Key Nutrients in Regards to Mood Swings

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Key Nutrients and Mood Swings

 

Why use a Harmful Prescription Drug?

 

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Before You decide to take An Anti-Depressant...

Part 1: Depression? - The importance of adequate nutrition!

http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com./before.htm

 

 

Around 25% of the population may experience some form of depression

at some point in their lives and statistics show that women are

slightly more susceptible than men.

 

There are many contributing factors to depression which include lifestyle,

behaviour and relationships.

Poor diet can have a disastrous effect on memory, co-ordination, concentration,

powers of reason, behaviour and mood although this is very rarely recognised or

looked into by medical professionals in

the UK.

 

 

Mental distress is linked to a deficiency of iron, magnesium

and B-complex vitamins.

 

Zinc deficiency can also be a major factor in causing depression and

leads to loss of appetite, subsequent poor nutrition, inevitable chronic fatigue

and finally, depression.

 

Many people who go to their doctor complaining of fatigue are often

wrongly assumed to be suffering from depression and prescribed anti-

depressant drugs which doctors in the UK often use as a first line

of treatment.

 

Unfortunately, many of these drugs can interfere with zinc

absorption.

 

Low levels of zinc in the body can not only lead to a loss of appetite and

fatigue (which can be exacerbated by anti-depressants) but can also be a factor

in the cause of depression

itself.

It is therefore important to get adequate amounts of zinc in

your diet in order to prevent a downward spiral from forming.

 

Sources of zinc include:

 

pumpkin seeds, mushrooms, non-gmo soya beans, organic wheat products (especially

wheatgerm and wheat bran), sesame seeds, organic wholemeal bread, oats, legumes

(especially aduki beans),

 

peas, barley, nuts (especially almonds), peanuts and natural (unhydrogenated)

peanut butter, organic wholegrain flours, buckwheat and brown rice.

 

The majority of women and many children have diets that are

deficient in iron, and zinc levels appear to be falling as the consumption of

'convenience' foods rises.

 

Consequently, it is hardly surprising that depression is becoming

more common.

 

Excessive consumption of caffeine which can be found in coffee, fizzy drinks or

chocolate interferes with mineral 'absorption' and can therefore trigger the

onset of depression.

 

Overstimulation of the central nervous system by caffeine can cause 'extreme'

mood swings.

 

A diet that is high in refined carbohydrates and sugars is a common

factor in depressive illness and alcohol can also have a severe

depressant effect.

 

Vitamin deficiencies may have specific effects on mental states.

These are detailed below:

 

Vitamin C: generalised depression, extreme tiredness, outbursts of

hysterical behaviour.

 

Vitamin C

 

may be found in oranges, kiwi fruits, broccoli,

blackcurrants and potatoes, red pepper, parsley,

green leafy vegetables (especially kale),

green pepper, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage (especially savoy),

strawberries, watercress, spinach, grapefruit, melon (all types),

peas, raspberries, spring onions, swede and turnip.

 

Vitamin B12:

general mental deterioration; psychotic behaviour,

depression, loss of memory and paranoia.

 

Vitamin B12 can be found in

organic goat cheeses, fortified yeast extract such as marmite

and organic milk.

 

Vitamin B1 (thiamine):

depression, irritability, loss of memory,

loss of concentration and exhaustion.

 

Sources of Vitamin B1 include

organic breakfast cereals, peas, sunflower seeds, millet, wheat

germ, sesame seeds, organic soy beans, nuts (especially brazil, cashew nuts,

almonds and walnuts),

legumes (especially split peas, blackeye beans, kidney beans, lentils, chick

peas), organic whole grains (especially brown rice and oatmeal), rye and organic

potatoes.

 

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine):

 

Psychosis, mental deterioration and depression.

 

Sources of Vitamin B6 include wheat products (especially wheatgerm and oatmeal),

nuts (especially walnuts), legumes,

(especially organic non-gmo soy beans, lentils, butter beans, haricot

beans), barley, bananas,

peanuts,

avocados, buckwheat, organic wheat and rye, raisins and brussels sprouts.

 

Folic Acid: fatigue, irritability, insomnia, forgetfulness and

confusion.

 

Folic Acid can be found in dried baker's yeast, fortified

yeast extract such as marmite, blackeye beans, kidney beans, endive,

broccoli, legumes (especially chickpeas),

organic soy beans, vegetables

(especially spinach, brussels sprouts, spring greens, okra,

cabbage), almonds, beetroot, parsnips, walnuts, oatmeal, brown rice.

