7 Depression-Fighting Foods That Actually Work

I received a call this week from a friend whose close friend committed suicide recently. His friend had been depressed and had just started taking medication for the depression. Anthony Bourdain suffered from depression. So did Kate Spade. We’ve seen a rash of suicides lately that were connected with depression.

Many people suffer from a depressive disorder and live in the shadows of their pain because they don’t want to get the stigma of having any kind of mental problem. It’s nothing to be embarrassed by or ashamed of. Approximately 21.5 million Americans suffer from depression.

There is help naturally. I’m not saying diet is everything. Certainly not. There are inner wounds that need healing. But one thing I’ve learned through the years is that when you feel truly healthy, you’re not as prone to depression. You’re more resilient. You can work on things that need attention in your soul. To truly be well we need to work on our whole person—body, soul and spirit—to heal the pain and step out of depression into life. But that said, I’ve had numerous people tell me their depression left like fog clearing in the morning when they began my juice diet program or did a cleanse like my 30- Day Detox.

I want to help you with the diet that fights depression. Here are the things to choose to eat and drink and things to avoid to heal your brain and your pain.

Avoid inflammatory foods.

A study published in March 2015 in JAMA Psychiatry showed that severe depression has been linked with brain inflammation. The most inflammatory foods are sugar, artificial sweeteners, gluten, dairy, alcohol, soda pop and foods with preservatives and other chemicals. These foods ring the alarm bell in your limbic system.

We need plenty of anti-inflammatory foods. Chose the following foods often and get a copy of my book The Anti-Inflammatory Diet:

1. Dark Leafy Greens— juice them up or add them to smoothies.

2. Omega-3 fatty acids (fatty fish, walnuts, flax, cod liver oil); sunflower seeds (also rich in Vit. D)

3. Avocado—oleic acid, known as brain fat

4. Berries—high antioxidant

In a study published in the Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, patients were treated for two years with antioxidants or placebos. After two years those who were treated with antioxidants had a significantly lower depression score. Antioxidants are like DNA repairmen.

5. Tomatoes are depression fighters; rich in folate and alpha-lipoic acid

There’s some interesting research published in the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience that show an elevated incidence of folate deficiency in patients with depression.

6. Fiber is mood stabilizing. I highly recommend Toxin Absorber fiber packets. Better yet, get the complete Colon Cleanse.

7. Turmeric and ginger. Studies have proven the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric and ginger. (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19594223/) Get fresh turmeric and ginger add a little chunk of each to all your juices.

For more information, see everydayhealth.com/columns/therese-borchard-sanity-break/foods-eat-every-day-beat-depression.

Ginger Helper

1 cup carrot juice (5–7 carrots)
1 rib celery with leaves
1/2 green apple
1/2 lemon, peeled
1-inch chunk ginger root
Juice all ingredients, stir, and enjoy! Serves 1.

From Sipping Skinny {eoa}

Cherie Calbom, M.S., holds a Master of Science in whole foods nutrition from Bastyr University. Known as “The Juice Lady” for her work with juicing and health, she is the author of 32 books, including her latest book ,The Juice Lady’s Guide to Fasting. She and her husband offer juice-cleanse retreats throughout the year, 30-Day detox online and Garden’s Best Juice Powder. “What You Can Do When Your Healing Doesn’t Come” is one point from her teaching “7 Keys to Your Supernatural Healing.” You can connect with Cherie at juiceladycherie.com.

This article originally appeared at juiceladycherie.com.