Eat
Fresh green vegetables, some fresh fruits, whole cereals and beans well cooked, unroasted seeds, seed sprouts, and soy protein, to supply whole protein to the body. Avoid any processed food, artificial colors, stimulant food, canned foods, smoking, dairy products, meats, eggs, and fish.
Avoid poultry in the beginning of the therapy. Avoid processed food that contains artificial coloring and preservatives.
Special attention should be paid to avoid foods that may cause allergic reaction, tiredness, heaviness, or any other bad feelings.
The amount of protein should be calculated according to the behavior of the patient. In hyperactivity, aggression, violence-yang conditions-about 0.5 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. In hypoactivity, passive reactions, brain fatigue, depression-yin conditions-about 1.0 gram protein per kilogram of body weight. Include tofu, beans, and seafood in the diet for adequate protein.
Meals
Suggested Meal Plan
Vegetables: 3-5
Fruit: 2-4 (1 serving = 1/2 cup or 1 piece of fruit)
Bread, cereals, grains: 6-11 (1 serving= 1 slice or 3/4 cup Cereal)
Dairy products: 2-3; 3-4 for teens, pregnant or nursing women (serving= 1 cup milk or yogurt, 1 slice cheese)
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes: 2-3 (serving = 3 ounces lean meat; 2 eggs; 1-1/4 cups legumes)
Limit your total daily fat intake to 30 percent of your total calories. Try not to consume more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day, and limit servings of meat, fish, and fowl to three ounces each.
For breakfast, eat a Swiss muesli made with rolled oats, almonds, fresh grated apples, milk, and natural, plain yogurt. Nutritional yeast is a good source of B vitamins. Sprinkle Nutritional yeast flakes onto muesli and salads or stir into sauces, drinks, and soups. If you suspect that your depression is caused by a deficiency of iodine, take watercress.
Pancakes, oatmeal, pasta, potatoes, and other foods loaded with complex carbohydrates can help a person keep depression moods under control. Complex carbohydrates elevate brain levels of serotonin. Try eating at least one meal a day that includes pasta primavera or a hearty potato soup that is very high in complex carbohydrates without lots of protein.
Seek out seafood. Eating tuna, salmon, and other fish loaded with omega-3's, a type of polyunsaturated fat, may help bolster your mood. The scientists postulate that low levels of omega-3's in your nervous system may increase your vulnerability to depression. So regular consumption of fish once or twice a week may prevent the depression. Lobster, crab, shrimp, and other shellfish also contain some omega-3's.