Depression can be experienced on different levels and driven by various factors, including insufficient nutrient intake, unhealthy lifestyle, chronic disease, hormone imbalances, challenging circumstances, and emotional trauma, to name just a few.

Serotonin, a brain chemical referred to as the “happy hormone”, is at a biological level responsible for a happy, uplifted mood. The good news is that the body has the ability to produce sufficient amounts of serotonin naturally if the correct building blocks (nutrients) are adequately provided.

Foods That Aid in Serotonin Production

Several foods are particularly rich in nutrients required for serotonin production: whole rolled oats, free range chicken, avocados, bananas, cashews, almonds, and dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, mustard greens, etc.). Eggs, salmon, walnuts and chia seeds provide nutrients that support communication between brain cells, thereby improving the brain’s ability to regulate mood.

Organic sources of the mentioned foods may ensure optimal nutrient intake and minimum exposure to toxins, which is another factor to consider in depression. A diet rich in whole foods (unprocessed, unrefined and fresh) will contribute to the intake of a variety of nutrients that supports the body’s serotonin production and mood regulation.

Sunlight and Serotonin Production

Daily exposure to natural sunlight assists the body to produce its own vitamin D, which is required for serotonin production and hormone regulation. Aim for 10-15 minutes of unrestricted sun exposure per day, preferably not between 11h00 and 14h00 (11am and 2pm).

Physical Exercise and Mood

Physical exercise promotes the release of various brain chemicals involved in uplifting the mood. Partaking in a form of exercise that you truly enjoy adds to a general feeling of joy, over and above an increase in these brain chemicals. Aim for 2-3 sessions of physical exercise per week, even if it’s just 20 minutes at a moderate intensity.

Foods That Negatively Influence Mood

Regular intake of sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and artificial sweeteners may all negatively influence mood. They may contribute to mood swings, depression, anxiety, and a dysregulated mood in general. Avoiding these dietary components or reducing intake of them is suggested to support emotional well-being and overall health.

Blood Sugar and Mood

Imbalanced blood sugar levels have been shown to be a key driver in imbalanced mood and heightened appetite (especially for sugar and starchy foods). Balancing blood sugar levels can be attained by avoiding refined starches (white bread, pizza, pasta, pastries, sugar, etc.) and instead opting for high-quality carbohydrate sources: vegetables, fruit, whole rolled oats, brown rice, and quinoa. Combining carbohydrates with a protein source (e.g.: pulses, beans, a handful of nuts, etc.) is also useful to regulate blood sugar levels.

Essential Oils and Mood

If you enjoy taking relaxing baths, add a few drops of ylang-ylang, lavender, and rose essential oils to the water and soak in the bath for at least 15 minutes. These oils have been indicated in lifting the mood and calming the nervous system. Lavender is also indicated in promoting deep, restful sleep and thereby helping the body to recuperate and for the brain to discharge any deep-seated negative emotions. Inadequate or poor quality sleep may significantly influence mood.  Most people will attest to feeling groggy and moody the next day after too little sleep.

Gut Health and Mood

Digestive health is important for emotional well-being, first of all to ensure that nutrients required for serotonin production are absorbed, but also to support serotonin production in the gut. (It is estimated that 90% of serotonin is produced in the digestive tract). If you suspect that your gut health is sub-optimal, it may be useful to see a natural health practitioner who will tailor a personalised program to support your digestive function.

There are several useful herbal remedies associated with mood regulation and to alleviate depression, which you can also discuss with your natural health practitioner to make sure you’re given the most appropriate herbal remedy and dose according to your current health, presenting symptoms, and other factors such as age and medication.

Chronic Stress and Mood

Chronic stress may directly contribute to depression, especially if the stress is related to emotional and social challenges. Chronic stress may deplete the body’s nutrient stores and thereby reduce the amount of nutrients available to produce serotonin and support overall well-being. Chronic stress has also been shown to reduce the amount of circulating serotonin, thereby impacting mood. Chronic stress can be supported through a nutrient-dense diet, healthy lifestyle habits, deep breathing exercises, and identifying and dealing with its cause.

Regularly partake in hobbies or activities that you enjoy, whether it’s knitting a sweater, doing scrapbooking, or sitting in nature in solitude. Turn off those electronic devices that not only distract, but may be implicated in causing biological changes that contribute to depression!

Often a change in attitude can be the key turning point when it comes to overall emotional well-being. Self-limiting and self-sabotaging beliefs can keep us in a hopeless, helpless, and depressed state of mind. Gaining a fresh perspective on your life and your situation can shift your attitude towards a more self-nurturing attitude, which may bring about a deeper sense of contentment, acceptance, and appreciation of life, simply for the joy of being you and being alive.

