Have you ever found yourself feeling depressed, anxious or low energy with no external reason that you can pinpoint as the cause for it? If you do, you are not alone. Many people do not realize that while mood disorders and depression can certainly have emotional causes, they can also be the result of, or exacerbated by, poor diet and nutritional deficiencies as well.
Lifestyle factors and nutritional deficiencies affect the brain’s chemistry, which leaves us with some good news: Sometimes lifting your mood can be as simple as moving your body and tweaking your diet. In my practice, I’ve had great success using these tools to guide clients to better overall health and an improved outlook on life.
For a person to have healthy brain function they need a proper balance of neurotransmitters. Many people who are depressed, have anxiety, ADHD, insomnia and other mood disorders have an imbalance in their neurotransmitter chemistry. Amino acids are the precursors for the body to be able to form neurotransmitters. We get amino acids from protein. Generally, someone should be getting adequate amino acids through a proper diet with adequate protein. Some individuals, because of poor diet, inadequate protein intake, digestive issues or gut ecology imbalances, may not be able to effectively uptake and utilize the amino acids needed to make the neurotransmitters needed for healthy brain function. I have found that along with correcting the diet, including, but not limited to, the elimination of ALL sugar, alcohol, caffeine AND supplementing with food based amino acids, B Vitamins, essential fatty acids and vitamin D, that many people experience dramatic improvements in mood, anxiety and sleep issues over time.
Six Steps to Improve your Mood:
1. Exercise: Physical exercise is one of the most powerful anti-depressants there is. Numerous studies show that aerobic exercise can improve your mood and is an antidote for mild depression and anxiety. In fact, multiple studies have shown that Exercise is MORE effective for curing depression than Antidepressants.
Recently, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine published research from the University of Toronto, based on an analysis of over 26 years of scientific research, found that moderate levels of physical activity can actually prevent depression.
http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797%2813%2900451-0/abstract
2. Eliminate Sugar: This includes all forms of sugar and foods that convert very easily to sugar, including alcohol, white bread, white pasta and white rice. There is significant research showing the link between sugar intake and mental disorders. 1985 study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology found that reducing sugar intake had a positive impact on emotions.
In 2009, Psychology Today reported that “Noted British psychiatric researcher Malcolm Peet has conducted a provocative cross-cultural analysis of the relationship between diet and mental illness. His primary finding may surprise you: a strong link between high sugar consumption and the risk of both depression and schizophrenia.”
Even if you are healthy, I would encourage you to test this for yourself. You might have a surprising and positive experience if you have never eliminated 100% of all added sugars before. Consider a 30-Day No Sugar Challenge. Eliminate all forms of sugar from your diet, including all “natural” sweeteners like agave, honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, dehydrated cane juice, brown rice syrup, etc., and anything that converts easily to sugar like, alcohol, white breads, pastas, rice, etc. and see what happens. Remember to check food labels as most processed foods have hidden added sugars. Most people experience a dramatic improvement in mood, energy levels and often lose weight as well. Stevia is an acceptable alternative that will not affect your blood sugar. Be sure to get a product that only contains stevia leaf and not agave or any other additives.
3. Optimize Vitamin D Levels: Vitamin D does more than just support healthy bones; it also supports the production of feel good neurotransmitters. The most recent conclusion from a study in 2008, is that ideal Vitamin D levels are between 50-70 ng/ml. Some experts believe that levels even higher can be highly beneficial.
For excellent information on the benefits of Vitamin D, check out: http://www.vitamindsociety.org/benefits.php
“A study in 2006, found that people with vitamin D levels below 20 ng/ml were found to be 11 X more prone to be depressed than those with normal Vitamin D levels.”
