Here's How Changing Your Diet Could Fix Your Gut Issues And Cure Your Depression

Here's How Changing Your Diet Could Fix Your Gut Issues And Cure Your Depression

The research links between your diet and mental health are growing stronger.

AUGUST 21, 2017

By MARKHAM HEID

On and off throughout her 20s, Lara Jezeph struggled with depression.

“I saw three different counselors and twice tried antidepressants, all with no avail,” she says.

Frustrated with the poor results she’d experienced from conventional depression therapies, she started looking at her health behaviors—especially her diet, which was a drab procession of colorless processed foods.

“I paid more attention to how I felt after eating rubbish food compared to eating balanced, nutritious meals,” she says. She also added exercise to her routine, and cut down on alcohol—which tended to depress her mood. “I just started being more aware of my own body,” she says.

(Take steps towards a healthier you and slash your risk for heart disease by following a customizable training plan from Prevention's Walk Your Way to Better Health!)

While Jezeph noticed an improvement in her mood and energy levels, it took time for her to find the right combinations of foods to calm her gut issues, which included frequent bloating and gassiness. (Avoid these 8 breakfasts that will make you bloated every time.)

“I tried so many different diets,” she says. After first focusing on low-cal, packaged “weight loss” meals—“I never looked at the ingredients”—she eventually found relief when she eliminated microwaveable meals and other packaged and processed foods. She read up on the latest diet and gut-health research, and swapped in whole foods known to combat gastrointestinal inflammation—stuff like beetroot, walnuts, ginger, and flaxseeds. The change was dramatic; her gut symptoms disappeared, and so did her depression.

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https://www.prevention.com/health/eating-rainbow-for-depression

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