Fight Depression with Food! No Kidding.
Hello, friends!
This newsletter is the first installment in a series that is near and dear to me — using food as medicine. Over time as I’ve gotten more sensitive to my body I’ve been able to notice how certain foods don’t work well for me. Grapes are too sweet and make my stomach feel like lead. Chocolate in the evening gives me nightmares every time (glad to figure that one out!). Ice cream before bed makes me wake with overthinking and mild anxiety.
Food is the most frequent medicine we take yet we’ve not been taught to consider its profound effect on the body. That's finally changing as new research into the gut microbiome (directly influenced by the foods we eat) indicates wide ranging effects on allergic conditions, mood, cancer, obesity, hypertension, women’s health conditions, and more.
In the next few newsletters I’ll provide some information from the fabulous book This Is Your Brain On Food, researched by nutritional psychiatrist and chef Dr. Uma Naidoo. Dr. Naidoo is the director of Nutritional Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. What does a nutritional psychiatrist do? Yes, you guessed it — treat psychiatric disorders through diet.
The Gut Microbiome
So - what is the gut microbiome? It refers to the huge array of bacterial species living in your digestive system. The various levels of both “good” and “bad” microbial species can vary based on your diet, medications, mood, and more. Scientists are only just beginning to learn about how each of the various strains can impact our health.
The Gut-Brain Axis
Although we experientially know that the gut and brain are linked (butterflies in the tummy when you’re nervous, anyone?), there are several biological mechanisms at play. One link is through the vagus nerve — a nerve that links the brain with multiple sites in the digestive system. Another mechanism for this connection is the gut’s production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which plays a role in regulating mood and emotion. Jointly, our diet and lifestyle influence our gut microbiome and the microbiome’s composition can affect the brain via the gut-brain axis.
Research has shown that even two hours of stress can completely change your gut bacteria. So, read on to learn some ways to keep your microbiome and your mood in check.
Diet and Depression
According to Dr. Naidoo, research has recently shown that gut bacteria associated with a higher quality of life are depleted in depressed patients and that gut bacteria associated with inflammation are typically found in higher numbers in depressed patients. Research has also shown that patients with major depressive disorder had at least 50 gut bacteria types that were different from control patients without depression.
So, what dietary approach supports the microbiome to ward off depression?
Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such as cold water fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, tuna).
Specific spices and herbs including saffron, turmeric (especially when paired with black pepper for increased absorption), and oregano.
Foods rich in vitamins including B12, folate, B6, A, C, iron, magnesium, and zinc. This requires eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Look for dark leafy greens, citrus, legumes, cruciferous vegetables, carrots, sweet potatoes, avocados, nuts, and seeds.
Foods with probiotics such as unsweetened yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh, kombucha, and buttermilk.
Prebiotic foods (the foods that gut bacteria will feast on) including bananas, garlic, onions, leeks, beans, oats, berries, and asparagus.
Several types of foods are also shown to exacerbate depression. As much as possible you’ll want to avoid:
Sugar (candy, soda, baked goods/sweet treats, processed foods sweetened with sugar or high fructose corn syrup).
High glycemic index carbs such as white bread, white rice, potatoes, and pasta. Your body processes these foods similarly to sugar so these can also raise the risk of depression.
Artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame.
Fried foods.
“Bad fats” such as trans fats in margarine, shortening, and hydrogenated oils, along with fats too high in omega-6 fatty acids such as corn, vegetable, sunflower, and safflower oils.
Nitrates, commonly added to cured meats such as sausage and bacon.
Addressing Depression with Chinese Medicine
I commonly use both acupuncture and Chinese herbs to support people struggling with depression. We have several anti-depressant herbs in Chinese medicine including the bark of the mimosa (aka silkbark) tree, pictured above. Herbal formulas for depression often contain this herb along with other mood-lifting and balancing herbs.
Do you know anyone struggling with depression or have depression in their family? Feel free to send this newsletter along in support.
In the next newsletter I'll cover how to address anxiety through your diet. In the meantime, please be in touch if you have any questions about the information here. I always look forward to hearing from you!
With love,
Janet
