Diet and Depression It is possible for us eat, drink and be merry (literally)? The answer is - it depends on what we eat and drink. From 2007-2009 I suffered from painful, chronic sinus infections. I would use neti pots with sea salt saline, colloidal silver, cut out dairy and that seemed to help a bit. But there were nights at 3 or 4 am that I would head to Emergency with so much pain I couldn’t sleep – for the dreaded antibiotics. It would make it go away, but not prevent the next one from coming. It wasn’t until I finished my Natural Nutrition Diploma in 2011 that I completed an elimination diet and discovered gluten was the culprit, along with gut dysbiosis (overgrowth of bad bacteria) and leaky gut. While I personally didn’t experience depression, I can say from experience that many clients experience mood related issues. After completing a gut healing program while eliminating wheat for a time, I can now eat wheat (Ezekiel bread) sparingly, but if I eat too much, or eat any commercial bread, my heart beats rapidly and I start to feel anxious, and will wake up the next day with a stuffy nose. Research looking at diet shows that those consuming a traditional whole foods diet, rich in fermented foods, have significantly lower levels of depression and anxiety (25-30%) then those who consume a Westernized diet. Examination of some of the body processes tell us that there are many physical imbalances in play for those with mood disorders. People who suffer from depression have chronic, low-grade inflammation, more oxidative stress and blood sugar issues. They also have gut 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. It also is connected to negatively affecting the central nervous system, which plays a role in regulating mood and depression. How do traditional diets help regulate these body processes and help mental health? There are two ways: 1) Traditional diets are loaded with whole foods that contain phytonutrients which help lower inflammation and contain plenty of antioxidants which can protect against oxidative stress. Many whole foods are also prebiotic and help feed our good bacteria. 2) Traditional diets contain fermented foods which are high in lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. 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. LPS also can damage the intestinal wall lining, opening up the gut and causing a host of unwanted health issues from an overactive immune system reacting to foreign proteins in our blood stream. This is one of the major causes of food sensitivities and leaky gut, an underlying cause of many chronic health conditions. Good bacteria protects the gut wall lining and keeps the gut closed. How can fermented foods help with depression and mental health? When fibre found in wheat, rice and soy is fermented, it promotes better glucose levels and immune function and 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. 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. It is believed that the reason for these changes is that fermenting of the milk bioactivates peptides and other chemicals that affects the central nervous system. 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 such as sauerkraut, cultured vegetables and kimchi. It has been shown that Lactobacillus strains produced from fermenting cabbage, as in the case of kimchi and sauerkraut, improves mental function. The best news for those who like to celebrate with food and drink? Regular, modest consumption of wine (2-5 glasses a week) as part of a whole food diet, is associated with lower systemic inflammation, increases in bifidobacteria and lower levels of depression. And no, you cannot have all 5 glasses in one day, once a week. There are plenty of fermented food options and it is easy to create great recipes combining whole foods, herbs and spices, fermented foods and wine. Consuming all of these on a regular basis can lift mood, improve mental health and overall health. It can be quite the adventure in food so eat, drink and be merry! For gut healing recipes and tips, join my mailing list so you won't miss out! Ask a question or tell us about your favorite probiotic-rich foods in the comments! 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 Gut microbiota: intestinal bacteria influence brain activity in healthy humans. Collins SM, Bercik P. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013;10:326–327.
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Roasted Butternut Potatoes with Sauerkraut
Apples, potatoes, squash, cabbage, onions and garlic are all great prebiotic foods. Prebiotics feed the good bacteria (probiotics) in the gut and keep them healthy and at healthy levels. Add in the sauerkraut which contains the probiotics and you have a winning match. It is a delicious combination of flavours that work really well together. 2-3 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into small pieces 1-2 cups Yukon gold potatoes, cut into small pieces 3/4 cup white onion, chopped 1 large clove garlic, chopped 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into small pieces 1 tsp sucanat or natural sweetener of choice (optional) Sea salt and black pepper to taste Sauerkraut to top the dish with (2-3 tbsp per person) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the butternut squash and potatoes that have been cut into small pieces, in 9 or 10 inch square baking dish or equivalent. Add the onions, garlic, olive oil and thyme. Mix well. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cut up the apple and mix with the sucanat. Do this just before the 15 minutes are up. Remove the vegetables from the over and add the apple. Mix well. Place back in the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until the squash, potatoes and apple are soft. Remove from the oven and season with sea salt and pepper. Top with sauerkraut when serving. Tips: 1. Serve with your favorite entree. 2. Lightly steam green vegetables like kale, spinach or broccoli to keep their nutrients and mix it in just before serving 3. For a vegetarian option: Sprinkle on fresh hemp seeds or add your favourite cooked legumes. This baked soft and chewy oatmeal is the perfect meal prepping recipe for a healthy, wholegrain breakfast you can make ahead and enjoy all week. This recipe features blackberries and blueberries but you can easily make variations with pumpkin, apples and raisins, nuts and cranberries, and more. The best part is you only need one bowl so it's quick and easy. I topped mine with plain yogurt, pumpkin seeds and unsweetened coconut. Ingredients
INSTRUCTIONS
The impact of refined sugar consumption on our health is extremely detrimental. It contributes to weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and is particularly damaging to our immune response, which is an underlying factor in cancer. Immune function decreases for hours after sugar is consumed. A research study done by Loma Linda University in which participants were fed different forms of sugar found that the effectiveness of white blood cells (our immune cells which fight infection) decreased up to 50% after 1-2 hours of eating sugar, lasting up to five hours. Dr. Linus Pauling, a Nobel Prize winning microbiologist, conducted groundbreaking work related to Vitamin C and the common cold. In this research he found that sugar severely slows down the ability of white blood cells to engulf pathogens, one of our primary defenses against viruses (COVID-19, influenza, colds) and bacteria (Salmonella, E-Coli, Staph infections, bacterial pneumonia).