“Another paper published in 2011 found that: Effective detection and treatment of inadequate vitamin D levels in persons with depression and other mental disorders may be an easy and cost-effective therapy which could improve patients’ long-term health outcomes as well as their quality of life.” Dr. Joseph Mercola
4. Adequate Amino Acids: Get good quality, easy to digest protein in the diet on a regular basis. Regular protein consumption stabilizes blood sugar, which alone can significantly impact mood and the brain needs amino acids (the building blocks for protein) to make neurotransmitters for healthy brain chemistry as well. Some people with compromised digestion or absorption issues may need amino acid supplementation. Amino acids are the precursors for your body to be able to make the neurotransmitters that affect mood, sleep and many other factors. I have found that with most of the clients I have worked with who had depression and anxiety disorders, particularly in more severe cases, the addition a food based amino acid supplement that is easy to digest and absorb, has been HIGHLY EFFECTIVE. More than any other item on this list, I can pinpoint this as one of the key factors. If they stopped taking the amino acid supplement, even though they were still taking the other items, they would most often report a return of their symptoms. In these cases, we had to focus on healing and repairing the gut over time, and eventually they no longer needed the amino acid supplement. I like a Pure Encapsulations product for this called, Amino Replete. It can be easily added to a super food shake and contains easy to digest and absorb amino acids. It is very helpful for increasing serotonin levels and is a pre-digested protein, excellent for those with compromised digestion, malabsorption or chronic exposure to toxins.
5. B Vitamins: The brain needs B vitamins to repair and maintain neurotransmitters function. Low levels of B-12, folic acid and other B vitamins may be linked to depression. I recommend Premier Research Labs product, Max B- ND. This is a high energy, probitotic fermented, end chain B vitamin in a liquid oral delivery system, making it super easy to absorb, even for those with compromised digestion. I recommend starting with a small amount like a few drops per day for weak or sick individuals and up to ½ tsp per day for people in reasonable health with no serious health concerns. This should be stored in the refrigerator after opening. Another great food source of B Vitamins is Nutritional Yeast. This is not the same as Brewer’s yeast. Premier Research Labs has a product called, Nutritional Flakes, that is up to 55% high quality vegan protein, that is rich in B complex vitamins, as well as trace minerals.
6. Essential Fatty Acids: After Vitamin D, this is one of the most common deficiencies for many Americans. Researchers have found that over 60% of Americans are deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids and that 20% have so little Omega 3 fatty acids, that testing cannot even detect ANY in their blood. This is a BIG problem. Your brain is made up of 60% fat and you cannot think properly without it. The fats you eat strongly affect brain function, mood, energy and hormones. Fat is one of the factors that keeps your mood stable. Omega-3 fats improve cellular response to insulin, neurotransmitters and also help to repair your cells.
“2004 study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found a link between a low dietary intake of fish and seafood (sources of healthy omega-3 fats) and high prevalence of depression.”
“While all omega-3 fats possess immune-boosting qualities, omega-3 fats from marine sources i.e. fish (EPA and DHA) are more biologically potent than omega-3 fat ALA, found in plant sources such as flax seeds, and are more potent inflammation fighters.” Dr. Joseph Mercola
While you can get essential fatty acids from plants, like flaxseeds and walnuts, the best sources of omega-3 fats is fatty fish. Fatty fish provide both EPA and DHA, in a form that is most easily utilized by your body. Some excellent sources are wild caught sardines, salmon, herring, trout or mackerel. In addition, 100% grass fed beef and the yolks of pastured eggs, also contain Omega 3’s.
If you are a vegan or vegetarian, you can use flax oil or nuts and seeds, but research has shown it is difficult for the body to successfully convert the ALA omega 3’s found in vegetable sources effectively in sufficient quantity to meet our bodies need for DHA and EPA. You can also supplement with DHA from Algae sources.
Personally, my experience has been that people who are willing to consume fatty fish 2-3 x per week respond the most positively, in terms of mood and other disorders related to essential fatty acid deficiency. Significantly more so than those who are taking EFA oils and DHA algae supplements alone.
If you are interested in ordering high quality D3 Serum, Max B, Nutritional Flakes or EPA/DHA Capsules or EPA/DHA Liquid or Vegan DHA capsules from algae mentioned above, I recommend Premier Research Labs, who produces some of the highest quality supplements on the market. Please use link below for ordering and coupon code at checkout to receive 15% off.
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