TWELVE CRUCIAL NUTRIENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH EITHER THE DEVELOPMENT OR THE TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION- AND WE FURTHER NOTED THE TOP PLANT AND ANIMAL FOODS THAT CONTAIN THOSE NUTRIENTS
Folate or Vitamin B9 makes and regulates DNA as well as to make major neurotransmitters we know are strongly linked to depression like serotonin and dopamine. The most dense sources include lentils, chickpeas, brussels sprouts, asparagus and cooked spinach (folate is heat sensitive). Healthy brains are chock-full of folate, helping to ensure that cells can do their jobs and regulate mood. Folate is the natural form of folic acid, derived from folium, the Latin word for foliage, which gives you an easy reminder of one place you can find this vitamin, in leafy greens. Low levels of folate can result in low mood, low energy, and feelings of worry. Food Category → Leafy Greens, Rainbows, Beans: Lentils, Chickpeas, Brussel Sprouts, Asparagus, Spinach (cooked).
Iron: The brain required 20% of your energy and to create that energy it needs access to hemoglobin, the iron-based protein in your blood that transports oxygen from lungs to the brain, and myoglobin, another iron-based protein that stores oxygen in your muscles when you need busts of energy. Many argue iron is the nutrient most critical to overall brain function. Dopamine and serotonin production (mood, focus and pleasure) also requires iron. Iron available in plants is 30-40% less absorbable than the iron you find in meat and seafood- you can increase absorption by adding an acid like lemon juice or vinegar or using a cast-iron skillet. Food Category → Seafood, Nuts, Beans and Seeds, Leafy Greens, Meat → Red meat (grass fed), Dark Chocolate, Pumpkin Seeds, Sesame seeds, Spinach.
Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids: The longest and most complex (polyunsaturated) fats that you can eat, stimulating the brain to produce more of important nerve growth factors that promote neuroplasticity, or the ability for your brain to grow and change. They’ve also been implicated in regulating- and reducing-inflammation levels in the brain and body. There are two kinds of Omega 3’s, the shorter less complex based omega 3’s, referred to as alpha-linolenic acid or ALA (leafy greens, hemp seeds, flax seed), and the more complex like EPA and DHA. DHA is estimated to compose 8% of the dry weight of your brain. A lack of adequate omega-3 PUFA consumption has been consistently associated with depression. Seafood (fatty fish) → Wild Salmon, Tuna, Oysters, Sardines, Anchovies.
Magnesium: One of the few nutrients that directly stimulates brain growth, helping to promote synaptic transmission and neuromuscular conduction. Numerous studies have identified a connection between magnesium deficiency and poor mood; low magnesium levels increase the risk for depression. Magnesium is the mineral at the center of photosynthesis- a way to conduct the flow of energy from the sun all the way to your brain. Leafy greens, Nuts, Beans and Seeds, Rainbows → Almonds, Cashews, Spinach, Black Beans.
Potassium: This mineral enables every nerve impulse and every neural signal across the human nervous system by allowing the cell membrane to pump in vital nutrients and pump out waste.. A lack of potassium has been linked to mental fatigue, as well as a decrease in mood. Potassium also helps regulate serotonin levels, while low levels have been implicated in chronic pain. Rainbows, Leafy Greens → Bananas, Spinach, Kale.
Selenium: Antioxidants help protect cells, including brain cells, from damaging, inflammatory molecules called free radicals. The most powerful antioxidants are not the ones you eat, but the ones your body makes. In order to make those antioxidants, the body needs the appropriate ingredients, selenium being one of them → Glutathione is the top antioxidant in the brain. Selenium also plays an important role regulating metabolism, DNA synthesis and brain signaling pathways. It is critical for thyroid health. Rainbows, Seafood → Brazil Nuts (~10x all others), Lobster, Tuna, Shrimp, Halibut.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): The brain has immense energy needs (20% of overall). The brain gets energy from glucose. In order to transfer glucose to energy the brain needs adequate levels of thiamine (Vit. B1). Less than optimal levels have been linked to low energy, apathy, brain fog, and irritability. Seafood, Leafy Greens, Rainbows → Pork, Sunflower Seeds, Trout, Peas, Pecans.
