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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Are certain foods boosters and can they help with mental health conditions?

    Related Topics
    Depression Mental Health Nutrition
    A friend of mine told me that some foods can boost your mood and help with depression for example. Is this true? If so whicih foods should we be eating and avoiding?
    • 2 answers
    • Maree Wragg
    • Leanne Hall
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  • Maree Wragg

    HealthShare Member

    Frankly, eating an abundance of the famous leafy greens vegtables would leave me feeling depressed.  If mankind wa supposed to eat leafy greens, he would have grinding teeth and two stomachs, like cows do, not teeth evolved to eat meat, and a second stomach that has atrophied into an apendage that becomes inflamed and causes nuisance more than anything else.

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  • Leanne Hall

    Clinical Psychologist, Psychologist

    Integrative Psychologist, Health Coach & Personal Trainer in private practice. I have expertise in assessing and treating a range of disorders and conditions; depression, anxiety, … View Profile

    There is evidence that low serum zinc levels are related to mood disorders, especially depression. Although the effect is not causal - there is further suggestion that this is perhaps caused by mood related reductions in food intake. For example, depression is often associated with low self care and poor motivation etc… this means that we often don't eat properly when we are depressed!!

    The key is to eat 5-6 times a day, small meals with a variety of food - 6-11 servings of complex carbohydrates, 2-4 servings of fruit, 3-5 servings of veges, 2-3 servings of diary……..around 10,500 kilojoules per day (for a woman). Natural sources of zinc include: oysters, red meat and poultry, beans & nuts.

    Try and choose foods as close to their “natural state” as possible by avoiding highly processed food. Opt for low GI alternatives and whole grains.

    Also, keep it simple! When we feel depressed we need to keep our meals very simple - and make life easier by planning ahead and preparing ahead of time. Otherwise we tend to let our mood determine what and when we eat, which often results in unhealthy choices.

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