Eat To Beat The Blues

Feel good with healthier options

- Lisa Turner

Do you ever wonder why you can’t resist the urge to overdo it on unhealthy foods when you’re feeling down? Turns out there’s a physiological reason we eat too much bread, ice cream, and other “comfort” foods when we’re depressed: The sugar and carbs they typically contain give us a mental and physical lift. But that sense of contentment often fades in an emotional and nutritional crash that can deepen your blues. Healthier foods, on the other hand, can actually boost your mood— and you ought to find comfort in them instead.

“B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients have powerful effects on brain chemistry, and can often right imbalances that cause mood disorders such as depression,” says William Walsh, PhD, founder, and president of the Walsh Research Institute, an organization that studies brain biochemistry. “In fact, ‘nutrient therapy’ may well be the best treatment for depression.”

Nutrients—like antidepressant medications, work by affecting neurotransmitters in the brain. Chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and endorphins send messages between nerve cells, called neurons. In order for neurotransmitters to form, the brain needs nutrients such as amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. If the brain has a shortage of these nutrients, an abnormal number of neurotransmitters can result. For example, vitamin B6 plays a major role in the production of serotonin, which regulates anger, aggression, mood, and metabolism. If vitamin B6 is lacking in your diet, odds are you’ll also be deficient in serotonin.