Nutrition and depression

Part 3 of my Depression Diary: Nutrition

Often we hear how nutrition is the key to a healthy body and mind; and eating abundant vegetables and fruit is fundamental not only for a slim body but to a normal functioning of your brain because a lack of vitamins and minerals can lead to many problems. Large proportion of people in the 'developed' countries are malnourished. Many associate malnourishment with third world countries, and consider having ample food in supermarkets or in your kitchen cupboards as being nourished. The key is the type of food we consume and what it does for us.
For example, I am an emotional eater so every time I feel low, or tired or any other excuse I reach for the worst foods I could think of, and that 'naughtiness' makes me feel slightly better immediately; however, the high is short lived and as soon as I have devoured EVERYTHING in sight the guilty conscience kicks in and I batter myself mentally - making myself feel awful in the process so the cycle starts again, and the food that I consume is often high in sugar, processed and of low nutritional value.
Constant feeling of tiredness, lack of sleep and irritability are only a part of symptoms that you can experience when malnourished. The importance of a balanced diet is paramount. Colourful and fresh is the key to healthy diet; and as my mum always said only eat things that can go off, because if the expiry date is longer than your lifespan the food is bound to be processed and laden with chemicals. This might seem a bit purist and a nightmare to follow - like a strict diet, or some militant regiment but it isn't. The only thing to remember is to eat as much fresh, colourful and to eat it slowly (chewing your food as many times as possible.) Some people say you should chew every bite 30-40 times; however, that might seem ridiculous to most people - the important thing is to  break your food down from large particles into smaller, and to get the enzymes that are in your saliva to do their job so as chew every bite as many time as possible and eat slowly. When you eat slowly it gives your stomach time to signal to your brain that it is full and you can stop eating - when you are distracted (i.e. watching TV) and you chew fast your brain doesn't get the message fast enough, and you tend to overeat.
There is so much emphasis on protein in the west; many celebrities do high protein diets and many people think that eating extraordinarily large quantities is helpful to losing weight. true that higher protein intake can help you lose weight but it is the type of protein that counts. Unfortunately, although fundamental for our bodies, the excessive amounts of protein can cause damage your liver and your brain, increase your cholesterol and shorten your lifespan. When you eat protein, your body produces ammonia, a toxin that your liver renders harmless but when you over consume protein it can make your liver work slower and allow ammonia and other toxic substances to build up in your bloodstream which can lead to hepatic encephalopathy, a condition marked by a decline in brain and nervous system function. also, eating too much protein (especially, animal based protein) can age you considerably. however, vegetable protein is a different story. Not only that is better (i.e. high grade) it is less harmful to the environment.
An average person needs around 50g of protein daily, of course it all depends on your lifestyle and your size so its always best to consult your doctor. However, for a relatively active male (not a body builder) around 50 -80g is more than sufficient. There are many studies confirming that your body does not need more than 100g a day regardless of your lifestyle. My diet is vegetarian and I always wondered if i consume enough. So what is 50g of protein?

To get 50g i need to consume:

Just one cup of cooked Quinoa contains 18 grams of protein;

A cup of tofu contains 20 grams, and soy milk contains 7 grams of protein per cup;

Two tablespoon serving of hemp seed is 10g;

Quorn is 13g per ½ cup serving;

A cup of cooked  Kidney Beans (17g), White Beans (17g), Lima Beans (15g), Fava Beans (14g), Black Beans (15g), Mung Beans (14g);

One cup of green peas contains 7.9 grams;

A cup of chopped broccoli will provide you with 3 g of protein;

A serving of spinach offers up a whopping 13 grams of protein;

One medium artichoke contains 4g alone;

30g of Almonds, cashews, and pistachios for example, all contain 160 calories and 5 or 6 grams of protein.

So as you can see one large salad with mixed beans, quinoa, spinach, artichoke and broccoli would be sufficient enough to cover the necessary 50g of protein for the day. Not only would you be flowing with complete protein  but with necessary vitamins and minerals too.

Try and eat as much live (i.e. uncooked) food as you can. Cooking, especially, overcooking food kills many vitamins, mineral and enzymes that are necessary for the normal functioning and nurishment of your body.

Hypoglycemia is responsible for a the wide range of mental, emotional and physical symptoms. Hypoglycemia is the body's inability to properly regulate blood sugar levels, causing the level of sugar in the blood to be too low or to fall too rapidly. Those oscillations make our brain starve for carbohydrates that it needs to sustain normal function. When you eat simple carbohydrates (sugar, white flour, pasta etc.) your body releases insulin to control it storing excess in form of fat cells (especially around the midsection of your body.) Thus depleting your body of necessary fuel to function so we crave more sweets or pasta.
95% of your serotonin, a chemical neurotransmitter responsible for your mood, is produced in your gastro-intestinal tract.  An estimated 80% of your immunity is produced in your stomach, and sugary foods cause an inflammation (by feeding the bad bacteria) in your gut which causes damage and allows the bad bacteria to enter our blood system.