Author:

Jeanne Van Zyl lectures in Nutrition for the group of colleges that includes CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine), in Europe, and CNH (College of Natural Health) in South Africa.

Related Reading:

• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
• The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them
• Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Endocrine System
• Mental Health, Physical Health & B Vitamins – Nature’s Valium
• Natural Remedies for Chronic Stress

Let’s redefine a pick me up. Reaching for a cup of coffee or donut is fast and easy, and while the pick me up is quick, you’ll end up paying for it later. Not only do conventionally processed snacks lead to an energy crash later, they have a deleterious effect on your overall health and mood in the long run.

Your gut is the key to overall health and functions like a second nervous system due to the amount of neurotransmitters produced there. Studies are increasingly finding that what you eat plays a huge role in lowering your anxiety and boosting your mood. The more willing you are to choose a healthy, whole-food treat over a nutrient-empty, quick fix, the more you’ll reap the benefits – both now and later.

Here are a few snacks that can bring you the boost you’re looking for.

Chocolate

Let’s start with an easy one… chocolate. Chock-full of antioxidants and capable of delivering the endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin that your brain needs to regulate your mood, chocolate also provides assistance to the cardiovascular system. Not all chocolate is created equal, though! The act of processing cacao can remove or change most of its healthy compounds, and most of conventional chocolate includes detrimental additives like soy lecithin. Chocolates also contain a variety of sugars that disrupt the balance of gut microbes and can create an overgrowth of Candida. Look for raw chocolates that use sweeteners like raw coconut sugars, stevia, or raw honey. The fewer ingredients listed, the more likely you are to reap the benefits of a midday truffle.

Fermented Foods

Social anxiety can be a major downer, but according to a recently published study, people who consume fermented foods might be less likely to experience it. Looking at young adults enrolled in a psychology class, the students who consumed naturally fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles exhibited fewer symptoms of social anxiety. The students who reported the greatest benefit from the fermented foods were students who were genetically predisposed to social anxiety disorder.

In addition, traditionally fermented foods also benefit your nervous and immune systems, provide beneficial bacteria, and making several nutrients easily digestible. It’s important to choose fermented foods that have been fermented with lactic acid to get all of the benefits from these foods.

Avocado

Who doesn’t love fatty food? We are biologically engineered to want to eat fatty things, which can sometimes lead to trouble, diet-wise. Sometimes experts can’t agree on which fats to eat, but pretty much everyone is cheering on the avocado. You can join us! Filled with protein, loaded with serotonin boosting monounsaturated fats, a great natural source of B vitamins, avocados have a stacked deck when it comes to promoting a good mood. They’re also a versatile addition to any menu. Smoothies, salads, tacos, guacamole, or cut in half and served with a spoon…it’s harder to find something you can’t add avocado to.

Berries

There’s something irresistible about fresh berries. Plump and juicy, with that little burst of sweetness, the different varieties make it easy for everyone to have a favorite. They’re also a fantastic source of antioxidants. A steady supply of antioxidants has been shown to lower levels of depression in addition to repairing cell damage and helping prevent cancer. They’re also a perfect pick me up, whether tossing back a quick handful of blueberries or blending a decadent raspberry and coconut milk smoothie.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Okay, so omega-3 fatty acids are not technically a snack food. But when a nutrient provides enough dopamine and serotonin to be described as natural Prozac, it’s impossible to not mention it on a list of good mood foods. A review of more than 25 studies over the past 15 years found that people who ate the most fish were 17% less likely to suffer from depression.

Walnuts slow cognitive degeneration and promote sleep. They can triple melatonin levels. Chia, flax, and hemp, the holy trinity of the health nut’s seed shelf, provide fiber, boost brain health, and add a little extra protein to help you feel fuller longer. What gives these foods all of this positive health mojo? Omega-3 Fatty acids!

Fish can be a dicey proposition due to mercury contamination, but incorporating a low-mercury fish like salmon into your rotation can have significant brain benefits.

Sprinkle some flax, hemp, or chia seeds on salads or in smoothies. Mix a container of soaked and sprouted trail mix with extra walnuts to replace a not so happy snack at work. Munch on some smoked salmon.

