What foods can relieve depression

At present, research has confirmed that it can indeed help improve mood and reduce the risk of depression, mainly natural foods rich in Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, tryptophan, B vitamins, and magnesium, such as deep-sea fish, dark green leafy vegetables, original nuts, non-added fermented dairy products, and whole grains. Most of the "happy foods" reported online such as bananas, milk tea, and chocolate only have short-term pleasant effects, and may increase emotional burden in the long term. I have been doing nutrition guidance for almost 5 years and have met many clients who are troubled by emotional problems. In the past two years, I followed up on a junior student who was diagnosed with mild depression. At that time, the doctor did not prescribe medicine and asked her to adjust her lifestyle first. The dietary requirement was to eat 2-3 times a week. She eats saury or salmon, and drinks 100g of sugar-free Greek yogurt and a small handful of original spinach every day. She persisted for more than two months. When she returned to the doctor, she said that the feeling of "a stone pressing on her chest" that she always had before was much relieved, and even her insomnia was much better.

In fact, the principle is not difficult to understand. Dozens of meta-analyses have confirmed that people who consume sufficient Omega-3 in their daily diet have about 20% lower risk of depression than those who do not consume enough. Omega-3 is like the "lubricating oil" of nerve cells and can reduce neuroinflammation in the brain. It can also help serotonin, the neurotransmitter responsible for regulating emotions, work better. If you really can't get used to eating deep-sea fish, you can also eat some flax seeds and chia seeds. The α-linolenic acid in them can also be converted into Omega-3 in the body, but the conversion rate is lower, which is better than not eating at all. The magnesium in dark green vegetables and the probiotics in fermented dairy products can also help the body stabilize mood swings by regulating the signal transmission of the gut-brain axis. Many people always think that emotional problems are all "heart diseases." In fact, the body lacks these nutrients, just like the battery of a mobile phone is not enough, and it doesn't light up no matter how hard you press the switch.

However, it must be made clear here that many of the "antidepressant foods" spread online are quite watery, and there are many differences in the conclusions of different studies. For example, the popular "eat bananas to fight depression" was previously popular. In fact, the tryptophan content in a banana is very limited. You have to eat more than a dozen bananas to reach the dose that can affect your mood. On the contrary, it may cause mood swings because the blood sugar rises too quickly, and People rely on eating high-sugar cakes and drinking milk tea to relieve emo. They do feel happy because of the secretion of dopamine at the moment, but after the blood sugar drops quickly, it will increase the fatigue and low mood. I met a girl who drank a cup of full-sugar milk tea every day for half a month to relieve stress. As a result, she gained 8 pounds in weight, and her mood worsened. Even when she went for a blood test, she showed signs of insulin resistance. There are also "mood-soothing ingredients" such as saffron and chamomile that are rumored on the Internet. The current research results are also inconsistent. Some people find it useful after eating it, while some people feel nothing at all. There is no need to spend a lot of money to follow the trend.

Of course, the more important thing is that you must not deify the role of food. It is only a means of auxiliary adjustment and cannot replace drug treatment and professional psychological intervention. Previously, a moderately depressed client believed the rumor on the Internet that "you can stop taking Omega-3 drugs" and stopped taking the medicine privately. As a result, he had an emotional breakdown and went to the emergency room, which delayed his treatment. If you are just under a lot of stress and have occasional low mood recently, but you are not diagnosed with depression, you can try to adjust your diet first. You don’t need to buy expensive supplements. You can pass by the vegetable market after get off work and pick up two pieces of salmon, sprinkle a handful of pumpkin seeds when cooking oats in the morning, and take two more mouthfuls of lettuce when you eat. It will be much more effective than ordering a bunch of high-fat and high-sugar takeaways when you were emo. After all, a good physical condition is the basis for emotional stability.