How to Triumph Over Depression, Anxiety, and Emotional Turmoil

Even in the throes of my teenage years, energy seemed to elude me more often than not. I was 16, nodding off in the middle of a packed movie theater—not exactly what you’d call normal for someone my age.

What was wrong?

More on that later, but first, I want to introduce you to Uma Naidoo, MD, a board-certified nutritional psychiatrist and nutritional specialist at Harvard Medical School.

The national bestseller, This Is Your Brain on Food,[1] is the surprising science of nutritional psychiatry we’re exploring.

Did you know that apple cider vinegar, yogurt, and pickled vegetables can help with anxiety, while deli meats, bacon, and sausage can cause depression? According to Dr. Uma Naidoo, they indeed can.

The Connection Between Diet and Brain Health

Exploring insights from This Is Your Brain on Food by the esteemed Dr. Uma Naidoo, we find ourselves at the crossroads of culinary habits, brain health, and wellness.

Dr. Naidoo, a visionary in the realm of nutritional psychiatry and a revered figure at Harvard Medical School, invites us to reconsider our relationship with food—not as a mere avenue for weight management or nutritional intake but as a powerful ally in cultivating a state of mindful harmony and emotional resilience.

Have you ever wondered how a simple snack can lift your spirits or why a particular meal leaves you feeling down and tired? You’ve stumbled upon the right discussion.

The Critical Intersection of Nutrition and Mindful Wellbeing

Why do we place diet and brain health in the same conversation?

The link between our dietary choices and the health of our brains is profound, influencing our emotions, cognitive processes, and even our social interactions.

Every morsel of food we consume communicates with our brain, for better or worse. Adjusting our dietary habits can send positive signals to our brain, enhancing our mood, cognitive clarity, and resilience against brain health challenges.

Dr. Naidoo’s pioneering work gives us the tools to harness food’s therapeutic potential. It offers strategies to enrich our mood, sharpen our cognition, and alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. It invites us to view our meals in a new light, paying attention to what’s on our plates to shape our mindful wellbeing and brain health.

The Nutritional Building Blocks of Brain Health

Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

The Architect of Brain Health

Imagine your brain organizing a family picnic, where omega-3 fatty acids are the special guests bringing the finishing touches, each adding a unique flavor to the spread. These essential fats are crucial for your brain’s health, acting much like the cornerstone of a picnic blanket, holding everything together and ensuring that messages between brain cells pass as smoothly as friendly chatter on a sunny day.

If you’re looking to fill your picnic basket with these mood-boosting nutrients, consider a dive into the rich waters of the ocean. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines are all rich in omega-3s and ready to join your outdoor feast. And if you prefer to stay on land, there’s no need to worry—flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts offer hearty plant-based sources, ensuring that your brain’s picnic is well-stocked with everything it needs to thrive.

Folate:

The B Vitamin That Brightens Your Mood

Folate, or vitamin B9, acts as a catalyst for mood regulation, akin to a natural, healthful energy drink for your brain. It’s crucial for synthesizing neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers that regulate our mood, sleep patterns, and appetite.

Low folate levels can impair your brain’s ability to transmit these vital messages. Indulge in folate-rich foods such as leafy greens, legumes, and avocados to fortify your brain’s messaging system. These aren’t merely nutritious choices; they directly contribute to your brain’s wellbeing, ensuring optimal brain cell communication.

Antioxidants:

Your Brain’s Protective Entourage

Antioxidants are your brain’s vigilant protectors, shielding it from the insidious effects of free radicals and oxidative stress. This defense is crucial, as oxidative stress can hasten the brain’s aging process and disrupt mood balance.

Incorporate a defense strategy with antioxidant-rich foods like berries, nuts, and seeds into your diet. These nutritional powerhouses don’t just delight the palate; they arm your brain against the ravages of stress, promoting a stable and serene mood.

Dr. Naidoo’s book provides accessible, practical advice for improving brain function to its highest potential.

Foods to Eat for Depression

Pages 54-56

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Highlighted for their brain-boosting benefits, omega-3s in fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, and sardines), flaxseeds, and walnuts can help improve mood and cognitive function.

