When it comes to diet and reducing depression, is it possible for us eat, drink and be merry? The answer is (drumroll, please) a resounding YES! But it depends on what we eat and drink.
I am no stranger to the ebbs and flows of life. And when I am more attuned with myself, even if I’m feeling low, I can assess things better. Even problem solving comes easier. Conversely, I have realized that when my diet is off, I am too.
What’s very cool is that there’s plenty of research backing up the link between diet and reducing depression. For instance, research looking at diets shows that those consuming a traditional diet, rich in fermented foods, have significantly lower levels of depression and anxiety (25-30%) than those who consume a Westernized diet.
Closer inspection of some of the body processes tells us that there are many physical imbalances in play for those with mood disorders.
An example is gut bacteria imbalances (dysbiosis), which results in the production of a toxin known as LPS (lipopolysaccharide), produced by bad bacteria. In fact, LPS is directly linked to the production of inflammation and oxidative stress, two physical factors that have been linked to depression.
Now stay with me…LPS is also connected to negatively affecting the central nervous system, which plays a role in regulating mood and depression.
Are you beginning to see how the gut -brain are closely connected?
Good…now let’s do a deeper dive into the diet and see how this can influence these connections to brighten up your mood.
So, how do traditional diets help regulate these body processes and help mental health?
There are two ways:
First, traditional diets are loaded with whole foods that contain phytonutrients that help lower inflammation and contain plenty of antioxidants, which can protect against oxidative stress. Many whole foods have fibres that are not digestible by your body (aka prebiotics) but can help feed our good bacteria which helps them grow.
And second, traditional diets contain fermented foods, which are high in lactobacillus and bifidobacterium (I know…quite the mouthful for names of good bacteria). Studies of both probiotics and fermented foods show that these families of good bacteria can lower chronic inflammation, provide increased antioxidant protection and decrease levels of LPS.
Also, It is noteworthy of mentioning that LPS can damage the intestinal wall lining. The good news, though, this is where our friendly bacteria put on their capes and come to the rescue. They work together like a fortress to protect the gut wall lining and keep the gut healthy.
Don’t you just love learning that if you nourish the good bacteria, they will repay you for your kindness tenfold. These critters are mighty and strong, BUT (and this is a big but and I can not lie) require good energy to keep up their strength—which leads us to…
What do gut bacteria like to eat and drink to be mighty, so we can be merrier?
You maybe asking “how does this influence diet and reducing depression?”
Well, let’s begin with fermented foods which are teaming with live bacteria.
Fermented Fibre
When fibre found in whole grains, rice and soy is fermented, it promotes better blood sugar levels and immune function and also lowers inflammation. Fermentation of these foods, as well as others such as lentils and buckwheat sprouts, help the beneficial gut bacteria produce more GABA, a neurotransmitter known for reducing anxiety. I love the sound of that!
Fermented Dairy
Fermented dairy products such as kefir and yogurt also help mood. One study of participants consuming fermented dairy, non-fermented dairy and no dairy, found that that those who consumed the fermented dairy had higher activity in their brains in the regions that controlled emotions and sensations. Isn’t that wonderful?
Ok, this is getting ” sciencey”, but it’s believed that the reason for these changes is that fermenting of the milk bioactivates peptides and other chemicals that affects the central nervous system. Trust me, that is way cooler than it reads….
Fermented Herbs
One human study using herbs in traditional cultures compared fermented versions of the herbs with non-fermented. The fermented form lowered LPS and increased lactobacillus strains in the stool. Fermented herb products are now appearing in the health foods store, but we can also add herbs when we make our own fermented foods, like sauerkraut, cultured vegetables and kimchi.
Fermented Veggies
Lactobacillus strains produced from fermenting cabbage, as in the case of kimchi and sauerkraut, improves mental function.
Fermented Fruits
And this may be the best news for those who like to celebrate with food and drink! Regular, modest consumption of wine (2-7 glasses a week) as part of a whole food diet is associated with lower systemic inflammation, increases in that most excellent bifidobacteria and also lower levels of depression. (And no, you cannot have all 7 glasses in one day, but nice try!)
There are plenty of fermented foods options, and it is easy to create great recipes combining whole foods, herbs and spices, fermented foods and wine. And consuming all of these on a regular basis can lift mood, and improve mental health and overall health. It can be quite the adventure in food. So eat, drink and be merry!
Here’s another good topic on food and mood…
References:
Depression inhibits the anti-inflammatory effects of leisure time physical activity and light to moderate alcohol consumption. Suarez EC, Schramm-Sapyta NL, Vann Hawkins T, Erkanli A. Brain Behav Immun. 2013;32:144–152
Selective increases of bifidobacteria in gut microflora improve high-fat-diet-induced diabetes in mice through a mechanism associated with endotoxaemia, Cani PD, Neyrinck AM, Fava F, Knauf C, Burcelin RG, Tuohy KM, Gibson GR, Delzenne NM.. Diabetologia. 2007;50:2374–2383. doi: 10.1007/s00125-007-0791-0
Assessment of psychotropic-like properties of a probiotic formulation (Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum Messaoudi M, Lalonde R, Violle N, Javelot H, Desor D, Nejdi A, Bisson JF, Rougeot C, Pichelin M, Cazaubiel M, Cazaubiel JM. R0175) in rats and human subjects. Br J Nutr. 2011;105:755–764.
Beneficial psychological effects of a probiotic formulation (Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum, Messaoudi M, Violle N, Bisson JF, Desor D, Javelot H, Rougeot C R0175) in healthy human volunteers. Gut Microbes. 2011;2:256–261. doi: 10.4161/gmic.2.4.16108. [PubMed] [Cross Ref]
Fermented foods, microbiota, and mental health: ancient practice meets nutritional psychiatry, Eva M Selhub et al, J Physiol Anthropol. 2014; 33(1): 2.
In vitro and in vivo protective effects of fermented preparations of dietary herbs against lipopolysaccharide insult. Bose S, Song MY, Nam JK, Lee MJ, Kim H. Food Chem. 2012;134:758–765
Mediterranean dietary pattern and depression: the PREDIMED randomized trial, Almudena Sánchez-Villegas12*, Miguel Angel Martínez-González13 et al, BMC Medicine 2013, 11:208