Mental Health Awareness is high on the public agenda, as rates of mental ill-health keep climbing - but most news on this subject still makes little or no mention of nutrition and diet, despite their critical importance for brain as well as body health.
Here we’ve rounded up a few recent articles on Depression we hope you will find interesting, on:
- what a diagnosis means (and why depictions of depression are often misleading);
- new findings on the connections between physical and mental health, and
- more evidence that dietary changes can help to improve mental as well as physical wellbeing.
You can find more information, FAB comments and links on these articles on our website.
Psychiatric Diagnoses Don’t Explain ‘Why’....
“A diagnosis of depression does not explain the cause of depressed mood any more than a diagnosis of headaches explains the cause of pain in the head.”
Depictions of depression are often misleading, study suggests
“People are commonly given misleading information about depression, a new study in the journal Psychopathology shows. According to the researchers, inaccurate information makes it harder for people to understand the causes of their distress.”
Pathways linking body and brain health and impacts to mental health revealed
“Common mental health conditions like anxiety and depression reflect changes in brain structure arising from the effects of diet and other modifiable factors - including sleep, exercise, alcohol and smoking - on specific organs and systems - and how improvements in these factors could improve mental health and wellbeing via known physical pathways and systems.”
Mental health and chronic diabetes complications strongly linked both ways, study finds
"The findings highlight a need for clinicians to actively screen for mental health disorders in patients with diabetes in addition to screening for chronic complications, which is the recommended standard of care in diabetes."
Researchers find a poor-quality diet may lead to brain changes associated with depression and anxiety
“A first-of-its-kind study into brain chemistry and structure and diet quality of 30 volunteers shows that eating a poor-quality diet might lead to brain changes that are associated with depression and anxiety.”
Food and exercise can treat depression as well as a psychologist
“'Diet and lifestyle' therapy was as effective as psychotherapy for reducing depression, according to a new clinical trial in which both interventions were delivered 'virtually'. And it would cost less to provide.”
A Mediterranean diet can ease symptoms of stress and anxiety, says study
“It's no secret that the Mediterranean diet is good for your health. Already recommended to reduce the risks of bowel cancer, heart disease, and dementia, new research from the University of South Australia published in the journal Nutrients shows that the Mediterranean diet can also reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety.”
For other news items on depression in our FAB library – and many other topics concerning nutrition and mental health - please see also:
Diet and Depression - Clinical Trials
Depression and Diet - Research
Pregnancy and Depression - News
We hope you’ll find some of this information interesting. If so, PLEASE SHARE this free news update with others who you think might benefit.
Warmest regards
The FAB Team
