Depression is one of the most underestimated human conditions there is and for people suffering from it, fighting it off is one of the most challenging things they ever have to do. When we’re dealing with our biggest fears, regrets and shortcomings, there’s never an easy way out, but giving up is not an option. That is why depression can be healed from many different angles and today we will talk about food as one of the instruments that can help you along the way.
Of course, we’re not saying that just changing your diet will help you make a miraculous recovery, but eating right foods can help. There are products that can help you boost your metabolism and serotonin levels in your body, as well as keep you healthy physically, which in itself is an achievement. Without further ado, here are some foods that will help you relieve some pressure that depression inflicts.
Go for the Whole Grains
It’s interesting how simple change in everyday diet can make a world of difference and this is exactly what happens if you switch to products that are based on whole grains. This really isn’t that difficult to do, seeing there are countless choices of whole wheat bread and pastry, not to mention brown rice and whole wheat pasta that can be found in any store.
Ingesting whole grains will help you feel lighter in general, not to mention that it’s got good influence on release of hormone serotonin, whose other name is “happiness hormone.” Besides, consuming whole grains means that you’ve got enough healthy carbohydrates in your body daily, which is very important for it to function and burn energy it needs to stay healthy.
Don’t Forget About Antioxidants
If you want to avoid significant amount of cell damage that usually comes from the release of free radicals in our bodies, as well as from constant stress, then you’ll need to pump your nutrition with antioxidants. They will help you keep your body free from toxins that have a tendency to pile up in our bodies and antioxidants will also bring down the number of free radicals in our bodies, which in turn won’t cause that much permanent damage on our skin and brain processes in general.
There are a number of sources that are rich in antioxidants and some of them include broccoli, carrots, peaches, oranges, spinach, seeds and nuts, as well as strawberries, potato and tomato. All this produce will help you in battling your depression simply by allowing you to purge free radicals from your system and the additional plus is that you will only feel better in your own skin while eating them.
Avocados
Chances are that you’re already a big fan of avocados, like so many people are, but you probably didn’t know that avocado is a power food for fending off depression as well. In general, this fruit bears benefits to anyone eating it thanks to its oleic acid, a wide array of vitamins it carries, as well as a lot of protein it has in every portion. Avocados can play a part in you getting out of depression because it’s a rich source of healthy fats, which is the fuel of the brain and helps it run without a glitch. There’s no prescription on how much you should eat daily to help you feel better, but incorporating avocado in your everyday diet can have positive influence on your body chemistry helping you deal with depression. The good news about this fruit, as with all other foods we mentioned, is that it’s really obtainable everywhere, in every store and supermarket. Even if you’re having a particularly bad day and don’t want to come out of the house, you can use a good meal delivery service to bring you complete meals to your doorstep, just make sure you eat as healthy as possible, even when your spirits are not particularly high.
How About Some Fish?
If you’re not really into fish, then this might not come as good news for you, but the truth is that eating fatty fish from time to time can do you good when depression strikes. Fish in general is rich with omega-3 fatty acids that can do wonders for your immune system and if you consume some salmon or tuna frequently, then your brain will work as optimally as possible. Boosting your brain’s activity in any way possible can truly be a game changer for keeping depression at bay, because it is first and foremost the condition of the mind. You will need to work actively on other aspects of the fight as well, but bulking up your body with some omega-threes is an excellent solution to kick-start your brain in a right direction.
Get a Mouthful of Those Leafy Greens
If we’re being honest, there aren’t that many people in the world who favor leafy greens produce above all else, even though we really should. There’s no better way to get our daily intake of vitamins and nutrients than eating a healthy portion of oven-roasted kale or some lettuce for lunch, but it’s not always easy to manage this, or so we make excuses for ourselves. When you need a completely natural shield against any form of cancer, it is greens you should always turn to, because they are the best at protecting your healthy cells from cancerous ones. As we well know, cancer in great measure can come from stress, and the stress we inflict on our bodies when we’re depressed can really cause some serious damage. Any forms of greens – lettuce, spinach, kale, arugula etc. will fight off inflammations in the body and keep it in balance like nothing else can.
As you can see, eating to fight depression equals to eating as healthy as you can while at the same time taking care of your psychological help as much as you can. These are foods that will make you feel better physically and give a nudge to chemistry of your body to fight off depression on a physical level, after which you can focus on your mental well-being, which is closely interwoven with your body. – Monica Nichols
