Posted by andrew on May 5, 1999, at 11:15:51
In reply to Any suggestions for a 'depression' diet?, posted by Janice on January 8, 1999, at 3:42:56
> Anyone found a diet that helps their depression?
> I'm thinking about trying the Zone, by Sears. What's
> your experience as to what helps?
I am on the zone now, more or less. I say more less because I stick to
it during the day and at dinner and beyond I eat what I want. I like the diet but
it doesn't effect my mood. It does help me keep consistant energy throughout the
day whereas before I'd often feel sluggish often after a meal. I suppose this was
because my blood sugar was fluctuating too much due to too many
simple carbohydrates. The diet is also great for keeping the pounds off and keeping healthy diet.
You might try eating fish regularly or taking fish oil supplements. The EPA's in these items are
supposed to help some people with their depression. B vitamin supplements can
also help with depression, especially B6 and B12.
Some people suggest that a high protien diet such as the zone can change the mood by elevating
increasing the amount of tyrosine in the diet. Tyrosine is a precursor to dopamine. Some antidepressants
works via dopamine pathways. Some alos claim that the increased dopamine make the more active or driven.
I read of one diet that suggested eating the protein during the day, increasing tyrosine intake and reserving
starches for the latter part of the day. The starches contain (or allow ofr the production of?) tryptophan, a precurosor
of seretonin. The idea was that the protien would give you the drive during the day and the starches would mellow you out during the evening.
This diet was accompanied tryptophan supplement on an empty stomach in the morning. I tried this diet but it improve my mood.
poster:andrew
thread:2143
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990501/msgs/5618.html