Probiotics: Yogurt with active cultures, kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, buttermilk, and some cheeses.

Prebiotics: Beans, oats, bananas, berries, garlic, onions, asparagus, and leeks.

Healthy Fats: Olive oil, nuts, nut butter, and avocados.

Low-GI Carbohydrates: Brown rice, quinoa, steel-cut oatmeal, and chia seeds.

Medium-GI foods in moderation: Honey, orange juice, and whole-grain bread.

Whole grains are a no-no for me. Orange juice is loaded with sugar, so I avoid it. I’ll explain later.

Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale, and other dark, leafy greens are packed with folate, a vitamin that’s key in mood regulation and prevention of depressive symptoms.

Berries: Their high antioxidant content can combat oxidative stress, contributing to depression. Blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries are excellent choices.

Herbs: Oregano, lavender, passionflower, and chamomile.

Spices: Turmeric and saffron.

Vitamins: B9, B12, B1, B6, and C.

Minerals and Micronutrients: Iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and selenium.

Foods to Avoid for Depression

Sugar: Baked goods, candy, soda, or anything sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.

Sugar is white poison for me; I consider it my body’s malevolent nemesis.

High-GI Carbohydrates: Potatoes, white rice, white bread, and anything else made from refined flour.

Artificial Sweeteners: Aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin are particularly harmful. Use stevia in moderation with caution.

Fried Foods: French fries, fried seafood, fried chicken, or anything deep-fried in oil should be avoided altogether.

Bad Fats: Shortening and hydrogenated oils, margarine.

Nitrates: An additive in salami, bacon, sausage, and other cured meats.

Alcohol: While it may seem like a temporary mood lifter, alcohol is a depressant and can worsen long-term depressive symptoms.

Foods to Eat for Anxiety

Pages 79-80

Fermented Foods: Yogurt, kefir, apple cider vinegar, cultured foods, and pickled vegetables are some.

High-Fiber Foods: Beans, brown rice, berries, bran, pears, bananas, apples, broccoli, carrots, almonds, walnuts, amaranth, oats, buckwheat, and pearl barley.

Tryptophan: Turkey and other meats and chickpeas are most effective when consumed with carbohydrates.

Minerals: Magnesium, potassium, and selenium.

Spices: Turmeric.

Foods to Avoid for Anxiety

The Western Diet Pattern: Foods high in bad fats (red meat and fried foods) and high-GI carbs such as white bread, white rice, potatoes, pasta, or anything made from refined flour.

Personally, I eat red meat. My body needs red meat’s amino acids, protein, and iron.

However, flour and sugar, the pale saboteurs, masquerade as innocent pantry staples. Yet, they conspire against me, wreaking havoc on my beloved brain and colon.

So, beware the allure of pastries and doughnuts—they harbor the enemy within.

Caffeine: Dr. Naidoo recommends keeping caffeine intake under 400 mg/day.

But keep in mind that’s about four or more cups of coffee daily.

Alcohol: For men, stay under 14 drinks per week and no more than two drinks per week on any single day. Women should remain under seven drinks per week and no more than one drink daily. By cutting back slowly, you will help lower your anxiety.

Gluten: Avoid all wheat products such as bread, pizza, pasta, and many alcoholic drinks if you have celiac or non-celiac disease.

Artificial Sweeteners: Avoid aspartame and saccharin in particular. Use sucralose and stevia in moderation.

I don’t use sucralose (Splenda) or artificial sweeteners other than monk fruit and stevia in moderation.

One study[2] shows that people who use artificial sweeteners, mostly from diet drinks, are more depressed than people who don’t drink those beverages. Even worse, the study says, artificial sweeteners can be toxic to the brain.

Brain Fog

Pages 134-137

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention brain fog. So, let’s talk about that.

Dr. Naidoo says ‘brain fog’ is when you can’t think clearly or concentrate. And there may be underlying conditions such as early Alzheimer’s or dementia.

However, brain fog can happen without any underlying condition. Researchers believe it’s due to excessive brain inflammation. Dr. Naidoo recommends following a diet she calls the Mediterranean eating pattern or the MIND diet.

