Depressive symptoms are exacerbated by nutritional deficiencies
Nutritional deficiencies may include:
- The frequent consumption of caffeine
- Consumption of sucrose (sugar)
- Deficiencies of biotin, folic acid and vitamin B, vitamin C, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium or potassium.
- Excesses of magnesium or vanadium
- Imbalances in amino acids
- Food allergies.
Complete blood test
As part of the evaluation of your condition, your doctor will order the following tests:
- Thyroid Function Test-T(3)-T(4), TSH
- Urine analysis
- Cytotoxic blood test
- Hair and nail analysis
This is done to find out if there is an allergic reaction or a mineral imbalance that can cause or aggravate the mental symptoms or any other physical problems that may cause these mental symptoms.
Drink
Avoid coffee, sugar, alcohol, dairy products.
Depression has been associated with a high intake of caffeine. If you drink four or more cups of caffeine in a given day, try substituting decaffeinated coffee and soft drinks.
Several studies have looked at caffeine intake and depression. In a study of healthy college students, moderate and high coffee drinkers scored higher on a depression scale than did low users. Other studies have shown that depression patients tend to consume fairly high amounts of caffeine (more than 700 mg per day). In addition, the intake of caffeine has been linked with the degree of mental illness in psychiatric patients: the higher the intake, the more severe the depression.
Excess intake of refined sugar via sweet foods and/or from junk food can aggravate depression.
The combination of caffeine and refined sugar is even worse for depression than either substance consumed alone. Several studies have found an association between this combination and depression. In one study, twenty-one women and two men responded to an advertisement requesting volunteers "who feel depression and don't know why, often feel tired even though they sleep a lot, are very moody, and generally seem to feel bad most of the time." The subjects were placed on a caffeine- and sucrose-free diet for one week. The subjects who reported substantial improvement (about sixty percent) were then challenged in a double-blind fashion lasting up to six days. They were given either caffeine and sucrose or Kool Aid and NutraSweet diet. About fifty percent of test subjects became depression during the test period with caffeine and sucrose. In another similar study, seven of sixteen depression patients were found to be depression with the caffeine and sucrose diet, but became symptom-free when given a caffeine- and sucrose-free diet or a diet consisting of cellulose and NutraSweet.
If you are suffering from depression, stay clear of caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and dairy products if you are lactose-sensitive.