While depression is on the increase in Ireland for many reasons, the Christmas holiday period can be particularly difficult for many people.  Depression is an insidious illness that can come on over time without the recipient even being aware of its’ progression.  Symptoms include feeling down or hopeless, fatigue, tearfulness, increased anxiety, poor sleep and a loss of appetite or conversely, carvings carbohydrates like bread, pasta and cakes.

While there are many factors that cause depression, good nutrition is fundamental to improving it.

1) Keep blood glucose balanced is one of the key things to help stabilise mood.  The brain feeds off of glucose and if your blood glucose levels drop, its’ main energy source is cut off.  The best way to keep blood sugar balanced is to eat regularly, 5-6 times a day.  Having some protein each time you eat, combined with some complex carbohydrate is the best formula for improving mood.

2) Eat your breakfast – many people that I see with depression say that they don’t feel hungry eating first thing in the morning.  However, skipping breakfast gets your blood sugar off to a bad start for the day and triggers cravings for carbs, sweet foods and caffeine.

3) B vitamins are really important to help keep the brain active.  B6, B12 and folic are particularly important.  Good sources of B vitamins are whole-grains, nuts, seeds, brown rice and legumes.

4) Omega 3 is a healthy fat that helps to keep the membranes of brain and nerves cells supple and more sensitive to hormones and nutrients.  Good sources of omega 3 are oily fish, walnuts, pumpkin seed and flaxseed.

5) Cut out stimulants like caffeine and sugar.  Although these are the foods that we naturally reach for when energy is low, they actually deplete us of energy in the long term.  They are also a big factor in increasing anxiety.

6) Serotonin is the main chemical in the brain for enhancing mood.  Low levels of serotonin are linked to depression, insomnia, OCD and anxiety.  The key nutrients for making serotonin are the B vitamins, omega 3 and an amino acid called tryptophan.  Foods that are rich in tryptophan are cottage cheese, turkey, almonds, bananas and yoghurts.

7) There is a lot of research at the moment into the link between a healthy digestive system and mood.  Factors like food intolerances, candida and poor digestion can really affect the health of the brain.