I hear many people use these terms interchangeably. "I'm going to do a cleanse" or "I'm doing a liver detox". I understand what they mean by this. Their goal is to remove toxins from their body by using one of many techniques. It could be a food cleanse eating mostly vegetables while avoiding dairy, gluten, alcohol, caffeine and other foods. It could be taking certain herbal products and supplements targeting your digestive system or an elimination organ such as the liver or kidneys, or it could be both of these two things combined (diet + supplements). If you have signs of imbalance such as headaches, skin problems, joint aches, fatigue, dark circles under your eyes, constipation, gas or bloating, you definitely want to implement some natural cleansing techniques first to ensure that when your body starts releasing toxins, your channels of elimination are operating in an optimal fashion. Severe detox symptoms are signs of circulating toxins that can't be cleansed from the body quickly enough causing harm. What is Cleansing?
A - Adapt your environment. Stop the toxins from coming into your body B - Balance your lifestyle C - Cleansing and regular rituals D - Drainage and detox seasonally Green Smoothies help ensure you'll reach the daily recommended intake of 7-9 servings of vegetables per day while flooding your system with health-promoting nutrients. Studies show that consuming fresh juice helps to: • increase energy • Boost your immune system • Reduce inflammation Green Smoothies are easy to make, easy to digest for instant energy. A blender is the perfect set of teeth allowing nutrients to be absorbed quickly and easily with all natural digestive enzymes intact. Blending by-passes all digestive problems like sore teeth, peptic ulcer, colitis, a tired pancreas and overworked liver. Green Smoothies are simple to make. Take any fresh greens you like and blend them with fruit and water (or coconut water is delicious too) and a bit of fruit. Skip the milk and yogurt as these impede digestion speed and absorption. As you become accustomed to the green taste, you will find you enjoy it with less fruit. As you can see above, the core atom of chlorophyll is magnesium. Chlorophyll is one of the best builders of red blood cells, vital for delivering nutrients and removing toxins from your entire body. Green Smoothies are rich in alkaline minerals like calcium. The high-calcium greens are the fibrous ones such as dandelion, kale and collard. Wherever there's a hard shell - as in teeth, bone, or tough-to-chew greens, you will find calcium. Leafy green also contain small quantities of alkaloids as well as other phytotoxins like oxalates and goitrogens. It's good practice to rotate greens in your Smoothies so you don't get a buildup of any one alkaloid type. I usually rotate romaine, spinach, kale, parsley, watercress and swiss chard. When I'm in a rush, the organic baby green mix 50/50 with spinach works great too. Basic Green Smoothie Recipe for Beginners If you want your smoothie to be pretty and bright green, choose light-coloured fruits. These include: mangoes, pineapples, bananas, pears and apples to accompany your green veggies. I love the tropical flavour from the mangoes or pineapple! You can also add berries, just keep in mind that you’ll end up with a brown coloured smoothie, which is just as delicious, but not so green. I put these in a mug instead of a glass. Ingredients
Lemon Lime Shake - Serves 1 1 avocado, peeled and seeded ½ English cucumber 1 lime, peeled 2 lemons, juiced 1 young coconut, juice and meat Stevia drops to taste 1 cup ice cubes In a blender, layer ingredients in order listed. Blend on low to start. As liquid incorporates, increase speed to high and blend until smooth and frothy. Add more ice for sorbet-type consistency. Serve immediately. Optional add-ins: Add 1-2 tbsp flax seed, 1-2 tbsp fax seed oil, and 1-2 tsp greens powder to increase nutrition, fiber and essential fatty acids in smoothies. |
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