If you’ve ever felt cranky after waiting too long for a
meal, experienced a “sugar high” or the post-Thanksgiving “turkey coma,” then
you know how food can effect your mental function in the short-term. How food
effects mental health in the long-term is a lot more complicated, but doctors,
nutritionists, and Chinese medicine experts like myself all agree that there
are certain foods that are brain-healthy and others that are not. If you or a
loved one suffers from depression, anxiety, ADHD, insomnia, or any other mental
health concern and would like to explore a more natural approach, diet (and
exercise) is a great place to start, with counseling and complementary
therapies like acupuncture and herbal medicine taking an important supporting
role.
There are a lot of great books out there regarding diets for
depression, as well as qualified nutritionists who will be happy to walk you
through the process of making dietary changes to support mental health. The
list below includes just a few of my favorite “medicinal foods” from the
Chinese dietary therapy cupboard that are also safe enough to eat on a regular
basis. Whether you suffer from depression or not, they have numerous health
benefits!
Walnuts: Myelin – the “white matter” of the brain, is
composed mostly of fat, so it makes sense that the brain needs fat to function.
However, you have to be sure you’re consuming the right balance of fats in your
diet to get the best benefits. Walnuts contain Omega 3 fatty acids, which are
the so-called “good fats” that are less likely to cause heart disease. Walnuts,
oddly enough, have been considered a brain-friendly food since the ancient
times – because they look like little brains, the Chinese thought they were
particularly beneficial to brain health. Turns out that’s true!
Lean meat and seafood - B vitamins are essential to the
brain-healthy diet, and you can only get them from animal products like meat,
seafood, and eggs. Strict vegetarians and vegans can get their B vitamins from
supplements or fortified foods. The occasional meal with grass-fed beef is a
great way to get the protein and B vitamins you need, and it also contains
Omega 3 fatty acids. However, it has to be grass-fed, since corn-fed beef
contains more unhealthy saturated fat.
Sweet Potato (and other orange veggies): Sweet potato is one
of Chinese medicine’s favorite foods. Its sweet flavor supports the
spleen-stomach network, which is responsible for converting food to Qi energy.
From a nutritional standpoint, it is a superfood, rich in antioxidants and
complex carbohydrates that give you energy without a sugar crash. It is great
for any dieter because it keeps you feeling full and satiated, and gives a lot
of nutritional bang-for-your-buck, in terms of calories.
Nettles (dandelion greens, or kale) – Mineral deficiencies
have been shown to contribute to depression, and iron deficiency anemia can
lead to brain fog, fatigue, and other depression-like symptoms. Lucky for us, dark
green, chlorophyll-rich leaf vegetables like nettles draw minerals from the
soil with their deep roots and make them available to us in their leaves.
Nettles can be a little scary to deal with, since they have to be boiled to
lose their sting. Handling them with gloves is smart and well worth it – nettle
leaves are tasty and one of the healthiest things you can eat!
When you're depressed, changing your diet can be overwhelming, but you'd be amazed by how just a few small changes can make a world of difference. Combined with acupuncture, dietary changes have the potential to transform your life.
Have questions about how acupuncture and TCM Dietary Therapy can impact your depression? Email me!
