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Diets to Help Depression

According to the research, you are guaranteed to be affected by either your own, or someone else's, depression at some point during your life. During the course of any year, depression affects almost 10 percent of the U.S. population, making it a threat worth fighting. Although life can seem meaningless while trapped in the haze of depression, you can take some affirmative steps to claw your way out of despair. One method of fighting depression is adopting a moderate-to-high fat diet.

  1. Low Fat and Depression

    • The cornerstone of effective diets for overcoming depression is to stop living a low-fat lifestyle. A study performed at the Centre for Human Nutrition, located at the University of Sheffield, in the United Kingdom, has found a link between negative-mood alterations and consumption of a low-fat diet. Participants on a low-fat diet were more likely to feel angry, hostile, tense, or anxious when compared with a group consuming a higher-fat diet. Thus, ensuring health and adequate fat intake is one key that can help to stave off depressive episodes.

    The Zone

    • To put this advice into practice, it is not necessary to follow a strict low-carb diet. All you should do for proper mood elevation through dieting is to follow a plan that allows you to consume a moderate amount of healthy fat daily. Thus, consider following the Zone Diet.

      The Zone Diet was invented by Dr. Barry Sears and is a weight-loss plan that aims to be productive without being restrictive. The Zone Diet is all about moderation and balance, making it an ideal tool to help you navigate away from the extremes of depression. To follow the Zone Diet, simply consume meals in a ratio consisting of 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat. Recommended carb sources include fruits and vegetables, with limited consumption of whole grains. Protein should come from lean cuts of meat, fish, chicken, and eggs. Fat should be a mix of animal fats (derived from protein sources), natural fats (from items like avocados and coconuts), and oils (like fish, flax, and olive). Fish oil has been shown to have a positive impact on mood, so consider aiming for at least five-to-10 grams daily.

    Paleolithic Diet

    • Another good, moderate fat diet to stave off depression is the Paleolithic Diet, by physician Dr. Ben Balzer. Balzer modeled his diet after the traditional diets of hunter/gatherer tribes, who statistically have a fairly low incidence of depression. Following the Paleo Diet is simple---eat only meat, chicken, fish, eggs, fruit, vegetables, nuts and berries. Abstain from consuming grains, beans, potatoes, dairy, sugar, and salt. By following this nutritional strategy, you will naturally consume more fats while consuming fewer carbs, leading to improvements in mood and helping to eliminate episodes of depression.

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