Dietary Treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a mental health disorder that many people experience during the winter months. It is characterized by a dramatic loss of energy and a depressed mood, but there are natural dietary ways to fight it.

Protein

• Foods that contain protein are partly responsible for the production of tryptophan, an important amino acid that produces serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter chemical in the brain that helps regulate mood. When you have seasonal affective disorder, it's important to have a diet high in high-protein foods. Some examples of high-protein foods include bananas, eggs, milk, turkey and whole grains.

Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates contribute to your energy levels as well as to the amount of tryptophan that will help produce serotonin. It is important to consume more complex carbohydrates during months when you are affected with seasonal affective disorder. These will give you more long-lasting energy than simple carbohydrates and are important for the brain and nervous system. Complex carbohydrates can be found naturally in fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

• According to a review article by Dr. Gordon Parker and five other medical doctors in the June 2006 issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry, the consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids helps to ward off seasonal affective disorder (See reference 1 below). Their article published findings of dramatically decreased rates of seasonal affective disorder in societies where omega-3 fatty acids are consumed in large quantities, such as in Japan and Iceland. Examples of foods that contain these include fish, salmon, tuna, halibut, flaxseed and walnuts.

Supplements

• There are some natural hormones that regulate mood which can also be taken as supplements. Melatonin is one such example that can be included in your diet to help improve seasonal affective disorder.

  Other supplements that have been shown to relieve symptoms of depression include St. John's Wort, S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM-e), and 5-HTP.