Depression


Depression may have multiple reasons:

  1. Low thyroid is notoriously known as a cause of depression. Even though traditional thyroid tests may be normal, additional tests are needed to detect subclinical hypothyroidism ( 2,3 ).
  2. Too much stress is a common reason for depression because stress hormone cortisol shuts down production of serotonin, which is responsible for happiness (4,5).
  3. Toxins like mercury, lead, solvents and pesticides can cause depression.
  4.  Lifestyle factors like smoking, alcohol, refined sugars and caffeine are commonly associated with depression (6,7).

Therefore diet changes should be as follows:

  1. Increase uptake of high fiber foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds. Consider becoming a partial vegetarian.
  2. Increase consumption of cold water fish like salmon, cod, etc. Make sure that you check our fish selection tool to make sure that fish will and is not contaminated with mercury or other toxins.
  3. Consumption of complex carbohydrates like potato especially before going to bed  can improve your mood and sleep.
  4. Increase update of seafood products with high iodine content for thyroid support provided that they are not toxic.
  5. Stay away from caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and refined sugars.
  6. Avoid foods you are allergic to (1).
  7. Stick to organic foods, grass fed beef, cage free poultry etc..

Of course diet alone cannot fix the problem.  It cannot fix Neurotransmitter Imbalance, it may not be able to fix minerals and vitamins deficiency because of maldigestion or malabsorbtion. It cannot fix Hormona Imbalance as well. To figure out what is going on you need to see Functional Medicine Doctor to go to the root cause of the problem and elimiate it.

References:
1.  Brostoff, Callacombre. Food allergies and intolerance. Philadelphia Saunders 1987.
2.  Gold, Pottash, Extein. Hypothyroidism and depression evidence from complete thyroid function evaluation. JAMA 1981, 245:1919–1922.
3.  Joffe, Roy-Byrne, Udhe.  Thyroid function and affective illness: a reappraisal. Biol psychiatry 1984, 19:1685–1691.
4.  Carroll, Curtis, Mendels.  Cerebrospinal and free cortisol concentration in depression.Psychol Medicine ) 1976, 6:235–244.
5. AugustAltar, Bennett, Wallace.  Glucocorticoid induction of tryptophan oxygenase. Attenuation by intragastrically administered carbohydrates and metabolites. Biochemistry 1983, 32: 979–984.
6.  Nunes, Levin. Treatment of depression in patients with alcohol or other drugs dependence. JAMA 2004, 291: 1887–1896.
7.  Chou.  Wake up and smell the coffee. Caffeine, coffee, and medical consequences. Western Journal of medicine 1992, 157:544–553.