Top 15 Foods that Help Prevent Depression
 Sadly, depression isn’t as rare or obscure as many people have come to
believe. This is partially due to the our society's negative view of mental
health originating as far back as the Middle Ages, spanning all the way through
the radical transformation in the mental health community that was earmarked by
the closing of state asylums nationwide by the 1980s. By leaving treatment up to
the community and by inspiring a more accepting view of those who suffer from
mental illness, the number of people who are seeking treatment for some form of
mental illness has increased drastically. With a more open attitude towards
mental illness, many patients have been able to receive help who, prior to the
latter part of the 20th century, would have been ashamed to discuss these issues
even with their family doctor whom they may have had a pretty healthy
patient-doctor relationship.
There are also certain natural foods that are full of components that
encourage the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin. Serotonin works in
the brain by helping to relay messages from one region of the brain to the
other. Serotonin works on brain cells that are responsible for things like mood,
sexual desire and performance, regulating sleep, controlling appetite, learning
and long-term memory, maintaining and regulating body temperature, and
regulating healthy social behavior.
A change in your diet can give your body
the energy and materials it needs to pick back up on the production and healthy
utilization of serotonin. Coping with
depression does not mandate that you take medications, and this list is an
opportunity to look into natural remedies that can help decrease the chances of
having a temporary imbalance result in a life-long disease. It
is important to note here that if you or someone you know is suffering from
clinical depression, or has been depressed for a long period of time without a
plausible cause, whoever it may be needs to seek medical help immediately!
Depression can be a deadly disease in some cases, especially if it is left
untreated. Take a look and try your way through these 15 foods that really can make you,
and keep you, happy:
15) Apricots
 You might have underestimated this fruit until now but when you discover what it
can do for your mind and body, you certainly won’t do so any longer! Other than
being an indicator that summer has come, it is specifically relevant to those
suffering from
Seasonal Affective Disorder (seasonal depression).
Apricots can
be easily worked into your regular food intake because they can be eaten raw,
dried or added to savory dishes. Dried apricots have greater nutritional value
than fresh ones because they have a higher concentration of the vitamins A, E,
C, iron and potassium. These elements keep your body healthy and fight
depression. Please keep in mind that during the drying process of apricots the
fruits are exposed to sulfur dioxide gas to preserve them and sulfites are used.
People with asthma or a rare sulfite sensitivity can suffer from reactions to
these preserving chemicals.
14) Sour Fruits
 Sour
fruits help you lose weight, improve the health of your heart and pull a
hilariously funny face for you and everyone else to laugh at; this gives sour
fruits a nice plus for being a depression preventer. One of the most well-known
effects of sour fruits, especially lemons, is their ability to give your immune
system a boost. During the winter months a cup of hot lemon tea will not only
warm your heart and brighten your spirits but it will also give your body the
fuel it needs to keep running smoothly. Cranberries are also a member of the
sour fruit family and are wonderful at preventing cancer when the fruit is
consumed whole. This means that just drinking cranberry juice, which actually
contains large amounts of granulated sugar, won’t do the trick.
13) Sweet Potatoes
 At some point you might have heard from someone, most likely an older family
member, that vegetables and tubers orange in their coloring are good for your
eyes. Sweet potatoes are one of those orange tubers that contain beta-carotene,
which can also be found in carrots. Besides keeping your
eyes in good shape for
seeing, sweet potatoes are more than just the sweet versions of the plain old
potato. They are full of antioxidants that help prevent depression via
destroying free radicals in your body, which wreak havoc on your cells, and they
are a good counter to the heavy metals that unavoidably find their way into your
system. Unlike most starchy foods, sweet potatoes are not transformed into
simple sugars in our digestive tract; they lower blood sugar levels, making it
ideal for people suffering from type 2 diabetes. A healthy blood sugar level is
a step to a healthier body, which helps in the fight against depression.
12) Melons
 Melons are good for your heart because they maintain your metabolism with the
help of vitamin B6 that helps to elevate the mood and is responsible for helping
your body convert other chemicals into dopamine as well as adrenaline. Melons
are also capable of reducing your blood pressure, which in turn lowers your
likeliness to feel stressed. If there’s one thing that makes anyone depressed,
it’s stress!
11) Strawberries
 There really shouldn’t be any additional reason needed to enjoy strawberries,
they’re sweet, they look like hearts and taste delicious in all kinds of
desserts or just as they are. Strawberries are beneficial to your cardiovascular
system, which is the motor of your mind and body that keeps it running smoothly.
A clean cardiovascular system keeps the blood flowing and helps kick depression
to the side.
10) Soy
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Natto (Fermented soy):
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The number of variations in soy products is amazing and they are growing
in numbers. As the perfect alternative for vegetarians and vegans, soy
products have established themselves in western supermarkets for healthy eaters.
