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The Top 6 Foods to Help Beat Anxiety and Depression

People tend to understand that what they eat has a direct bearing on their physical health. Diet also has an enormous effect on mental health, too. The foods you eat can help you overcome anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses. Here are the top six foods that can help. Although they are numbered, it is useful to think of them together, rather than one being better than another.

#1 Parsley

Often relegated to the role of a garnish because it is visually appealing, parsley is a powerful brain food. It is high in vitamin C, folate, many minerals including iron, and it contains Omega-3 fatty acids. Parsley also contains a lot of protein.

Parsley is best when eaten raw, such as by chopping and addition to green salads. It can be cooked or added to soups, stews, and sauces for flavor, though cooking diminishes the amount of healthy substances in parsley.

    • Hey, parsley is an all-around great vegetable/herb. It is full of vitamins and minerals and as a side benefit, it really is good for freshening the breath. I planted some in starter pots in the house yesterday. :))

    • Eating parsley can help, too. Negative emotions can partly be caused by health issues people don’t even know they have. I tend to be a positive person, but even I occasionally have negative thoughts. I usually deal with it by a combination of diet and prayer, not necessarily in that order. lol

  1. Thanks alot for sharing such a vital information. There are many people around who actually need such type of advices to cure themselves from the diseases, or from the early symptoms of the diseases which they might be becoming prone to.

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#2 White Mushrooms

Studies have shown that there is a link between mental health and vitamin D. This is one reason that depression and other mental illnesses tend to be most prevalent in the winter. Our bodies produce vitamin D when we get sunlight.

Many foods are artificially fortified with vitamin D. However, white mushrooms are a good natural source of this vitamin. Whether raw or lightly sautéed, white mushrooms can be eaten for a boost in vitamin D levels, helping with mental health.

These six foods can help overcome depression and anxiety by making sure that the needed substances are available to your body for mental health. These are all good for good physical health, too. This makes sense because a healthy body and mental health go together. Eat healthily and stay calm and happy. This is more than just a good motto.

          • It is sometimes amazing what things a person can convince themselves that they won’t like, even though they normally would, to the point that when they try it, they don’t like it. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. It can work in a positive way, too. A person can convince themselves that they will like something even if it is very bland and tasteless. Then, when they try it, they like it.

            Everyone does this to varying degrees, as kids or as adults. There have been many things I didn’t think I’d like, which of course I didn’t when I tried them. Survival training helped purge my distaste for a lot of things so I can at least tolerate them now. Going for quite a while when the choice is between things I didn’t like or nothing at all, has a way of changing my mind. lol Like many people, I can go some time without eating if I need to, but there comes a time when even things that are unsavory start sounding pretty good.

            All that is despite the fact that I wasn’t pampered as a child and had to eat a little of everything that was served and also had to eat everything that was on my plate. There were still things that I totally disliked until survival training erased that notion.

          • Well my family all likes mushrooms….but they never forced me to try things….so honestly, I never tried mushrooms….but I just know in my mind that it’s something I wouldn’t like.

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    • They are also called crimini, portobello, and button mushrooms. When they are found growing wild, they are usually just called meadow or field mushrooms. It is all the same species. They are easily the most sold mushroom in the world.

      I use mushrooms in spaghetti and chili sauce, and I like them on burgers or steak, but I think my favorite is simply fried in butter.

#3 Whole Grains

Whole grain includes all the cereal grains. While this is a group of foods rather than one, a key to the healthfulness of whole grains is that the entire grain is used in whole grains.

Specifically, whole grains contain complex carbohydrates that increase the amount of an enzyme called tryptophan in the bloodstream during digestion. Tryptophan is used by the brain to produce the neurotransmitter; Serotonin. Serotonin has a calming effect on brain functions. There is substantial research showing that low serotonin levels are a leading cause of mental issues such as depression and anxiety.

Whole grains supply tryptophan for a long period. Substituting whole grain flour for white flour in cookies, breads, or pasta is an example of ways to increase the intake.

#4 Tuna Fish

Tuna is high in protein, which helps to clear the mind and to give you energy. Having the proper intake of protein to balance the carbohydrate intake stabilizes the brain function. Tuna is also a good source of vitamin B12 and it contains vitamin B9.

Tuna contains tryptophan, so it helps to increase serotonin levels. Additionally, tuna is high in Omega-3 fatty acids. These are extremely important antioxidants that function throughout the body, including the brain.

  1. Houda, there are plenty of other foods that are also high in the same vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. (For some reason, I wasn’t able to reply directly to your comment on this post.)

#5 Broccoli

Studies have shown that there is a direct relationship between depression and the lack of B vitamins, especially B9 (folate) and B12. Broccoli isn’t a great source of B12, but it is a good source of folate. It is also an excellent source of vitamin C, which is another important antioxidant. One cup of chopped broccoli contains more than the recommended daily value of vitamin C. Vitamin C is also needed to produce serotonin. Additionally, broccoli has a lot of protein and it contains Omega-3.

For the greatest benefit, broccoli should be eaten raw or steamed. It shouldn’t be over-cooked because this can leach out many of the healthful substances.

    • It can certainly be expensive, particularly when it isn’t in season. However, it can sometimes be found less expensive if it is frozen. It also isn’t difficult to grow.

#6 Garlic

Garlic is a super plant. It is helpful for so many ailments and health in general. It is high in vitamin C, very high in vitamin B6, contains lots of thiamin, manganese, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, copper, and zinc. It also contains Omega-3 fatty acids and has a high protein content.

Garlic is best when eaten raw, which many people take objection to doing, but it still imparts a lot of health benefits. As a tip, an age-old way of taking care of “garlic-breath” is to eat a sprig of raw parsley, mentioned above.

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Written by Rex Trulove

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