Is There A Diet Against Depression?

Author: Dean Rouseberg Time for reading: ~2 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

The DASH diet reduces the risk of depression not only cardiovascular but also high blood pressure.

When we feel depressed, we usually reach for chocolate or your favorite crumb. There are other cases, but the question that scientists are trying to unravel this time is whether there is a diet with which we can drive away depression.

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago found that people who followed a diet close to the DASH diet were less likely to develop depression. This regimen is specifically designed to support cardiovascular health and blood pressure control. Emphasizes mainly on the consumption of nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

In the United States in 2016, about 16.2 million adults complained of depression, which is equivalent to 6.7 percent of the working population.

In depression, the feeling of hopelessness determines the behavior and self-esteem of the affected person. Other features are sadness and irritability, loss of interest in activities that used to provide pleasure, sleep problems. The thought of suicide is especially indicative of the presence of depression.

It is believed that people whose family history has this condition are more prone to depression, other factors are a personal illness of either a family member or another traumatic event such as the loss of a loved one.

According to researchers, a proper diet can reduce the risk of depression by 11%. This number they derived from a study of 964 adults with a mean age of 81 years, who followed for 6.5 years. The medics were interested in detail in the eating habits of the volunteers. They were placed in groups according to the regime they adhered to: Western diet, Mediterranean and DASH diet.

The DASH diet was developed by the American Institute of Cardiovascular and Lung Disease to prevent high blood pressure. It avoids the consumption of foods rich in sugar and saturated fats. Figuratively speaking, this is a regime without fried slices, donuts, potatoes, meatballs and the like.

The diet that includes these harmful culinary temptations is known to us as the "Western diet". The results of the group that preferred these foods turned out to be the opposite of those of the DASH group. Not for the first time, researchers and medics point out that the consumption of certain foods and the limited choice of products also contribute to a bad mood and a feeling of dissatisfaction.

Researchers also plan to find the right nutrients in foods that can help fight depression.

For now, focus as much as possible on fresh fruits and vegetables and grains.

Is There A Diet Against Depression?

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