by micmarmac

Created on: February 15, 2009   Last Updated: February 20, 2009

Mention the word depression to a doctor and you are often swiftly handed a prescription. But is this your only option? Research shows that depression can be caused by a variety of factors including lifestyle, blood sugar levels, hormones, nutrition and heredity. Foods play an important role in our wellbeing and there are several that can alleviate or eliminate the symptoms of depression. There are also some foods that should be avoided if you are feeling blue. Before taking the pharmaceutical plunge, why not give your diet an overhaul and see if you can beat the blues without the pharmaceutical side effects.

We have all felt sad and down at some point in our lives. These are normal emotions that teach us to appreciate the great joys we encounter. Many things rule our moods. The loss of a loved one, stress, lack of sleep, food intolerances or allergies, medications or hormonal imbalances are some of the things that can affect our state of mind. But what if the blues last longer than a few days or a week? What if sadness goes on for months or even years? You could be experiencing symptoms of depression. Loss of appetite, insomnia, moodiness, feeling tired, lack of sexual appetite, and anxiety are all common effects of depression.

Depression is caused by a chemical imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transfer messages between nerve cells. When the messages are disrupted, we suffer symptoms of depression. The most common causes of depression are food allergies or intolerances. This indicates that neurotransmitters are most probably controlled by what we eat so change is possible with diet modification.

Almost 10% of Americans suffer from depressive symptoms at some point in their lives. Up to 50% of patients with depression have one or more parents that are also affected and almost twice as many women as men suffer the symptoms. However, not all countries harbour these shocking statistics. Scandinavian and East Asian countries have a low incidence of depression. Researchers believe this is attributed to the large amount of fish consumed in their diets. Several recent studies have shown that an increase in the fatty acid Omega - 3, especially the ethyl - EPA variety found in cold water fish, significantly lowers incidents of depression.

Sardines, Tuna, Salmon, Mackerel and Herring are all fish high in Omega - 3 fatty acids. In addition, some non-fish sources of this valuable compound are flaxseed, canola oil, chia and walnuts.

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>