I received a newsletter from a health website I subscribe to (http://www.everydayhealth.com/) and it gave a link to an article about how the "Seratonin diet" may help fight depression. Here's the article, and here's the link to the article on the site (there are some great links to other depression-related articles at the bottom of the page, I'll include them here).
"If you have depression and have gained weight while taking antidepressants, or if you are struggling with your weight in general, the serotonin diet may be just what you need. By carefully timing your intake of carbohydrates, the serotonin diet may be able to help you curb your cravings, shed excess weight, and feel better mentally.
'Serotonin is a natural brain chemical,' says Nina Frusztajer, MD, co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet. 'It is associated with reducing appetite — it balances mood and can give you a calm energy.'
Serotonin is produced mainly in the brain, and experts believe that this brain chemical, or neurotransmitter, helps regulate your mood, sleep-wake cycle, and appetite. Researchers have found that people with low levels of serotonin are at risk of developing depression and other mood disorders. Antidepressants work by boosting the level of serotonin in the brain to relieve symptoms of depression.
'The only way for your brain to make serotonin is through a series of reactions ... precipitated by eating carbohydrates,' says Dr. Frusztajer.
When you eat a carbohydrate-rich food, insulin is released into the bloodstream, which facilitates the crossing of the amino acid tryptophan from the blood into your brain. In the brain, tryptophan acts to increase the production of serotonin.
According to Frusztajer, by eating certain foods, you can manipulate your body's production of serotonin to control your appetite and balance your mood.
The premise of the serotonin diet is that eating carbohydrate-rich foods may help keep your carbohydrate cravings under control and even improve your mood. 'You eat … in such a way that you elevate brain serotonin to control your appetite,' says Frusztajer.
According to Frusztajer, animal and human studies have shown that consuming carbohydrates to boost brain serotonin can help people control their appetite and lose weight. People on the serotonin diet meet the majority of their daily protein requirements at breakfast and lunch. In the afternoon and evening, the focus shifts to carbohydrates, because Frusztajer says that brain serotonin levels are naturally lower later in the day, making people more likely to overeat. 'You eat carbohydrates to prevent binges,' explains Frusztajer.
People on the serotonin diet have a carbohydrate-rich snack in the afternoon, which may be pretzels, whole-wheat crackers, or a low-fat granola bar. The ideal snack is 25 to 35 grams of non-fruit carbohydrates (Frusztajer says that fructose, or fruit sugar, doesn't cause much insulin to be released). A typical dinner on the serotonin diet would be a controlled portion of pasta with vegetables, followed by a frozen chocolate treat for dessert.
'The appetite-controlling effects of raising brain serotonin are particularly effective for people who have gained weight on antidepressants,' says Frusztajer. She says that some people can gain up to 70 pounds in a year after starting antidepressants, and for them weight loss on the serotonin diet can be dramatic.
While Frusztajer does not claim that the serotonin diet can help treat depression, she says that it can balance your mood, increase your mental energy, and help you sleep better. 'Those are the effects of serotonin,' she says.
Frusztajer adds that the serotonin diet works particularly well for women, since their levels of serotonin are naturally lower than men's. While women may initially do well on a low-carbohydrate diet, this approach results in chronically low serotonin levels that tend to eventually cause overeating and weight gain, she explains.
If you have not had success on other diets, particularly popular low-carbohydrate options, or if you have gained weight on antidepressants, consider the serotonin diet. You may find that it reinforces your first-line efforts to manage depression.
Links to more depression-related articles:
Overcoming Depression: Putting together a treatment plan
All about Antidepressants
Finding the right Inpatient Depression Treatment
Get Moving to Ease Depression
Finding the right Depression Medication
Electroconvulsive Therapy for Depression
Help for Treatment-Resistant Depression
Finding the right Therapist to help Depression
Coping with Antidepressant Side Effects
The Best Natural Treatments for Depression
Depression, Antidepressants, and Suicide Risk
Eye Movement Therapy for Depression
How SSRIs treat Depression
St. John's Wort for Depression
8 Inexpensive Depression Remedies
Does Online Depression Treatment Work?
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