Lifestyle Choices

We are built of what we eat and the balance of our diet can affect both our physical and mental well-being. Many dietary imbalances may cause some depression of mood.

BLOOD SUGAR

If you take in too few calories, as you may during a fast or aperiod of dieting, you may feel tired, lethargic and low. This is because your level of blood sugar has decreased — energy, well-being and clear thinking require an adequate level of sugar in the blood so that the brain, muscles and other organs can help themselves to as much immediate energy as they require from moment to moment. The brain and nerves are completely dependent on blood sugar since they cannot get energy from other foods in the blood, such as protein.

The effects of low blood sugar levels do not only occur during periods of not eating. The level of your blood sugar depends on the kinds of foods you eat. Carbohydrates, particularly sugar, tend to produce a rapid rise in blood sugar, which does not last long and which may be followed by a period of fatigue, lowered efficiency and lowered mood. Protein, however, especially when combined with some carbohydrate and fat, causes a more gradual rise in blood sugar, which is often sustained for six hours or more and which may be associated with efficiency and a feeling of well-being. It seems paradoxical that carbohydrate, which is a source ofquick energy, can actually cause fatigue and depression. The mechanism is probably as follows: a sudden surge of carbohydrate overstimulates the pancreas, which then producestoo much insulin; the insulin, in turn, causes the liver and muscles to withdraw too much sugar from the blood resulting in weakness, irritability and low mood.

BODY SALTS

Imbalance in body salts — lowered potassium, lowered sodium or raised calcium—may also cause depression, but these balances are closely determined by hormonal balance. Imbalance nearly always indicates hormonal disease rather than faulty diet. The one exception is that raised levels of calcium can be caused by taking too much vitamin D in tablets or cod liver oil.

Calcium levels decrease in women during the menopause and pre-menstrually (at the times when oestrogen levels are lower). It is possible that lowered calcium may be a factor in creating depressed mood, but the evidence is conflicting.

VITAMINS

Vitamins are essential substances that need to be eaten because the body is not capable of manufacturing them. A deficiency of thiamin (B 1), niacin, pyridoxine (B6), B 12, folic acid and ascorbic acid (C) may cause depression.

The chart (below) outlines foods rich in these vitamins, those people most at risk of deficiency, and the possible reasons for depression as a result of deficiency.

Vitamin deficiencies

Gross deficiencies in the vitamins mentioned here most commonly occur in those who are severely ill, in alcoholics and in the elderly. It may be that small deficiencies affect mood and it is possible that many other substances and different balances affect how we feel. Eating more monoamines, in cheese or chocolate, for example, might affect your mood. Various specific allergies may also affect mood, It is difficult to be sure as there is much conflicting evidence and many conflicting views andfashions on diet. Too much diet consciousness may be de- pressing in itself.

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