Is What You Eat Making You Depressed?

Do things sometimes seem to be going OK, but suddenly one day you wake up wildly depressed for no reason? If you are not under some new stress, it could be because of whatever you ate the day before.

I am not here to tell you what to eat and what not to, except for a couple of general rules. But think back. Your mother probably told you, "don't eat too much of that, it will make you sick." And, she was right. Except she probably didn't know, it's not just your tummy that gets sick. It can also be your brain.

Try these tips and you may find you can beat depression with the foods you choose.

Try to eat real food. Getting healthy nutrition in your life will give you a better starting point for your awareness, and may make you feel better anyway. A good rule is if you can't pronounce it, eat as little of it as possible.

Avoid too much sugar. Back in 1975 William Dufty wrote Sugar Blues, which woke the world up to the dangers of refined sugar. Since then there have been mountains of research on the harm sugar does to your brain, your body, and your well being.

Sugar highs are followed by sugar crashes. Then you feel even more depressed. Few people find it easy to quit sweets entirely, but at least try to eat them in moderation, and be aware of how you feel.

Also, there is evidence that sugar substitutes are worse for you than the real thing, and make you crave sweets even more.

Start a food/mood journal. You don't have to write down everything you eat every day. But if you want to cry and you don't have a reason, write down how you feel, and what you ate the prior couple of days. Do the same when you feel nervous or anxious. You can even keep it by your bed. When you can't seem to beat depression, just writing in the journal is a positive step.

If you know of foods you want to watch, record when you eat them, and then see if you feel any ill effects.

Notice trends, and make your own decisions. Regardless of the latest food fads, you are the only one who will really know what foods are right or wrong for you.

I spent most of my life battling violent headaches and stomach upsets. Because I was not keeping track it took me decades to realize that whenever I was sick, pork was in the picture.

Now, I'm not saying pork is bad. It's just bad for me. And you may have foods that are bad for you, even though they are fine for everyone else. I still love pork, in all its forms. But when we parted company, the problems left as well.

When you find your own foods that hurt your body or your mind, you can beat some depression by simply leaving them out of your life.

Resources:

Food and Mood: Second Edition: The Complete Guide To Eating Well and Feeling Your Best, by Elizabeth Somer.

Check out http://www.clearyourstress.com/ for more tips and great information on how to clear your stress and beat depression.

You'll also find many guided exercises and meditation methods to connect with your inner wisdom, and enjoy a balanced lifestyle >> http://www.clearyourstress.com/meditation-methods/.

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