Stress and depression are often the companions of a modern person living in a big city with its hustle and chaos. According to statistics, every sixth person on the planet suffers from depression. And oddly enough, in the spring there are even more people with depressed mood. Most often, a bad mood is eaten by many of us with various goodies. At first glance, it saves. The mood is going up, that’s just the number on the scales, too.
Nutritionists recommend following a special diet during periods of stress and depression. It will improve your mood and help you solve the problem with excess weight.
Signs of depression:
– Constant feeling of fatigue and drowsiness
– Early awakening and feeling unwell in the morning
– Decreased sexual desire
– Complete lack of appetite or overeating
– Anger at the whole world
– Panic fear for no reason
– A feeling of powerlessness and inability to change anything in your life
– It becomes difficult to concentrate
– Unreasonable tears.
What foods fight stress?
Scientists have proven that the foods we consume directly affect the processes taking place in the brain. And if some are uplifting, others, on the contrary, suppress joyful emotions.
1. Products containing B vitamins and trypotophan
B vitamins are real stress warriors. Nicotinic acid (B3) helps in the synthesis of proteins and fats, as well as to release energy from all food substances containing calories. Thus, when eating foods rich in nicotinic acid, excess calories are not absorbed by the body. The amino acid tryptophan helps the production of vitamin B3. Experts consider it indispensable in the process of losing weight. Therefore, the following products are recommended: veal, duck (including offal), low-fat sea fish, egg yolk, low-fat dairy products, mushrooms, dark green vegetables, all kinds of legumes, unpeeled rice, peanuts, walnuts, ground and pine nuts, bananas, dates.
The daily norm of tryptophan for an organism under stress is 1 gram. Thus, 100 grams of Dutch cheese contains 790 mg of tryptophan, veal – 230 mg, buckwheat – 180 mg, low-fat cottage cheese – 210 mg.
2. Products containing calcium
Calcium-containing products help in the fight against two enemies at once – the state of depression and overweight. Therefore, it is important to consume fresh herbs, dairy and fermented milk products, oatmeal, nuts daily. Every day the body should receive at least 1 gram of calcium, pregnant women – 2 grams. The most calcium-rich herb is prosvirnik. It contains about 540 mg of calcium per 100 grams. At the same time, 100 grams of dairy products contain 118-124 mg of calcium. The same amount of parsley contains 250 mg.
3. Magnesium
Magnesium is a natural tranquilizer. To make your nerves “iron”, you need to consume about 350 mg of magnesium per day. In large quantities, this vitamin is found in coriander, basil, sage (both fresh and dried spices), dark green vegetables, legumes, unpeeled cereals, especially sprouts, buckwheat (not fried), rice bran. The absorption of magnesium is hindered by the excessive content of caffeine, fats, sodium, phosphorus and calcium in the diet. Therefore, fats and caffeine should simply be excluded. And what about the calcium and phosphorus that our body needs, which is contained in fish (a source of tryptophan)? It’s simple: you need to use mono products, for example, buckwheat – not with milk, but with coriander and basil seasoning, cottage cheese should not be mixed with eggs and flour (for cheesecakes). It is necessary to combine foods in such a way that the foods that are most rich in two minerals at once do not coincide in one meal.
No caffeine
Strong black tea and coffee, although they boost metabolism and accelerate fat burning, but at the same time increase hunger. Therefore, during the diet, it is important to give up drinks containing large amounts of caffeine and tannin.
You can please the body with herbal and fruit teas and decoctions. This will be an additional source of nutrients, and in addition, the body will not rebel and require additional meals. Of course, dark chocolate should also be excluded. Dried apricots, dates, raisins and other dried fruits will be a useful alternative.
Sample diet menu for depression
Breakfast: spinach omelette, whole grain bread, herbal tea.
Second breakfast: banana, herbal tea.
Lunch: chicken soup and beans /or giblet soup with spices, veal buckwheat and broccoli cabbage steamed, fruit tea.
Afternoon snack: cottage cheese (or kefir), fruit tea.
Snack: nuts, dried fruits.
Dinner: grilled fish, salad of green vegetables, herbal tea.
A couple of weeks of such a diet – and there will be no trace of depression, and a slimmer silhouette will also add to the mood.