You can read about brain fog on pages 136-137 of This is Your Brain on Food. However, below is a list of strategies and foods to avoid consuming.

Dr. Naidoo suggests working with your doctor to reduce your calorie intake.

Drink no more than 3-5 drinks per week for women and 5-7 for men.

Keep caffeine consumption under 400 mg/day.

Incorporate olive oil into your cooking.

Use herbs and spices.

Add luteolin-rich and phosphatidylserine-containing foods to your diet. I’ll list a few to give you an idea:

• Fresh peppermint
• Sage
• Thyme
• Hot and sweet peppers
• Radicchio
• Celery
• White beans
• Eggs and dairy (if you can tolerate dairy.)
• Beef liver

Foods to Avoid for Brain Fog

The Western diet, unsurprisingly: Foods high in bad fats, fried foods, and high-carb foods (white bread, pasta, potatoes, white rice, and anything made from refined flour).

Gluten: Avoid all wheat products if you have celiac or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Many alcoholic drinks contain gluten.

Now, let’s look at a real story.

Ted’s Story

Pages 29-30

“Let’s face it, Doc, there’s nothing a great meal can’t fix, right?” Ted said to me during his first visit to my office. Ted was 39, a highly successful entrepreneur who found himself feeling depressed—unhappy with his weight and stressed out by his job and countless responsibilities at home—and using food seemed to help him cope. While he was able to function in his day-to-day life, his mood was low, and food seemed to ease the pain he felt. Every night, after working long hours, he’d eat dinner, promptly followed by a bowl of ice cream. Then he’d sit and watch the news, and mindlessly munch on chocolate or whatever else he could raid from the kid’s snack cupboard. All the while enjoying a glass of wine, or two, or three.”

When he discussed his symptoms with his primary care doctor during his annual physical, his primary care doctor suggested he start taking Prozac. While he was open to the idea of an antidepressant, he first wanted to explore other options, such as nutritional strategies to help him feel better.”

That was when Ted reached out to Dr. Naidoo for an appointment. Ted was surprised to hear Dr. Naidoo sympathize and understand how he wanted relief from his bad feelings and ate unhealthy food to feel better. She understood how he gave in to “eating his feelings.” She said that it would make him feel better initially, but he would pay the price eventually, both physically and mentally.

“The physical toll of Ted’s depression-induced eating was clear—he had gained 30 pounds, despite trying to eat healthy at his main meals—but the mental toll was more profound. While Ted thought his eating habits were combatting his depression, they were actually deepening it.”

Dr. Naidoo goes on to say:

“Ted was right about one thing: food can be a powerful medicine. If you make the right dietary choices, a great meal can ‘fix’ almost anything, including how you feel about yourself and your life.”

Amazing! What a powerful commentary that was!

Anxiety and the Anxious Gut

How does your stomach feel when you’re anxious—butterflies, feelings of doom, dread, or nauseated? Dr. Naidoo explains the gut-brain connection—the bidirectional relationship between the gut and the brain. The gut and the brain are talking to each other in a big way.

Our digestive system hosts a complex community of microorganisms, including beneficial and harmful bacteria—good and bad bugs. When harmful bacteria—the bad bugs—dominate, they can disrupt this delicate balance, sending negative signals to the brain.

Interestingly, a 2018 study[3] compared the microbiome of people with generalized anxiety disorder to that of healthy patients.

The patients with generalized anxiety disorder had much different bacteria, which were sparser and less diverse than those in their healthy counterparts. Specifically, bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids, a sign of a healthy gut, were scarce, and there was an overgrowth of harmful bacteria—a clear example of how gut health affects brain health.

Eating Myself Sick: The Healthy Foods That Weren’t

I ate a decent breakfast every morning, a couple of fried eggs between two slices of bread.

Bread is healthy, isn’t it?

I’d hop on the school bus and shuffle my way to the back to sit with my best friend.

At lunchtime, a group of us walked from school to our favorite little cafe. I ordered French fries and a Coke. My mouth watered, anticipating the first bite of that delicious deep-fried buttery taste.

Vegetable oil and potatoes were okay, weren’t they? But interestingly, the plot digs deeper.

