What to eat when the world feels grey
With a few a more weeks of winter ahead of us the draw to keep our spirits up, our creativity flowing and our bodies nourished remains a top priority. Those of us that are sensitive to the limited sunshine and the grey skies can feel a drain this time of year. The Canadian Mental Health Association estimates that between 2 – 3% of Canadians will experience a life disrupting form of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and another 15% will face a milder form at some point in their lives. SAD is a form of depression that tends to appear at certain times of the year. If you are facing SAD or another form of depression often times support can make a huge difference in your world, especially this time of year. Depression isn’t a condition that fits into a box, it is felt so differently by every person. Some days it is easy to cope and other days the littlest things are too much. In my experience, having some ideas on how to lift your mood or how to take action can make a real difference.
Research has shown that what your fuel your body with is increasingly becoming part of the picture when it comes to managing depression. Including specific foods in your diet can have many healthful benefits as can eliminating certain foods. Specifically, the elimination of gluten has been shown to be affective in reducing symptoms of depression in those with a gluten sensitivity.
Here are a couple of ideas on foods to try over the next while……
- Almonds – consuming almonds boosts your levels of magnesium. Magnesium plays a role alongside calcium to help us relax.
- Blueberries – blueberries are loaded with antioxidants that support depression through their ability to fight off the harmful affects of inflammation.
- Sweet Potatoes – sweet potatoes are a beneficial “power food”, high in fibre, high in Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) and a good source of vitamin C, all factors necessary for positive mental well-being.
- Coconut Milk – the coconut flesh used to make coconut milk is highly nutritious containing fibre which helps to stabilize blood sugar, zinc with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties related to reducing symptoms of depression and magnesium with the role in aiding in relaxation.
If you’d like to learn more about eating for well-being, join me for my upcoming From Scratch Cooking with a focus on Eating for Depression