Make Simple Switches for Big Benefits

Every other ad or commercial suggests that the latest depression medication is all you need to live the life you’ve always wanted. Choosing health over immediate gratification appears to be a slow process when there is always a new version of the magic mood pill. It seems like a small step to swap out conventional, processed foods for healthy, whole food choices, but every step toward better overall bodily function is a step toward elevating and stabilizing your mood. Be sure to check out How Candida Leads to Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, and Other Mental Disorders.

Recommended Supplements:

• Arctic Omega-D – Nordic Naturals (vitamin D and omega 3s)
• Basic B Complex Thorne Research

Recommended Reading:

• Mental Health, Physical Health & B Vitamins – Nature’s Valium
• How Candida Leads to Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, and Other Mental Disorders
• Natural Remedies for Depression

Sources:

• Decreased social anxiety among young adults who eat fermented foods – Science Daily
• How Candida Leads to Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, and Other Mental Disorders – Organic Lifestyle Magazine
• Fish consumption and risk of depression: a meta-analysis – Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
• Flax, Chia or Hemp Seeds – Which Are Healthier? – City Girl Bites
• What’s New and Healthy About Avocados – World’s Healthiest Foods

If you feel stressed out, anxious, irritable, tired, run down, cranky, muddled, or confused, you may need to up your intake of B vitamins. If your intake is low, deficient or depleted, you will feel an instant boost in energy and well-being.

Vitamins are molecules that work as catalysts for chemical reactions within the body. The B vitamins are often found together, working work together to perform various functions. They help carbohydrates break down to glucose, the process whereby our cells produce energy, and they aid in the breakdown of fats and proteins, providing fuel or the proper function of our nervous system and brain. B vitamins are essential for neurotransmitters and nerve tissue. They help our bodies form red blood cells and regulate homocysteine levels. Folic acid (B9) and B12 are essential for normal, healthy, fetal development.

For proper B vitamin production and assimilation, one must have a healthy gut. Please check out How To Heal Your Gut for more information on that.

B Vitamin Deficiency

B vitamin deficiencies affect every system in the body. Mild deficiencies can affect mood and health, can cause inflammation and a host of other symptoms both physical and cognitive. Severe deficiencies can be life-threatening or be causal factors for serious conditions including anemia, heart disease, depression, pellagra, dementia, paranoia, and delusion.

B vitamins are nature’s valium; they assist with sleep, mood stabilization, and cognition. They are a standard treatment for PMS and for those suffering from irritability, anxiety, or depression. B vitamins are also gaining recognition as a treatment for stuttering, with favorable results for about 30% of cases.

Supplementation

B vitamins are water soluble. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, they are not stored in the body, with the exception of B12, which is stored in the liver. Due to this lack of retention, it is important to provide the body with these vitamins on a daily basis.

Update: Sciences is discovering that a healthy gut microbiome produces many of the B vitamins we need. Again, see How To Heal Your Gut.

B vitamins are nature’s Valium; they assist with sleep, mood stabilization, and cognition. They are a standard treatment for PMS and for those suffering from irritability, anxiety, or depression. B vitamins are also gaining recognition as a treatment for stuttering, with favorable results for about 30% of cases.

A healthy, diverse diet that includes plenty of vegetables, legumes, and animal protein should provide all of the B vitamins needed, however, our ability to metabolize B vitamins can be impaired with age, with digestive disorders, with alcohol consumption, with pharmaceuticals, and by certain health conditions. Celiac disease and Crohn’s disease for example, seriously hamper the body’s ability to absorb B12.  At 50 years of age and older, supplementation with a good whole food complex B vitamin should be seriously considered.

Vegetarians, especially vegans, face a serious challenge in acquiring enough B12 through their diet. Supplementation is strongly recommended.

Studies conducted more than 20 years ago warned that long term use of one B vitamin may result in a deficiency of other B vitamins. It is best to take B complex vitamins to avoid this possibility. Though this caution should be widely known, medical doctors routinely prescribe one B vitamin, such a B6 or B12.

When gut health is not optimal, vitamin B is not assimilated properly. If you have a B vitamin deficiency or just find yourself needing them regularly, check out Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases and The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them.

Related Products:

• Basic: Basic B Complex – Thorne Research 
• Extra B5: Stress B-Complex – Thorne Research 
• Extra B6: B-Complex #6  – Thorne Research
• Extra B12: B-Complex #12 – Thorne Research
• Healthy Fats
• Shillington’s Total Nutrition Formula

Recommended Reading:

• Natural Remedies for Depression
• Natural Remedies for Chronic Stress
• Natural Remedies for Adrenal Fatigue

Sources:

• How Stuff Works
• Harvard School of Public Health
• Mayo Clinic
• Whole Foods -Healthiest Foods