We all are aware of the fact that food can influence your mood. But some foods can alter your mental health causing serious mental health disorders like depression. Depression is a sad state of mind that is associated with feelings of hopelessness, loss of interest in life and enjoyable activities, and sometimes suicidal thoughts. A healthy diet can impact your mood and depression symptoms can be eased. A good choice of food can make a huge difference in feeling worse and more stable.
You need not be diagnosed with depression but the feeling of overwhelming burden can be a sign of anxiety and depression. Consumption of food can play an important role in increasing the frequency, depth, and duration of depression and anxiety, especially if you are experiencing this disorder. Some foods are directly linked to damage to the mind and psychological functions. Below mentioned foods are linked to increasing instances of depression and anxiety. These nutrients and foods have a negative impact on your mind and mood. Try to avoid these foods and ingredients mentioned further to ease symptoms like anxiety and bad mood of depression.
Relation Between Poor Diet And Depression
Nutritional psychiatry is a medical field that is inspired by mental health and food relations. Taking sessions about a good and healthy diet for treating depression is the first step. Maintaining a good healthy diet for months can result in a lower risk of depression and anxiety. Foods like fresh vegetables and fruits with antioxidants, and vitamins, especially Vitamin B that is responsible for mood uplifting, protein, and many more nutrients will help you to beat depression.
10 Foods That Make Depression Worse
There is no specific diet to treat depression. However, some foods can worsen the symptoms of depression. Bad foods can interfere with your mood and increase the risk of depression. Mentioned foods below promote depression and its symptoms like anxiety and sadness. Avoid these foods to maintain a healthy diet to ease the symptoms of depression.
1. Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are aspartame and sucralose that are zero calories; they are indigestible by the human body. Artificial sweeteners block the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin and cause low mood, headaches, and insomnia. Artificial sweeteners are bad foods, especially if you are experiencing depression. With depression, artificial sweeteners can also cause diabetes. Use honey, which is digestible by the human body.
2. Sugar
Sugar is highly addictive, and sugar is consumed the most even though we only take small amounts at a time. When you have soda or pasta kind of food, the blood sugar level increases rapidly, and this quick increase spikes the insulin. Then you experience a blood sugar crash that increases the craving for more sugar and carbs. Which, in return, leads to anxiety, headache, irritability, and depression.
3. Fast Food
In this modern world, people are most addicted to fast food. They are cheap and easy to have. But they are harmful to your body. Research shows people who eat fast foods like burgers, hot dogs, pizza, and much more regularly are more likely to develop depression. Excess consumption of fast foods leads to depression, but small quantities will not do that much harm. They also have a high amount of trans fat.
4. Gluten
Gluten is a good protein found in wheat. Barley, rye, and contaminated oatmeal also contain gluten. Gluten protein is the most inflammatory food you can have. Gluten causes inflammation by irritating a guy and its microbes. Gluten can also clump food particles together, which can irritate the stomach too. Gluten also causes adverse effects that lead to depression.
5. Alcohol
Alcohol is a depressant and depresses the working order of the central nervous system. The central nervous system is responsible for taking information from five senses, thinking, understanding, reasoning, and controlling motor function. The central nervous system also controls emotions. Alcohol can make your depression worse. Avoiding alcohol will help you to overcome depression.
6. Soda
Soda contains sugar and artificial sweeteners, and as mentioned above, these are bad kinds of stuff that are not good for people suffering from depression. Soda can make depression worse.
7. Hydrogenated Oil
Hydrogenated oil refers to vegetable oil; it goes through a hydrogenation process to turn it into more solid and stable. Fried chicken, fried fries, fried cheese sticks, and many more contain hydrogenated oil in them. These processed and fast foods will not only increase your weight but also harm your mental health, such as depression. Fries cooked in hydrogenated oil contains trans fats that have the potential to contribute to depression.
8. High Sodium Foods
Fat-free food has a high sodium level. These foods are good for weight loss but can affect your emotions as high sodium disrupts the aspect of your neurological system. It also affects your immune system response and causes fatigue. Excess of salt can cause fluid retention, bloating, weight gain, and depression.
9. Dairy
Dairy contains morphine-like compounds, which creates a mild dairy addiction as it engages with our opiate receptors. Casein is a protein found in dairy products that can drive inflammation. Casein is related to many mental health conditions, from depression to schizophrenia.
10. Caffeine
Caffeine has disruptive effects on sleep. Research says people who consume coffee in moderate or high amounts have higher chances of becoming depressed. Sleep is connected with your mood, and distributed sleep can lead to serious mental issues. Coffee and black tea make it difficult to fall asleep.
Conclusion
People with depression are more likely to gain weight, imbalance their hormones, and change in their immune system. Also, obese people are more likely to have depression. Therefore exercising and maintaining healthy diet habits can beat depression. Try to avoid the foods mentioned above and consume them in moderate amounts or small portions occasionally. Bad eating habits will cause problems for your mental and physical health. When we consume more bad foods, they surely impact our body and mind.
Depression can lead to addiction to drugs and alcohol. This will interfere with your mood, sleep, and motivation, and you will be more angry and irritated. Bad foods, alcohol, and drugs can also limit the effectiveness of the medications.
Depression isn’t a sign of weakness or a negative personality; instead, it is a major public health problem that is associated with sadness and the least interest in life. However, depression is a treatable medical condition. With medications, meditation, good sleep, a healthy diet, and self-care, try to avoid the bad foods mentioned above.
Read also – 10 Foods That Help You Beat Depression