They substitute for meat products and offer a natural alternative to those
suffering from lactose intolerance. There’s a good reason other than the
versatility of soy beans to start incorporating any product made from them into
your regular diet. Soy beans contain mentally strengthening omega-3 oils, B
vitamins and antioxidants, which are necessary for your physical as well as
mental health. If your body is healthy then keeping your mind healthy isn’t
quite as big of a challenge when trying to prevent depression. The best part
about this alternative product is that it’s free of cholesterol, thus allowing
you to enjoy soy products without a hint of guilt. The abilities and
possibilities of soy were presented during the 16th Soy Symposium, which is
sponsored by the United Soybean Board and the Soyfoods Association of North
America. Researchers have confirmed at the Symposium that the consumption of soy
does not increase the risk of breast cancer, lower testosterone or raise
estrogen levels. What it does do is lower your cholesterol and your risk of
suffering from a heart disease.
Choose fermented soy such as natto or tempeh if you can. Fermented soy
is healthier than non-fermented soy and is one of the healthiest foods you can
eat to prevent depression.
9) Complex
Carbohydrates
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Rolled oats:
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If you’re trying to live a fulfilling depression free active life then you’ll be
needing carbohydrates. They’re your main source of energy and without them no
amount of food from this list will make you happy. Any diet plan that tells you
to swear off carbohydrates completely is not healthy, even if you’re only
avoiding them for a short period of time. Switch to complex carbohydrates to
prevent yourself from feeling like you’re committing a weight-loss sin. These
carbs have a positive effect on your overall mood because they contain B
vitamins that activate your body’s serotonin production. The amount of time your
body takes to digest complex carbohydrates is also good for your blood sugar
levels. The faster your body digests what you’ve eaten, the higher your blood
sugar spikes before rapidly declining. Then you will be on a not-so-fun
rollercoaster- ride when you experience mood swings with a concentration issues,
exhaustion, food cravings, and overeating to balance out your constant changes
in blood-sugar levels. Slow your body down a bit by trying to avoid processed
and overly refined foods. These foods usually contain white flour and processed
sugar. Both of those are always the first things that need to go when you’re
aiming for a healthier life because they are to quick to digest and then it’s
right back to square one with the depression.
8) Chili Peppers
 If you’re wondering why cultures all over the world enjoy using an ingredient
that provokes your tongues pain receptors then this might be the reason why.
Chilies don’t only burn you, they burn diseases right before it gets a chance to
settle in your body. They contain various vitamins, such as: vitamin C, B6
and B1. Their vitamin C content in chilies are so high that 100 grams of chili
has 240% vitamin C in it. The University of Tasmania published a research paper
in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in July 2006, advocating the use
of chilies in keeping your blood sugar levels low and thinning your blood while
boosting your circulation. For your mental health, this means no mood swings, no
unnecessary stress from high blood pressure and reduced chances of getting
depression. If you do fall prey to the occasional feeling of stress while
eating chilies, you don’t have to worry about the possible damages it could have
on your body. Chilies contain antioxidants that bind free radicals, which are
theorized to cause damage to your cells and are a factor in the aging process.
Another effect of chilies is that they help the release of endorphins, which are
the neurotransmitters responsible for pleasure and aid against depression. This
is why chilies are often named as foods that are profitable for your bedroom
activities because they literally spice up your life.
7) Organ Meats
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Cow Liver:
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There’s no better way to divide people into two groups than to have those who
love organ meats, like kidney and liver, in one corner and those who absolutely
despise them in the other. This anti-depressant health food brings many health
benefits to the table because they are rich in iron, especially liver. Iron
binds oxygen in your blood cells, therefore improving the oxygenation of your
vital organs, most importantly your brain. As with every other food on this
list, there’s also no way around the B vitamin family. B6 and chromium are
prevalent nutrients found in organ meats that convert protein to dopamine and
adrenalin. Dopamine is sometimes called the reward neurotransmitter, while
adrenaline makes you wide awake and full of attention. If you’re unsure if you
should try eating organ meats because your worried about consuming stored toxins
then you can relax. The function of the liver on any living creature is to
neutralize any consumed toxins, anything that can’t be neutralized is deposited
into fat tissues and the nervous system. What they do store are vitamins A, D,
E, K, B12, folic acid, copper, and iron; a very impressive list for just one
ingredient of your meal. Organ meats might be one of the most horrible things
you’ve ever tasted but consider giving them another chance. One of the mildest
tasting organ meats is calf liver and its the most tender, you can try soaking
this type of raw liver in apple cider or buttermilk before cooking to ease the
taste even further.
6) Dark and Leafy
Greens
 You may think that vegetables can never be as awesome as a good steak but in
return a good steak can never be as awesome as these vegetables in terms of
nutritional value. The selection of greens that have a positive effect on your
mental health and stability is immense. Spinach, kale, lentils, asparagus,
broccoli, turnips, romaine lettuce and peas are the main veggies that pop up
when you’re looking into brain-doping foods. These gifts of nature are packed
with things you need on a daily basis because they contain folic acid, which
aids anti-depressants while acting as an anti-depressent. Folic acid is a member of the B
vitamin family, which can help prevent certain types of cancer and keeps nerves
strong. A research study conducted in Finland and California has shown results
on just how important folic acids are for you. When a patient had low levels,
they were most certainly suffering from depression.
