Those eating more ultra-processed foods are more likely to become depressed. That was the conclusion from a study that followed the diets and health status of over 31,000 formerly healthy US women over an average period of 14 years. After adjusting for various confounding factors including age, exercise, and income, women who consumed the most […]
A healthy lifestyle offers enormous protection against depression. That was the uplifting conclusion of a powerful new study from scientists at Cambridge University. What’s more, there are seven specific lifestyle habits that we can leverage to mitigate our chances of depression. For this study scientists analyzed the genes, the lifestyles, the brain structure, and the […]
A convincing body of data supports that excess body fat and depression are strongly linked. To tease out whether being overweight causes depression through social influences, like discrimination, or via physiological pathways, like elevated blood pressure or elevated blood sugar, scientists conducted a series of sophisticated genetic studies using data from the UK Biobank. The […]
If you enjoy eating mushrooms, you will be excited to know that this superfood appears to lower the risk of depression. Go fungi! In a study that followed the diets and mental health status of about 24,00 US adults between 2005 and 20016, scientists noted a strong link between mushroom consumption and lower odds of depression. […]
Dietary fiber has a glowing list of health accolades, and guarding against depression may be yet another to add to the list. In a study that involved more than 5,800 adult women, those who were premenopausal and consumed the most fiber were significantly less likely to develop depression. The scientists believe a likely connection between fiber and depression lies in the microbiome, […]
In a landmark new study that comprises the most comprehensive evaluation to date, scientists have uncovered a set of modifiable risk factors for developing depression. Depression is epidemic in America and is the #1 cause of disability worldwide. Thus, the results of this study are especially timely. For this 2-stage evaluation, the scientists first scanned […]
Past studies have linked low levels of vitamin D with depression, and this evaluation adds to the growing pile of evidence that adequate levels of vitamin D are fundamental to good mental health. This evaluation included over 7,000 British subjects and found those with vitamin D levels in the normal range had a 43% lower […]
The “Great White Hazards” strike again, this time on the mood front. In an analysis that followed the dietary habits of over 70,000 post-menopausal women for several years, those who consumed diets higher in refined, “high glycemic” carbs were significantly more likely to develop depression. High glycemic carbs are those that give rise to steep […]
According to research from the American Academy of Neurology, you may want to rethink your drink if you want to reduce your risk of future depression. For this study, researchers evaluated the beverage intakes of over 260,000 adults age 50 or older for a one year period of time. 10 years later they reconnected with […]
In an exhilarating new study, scientists found that simple changes to diet translated to big improvements in mood. For this three-week, clinical trial, 76 university students with poor diets and moderate to severe depression symptoms were randomly assigned to one of two groups—either the “diet change” group or the “regular diet” group. The “diet change” […]
Past studies have strongly linked fast food to weight gain, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, and based on this evaluation it seems we may also need to add depression to this list. In a long-term study that involved over 8,500 study subjects, those who consumed the most fast food (hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza) were […]
Oh, the blessings of movement! Even small doses appear to ward off the blues. In the largest and most extensive study to date, researchers concluded that regular exercise, of any variety, for as little as one hour cumulative, a week can help prevent depression. For this landmark study, researchers monitored the exercise patterns as well […]
