Breakfast to prevent and fight depression is probably an ideal way to improve your mental health condition. Well, we all know that there is a great link between how we feel and what we eat – which is where the popular expression ‘comfort eating’ comes from.
Right now you are probably asking yourself, “How changing your breakfast habits can help to fight the depression symptoms?”
As a nutritionist, I can say that it has long been known in medicinal circles that our brain depends on nutrients in order to function properly, with amino acids, B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, Vitamin D, iron, and Omega-3s all helping to improve mental health. Today, we are all aware of that!
So it goes, a recent research has found that the Mediterranean diet can be beneficial when it comes to reducing the risk of anxiety and depression 1 . Find more about the Mediterranean diet: http://yourhealthtube.com/mediterranean-diet-foods-healthy-heart/
Experts observed the effects of this diet – that is generally made up of olive oil, fish, pulses, cereals, leafy vegetables, nuts, chickpeas, and lots of water – on up to 15,000 people for more than ten years.
In the end, it was proven that people who followed this diet had a higher quality of life in terms of mental and physical health.
According to the author Dr. Almudena Sanchez-Villegas, from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 2 , their mission was to understand the role of nutrition in mental health, as they believed that certain dietary patterns can protect the brain. So, today they revealed that Mediterranean diet is associated with physical health benefits and has a positive effect on the mental health 3 .
Moreover, Dr. Almundena Sanchez-Villegas explained to the Mail Online 4 that the protective role is attributed to the nutritional properties of the foods, where legumes, nuts, vegetables, and fruits, all sources of vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids, can lower the risk of depression.
Using the results of this research as a standard, nutritionist Melissa Brunetti has now been able to create the ultimate breakfast to prevent and fight depression recipe.
She explained that people should start every day with eggs, smashed avocado, and sprouted-grain toast.
“Our brain is about 60% fat and we need to get our fat from a dietary source. Avocado is rich in tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin, which is our feel-good chemical. It also has folate and Omega 3 in it.” Melissa explained.
…and good news for chocolate lovers:
Chocolate, just like avocado, has tryptophan – therefore, people who crave chocolate could also act on that instinct.
You should regularly eat breakfast to prevent and fight depression. Plus, you should have 3 meals per day, and a snack before and after working out – as well as between lunch and dinner – to avoid feeling the irritability which comes with low blood sugar, claims Brunetti. She recommends red meat, spinach, lentils, and sweet potatoes.
And despite numerous warnings about the risk of weight gain from having meals late at night, this nutritionist claims that a carbohydrate as oatmeal with some honey can be beneficial for people who have sleeping problems. If your blood sugar is low – you’re more likely to wake up in the middle of the night – therefore, a little snack before sleeping helps sleep throughout.
Conclusion:
Food has a huge impact on our mental health. But, of course, Mediterranean diet alone is no cure for anxiety and depression. However, in combination with proper treatment, it can create the right physiological conditions for great mental health. Check out this delicious Mediterranean gluten-free pizza recipe: LINK
According to the NHS Choices, eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is a significant part of maintaining good health, and could help you feel your best 5 . This means eating various foods in the right proportions and consuming the right amount of drink and food to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.