In 2011 Hungarian researchers conducted a meta-study and found that …

Recent studies have revealed that inflammation, among other factors, may be involved in the pathogenesis of depression. One line of studies has shown that depression is frequently associated with manifest gastrointestinal inflammations and autoimmune diseases as well as with cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, type 2-diabetes and also cancer, in which chronic low-grade inflammation is a significant contributing factor. Thus depression may be a neuropsychiatric manifestation of a chronic inflammatory syndrome.

- See more at: http://www.depressionanxietydiet.com/how-sugar-causes-depression-anxiety/#sthash.AJDEcBha.dpuf

Sugar consumption causes inflammation in the gut, body, and brain, which sets off an inflammation-immune chain reaction response - See more at: http://www.depressionanxietydiet.com/how-sugar-causes-depression-anxiety/#sthash.AJDEcBha.dpuf

Sugar consumption causes inflammation in the gut, body, and brain, which sets off an inflammation-immune chain reaction response - See more at: http://www.depressionanxietydiet.com/how-sugar-causes-depression-anxiety/#sthash.AJDEcBha.dpuf

Sugar consumption causes inflammation in the gut, body, and brain, which sets off an inflammation-immune chain reaction response - See more at: http://www.depressionanxietydiet.com/how-sugar-causes-depression-anxiety/#sthash.AJDEcBha.dpuf

In 2011 Hungarian researchers conducted a meta-study and found that:

Recent studies have revealed that inflammation, among other factors, may be involved in the pathogenesis of depression. One line of studies has shown that depression is frequently associated with manifest gastrointestinal inflammations and autoimmune diseases as well as with cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, type 2-diabetes and also cancer, in which chronic low-grade inflammation is a significant contributing factor. Thus depression may be a neuropsychiatric manifestation of a chronic inflammatory syndrome.

Excessive sugar produces an inflammation response, inflammation in the brain increases the synaptic gap between nerve cells, reducing the ability of neruotransmitters in the hippocampus region of your brain that is responsible for learning, memory and mood to connect and perform their functions.
The overconsumption of simple carbohydrates is clearly very damaging to our bodies; however, small amounts are necessary for normal functioning. Many processed foods contain high quantities of: fructose corn syrup, cane sugar and wheat breads, pastas, potatoes, rice and other simple carbohydrates that are converted into sugar.

In 2010, research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, concluded that the modern Western diet, leads to higher rates of mental illness:

…a “traditional” dietary pattern characterized by vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, and whole grains was associated with lower odds for major depression or dysthymia and for anxiety disorders. A “western” diet of processed or fried foods, refined grains, sugary products, and beer was associated with a higher GHQ-12 (depression anxiety) score.

And in 2012  Journal of Medicine and Life titled “Nutrition and depression at the forefront of progress”, the authors wrote:

[Depression] is undeniably linked to nutrition, as suggested by the mounting evidence by research in neuropsychiatry. An adequate intake of good calories, healthy proteins, omega-3 fatty acids and all essential minerals is of utmost importance in maintaining good mental health. In addition, the link between fast food and depression has recently been confirmed.

Knowing what to eat s the key: green leafs, legumes, nuts, peas and sunflower seeds; tryptophan rich foods like linseed and sour cherries, and lots of other fruits and vegetables. Also it is important to  include exercise and other holistic treatments that I have mentioned (mediation, support networks etc.)

When it come to exercise I am to say the least lacklustre. Often avoiding going out for one reason or another; running past 2 minutes is unbearable; gym is too much on a good day etc.
There is another way, HIIT (High intensity interval training) which is simple, intense and short and effective. It involves some very simple maneuvers at short high intensity and less-intense recovery periods - sessions may vary from 4–30 minutes. Start short and add couple minutes each time you do it.

Found this to be a very god explanation of the concept:

Popular search engines will give you lots to choose from if you search HIIT, images are always a good source of fun and different exercises so you don't get too bored; also, you can find different levels depending on your physical ability etc.
The basic training would consist of something like:
50 sec Jumping Jacks 10 sec rest
50 sec Burpees 10 sec rest
50 sec Plank 20 sec rest
50 sec Side-Plank 10 sec rest
50 sec other Side plank 10 sec rest
50 sec High Knees 10 sec rest
50 sec Mountain-climbers 10 sec rest
50 sec Squat Jumps 10 sec rest
50 sec Jump Lunges
1 minute rest and then repeat the whole thing again. Do as many times as you can.

So in conclusion: 80% of your food should be live (fresh fruit and vegetables); lower/eliminate you intake of processed hi-sugar foods; do some HIIT; mediate and communicate (with others or in some artistic/fulfilling way) and you should see some improvement - I did. If you see no positive changes i your mood and outlook please seek medical assistance.
Till next time :) look after yourselves xx