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Using Diet to Fight Seasonal Depression

The dwindling daylight hours this time of year are dreaded by sufferers of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a condition in which shortage of sun can provoke anything from dark moods to full-blown depression. Individuals may sleep too much, have little energy, be irritable or agitated or extremely sad, and crave sweets and starchy foods.  Though symptoms can be severe, they usually clear up – only to return same time next year.
The mechanism of SAD is still somewhat an enigma, but it seems that the lack of sunlight affects the sleep-wake cycle—or circadian rhythms—and interferes with a brain chemical called serotonin, which affects mood. Doctors thus often prescribe light therapy, where patients are exposed to bright light for a certain amount of time. This widely accepted therapy has been very successful.
However, diet is also involved in counteracting SAD. Known as the ‘food-mood connection’, researchers have found that certain vitamins and other compounds in food can change brain chemistry by influencing the activity of neurotransmitters (chemicals that convey information from one neuron to the next). These chemical messengers affect how you feel and act.
Include these food-mood connection items in your diet, especially during these sunlight-deprived cold months, and you will be sure to enjoy the festivities this season has to offer:
•    Omega-3 fatty acids – good for seasonal depression but also widespread depression and bipolar disorder. Best food sources are fatty fish like wild salmon, sardines and herring. Among plant sources, flax is the best source, followed by walnuts, pumpkin seeds and soy.

•    B-vitamins (B6, B12 and folic acid) – have long been studied for their role in mood regulation. Foods rich in folic acid, (called folate when it is found naturally in food) include leafy green vegetables, sunflower seeds, soybeans, beets and oranges. 

•    Carbohydrates – certain carbohydrates can stabilize energy level and mental focus.  Simple carbohydrates found in refined products and sugar-rich foods (soda, candy, cookies, cakes), are absorbed rapidly by the body, leading to a blood sugar spike followed by a wild crash that leaves you feeling more tired. High quality carbohydrates, on the other hand, are metabolized slowly, stabilizing blood sugar levels and creating less mood swings. The best carbohydrates are those that contain lots of soluble fiber, such as whole grain products, lentils, beans and sweet potatoes.  To satisfy your sweet tooth and avoid the crash, choose fruits over pastries.

•    Vitamin D – is believed to be central in the alleviation of SAD. Our bodies have low stores of vitamin D around winter because of short days and limited sunlight, as our skins actually manufacture it when exposed to the sun. Diet-wise, however, vitamin D is hard to come by, with cod liver oil being the most lucrative source. For this reason, doctors and nutritionists recommend supplements. Some milk and cereal items are also fortified with vitamin D.