What foods can relieve depression and anxiety?

There is currently no "special effect food" that can directly cure depression and anxiety, but the long-term consumption of specific food ingredients can indeed help stabilize moods and reduce the frequency of mood swings. It is especially effective in improving mild to moderate emotional problems. Among the 7 mildly anxious clients I have contacted who insisted on dietary adjustments, 5 reported that the number of times they lost control of their emotions was reduced by more than 30% in about 2 months.

The miraculous claims on the market that "eating bananas can combat depression" are actually a bit exaggerated. The tryptophan in bananas is indeed a synthetic raw material for serotonin, but you have to eat more than 10 regular-sized bananas to reach the effective dose. If you really eat so many, you may burden your body by taking in too much potassium ions. There is no need to force yourself to eat more.

When I usually give dietary advice to clients, the first thing I usually mention is to eat deep-sea fish 2-3 times a week, such as saury, salmon, and sardines. The rich omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can help regulate neurotransmitter levels. One of my previous clients who worked in operations said I ate takeout that was heavy in oil and salt, and I often felt inexplicably irritable at three or four in the afternoon. I couldn't help but get angry when talking to my colleagues. Later, I brought grilled saury in my lunch box two days a week. For a month and a half, I told me that the inexplicable irritability was much less, and my hair would not explode because of small mistakes in docking. Of course, this effect is not effective for everyone. People who often eat deep-sea fish will not gain much from supplementing. There is no need to spend a lot of money on high-priced fish oil supplements. Food supplements are enough.

In addition to deep-sea fish, the role of dark green vegetables and whole grains is often overlooked. The folic acid in spinach and kale, as well as the B vitamins in oatmeal and quinoa, are all essential nutrients for maintaining nervous stability. There was a little girl who was preparing for the exam. In order to lose weight, she ate boiled vegetables and half a bowl of white rice every day. She often burst into tears while trying to learn. She was still lying in bed at two or three in the morning because she was so anxious that she couldn't sleep. Later, I asked her to replace half of the white rice with mixed grains and add a small handful of stir-fried spinach every day. Within two weeks, she said that the unreasonable feeling of depression was much reduced, and she no longer felt as if her chest was tight and out of breath while sitting. However, it must be made clear here that folic acid and B-complex are only nutritional supplements for regulation. If you have reached moderate or above levels of depression and anxiety, don’t think that eating vegetables will solve the problem. You should seek medical consultation and psychological consultation.

If you suddenly encounter an emotional problem, such as working on a project until late at night and being anxious and unable to sit still, or having a conflict with someone and feeling overwhelmed, you can also eat two small pieces of dark chocolate with a concentration of more than 70%. It doesn’t need to be more, just two pieces the size of a fingernail. Flavonoids can help calm nerves quickly. When I am rushing to meet a deadline, I will carry a small tablet in my pocket. It is much more effective than drinking sweet milk tea. After drinking sweet milk tea, it is easy to have an irritable period when blood sugar drops suddenly. Dark chocolate does not have this problem. Of course, if you are sensitive to caffeine and eating dark chocolate will make your heart beat faster and your palms become sweaty, then don’t touch it. You can also switch to a small handful of plain almonds or walnuts. The magnesium in it can help relax tight muscles and relieve the anxiety of clenching your fists and tight shoulders and necks.

Finally, I have to remind everyone that food is only an auxiliary means of emotional regulation, just like watering a potted plant that is a little wilted. If there is a problem with the root system, watering alone will definitely not save it. If you can't get motivated for more than two weeks in a row and have no interest in the things you liked before, don't rely on food to recover. It is the most responsible choice for you to go to the psychiatry or psychology department of a regular hospital for a screening first.