Vitamin A: Sometimes referred to as retinol, is found in meat, eggs and dairy. Vitamin A molecules not only work as antioxidants, helping to prevent cellular damage due to inflammation, but also to help regulate cell growth and division while also playing a critical role in the body’s ability to produce DHA, the long chain omega-3 factty acid, which is a key constituent of brain health. Vitamin A is strongly linked to reduced risk of dementia, cancer and depression, while newer research suggests Vitamin A helps facilitate neuroplasticity or the brain’s ability to form new synapses and adapt in response to the environment. Rainbows, Meat Eggs → Carrots, Sweet Potato, Pumpkin.
Vitamin B6: Also called pyridoxine, Vitamin B6’s main responsibility is to convert the food we eat into energy; one of the key ingredients required to make neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine, both of which influence mood. It also helps create melatonin and decrease levels of homocysteine, and therefore inflammation, as well as to make the red blood cells that help port oxygen to the brain. When B6 is low people often have trouble concentrating and may also experience feelings of nervousness, irritability and sadness. Seafood, Rainbows, Beans, Meat → Chickpeas, Wild Salmon, Chicken, Potatoes, Bananas.
Vitamin B12: Like the other B vitamins, vitamin B12 helps to produce crucial brain chemicals that regulate mood and anxiety levels, including serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. In addition, it also helps to decrease homocysteine (inflammation marker) and supports the myelination of brain cells, which allows synaptic messages to travel across the brain more efficiently. Approximately 10-15% of adults over 65 are deficient in this vitamin, which, unfortunately, increases the risk of developing a depressive disorder. Seafood (especially bivalves), Meat, Eggs and Dairy → Eggs, Meat, Oysters, Mussels, Clams, Wild Salmon, Dairy.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C doesn’t just prevent colds, it helps to counter the damage caused by inflammation processes in the body and brain. It also acts as a cofactor in many chemical reactions and, in doing so, promotes cell health and neural signaling. It can also aid in absorbing other vital nutrients like iron. There's a reason besides taste we squeeze lemon on seafood, it helps us get more iron from those fish, clams, and oysters. We’ve long known that vitamin C deficiency can lead to scurvy, but not getting enough Vitamin C can also lead to feelings of fatigue and depression. Rainbows, Leafy Greens → Guava, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Strawberries, Kiwi, Oranges, Tomato, Snow Peas, Kale.
Zinc: This important mineral plays a role in cellular processes and immune function. It's a protective nutrient, helping to support your body’s natural defense systems to fight medical conditions like cancer, infections, and excess inflammation. It’s also involved in the regulation of synaptic transmission and neuroplasticity. Low zinc levels are difficult to measure, but can result in lowered levels of neurotransmitters like glutamate and serotonin, increasing your risk of depression and anxiety. Nuts and Seeds → Steak, Oysters, Ground Turkey, Sesame Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds.
Other Key Players:
Choline: Choline is a special molecule important to lipid synthesis, including the myelin that insulates neural circuitry. It’s a brain builder that makes phosphatidylcholine, the most common fat in all cells, and helps regulate inflammation. It’s also a key ingredient of an important neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, that’s important to learning and memory… Eggs, Scallops, Beef, Brussel Sprouts.
Phytonutrients: The molecules and nutrients that come from “eating the rainbow”, or a wide assortment of fruits and vegetables, help to promote neurogenesis (the development of new brain cells) and reduce inflammation. Rainbows.
BDNF: A neurotrophin, the “Miracle-Gro” protein that helps the birth of new cells, new connections, and acts as a toxin protector. There have been numerous studies that show patients with a major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder have lower BDNF levels than those without such diagnoses. YET, you can increase the amount 0f BDNF your body produces regardless of gene expressions, by eating foods that bolster the production of BDNF, like nuts and leafy greens… Nuts, Wild-Type Seafoods, Berries, Dark Chocolate.
Gut Health
Probiotics: Fermented foods like kefir, sauerkraut, and probiotic yogurt.
Fiber is made of long chains of glucose held together by a bond humans can’t digest. It helps bind and eliminate toxins and feeds healthy bacteria in the gut. Beans, vegetables, fruits → Lentils, Navy Beans, Black Beans, Split Peas, Onions and Berries.