Can Your Diet Chase Away the Winter Blues?

If you are feeling as gray as the winter sky, try boosting your diet to elevate your mood. The connection between diet and mood is often overlooked. However, a change in diet can be an effective method to chase away the winter blues.  Even in those who suffer a mood disorder, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or  depression, natural methods can help alleviate those symptoms.

To Feel Better Eat More Plant Foods

Recent studies suggest that eating more vegetables and fruit might be connected to a healthier mood. In one study, participants were assigned either a vegetarian diet or a diet which included both plant and animal foods (an omnivorous diet). After two weeks, those consuming the vegetarian diet had improved mood scores while those on the omnivorous diet did not.¹ In another study, vegetarian Seventh Day Adventists reported more positive mood and lower levels of depression and anxiety compared to Seventh Day Adventists who ate both plant and animal foods.²

In a third study, those who reported higher amounts of fruit and vegetable consumption scored higher on a life satisfaction questionnaire. The study found a connection between a healthy mood relative to the amount of fruit and vegetables consumed daily. The authors of the 2012 study collected data on the diets of 80,000 individuals and found that even after adjusting for parameters such as employment status, marital status, income, illness, education, and other dietary variables, greater fruit and vegetable consumption strongly correlated with greater life satisfaction scores.³

The Mood-Enhancing Nutrients in Plant Foods

One possibility for the positive impact of a vegetarian diet on mood is the high antioxidant content of plant foods, and anti-inflammatory effects of phytochemicals. Markers of oxidative stress and inflammation are associated with a higher incidence of depression and poorer response to antidepressants.^{4, 5}  

Vitamins and minerals may also factor into the positive effects of fruits and vegetables on mood. Several B vitamins contribute to the production of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters.^{6, 7} A deficiency in folate, a B vitamin found in green vegetables and legumes, is known to increase the risk of depression, and about one-third of people with depression are folate-deficient.^8-10  There are  other beneficial effects of a healthful Nutritarian diet on depression, including the low amount of sodium and relatively high amount of potassium which has been shown to have a positive effect on mood.¹¹

Supplements to Counteract the Blues

Omega-3 fatty acids also play a role in mood since they are important for brain health. DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid important for brain structure and cognative function.  Another omega-3 fatty acid, EPA is also  closely associated with mood.^{12, 13} Fish is the primary source of DHA and EPA, though our bodies do convert a small amount of the omega-3 fatty acid ALA, which is found in plant foods, into DHA and EPA. However, this conversion is highly variable from person to person and generally inefficient.¹⁴ So in addition to my recommendation that you eat plant foods rich in ALA like flax, hemp, and chia seeds, walnuts and leafy greens, I also tell everyone to take a DHA and EPA supplement. For those with , I recommend supplementing with a higher dose of EPA.

I also suggest Vitamin D supplements since low levels of this important nutrient are linked to SAD and depression and there is evidence that maintaining adequate levels helps to produce serotonin and maintain a healthy mood state.¹⁵ For example, in one study a 4000 IU per day dose of vitamin D for six months starting in the summer improved wellbeing scores in February compared to a lower dose of 600 IU.¹⁶ Vitamin D is active in essentially every cell and tissue in the human body, and contributes to many facets of health. I advise everyone to maintain a blood vitamin D level of 25(OH)D of 30-45 ng/ml by supplementing.

Don’t skip exercise

The cold, gloomy weather may make you want to curl up on the couch, but don’t forget that a good workout is a natural and quick way to improve your mood. Exercise increases the production of serotonin, a mood-elevating neurotransmitter. Studies have suggested that exercise is as effective as antidepressant drugs or cognitive behavioral therapy for improving the symptoms of depression.

Provide your body with the brain-healthy properties of a high-nutrient diet, adequate stores of omega-3 and vitamin D, and plenty of physical activity, and you will be helping to promote a positive mood even in the gray days of winter.  

The bottom line is that depression is just one of many chronic medical issue that plague the modern world that can be treated effectivly with  lifestyle medicine, instead of drug-based medicine.  Only through nutritional excellence,  can you control your health destiny. 

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