 

Vitamin B3 (niacin; niacinamide):

loss of memory, mood swings,

depression and anxiety.

 

Sources of Vitamin B3 include fortified

yeast extract (such as marmite), brewer's yeast,peanuts, sesame seeds, brown

rice, wholemeal flour, wheatgerm,

wholemeal spaghetti, organic wholemeal bread, barley, legumes (especially split

peas).

 

Biotin: severe lethargy, depression and constant sleeping. Biotin

can be found in organic eggs.

 

Pantothenic Acid: insomnia, fatigue, depression and psychosis.

 

Sources include broad (fava) beans, peanuts and peanut butter, legumes

(especially split peas and organic soy beans), buckwheat, mushrooms,

nuts

(especially cashews and hazelnuts), avocados, broccoli and oatmeal.

 

 

Although many people claim that they smoke to relieve tension,

nicotine is another chemical which combined with raised blood levels

of carbon monoxide, can have a detrimental effect on mood and brain

function.

 

Improved nutrition can be used to relieve depression and enhance

overall mental health, mental ability and performance.

 

Key nutrients

can be obtained from a variety of sources which include eating a

wide variety of vegetables, fruit and salads, plenty of wholegrain

organic cereals, all types of unprocessed beans, pasta and brown rice.

 

Grapes, millet, wheatgerm, brewer's yeast, oats,

buckwheat, blackstrap molasses, berries,

figs (fresh or dried), raw unsalted seeds and nuts,

ginger, basil, and rosemary all have a key role

to play in eating to beat depression.

 

..

In order to function properly, the brain needs a constant regular

supply of natural sugar from whole organic fruits but when the level plunges

from hyper (too much) to hypo (too little), the effects on mood and behaviour

can be devastating.

 

Consequently, eating chocolates can cause one's mood to

plummet as the high sugar content plays havoc with the blood-sugar

levels.Chocolate contains the chemical theobromine which triggers the release of

endorphins in the brain.

 

Of all the potential triggers, attention to nutrition is the easiest

and most basic first step to recovery.

 

Ideally, investigating the nutritional aspect of one's diet should be the first

step that is

taken by any medical practitioner when someone presents with such

conditions but in practice, this is very rarely the case.

 

Keeping blood-sugar levels on an even keel is a primary requirement in order to

avoid hypoglycaemia,

as well as eating the vitamin B-rich foods previously mentioned.

 

An adequate supply of good calories, healthy proteins and all the essential

minerals are all essential in maintaining good mental health.

 

However, it can sometimes be very

difficult to persuade someone who is feeling extremely depressed to

eat or to dissuade them from binging on high-fat, high-sugar foods

of poor nutritional quality.

 

Frequent small meals that are appealing, attractive and nourishing for example

home made soups, freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices and plenty of good

wholegrain cereals could help to form the ideal basic menu.

_________________

 

Post subject: Foods to alleviate Depression: Food & Mood

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A link between food and mood can be traced to neurotransmitter

activity in the brain.

 

Complex carbohydrates as well as certain food components such as folate (folic

acid), magnesium, niacin, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and tryptophan may

decrease symptoms of depression.

 

Mega-Recipes

 

We believe that it's possible to manage and/or improve certain

conditions through what you eat.

 

When we create " Mega-Recipes " for an ailment, we strive to include the maximum

number of the nutrients that are shown to have benefit for that ailment.

We also expect the Mega-Recipe to contain at least 25% of recommended intakes

for those nutrients.

 

See the list of recipes that have met our criteria for these ailments.

 

What You Should Eat & Why:

 

Complex carbohydrates-

 

Consuming foods that are high in *tryptophan* along with foods high in

'complex' carbohydrates will help enhance the proper absorption of

typtophan more effectively.

 

Carboydrates may also boost *serotonin* activity in the brain.

 

Foods that are often referred to as " comfort foods " tend to be high

in complex carbohydrates.

 

Leading Food Sources of complex carbohydrates:

 

Broccoli, Brown Rice, Organic Potatoes, Blackberries,

Pasta, wheat, organic Squash, (winter)

 

Folic acid-

Because folic acid is often deficient in people who are depressed,

getting more of this vitamin through foods may help.

 

The vitamin appears to have the ability to *reduce* the high levels of

*homocysteine* associated with depression.

