Looking in your refrigerator is probably the last place you would expect to look to find relief from your depression. The reality is, that is the first place to look.
Worrying about the side effects of prescription drugs should not be added to the stress you are already feeling. Side effects of anxiety drugs can range from headaches and drug dependency to fatality in some rare occasions. If you are already feeling the symptoms of depression, it would be better to feel good about yourself because of your new choices than feeling dependent on drugs for your sense of well being.
Everyone eats something through the course of a day. The old phrase, "You are what you eat" is true. The fact is we eat mostly meals mostly made up of fast food. That means French fries, hamburgers, fried chicken, burritos, tacos, and pizza. At first glance, what is missing with this diet of fast foods? Fruits and vegetables.
The amount of fruit and vegetables in today's diet has become all but non-existent. What does that have to do with depression? Everything. Food is the building blocks of our very existence. It is important that what you eat be a balanced diet. If it is not, then it throws your whole system out of balance.
There are six basic essentials for reaching an ultimate balance:
1. Water
2. Probiotics (friendly bacteria)
3. Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids
4. Minerals & vitamins from whole foods not supplements
5. Enzymes (from living plants)
6. Protein
Understanding how much of what can seem overwhelming and too much to keep track of. It doesn't have to be. It can be simple if you have a basic understanding of what each is doing for you.
Water is the simple one. Approximately eight glasses of water a day is a good target to reach for. Our bodies are made up of mostly water, and it aids in the transportation of everything that enters our bodies.
Probiotics are friendly bacteria that aid in the digestion of everything we eat. They are live bacteria cultures found in foods such as yogurt, curd cheeses, fermented and unfermented milk, miso, and some soy beverages. So grab a snack of one of these at some point during your day. Maybe eat a cup of yogurt instead of the candy bar, or a glass of milk instead of a soda for breakfast.
Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids can be found in deep sea fish. So, what do these fatty acids have to do with depression? They assist in healthy brain function and aid in blood circulation to the brain and other parts of the body. A serving of fish per day is a good idea, but if you aren't into a daily diet of fish, fish oil supplements are ok.
Minerals and vitamins can be taken in supplement form, but doing so will not give you the full benefits of whole foods. It has been researched and found that whole foods contain 10,000 or more vitamins and minerals. If you take supplements that may give you some of the basics, but you are missing out on thousands of vitamins and minerals found in whole foods. So, you should reach for the fruit and vegetables rather than the pill bottle.
Enzymes found in plants are essential for the absorption and breakdown of the other foods we eat. The good thing about enzymes, they are also found in fruits and vegetables. So, when you eat fruits and vegetables you are not only getting the value of the vitamins and minerals, but the enzymes you need as well, so they should be eaten liberallyand preferably raw.
Proteins are often called the building blocks of life. They give both energy and assist in the building of strong muscles to keep our bodies going at its best. Protein is found in meat, but the best proteins to eat are found in raw nuts and seeds. Meats are fine, but a 24 ounce steak at dinner would not be a recommendation. Meat portions should be about the size of your fist for each meal.
There are two different types of depression. The first type of depression is caused by external circumstances such as job loss, divorce, death of a family member, or some other devastating, life altering event. This depression is quick to grab hold of your emotions and causes fatigue, anxiety, and an inability to focus, among other stressful symptoms. Foods will not be the "cure-all" for this type of depression, but it will be the cornerstone to your recovery.
The second type of depression is internal and is brought on over time by inadequate foods and chemical imbalances. Chemical imbalances are sometimes brought on by injuries or other illnesses. Putting the proper foods in the body to rebuild injured or stressed parts affected.
Remember science class in high school? It all comes down to the proper balance of acidic and alkaline foods. The proper balance of daily intake is 70% alkaline and 30% acidic. The problem is the average we consume is closer to 85-95% acidic and 5-15% alkaline. So, what are acidic and alkaline foods?
Acidic foods include most fast food (with the exception of salads, apples, or similar items), microwave foods, packaged, processed, deep fried, meat, fish, and dairy. That leaves fruits and vegetables and other whole foods such as whole wheat breads and grains.
When we do not include the right amount of these foods in our diets, our body tells our brain that we do not care and it starts using the sources of energy that are sustaining our well being. This brings on the symptoms of depression that we can recognize as agitation, nervousness, and fatigue.
FOODS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR DIET
100% whole grain products
Broccoli
Asparagus
Green Beans
Carrots
Celery
Cauliflower
Cucumber
Squash
Avocado
To matoes
Raw nuts and seeds
Dark green leafy vegetables
Citrus fruits
Apples
Grapes
Berries
Melons
Peaches
Apricots
If you find that instead of having pep in your step, you feel like you have weights around your ankles, look at your diet. Consider the amount of fruits and vegetables you have eaten lately. Which have you eaten more of? Are you cheating and saying that piece of lettuce and tomato on your hamburger is a "salad?" We have all done it at one time or another.
The great thing about starting to eat the right foods, when your body gets the good stuff, it begins to crave it. Your brain recognizes that it is getting the good stuff and begins to want more of it. Sure, comfort foods tend to draw us because they taste good and make us want to take a nap. Which would you prefer energy to live life to the fullest, or life with no energy and sleep through it?