Once you get into a cycle of feeling hopeless and trapped about your eating habits, this increases the symptoms of depression.
Connecting with people is so important for depression sufferers and whether you are overweight or underweight, a local diet management group will help with both the nutrition issue and the loneliness.
Here are three common ways clinical depression can impact your eating patterns and tips on how to start making healthier choices with the help of your doctor or therapist:
Comfort eating is a big problem, as most people will crave foods high in carbohydrates such as cakes, ice cream, cookies, and doughnuts. This is because the high-carb food is also high in sugar, which increases the level of serotonin in the brain. This is a chemical that is crucial to elevating moods. It may give you a quick fix of feeling good, but long term it can cause many other health problems.
For those people who struggle to eat when they feel low, it can be a challenge to find the answer to restore their appetite. The problem with a lack of food is it can place additional anxiety, stress, and worry on an already depressed person. There is no miracle cure for this, but pulses, nuts, and legumes are great energy boosters and can be eaten in small amounts. Cucumber is another fantastic source of vitamins and energy, so dipping slices into some humus or other favorite dip is something to nibble on and easy to prepare.
Here are some ideas for quick, easy; nutritional meals that can help fight depression.
1. Wholegrain Porridge
You can buy instant sachets of this in the store. There are many varieties, which include superfoods. These are the ones we suggest as they can really give your brain and body the boost it needs to start the day right. Some of the individual sachet varieties also turn into a measurer for the milk once you have tipped the oats into a bowl. So all you need for the best possible start to the day is a sachet of wholegrain porridge, a bowl, a spoon, milk, and a microwave. It’s inexpensive too.
2. Bananas
A great snack and energy booster. Just peel and eat. Keep one in your bag to avoid reaching for a chocolate bar.
3. Cucumber and Dip
A refreshing, easy snack and the fragrance of sliced cucumber get rid of bad odors in your house. So double whammy.
4. Nuts and seeds
A handful of almonds, walnuts, or other nuts or seeds is another great energy booster and is not going to need any preparation. An easy snack to take with you when you go out.
5. Couscous
If you are feeling really lazy, couscous is your answer. All you do is add water and leave to stand for 5 minutes. A bowl, a kettle, and a fork. That is all you need for this protein and energy booster. If you buy it in its original form and want some tips on flavoring it yourself, we like to put some chili and coriander salad dressing over it. You can open a can of corn and add some of that to it and some cherry tomatoes. No slicing, no preparing just put it in a bowl and you are good to go.
