Depression: How eating more Vegetables can help

Depression is an illness that causes a person to feel they are inadequate. It affects their minds, their bodies, moods and thoughts. Depression affects how one feels about themselves as well as other things.

Those who are affected by depression can not merely just think themselves out of it. Depress as a real disease with real problems. If not treated properly depression can last for weeks, months or even years.

Depression is a bit harder to diagnose because the symptoms are those that occur in some who may not suffer from depression at all. Some symptoms include, loss of appetite, overeating, constantly sad, anxious, a sense of helplessness or feeling worthless, low energy, fatigue, insomnia and trouble concentrating or remembering things.

Although you should always see your doctor first to obtain proper treatment, studies have shown that eating a wide variety of vegetables can help.

Vegetables are a great source for vitamins and minerals. Minerals have been shown in studies to be a key source for brain and nerve functionality. In order for your body to be healthy and get the minerals and nutrients it needs you need to ingest high quality vegetables at least 3 times per day, but some doctors even recommend up to 6 times.

Good choices for high quality nutrient rich vegetables are spinach, asparagus, and broccoli, to name a few. Not only are they rich in the minerals and nutrients your bodies need but they have an extremely low caloric count, so they are a good source for a healthy nutrition plan as well.

Because depression is a disease that affects people mentally and because minerals have been shown to increase brain functionality, many experts believe that eating more vegetables can assist with doctor’s recommended prescription treatments.

Unlike other processed foods and meats, vegetables are one of those food sources that we can actually make ourselves (unless of course you herd of cattle in your yard). Through gardening during the warmer months we can literally grow our own treatment for depression in our backyards.

Just remember raw vegetables have a higher nutrient and mineral content than cooked, so eat them fresh whenever possible. Try to make half of each of your meals some kind of vegetable to ensure you are getting ample amounts of nutrients and minerals. As a rule of thumb starchy vegetables are ones grown underground (potatoes, carrots, beets etc.), so limit your intake of those to keep your carbohydrates to a minimum.

Eating vegetables won’t cure depression, but a higher intake combined with your doctor’s recommended treatment prescription can go a long way to making depression a lot easier to handle.

About the Author
Mike is the author of the book Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person. It is a practical easy to follow book that teaches gardeners everything from composting techniques, aeration and frost conditions, to choosing the right tools and picking the right seeds.