The Diet That Might Cure Depression?

Interestingly, I have changed my diet quite radically in the past few months and am feeling the benefit. Several months ago I developed the heart condition, Atrial Fibrillation - a scary but quite common problem among people of my age especially those with existing heart disease such as I have. My consultant adjusted my prescription medicines to help control the AF and suggested a healthier regime to lose weight and take more exercise. Coincidentally I had suffered repeated attacks of gout around the same time so I had been stuck at home taking very little exercise and my weight had consequently increased alarmingly.

As the gout subsided, I started to take more exercise including a mild form of yoga, playing lawn bowls, swimming and walking. In addition I read about heart-health and gout avoiding diets and decided to limit my meat and sugar intake. I cut out sweet snacks, sugar, white bread and red meat. I limited my meat to a very occasional lean, free-range chicken meal and occasional white fish. Otherwise, I have been eating lots of fruit and vegetables, making vegetable soups, etc. I am not even close to being a vegan in that I eat dairy (milk, cheese and eggs), fish and, as I said, chicken occasionally. 

So how did I fare? I have lost 8KG (about 18 lbs), have not had a sign of gout in those 3 months and no AF events for the past two months. My mood has improved and depression (a life-long curse) has not featured. I feel generally fitter and healthier than I have for years.

Wish you the very best Kamarling.  I became vegan in July and found so many improvements in my health and psychological wellbeing but I work as a kitchen assistant and fell to temptation because of the Christmas Julbords.  I get to take home food that would otherwise be thrown away.  I will take it up again after Christmas.  Being Vegan gave me so much more energy and better sleep but just increasing your wholefood and plant intake and decreasing animal foods and sticking to lean white meat and fish is a big plus!

Good luck - I'm glad you are so much better because of your diet. 

Can What We Eat Affect How We Feel?

Richard Schiffman

Nutritional psychiatrists counsel patients on how better eating may be another tool in helping to ease depression and anxiety and may lead to better mental health.

Dr. Ramsey argues that a poor diet is a major factor contributing to the epidemic of depression, which is the top driver of disability for Americans aged 15 to 44, according to a report by the World Health Organization. Together with Samantha Elkrief, a chef and food coach who sits in on many of his patient sessions, he often counsels patients on how better eating may lead to better mental health.

The irony, he says, is that most Americans are overfed in calories yet starved of the vital array of micronutrients that our brains need, many of which are found in common plant foods. A survey published in 2017 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that only one in 10 adults meets the minimal daily federal recommendations for fruit and vegetables — at least one-and-a-half to two cups per day of fruit and two to three cups per day of vegetables.

Nutritional psychiatrists like Dr. Ramsey prescribe antidepressants and other medications, where appropriate, and engage in talk therapy and other traditional forms of counseling. But they argue that fresh and nutritious food can be a potent addition to the mix of available therapies.

Brain-gut connection explains why integrative treatments can help relieve digestive ailments

Michelle Dossett (MD, MPH, PhD)

Mind-body approaches to GI ailments

Given this strong mind-body/brain-gut connection, it should come as no surprise that mind-body tools such as meditation, mindfulness, breathing exercises, yoga, and gut-directed hypnotherapy have all been shown to help improve GI symptoms, improve mood, and decrease anxiety. They decrease the body’s stress response by dampening the sympathetic nervous system, enhancing the parasympathetic response, and decreasing inflammation.
Other integrative approaches

We’ve also learned that certain kinds of foods can trigger specific reactions in the gut of sensitive individuals. In those cases, specific diets, such as low-FODMAP for IBS or avoiding acidic foods for GERD, can be helpful for managing symptoms. Diet also profoundly affects the gut microbiome. For example, eating a more plant-based diet with few refined carbohydrates and little or no red meat often leads to a healthier microbiome. These dietary changes in turn reduce intestinal inflammation and may help reduce systemic symptoms such as fatigue or depression and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Although each person’s situation is unique, I often find a combination of integrative approaches can be helpful for reducing GI symptoms and reestablishing both a healthy gut and a healthy mind.