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We’ve been told that depression is due to an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters like serotonin. This neurotransmitter affects the person’s mood and emotions. The common treatment includes the use of antidepressants as it may help balance the neurotransmitters.
However, although the use of antidepressants has been in awhile, it is obvious it’s really doing a good thing. It’s not effective and the long-term use of it can lead to dependency. As a matter of fact, studies find that one of antidepressants’ side effects is having suicidal thoughts1 2 3.
The Link on Depression and Inflammation
So, if depression is more than just an imbalance of the chemicals in the brain, what causes it? In one study4 published at PNAS, researchers investigate the link between depression and inflammation.
In another paper5 as the Telegraph reports, clinical trials have shown that treating the inflammation seems to alleviate depression.
If you’ve watched the video, you might have now know that sun exposure is essential to treating depression. Sunlight is an unlimited source of the right kind of Vitamin D, which plays many roles in health and wellness.
The Role of Diet on Depression
Does this make sense to you? Previously, one study says that eating a high amount of sugar causes depression in men. And, guess what? One study6 finds that consuming sugar not fat causes inflammation.
Combined overconsumption of fat and sugar, but not the overconsumption of fat per se, leads to excessive CML production in hypothalamic neurons, which, in turn, stimulates hypothalamic inflammatory responses such as microgliosis and eventually leads to neuronal dysfunction in the control of energy metabolism.
Of course, this does not automatically mean you can all the fats you want. In fact, always choose the good fats such as those found in the ketogenic diet. And, instead of treating depression with antidepressants, why not follow the ketogenic diet to reduce brain inflammation?
Moreover, you need to be careful about what you put in your mouth. Instead of eating sugary foods and drinking beverages loaded with added sugars, focus on eating whole foods particularly those mood-boosting foods.
Increasing your fruits and vegetable intake is one of the ways to avoid highly processed foods containing unhealthy ingredients. These unhealthy ingredients include refined added sugars and bad fats. All of which causes inflammation in the body.
Check out the list of healthy foods also known as aphrodisiac foods. These foods are not only for enhancing sexual health and performance but provide proper nourishment to the body. As a matter of fact, sexual health is a product of a healthy mind and body.
Lastly, to further go deeper into nutrition, eat a lifestyle diet that is inflammatory like the Mediterranean diet.
Healthy Lifestyle Changes To Deal with Depression
It’s clear that diet plays a role in a person’s health and well-being. Of course, a total lifestyle shift is a great and smart move to totally avoid depression.
Therefore, it’s a combination of healthy and rejuvenating lifestyle changes, diet, regular exercise such as weight lifting, full body workouts and short burst nitric oxide releasing exercises.
Of course, simple and fun activities like running and walking are also beneficial. In fact, a daily a walk contributes to longevity and walking while doing meditation is great way to reduce anxiety.
How Inflammation Changes The Brain?
Before we end this article, here’s an interesting lecture by Dr. Louis E. Kopolow. Below is his lecture about the role of inflammation in depression.