This quaint little diner was a step above all others. They added a golden crisp touch of ‘better than butter,’ oleomargarine!

As I got older, the fatigue grew more apparent.

I’d grab a sugar-free fudge bar or a bowl of healthy whole-wheat cereal for a midday snack. An hour or two later, I felt like I’d not slept in days.

Clarity was nil. I felt gloomy and down. The vision of a future seemed grim.

The gloom would pass after a few days, only to revisit.

Saturday nights are a thing in our house. I’d have popcorn with a movie, maybe a can of pop, like a Coke, or perhaps even two or three.

The next day, a visitor knocks on the door.

The visitor is familiar but not welcome!

But the visitor barges in regardless.

Who or what is this visitor?

The Retaliator! Healthy whole wheat, dairy, and corn disguised as gloom!

I’m not proud to admit it took me years to conclude that certain foods were my poison.

Everyone else could eat whatever they wanted, or so it seemed. What’s wrong with me?
I had even resigned myself to the idea that I could no longer relax with a few ice-cold golden bubblies on the weekends.

My energy level improved, although I hated to admit the bubbly was one instigator.

“How about a piece of chocolate cake with creamy butter frosting left over from Kay’s birthday party? Okay, I’ll have a chunk.”

The aftermath is not pretty, still!

What’s up? I gave up the bubbly.

For two days, I’d be out of whack, with no clarity, sleepy and tired, and have to take naps during midday.

Sugar turned out to be my pretty white poison—an evil predator. Sugar is in everything, so a little sugar must be healthy, right?

The White Flag Goes Up

This eating pattern continued for years until I finally surrendered, forsaking sugar, corn, dairy, ‘healthy’ whole wheat, and most grains.

These nutritious foods convinced me I was a hopeless, despairing personality—joyless, exhausted, with no focus.

The opposite of what food should do for our health and wellbeing!

The foods I struggled with promised relaxation and enjoyment but delivered lethargy, gloom, and a haze that took days to clear.

Recognizing the problem was a turning point, leading me to cut sugar, corn, dairy, and wheat. The clarity and energy I gained in its absence confirmed its role in the masquerade of ‘healthy’ choices that were anything but.

So, I encourage you to look at what’s on your menu and note how you feel after your food choices. Initially, you may not notice any immediate impact, but the subtle invasion on your mood and wellbeing will poke out its ugly head a day or two later.

If this is happening to you, visit Uma Naidoo, MD,[4] the mood food MD, at her website if you are still trying to discover why you feel the way you do.

Fatigue and Insomnia

Short Summary of Dumisani’s Story

Pages 159-160

Dumisani, a 40-year-old police officer, initially sought help from Dr. Naidoo for depression. Struggling with the demands of night shifts and caring for her adopted newborn, Dumisani found herself trapped in a vicious cycle of exhaustion and sleeplessness.

Despite her fatigue at work, she couldn’t sleep during the day due to the stress of her job and her baby’s needs, leading to reliance on coffee and resulting in weight gain and deepening depression.

Recognizing that medication wasn’t the right approach, Dr. Naidoo suggested attempting lifestyle changes before trying antidepressants to address the root cause: Dumisani’s disrupted sleep pattern and its impact on her gut health and energy management.

By adjusting her work schedule and making dietary changes to regulate her energy levels, Dumisani and her husband found a more balanced routine that improved family dynamics and significantly improved sleep.

These adjustments led to a remarkable improvement in Dumisani’s mood and overall wellbeing within three months, underscoring the profound effect of sleep on mental health and the interconnectedness of our diet, sleep patterns, and gut health.

Uma Naidoo, MD, discusses PTSD, ADHD, OCD, and more in her book, This Is Your Brain on Food, but it’s far beyond the scope of this article.

Sources

[1]This Is Your Brain on Food – UmaNaidooMD

[2]The potential toxicity of artificial sweeteners – PubMed (nih.gov)

[3]Altered gut microbiota profile in patients with generalized anxiety disorder – PubMed (nih.gov)

[4]https://umanaidoomd.com

Disclaimer: The information on this blog is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your qualified health professional before changing your health or wellness routine. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.