7 vegetarian foods that help cure depression

                                         

                                    7 vegetarian foods that help cure depression

Introduction

Depression is the cause of disability worldwide, affecting more than 300

million individuals annually.

Medical treatment as well as counselling, though can many a time help relieve symptoms, but

lifestyle remedies, like a healthful diet, can side by side improve a person’s

well-being. One of the overlooked aspects of mental health is nutrition.

Food not only plays a significant role in physical health, but also in

our mental health.

A 2017 study found that the symptoms of people with

moderate-to-severe depression improved when they received

counselling sessions based on nutrition and consumed an additional healthful diet for 12 weeks.

The enhanced diet gave emphasis on fresh and whole foods that are highly rich in

nutrients. It also narrowed processed refined foods, sweets, and fried food,

including junk food.

Depressive symptoms, which included mood and anxiety, ameliorated enough to

achieve remission criteria in more than 32% of the participants.

The researchers concluded that people could help manage or improve

their symptoms of depression by giving attention to their diet.

Also, there is enough research to suggest that focusing on certain ones

may attenuate one’s possibility of erupting depression or potentially provide help in

treating existing depression.

Here are seven vegetarian foods we eat every day to feel good. These

foods provide the nutrients our body needs to fight off inflammation in

our brains, which leads to depression.

1. Walnuts

Walnuts look like our brains and protect it the best too. Eating

walnuts for depression is a great choice. Walnuts have a higher

antioxidant activity than any other nut. The activity comes from a

combination of polyphenols, melatonin, and vitamin E. They also

have more omega-3 fatty acids in significant manner as compared to other

nuts. These omega-3 in walnuts help maintain overall brain health.

Furthermore, walnuts can help decrease inflammation, which can

help reduce stress and depression.

A study that analysed data from over 26,000 U.S. adults found that those

who regularly consumed walnuts had a reduced risk for depression in a significant way.

In fact, the study found that depression scores were 26% lower for

individuals who consumed approximately 1 ounce of walnuts each day and 8%

lower in those who ate 1 ounce of another type of nut each day, when

compared to others who didn’t regularly consume nuts

 

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens rank as a top food when it comes to fighting

depression. Spinach and depression though may seem like a

weird notion, but leafy greens like spinach, lettuce, swiss

chard and watercress have several benefits which support both

physical and mental health.

Leafy greens are packed with folate, which our brain cells need to

work well and which may help protect against depression. Food

manufacturers in the U.S. include this vitamin, also known as B9, to

enriched grains like pasta and rice. Leafy greens also contain

vitamin C and beta-carotene.

Many feel getting adequate folate daily is the key since a

deficiency in folate is correlated to a greater risk of depression.

Additionally, leafy greens fight against all kinds of inflammation,

and in accordance with a study which is published in March 2015 in JAMA

Psychiatry, severe depression has been related to brain

inflammation.

Furthermore, leafy greens are a significant part of the

Mediterranean diet. Research shows that people following this diet

tend to lead happier and healthier lives. They are also less likely to

feel depressed as compared to people who are not on this diet.

For optimal brain health, most recommendations propose eating a

meal of leafy greens daily (or around 5 to 7 cups per week).

 

Avocado

Avocados are high-energy foods as they contain healthy fat that

our brain needs in order to run smoothly. Three-fourths of the

calories of an avocado comes from fat, which is mostly monounsaturated fat, in

the form of oleic acid. This oleic acid gives us brainpower.

Avocado also contains almost 20 minerals and vitamins like

vitamins B6, C, E, and K and folate, magnesium, lutein and

potassium.

If we struggle with depression and avocados seem like an easy

choice to eat, they’re also beneficial for the heart, can help prevent

osteoporosis, and can also promote healthy vision. Avocados also

contain tryptophan, a precursor of serotonin. This can help

promote a good mood and general well-being.

 

Tomatoes

Tomatoes consist of lots of folic acid and alpha-lipoic acid, which

are good for fighting depression. According to research published in the

Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, numerous studies reveal an elevated

incidence of folate deficiency in patients with depression. In most of the

studies, one-third of depression patients were scarce in folate.

Folic acid can prevent an excess production of homocysteine — which limits the

production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and

norepinephrine — from forming in the body.

Alpha-lipoic acid can be taken as a supplement, as well. It helps the

body convert glucose into energy, and therefore stabilises mood.

 

Beans

Beans and depression may also seem like a strange combination,

but beans, legumes and peas are all significant sources of many

nutrients including fibre, vitamins and protein. They are full of vital

nutrients like folate. They also are abundant in the antioxidant,

polyphenols.

Eating a high-fibre diet promotes a healthy digestive tract, but it

may also make us less prone to depression. Research suggests

that depression develops as a result of inflammation in the brain

that triggers altered neurotransmitters and impaired brain

functioning.

Some strains of good bacteria use soluble fibre to produce

short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in the gut which possess an

anti-inflammatory effect.

All beans which range from black beans to chickpeas are good soluble

fibre sources.

Beans are also superb in providing help to control appetite for individuals

seeking to lose weight. That’s because they are loaded with fibre

and healthy starch- which can create fullness and stave off

cravings.

Blueberries

Blueberries contain high levels of Vitamin C and polyphenols.

These compounds act as antioxidants protecting brain cells from

damaging free radicals and which promote proper brain functioning

particularly during stressful periods. Vitamin C can be beneficial for

reducing the negative impacts of stress.

Antioxidants can also protect our cholesterol, lower blood

pressure, prevent heart disease and even improve cognitive brain

function.

Additionally, consuming blueberries for depression may also have

mood-boosting effects. Berries appear to have similar impacts as

valproic acid, which is a mood-stabilizing medication which is helpful in

regulating emotions. In fact, when we gave a drink made with wild

blueberries, both kids and adults were described to have a

significant increase in overall mood and outlook two hours later.

Blueberries contain the antioxidant flavonoid anthocyanin, which is

linked with lessen inflammation and the risk of depression.

Fermented foods

There is also a pronounced relationship between fermented food

and depression.

More and more research is connecting good gut health with satisfactory

mental health. Several studies have found that microorganisms

residing in your gut, including probiotics, can play an important role in mood

regulation by helping to reduce inflammation in our body, produce

feel-good neurotransmitters, and affect our stress response.

This might be a factor why a higher-than-average number of

people with irritable bowel syndrome also advance to depression as

well as anxiety.

Fermented foods can promote positive gut health and reduce

inflammation.

Most agree that adding food rich in good bacteria—such as

fermented foods namely kimchi, kombucha, miso, tamari, tempeh, and

sauerkraut, as well as fermented dairy products like yogurt—to our

diet is beneficial to our overall health. In fact, a meta-analysis of

almost 100 studies discovered that depression risk was diminished

significantly by regularly consuming probiotic-rich foods

 

Conclusion

Consuming a healthier diet full of these foods may help in improving

physical and mental function. They also lower risk of developing

depression. As we have seen above, blueberries have have

similar impacts as valproic acid, therefore why not try these foods

which are free of any side effects that we usually experience with

usage of drugs. If you perpetuate depression, or you’re

brawl with your mental health, visit your doctor to find a

treatment plan that's right for you.