Poor diet link to rising cases of depression

Observer/Guardian Unlimited ^ | 01/15/2006 | By Jo Revill

[oxcart]

Increasing rates of anxiety, depression and irritability could be due to a poor diet that lacks the essential chemicals to keep the brain healthy, according to a leading mental health charity. A report out tomorrow describes the links between the less severe forms of mental disorder, such as anxiety, and the nation's increasing reliance on ready meals and processed food, which are heavy in pesticides, additives and harmful trans fats. Eating a diet without fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, pulses or nuts deprives the brain of the essential vitamins and nutrients needed to regulate it.

...SNIP...

Nutritional deficiency could seriously hamper the body's production of amino acids, which are vital to good psychological health. Neurotransmitters, made from amino acids, are chemicals which transmit nerve impulses between the brain cells.

Serotonin, a key neurotransmitter made by the amino acid tryptophan, helps to regulate feelings of contentment and anxiety, as well as playing a role in regulating depression. Many adults do not have sufficient levels of tryptophan because their intake of nuts, seeds and wholegrains is too low.

[martin_fierro]

Man, that's depressing.

[big'ol_freeper]

Ya think? Duh.

[in hoc signo vinces]

Ha...I just downed to quarter pounders...don't feel so depressed, though. Maybe it takes some time to work?

[Old Sarge]

Eating a diet without fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, pulses or nuts

Pulse??? As in, BLOOD???

AllRIGHT, rare steaks are good for ME!!!!

[Pukin Dog]

We know this study is bogus when 80% of kids get through college on a steady diet of Top Ramen and Beer.

[Mr. Brightside]

As if being fat is not depressing enough.

[oxcart]

Peas, beans and lentils are known as pulses (UK speak for Beans). Yes, rarer the better...dripping.

[Xenalyte]

I know my no-carb diet is depressing the hell outa me.

And it's making me mean, too. I want some popcorn, dammit! With a nice dusting of Parmesan cheese and garlic powder . . . NOW!

[Marie]

Here's something I ran across that's had my brain ticking: We have a Ball Python that got sick enough to take him to the vet. We feed him frozen mice and the vet insisted that we *must* feed him an occasional live mouse or he will never thrive. Turns out that the freezing process destroys many vitamins and eating nothing but frozen meat results in malnutrition.

So, why wouldn't this apply to humans as well? How much *fresh* meat do any of us eat? Cooking breaks down even more nutrients. Growing crops in depleted soil takes away even more.

How the heck can any of us get the required nutrients from a balanced diet alone?

Just something I've been allowing to cause me unnecessary stress over. Thought I'd share that concern with the rest of you! ;-)

[Xenalyte]

We ate at a churrascaria last night . . . we each probably put away better than a pound of beef. Man oh man, that garlic beef was good . . . and the picanha . . .

[oxcart]

That's why I take vitamins, exercise and eat from the outside isles (non-frozen fresh foods) at the store.

BTW is your snake is ok?

[netmilsmom]

Get some Melatonin, Panthonetic Acid and Choline into your pill routine. Two of the three neurotransmitters are taken care of.

Melatonin at night, it puts you to sleep (grab some low dose Niacin to go with it, too high and you get a flush)

The combo of PA and Choline can give you VERY vivid dreams. Cut back if they get too much.

You are correct about the frozen meat but it can be made up with the right nutients.

[oxcart]

Your pop corn sounds delicious! I only eat a low carb diet...no carbs is impossible for me.

[WV Mountain Mama]

That explains my mother in law who starts her day off with a diet coke (I thought that ended after college for most people), but she doesn't care, she has happy, magic pills. Anytime she gets upset, I tease my hubby that she needs to up her meds. Then she usually tells hubby the following day that she had to take more pills because she was so upset. Does this mean that now I can tell her not to call back until she has eaten her broccoli?

[VOA]

bump

[Renfield]

"...How much *fresh* meat do any of us eat?..."

During hunting season, I eat quite a bit of fresh meat!

Did you know that fresh read meat contains vitamin C? That's why Eskimos don't get scurvy...all that fresh whale and seal meat.

[oxcart]

L-Tryptophan works well for me with B-6 (pyridoxine).

The thought of a snake having vivid dreams...no, I won't go there ;)

[oxcart]

Your MIL uses diet coke to self-medicate (Caffeine and aspartame).Most sugar-free products use aspartame (Nutrasweet) as a sweetener. Aspartame is made from phenylalanine, which is an amino acid. I have observed that a very large number of sugar addicts are dependent upon sugar-free products. Phenylalanine is the precursor to dopamine just like tryptophan is the precursor to serotonin. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter which creates an upper-like effect.

As for not calling back...I use to tell my ex. mother in law to never call back (broccoli or not).

[AmericanChef]

Food is medicine, folks, like it or not! I did some research and went on a diet last summer to see if it would help my hayfever - I'd previously suffered GREATLY every year - and I hardly had a sniffle the whole summer. Freakin' beautiful.