My brother suffers from depression. Earlier in the year he started eating a very low carb diet in an effort to lose weight rapidly. After about a month of living on eggs, tuna and steak the kilos had been falling off, but unfortunately that wasn’t the only thing in decline.
He started to get really down, in spite of his medication.
After a visit to his doctor, who suggested he start eating carbs again, his depression improved and his weigh loss plateaued. Unfortunately my brothers cooking doesn’t extend to beans and lentils so he’s back on the pasta, toast and beers. I wonder what would have happened if he had tried being Slow Carb?
Anyway it was an important reminder to me that what we eat can have an impact on how we feel.
introducing serotonin
Serotonin is a chemical in our brains that is known for helping us feel good.
Carbohydrates increase our levels of serotonin, as does Prozac, alcohol and some illegal drugs.
But before you reach for that slice of bread or call your dealer here are some tips for naturally boosting your seretonin levels and helping you feel good.
11 tips to boost your mood
1. Make sure you’re getting enough [slow] carbs.
If you’re feeling a little blue, upping your legumes can be a brilliant way to make you feel better. Vegetables also contain carbs so making sure you’re getting your 5 serves a day can help too.
2. Don’t be tempted to go for the quick fix.
While a sweet treat can give an instant serotonin boost, they don’t actually increase your capacity to produce serotonin in the the long term, which is what we’re looking for.
3. Make sure you’re getting enough protein
Serotonin is actually produced in our bodies from the amino acid tryptophan which comes from protein such as nuts, eggs, turkey, beans and fish. Over the long term, unfortunately protein alone isn’t enough, for optimum serotonin production you need a little carbohydrate. So veggies, nuts and legumes are your friend.
4. Make sure you’re getting enough food
Without enough fuel to run on, your body gets stressed leading to irritability and depression.
5. Exercise!
As we discussed in class, large amounts of exercise aren’t going to make you lose weight in the long term. But exercise does have other benefits, such as increasing production of our friend serotonin. So it’s important to schedule in a little exercise to help you feel good.
6. Make time for family & friends
When we feel love and comfort, our bodies produce another brain chemical called Oxytocin, which can be even more powerful than Serotonin.
7. Minimise your use of stimulants.
Caffeine, sugar and alcohol all give us a temporary lift, but do nothing to improve our brain chemistry and moods in the long term. As a good Slow Carber, you’ll have already ditched the sugar hit. It’s a good idea to keep coffee and booze to 2 cups /glasses a day maximum.
8. Make sure you’re getting lots of good fats.
Things like fish oils, flax seeds (linseeds), salmon, other oily fish and green leafy veg all contain good fatty acids such as Omega-3s which have been shown to decrease depression and improve mood.
9. Folate it up
You may think that folate (one of the B vitamins) is just for pregnant ladies, but removing folate deficiency has been linked with curing depression. So make sure you’re getting lots of green leafy veg and beans.
10. Get your selenium
Selenium is a mineral which has also been linked with improving mood. The best source is brazil nuts but it’s also found in seafood and meat.
11. Sleep your way happy!
Getting too little or too much sleep can be equally detrimental to your mood.
back to Reclaim Your Waistline
Add to my Old Favourite Recipes