by Marie N. Riddle

Created on: January 13, 2009   Last Updated: July 04, 2009

We all feel a little down every now and then, and often this is caused by conflict and stress in our lives rather than clinical depression. Chances are you will feel better when the situation is resolved, and remaining optimistic about your circumstances will help. But what if there isn't anything really wrong and you still can't shake those feelings of sadness and disinterest? You might be depressed. Although we don't have any definite answers on what causes depression, research has indicated an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain as the likely culprit.

SSRI's, or Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors are the most commonly prescribed anti-depressants. They help correct an imbalance of serotonin, a neurotransmitter. For mild cases of depression, you might consider other ways to correct this imbalance without the side effects. A great place to start is your diet.

Carbohydrates stimulate production of serotonin, so be sure to include them in every meal. Bread, pasta, cereal, fruit, and starchy vegetables like potatoes are all great choices. Just avoid getting to many of them from sweets like cookies and cakes, because although you will feel better at first when your sugar levels drop you will feel worse.

There are some key nutrients in food that are also very important. A shortage of folic acid can cause serotonin levels to drop, and lower levels have been found in people diagnosed with depression. People who are depressed sometimes also have lower levels of omega 3 fatty acids in their diet. These are very important to your brain's health and keeping your brain health may prevent depression. Vitamin B-6 is important too, because your brain uses Vitamin B-6 to make serotonin. Some foods actually contain serotonin and this might also help combat mild depression.

There are plenty of foods that contain these nutrients, and here are a few to try:

Tuna or salmon- omega 3's and B6

Beef-omega 3's and B6

Chicken-omega 3's and B6

Walnuts- omega 3's, B6, and serotonin

Tomatoes- folic acid, B6, and serotonin

Avacodo-B6 and serotonin

Eggplant-B6 and serotonin

Spinach- Folic acid and B6

Jalapeno peppers- B6

Bananas- B6 and serotonin

Pineapples- serotonin

Plums- serotonin

Oatmeal- B6

Avoid too many fats in your diet as they can cause you to feel sluggish. Alcohol is classed as a depressant, which means it will cause you to feel worse, so avoid even sipping.

Overall, a balanced diet can help you avoid all kinds of illnesses, mental and physical. Healthy people just feel better. So make sure you keep the USDA food pyramid in mind, and try to stay active and get at least seven hours of sleep.

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