 

Leading Food Sources of folic acid:

 

Asparagus, Beets, Spinach, Avocados, Brussels sprouts, Bok choy, Cabbage, Savoy,

unprocessed Beans, dried, Chick-peas, non-gmo Soybeans, Lentils, Oranges, Split

Peas, fresh, free range Turkey and Broccoli

 

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that may ease symptoms of depression by

acting as a muscle relaxant.

 

Leading Food Sources of magnesium:

 

Spinach, Pumpkin seeds, Oysters, Sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, Amaranth,

Buckwheat, Avocados, Quinoa, Almonds, Barley

 

Niacin

Based on niacin's well-recognized role in promoting sound nerve cell

function, some experts recommend this B vitamin for relieving

depression as well as feelings of anxiety and panic.

 

Most B-vitamin complexes contain niacin in sufficient amounts for this purpose;

they also offer the mood-enhancing benefits of other B vitamins.

 

Leading Food Sources of niacin:

 

Rice, brown, Amish Chicken,

Pomegranates, Free-range Lamb, organic whole Wheat,

Omega-3 fatty acids-

Certain omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial for depression.

www.udoerasmus.com

 

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-

is an omega 3 long chain polyunsaturated

fatty acid that is the building block of human brain tissue.

 

Low levels of DHA have been associated with depression.

 

Leading Food Sources of omega-3 fatty acids:

 

Alaskan Salmon, Trout, Tuna (no-sodium with no msg- which also masquerades under

the name of hydrolyzed chicken broth)

 

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/hk/remedies/disp/1,1459,453,00.html

_________________

 

Get Smart With Fats

--

 

Fish oil has been a hot topic since the 1970s when it was discovered that the

Greenland Eskimos had an extremely low rate of cardiovascular disease despite

their high-fat diet.

We now know why:

 

the fats in their diet — omega-3 fatty acids with the tongue-twisting names of

eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) - reduce cholesterol

and triglyceride levels and help prevent dangerous blood clots that can trigger

a heart attack.

 

Today, exciting new research is showing that omega-3s are not only vital for

heart health, but that DHA in particular plays a central role in brain function.

 

Over half of your brain consists of fats, and DHA is the most abundant.

 

It is particularly crucial in the synapses, the spaces between *neurons* where

communication between nerve cells takes place,

and the neurons' mitochondria,

or energy-producing factories.

 

When your brain cells receive inadequate amounts of DHA, they are forced to make

do with inferior fats,

 

and as a result, they are unable to function at their peak.

 

DHA plays a critical role in brain development in infants and children and

affects cognitive functioning throughout life.

 

Low levels of DHA are associated with an increased risk of memory loss, and

according to data from the long-term Framingham Heart Study, people with low

levels are more likely to develop 'dementia' in their later years.

 

A recent study at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, found that

Alzheimer's sufferers as well as elderly subjects with other forms of cognitive

impairment all had lower levels of DHA than did elderly subjects with normal

cognitive functioning.

 

DHA Combats Depression -

 

Low levels of omega-3 fatty acids have also been observed in depression and

other psychological disorders.

 

Studies suggest that some patients with these disorders cannot properly

metabolize certain fats, and fish oil supplementation can have a positive effect

in their treatment.

 

Researchers from Harvard Medical School conducted a double-blind,

placebo-controlled study which found that manic-depressive patients taking

omega-3-rich fish oil capsules were symptom-free for a significantly longer time

than those taking a placebo.

 

The evidence linking psychiatric illness with low levels of omega-3s continues

to grow, and some researchers have even suggested that the documented rise of

depression in the Western world may be linked to decreasing fish consumption.

 

Of course, the corresponding increase in our intake of saturated fats and trans

fatty acids (transfats in margarines and other processed foods) probably plays a

role as well.

 

Feed Your Brain-

How can you ensure that you're giving your brain the fats it needs for optimal

functioning?

 

One option is to eat fatty, cold-water fish two or three times a week.

 

The healthiest varieties include alaskan salmon, trout, sardines, herring,

shrimp, pollock, cod, catfish, clams, flatfish, crabs, scallops, and anchovies.

 

Larger, longer-lived species (such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish,

and very large tuna) can contain dangerously high levels of mercury, and should

be eaten no more than once a month.

www.drwhitaker.com

_________________

JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

DietaryTipsForHBP

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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