Hey everyone,

I'm new to this board. I have a question regarding diet and depression/anxiety. Does anyone know for sure about what foods/drinks should be included in and excluded from your diet when you have mild depression and anxiety? My diet isn't that unhealthy, but I'm wondering if there are certain foods or drinks that can make the symptoms worse and ones that can actually alleviate them...make the person feel better? What about items that contain sugar, carbs, caffeine...certain vitamins or chemicals?

Please let me know if you can offer your knowledge about this so I can improve my diet and thus, my depressive/anxiety symptoms.

Thanks so much! :angel:

hmm, i am not sure... i think i heard that people with depression and on AD's should avoid caffine...

Hello,
I know that for me, one of the biggest factors in aleviating depression and anxiety has been regular excercise and decreasing my intake of caffiene. Exercise boosts the production of seratonin in your brain, and also releases endorphins, which make you feel better emotionally in general. Things to decrease in your diet are: salt, caffiene, sugar (refined sugars), and alcohol. Everything in moderation of course, but I believe the fewer processed foods we eat, the better. Processed foods contain a lot of excess sugar and salt, too.
As far as any foods or drinks that make me feel BETTER, well, that's more difficult. I do feel tremendously better when I take my vitamins regularly, including an omega-3 supplement (this also helps a lot with PMS--esspecially breast tenderness). Chocolate always makes me feel good. :D
Hope I've been of help.

Sounds like a plan.

I need to decrease my caffiene... I drink about 3 cups of coffee... 2 at work (AM,PM) and then one at night before bed... Go figure? LOL

I do not drink much.

I will reduce sugar & salt.

I exercise 3-5 times weekly depending on my schedule...

I should be in good shape! Thanks for the tips :D

Sounds like a plan.

I need to decrease my caffiene... I drink about 3 cups of coffee... 2 at work (AM,PM) and then one at night before bed... Go figure? LOL

I do not drink much.

I will reduce sugar & salt.

I exercise 3-5 times weekly depending on my schedule...

I should be in good shape! Thanks for the tips :D

oh, i shouldn't drink as much caffine as i do? oops. oh well :)

i have heard that you should eat bananas. here is a little bit o information on bananas from mrbreakfast.com:

"Like turkey, bananas contain tryptophan, a protein that converts to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is instrumental in facilitating relaxation. Low levels of serotonin are believed to cause mood disorders including depression."

so everyone should run out and get bananas. and make whole grain banana bread.

"Like turkey, bananas contain tryptophan, a protein that converts to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is instrumental in facilitating relaxation. Low levels of serotonin are believed to cause mood disorders including depression."

If I wanted to be a Banana Farmer, where would be the best place to setup shop? :jester:

LOL

I never knew Banana's were good for depression!

I need to go buy a tree... be right back .... :cool: