Food, Neurotransmitters and Mood
Foods greatly influence the brain' behavior. A poor diet, especially constant snacking on junk foods, is a common cause of depression. The levels of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, which regulate our behavior, are controlled by what we eat, and neurotransmitters are closely linked to mood. The neurotransmitters most commonly associated with mood are dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. When the brain produces serotonin, tension is eased. When it produces dopamine or norepinephrine, we tend to think and act more quickly and are generally more alert.

At the neurochemical and physiological level, neurotransmitters are extremely important. These substances carry impulses between nerve cells. The substance that processes the neurotransmitter called serotonin is the amino acid tryptophan. The consumption of tryptophan increases the amount of serotonin made by the brain. Thus, eating complex carbohydrates, which raise the level of tryptophan in the brain (thereby increasing serotonin production), has a calming effect. High-protein foods, on the other hand, promote the production of dopamine and norepinephrine, which promote alertness.

Diet and Depression
It is now a well-established fact that certain dietary practices cause, while others prevent, a wide range of disease. Quite simply, a health-promoting diet provides optimal levels of all known nutrients and low levels of food components which are detrimental to health, such as sugar, saturated fats, cholesterol, salt, and food additives. A health-promoting diet is rich in whole "natural" and unprocessed foods. It is especially high in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, seeds, and nuts, as these foods not only contain valuable nutrients but additional compounds which have remarkable health-promoting properties.

There are several dietary contributing factors in depression, including an essential fatty acid deficiency, food sensitivities, and diets high in sugar and saturated/hydrogenated fats and nutrient deficiency. The Vital Life Diet is a whole food diet that eliminates many of the common food allergies and provides a wide range of nutrients that has proven useful in combating depression and nutrient imbalance.

General Dietary Recommendations

Click here for foods that will help you boost neurotransmitters (brain chemicals that help elevate mood)

See the Nutrients and Herbs section for more details on specific nutrients that have been useful in the management of depression.