There is such a thing as a mental depression diet. It’s called the American diet. In response, physicians hand out anti-depressant pills making patients dependent on these pills for the remainder of their lives when their calorie-rich/nutrient poor diet is causing their problems. Where does depression/anxiety emanate from? Not the brain but the intestines, what is now called the gut-brain axis. In a misdirection, mood-altering drugs directly target neurotransmitters in the brain.
Altered gut bacteria early in life, particularly from over-use of antibiotics that literally sterilize the gut, and modern sugar-laden carbohydrate-rich diets by virtue of their generation of low-grade chronic inflammation, increase the risk for a depressed mood and eventually losing one’s mind later in life.
There is a whole class of antidepressant drugs called serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) that increase serotonin levels in the brain. Gut bacteria (microbiota) control serotonin. The SSRI fluoxetine (Prozac) is itself an antibiotic that kills gut bacteria.
Inflammation breeds mental depression
With this understanding it can be said that virtually any anti-inflammatory agent can serve to elevate mood. Ibuprofen (Motrin) and aspirin reduce risk for depression. Yet aspirin and ibuprofen should not be considered safe just because they are over-the-counter medicines. They would probably never gain FDA approval if they were reintroduced today.
In particular, high blood levels of an undesirable blood protein called homocysteine, are associated with mental decline, depression and other brain disorders (B vitamins are the antidote for this).
The diet is loaded with natural antidepressants – for example, blueberries, grapes, pomegranates. Many of these anti-depressant fruits and vegetables contain molecules like quercetin, catechin and resveratrol that control homocysteine and bind to iron and copper, major culprits in the onset of are-related brain disease and depression.
Sugar brain
A diet loaded with glutamate, particularly glutamate snacks that over-stimulate brain cells (a phenomenon called excitotoxicity), combined with confections (candy) and fructose-sweetened beverages, increase the prevalence of mental depression. It is no coincidence that mental disorders are more common among sugar cravers.
It is also no surprise to learn that Candida infections are associated with psychiatric problems. Overgrowth of Candida (yeast infection) is fostered by over-consumption of refined sugars.
The non-caloric answer
How did American food purveyors address the criticism over sugar-laden foods (fructose corn syrup laced into peanut butter, bacon, canned foods)? …. Read More
Same article on Resveratrol News site: Mind Bending Drugs For Psycho Diets