in vitamin D. so they can help us fight against
depression. it is recommended to eat at least two servings of fatty fish a week
to promote healthy brain function.
No 2. Nuts
nuts have a special place in our diets whether we
eat them raw or we add them to our salads. we just can't get enough of them. lucky for us nuts are also one of the foods that can help alleviate the symptoms
of anxiety and depression.
anxiety is often associated with inflammation in
the brain. selenium is an antioxidant that can reduce inflammation thus
improving mood. nuts are an excellent source of selenium. selenium also has
anti-cancer properties that prevent cancer cells from developing. but that is
not all nuts especially walnuts are a great source ofomega-3 fatty acids.
that can
improve brain health and thus reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. for
people who have problems with fish, nuts should be your go-to alternative. antioxidants can help with
anxiety and depression.
No 3. Eggs
a breakfast without eggs is an unhealthy breakfast.
when it comes to essential amino acids for the development of the body exit the
complete package egg yolks also are rich in vitamin D. which again is also very
beneficial in the fight against depression.
eggs also
contribute to the creation of serotonin which regulates mood and improves brain
function. this makes eggs one of the most beneficial food choices for alleviating
depression and anxiety.
No 4. dark chocolate
medicines are always thought to be bitter and disgusting. a whole jug of water sometimes isn't enough to normalize our taste buds. dark chocolate breaks the stereo types by being an effective antidote against the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
dark chocolate contains
flavinids and one study has suggested that flavinus can reduce neuro inflammation
and cell death in the brain, and also improve the blood flow to the brain.
this can help us better handle stressful situations
and thus aid against anxiety and depression. a notable study in this regard on
13636 participants revealed that subjects who consumed dark chocolate had significantly
lower symptoms of depression.
when compared with other subjects who didn't. another study found that people who consume dark chocolate two times daily for
two weeks report to reduce symptoms of anxiety. chocolate is also associated
with increased production of serotonin which enhances mood.
another
reason for the effectiveness of dark chocolate against depression and anxiety
is due to the presence of magnesium which is linked with the reduction of
symptoms of depression.
No 5. Yogurt
if you are suffering from an anxiety disorder
yogurt can calm your nerves. it contains probiotics that are helpful for mental
health and can also benefit the gut bacteria.
a notable study that further cement the importance of
probiotics found that anxious people who consume yogurt with probiotics were able
to manage stress more efficiently than those individuals who didn't.
chronic
inflammation is partly responsible for anxiety and depression that's where
yogurt can help. since yogurt and other dairy products can reduce inflammation.
the bacteria
found in yogurt have a beneficial effect on brain health and according to
several studies these bacteria can even make us happy fermented foods like
yogurt can also help the good bacteria of our gut. thus reducing anxiety and
stress.
No 6. green tea
everyone knows the importance of green tea when it
comes to losing weight and then maintaining it. but few people know that green
tea can help calm your nerves and reduce your anxiety. that's why you see the
shaolin masters drinking green tea all the time in movies.
this beneficial effect of green tea on brain health can be traced back to an amino acid called L-theanine which green tea contains. L-theanine can prevent the nerves from becoming over-excited and is also linked with the release of neuro transmitters dopamine and serotonin.
dopamine and serotonin have anti-anxiety effects another key benefit of L-theanine is its ability to
lower cortisol and subjective stress. cortisol is a hormone that is generally linked
with anxiety. moreover green tea also contains antioxidants that again promote
brain health.
the
combination of useful substances like L-theanine and antioxidants makes green
tea an ideal candidate to include in the diet. if you have anxiety and
depression issues even if you don't the beneficial effects of green tea are not
to be given up on. you can replace late night coffee with a cup of green tea
since caffeine too can lead to insomnia which can increase anxiety.
No. 7 turmeric
want to know a spicy secret turmeric can help
reduce anxiety. this is a common spice used in southeast Asian cooking. this
anti-anxiety effect of turmeric is due to circum which can reduce anxiety and
depression by decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation. one study in 80
diabetes patients found a daily intake of around 80 milligrams of circum in for
eight weeks resulted in significantly lower levels of anxiety.
similarly another eight-week study found that
taking 500 grams of circum in daily reduced the symptoms in people suffering from
a major depressive disorder. adding turmeric to diets is simple just add a small
quantity. when preparing meals to see the magic it will also fill your food
with flavor.
No. 8 seeds.
we mentioned omega-3's beneficial properties for
anxiety and depression well seeds especially flax seeds and chia seeds are
great sources of omega-3. large reserves of it to put it into perspective one
tablespoon of chia seed contains around 61 of the recommended daily intake of
omega-3 and one tablespoon of flaxseed has around 39 of the daily recommended
value.
omega-3 intake cannot be easier than this that's not all. pumpkin seeds and squash seeds contain an essential amino acid called tryptophan. this amino acid has been linked with the creation of serotonin. I don't think we need to jump into the detail of the impact of serotonin on our mental health again.
we have already set enough and again the quantities
of tryptophan are just insane in a small number of seeds. one ounce of pumpkin
and squash seeds can ful fill 58 % of our daily recommended intake of tryptophan.
thus these seeds are an amazing addition that you can make to your diet.
these two depression and anxiety are the common mental
disorders in most the people. the person suffering from these disorders cannot live a normal life
and if they are not treated it can lead to suicidal thoughts too.