5) Fish
What makes fish a powerful addition to your weekly diet is the omega-3 oils,
which keep you from becoming depressed. The human body cannot naturally produce
any of the three fatty acids of the omega-3 family. Consuming omega-3 oils
strengthens your brain’s nerve cells, making communication with each other far
easier. You can find these oils mainly in wild salmon, cod liver oil and
mackerel. You may not have understood why your mother or grandmother forced you
to eat a spoonful every day of the cod liver oil but they were
definitively doing you a favor. Besides giving your nerve cells more power,
omega-3 oils break into a chemical that is the building stone for the brains
emotional centers called DHA. Twenty percent of your gray matter is made up of
DHA, the more gray matter you have in your amygdala, hippocampus and cingulate
of the brain then the happier you’re likely to be.
4) Go Nuts!
 Health advisors and dieticians are nutty about nuts! Many lists of food that are
beneficial to human body have nuts in them because they feed your brain and
body. Nuts provide your body with Vitamin E to protect you better against stress
and magnesium to influence your brain’s serotonin production. They’re a
wonderful alternative if you aren’t a fan of seafood and are trying to avoid
supplements but don’t want to miss out on the health benefits omega-3 oils
bring. The powerhouse among the nuts are by far Brazil nuts because these are
rich in selenium. Selenium supports your body and brain in keeping
your mood relatively stabilized and depression free. Six Brazil nuts a day is
enough to reach the daily recommended amount of selenium your body needs. Make
sure that any type of nuts you prefer to eat is unsweetened and unsalted. Eating
salted or sugared nuts will make you crave more and before you know it, you’ll
have overeaten.
3) Bananas and
Plantains
 The happy sunshine yellow color of bananas is an indicator of what they
can do in your nutritional fight against depression. This fruit contains high
levels of tryptophan, a chemical your body converts into depression stomping
serotonin. If that isn’t enough to motivate you to enjoy one right now, it’s
also effective against feelings of stress and helps regulate your blood-sugar
levels. For women, this means less PMS symptoms and little to no pill
consumption. To get the best results, try their vegetable cousin called
plantains. These contain more starch and less sugar than bananas and are meant
for cooking. Southern American, Oceanic, Asian, and African cultures appreciate
plantains as substitutes for potatoes. Their advantage over the banana is that
they’re richer in vitamin C, A and B6. If you don’t quite know what kind of
cooked dishes the plantain is suitable for, it’s safe to say that you can really
just substitute it for a potato. They can be eaten as chips, deep fried, made
into soup, or mashed.
2) Avocado
 Sometimes, avocadoes seem like they’re hanging somewhere between incredibly
healthy and absolutely damaging to your body fat. Eighty-five percent of the
calories found in an avocado are fat, however there is a big difference between
the fat you’ll find in a hamburger and the fat in an avocado. Avocadoes are full
of healthy fats, one type is called oleic acid that makes up more than half of
the fat content of the fruit. Oleic acids, despite being fats, are helpful when
you’re trying to lose weight. Besides the aforementioned healthy fats, avocadoes
are high in potassium, B vitamins, and vitamin E. They’re also the highest food
source of the anti-depression serotonin based tryptophan, which means that the
avocado can keep up with the lowest doses of selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRI’s). If you add avocados to your regular diet, you can avoid
ever needing SSRI's. Please remember that you should never substitute a
prescribed medication with something else without consulting your physician
first, even if it’s a natural product.
1) Dark Chocolate
You most likely knew about this one, since there are very few people who don’t
feel immediately happier when they eat chocolate. To maximize the depression
fighting effect chocolate has on your mood, it needs a high cocoa content of 60%
or more. While the texture, taste and smell alone will cheer you up, the
happiness-inducing element that you can only see on a microscopic level is
called phenylethylamine. This chemical encourages your body to produce
anadamine, which is a neurotransmitter that makes you happier and targets the
same brain area as THC. That may be the reason it’s so easy to get addicted to
chocolate and so hard to resist it. However, giving in to the temptation of just
gorging yourself on a whole block of chocolate is counterproductive on your path
to happiness through food. Too much sugar lowers your serotonin levels, which
can make you depressed. Luckily, you don’t need an entire block even
though you’d have to eat more than that to reach the optimal amount of anadamine.
Research is not quite clear on why the low levels of anadamine in chocolate
still works but their suspicion is that the other chemical components in
chocolate can uphold the anadamine levels for a longer time.
Final Words
It's most likely safe to say that there was at least one of your favorite foods
on this list. After all, it’s no use to offer you some additions to your diet
that are supposed to help you feel happier if the foods make you want to duck
and run for cover. If some of these foods don’t belong to your favorites, go
ahead and see if the Internet offers you any alternative cooking methods to move
them up in your taste ranking. In addition to eating these foods, don’t worry
about your weight and give yourself a reason to be depressed about that. Giving
yourself a reward every now and then won’t make the needle on your scale burst
through the red numbers. The correct balance of these foods might even help you
lose some of those extra pounds, control splurges and help you live a depression
free life.
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