Are There Foods That Help with Anxiety or Depression?

[nic]

After reading the SSRIs thread, I started thinking about other ways to deal with PTSD symptoms. I have been on pretty much every SSRI out there, and while some have helped a bit, I decided that (for me) the side effects were just not something I wanted to live with. That being said, ever since I went off Prozac a few months ago and have not substituted it with any other SSRI, I have struggled a lot more with depression.

Anyway, I know that physical activity and a healthy diet can make a positive imapact on dealing with anxiety and depression. But, more specifically, I am wondering if there are any particular foods which are especially helpful.

I was told not to drink coffee or have any caffeine because it will make the anxiety worse. But, isn't there something in dark chocolate that is supposed to help with depression?

If you know of any foods that are shown to benefit those with anxiety or depression, I would love to know what they are!

[spiritofnow]

Plenty of oily fish and bananas! Not necessarily together though :-) You can goggle this and there are plenty of suggestion as to why.

Spirit x

[Anonymoose]

I find that sugar and caffeine serve as a makeshift (and effective) antidepressants. They're not the best thing in the world for the body but if they were pharmaceuticals I'd overlook that. Bananas, oatmeal and flaxseeds or flaxseed oil (for Omega 3s and Omega 6s) are all helpful for me.

[grace5555]

While not food, taking Omega3 and SAMe have made a significant difference for me...

[Cowgirl]

In addition to the other suggestions here, I'll add a wee bit about diet control of serotonin. The availability of serotonin in the brain has an important role to play in brain chemistry and mood and also sleep patterns. The amount of serotonin available to the brain is controlled by a complex body chemistry. The brain manufactures serotonin from precursors. One of those precursors is tryptophan.

Tryptophan is an amino acid, one of the protein building blocks. It is less prevalent in our typical diets than other amino acids. In essence, it "competes" with other more prevalent amino acids for a chemical ride to the brain where it can be converted to serotonin.

Tryptophan is contained in greater concentrations in foods like turkey, cheeses, chicken, beef, pork, and salmon.

It isn't enough to just eat these foods, to affect tryptophan ending up in the brain so that serotonin can be produced, however. Remember that it competes with other, more prevalent, amino acids. To aid tryptophan's journey across the blood brain barrier, it helps to eat carbohydrates along with it, as the carbohydrates tend to IMPEDE the other amino acids in their journey to the brain, and give favor to the tryptophan, for chemical reasons.

For US citizens, think of that sleepy feeling you get after a big Thanksgiving feast that includes lots of turkey AND stuffing. Why? Because of the tryptophan that goes to your brain in very significant quantities, aided by all those carbs!

That latter bit is why moderation is important in everything. You can boost your serotonin levels modestly by eating a turkey and cheese sandwich. You can over-load with a big feast of turkey and stuffing.

That is a very simplified version of a complex chemistry, but hopefully enough to understand how eating a food rich in tryptophan along with some carbohydrates will tend to boost serotonin production.

Cowgirl

[Cowgirl]

Oh, I should add that one reason why a sugar binge gives a temporary boost in mood is that all those sugars do the same thing in the body, chemically, as carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are broken down into sugars eventually, although the process takes more time than with sugars. Sugars create a favorable condition whereby any tryptophan in the body (which is not a great amount if you have not eaten a source rich in tryptophan) can cross the blood brain barrier and the brain can make use of the tryptophan. The sugar induced chemistry is short-lived, however.

Cowgirl