Action Plan for Depression
Up your intake of essential omega 3 fats
This means eating oily fish at least twice a week, seeds on most days and supplementing omega 3 fish oils.
The best fish for EPA, the type of omega 3 fat that’s linked with improving mood, are:
Mackerel (1,400mg per 100g/3oz) Herring/kipper (1,000mg) Sardines (1,000mg),fresh tuna (900mg), Anchovy (900mg), Salmon (800mg),Trout (500mg). Tuna, being high in mercury is best eaten not more than three times a month.
The best seeds are flax seeds and pumpkin seeds. Flax seeds are so small they are best ground and sprinkled on cereal. Alternatively, use flax seed oil, for example in salad dressings. While technically providing omega 3 only about 5% of the type of omega 3 (alpha linolenic acid) in these seeds is converted in your body into EPA. Omega-3 seeds and seed oil should not be cooked.
When supplementing omega 3 fish oils you are aiming for about 1,000mg of EPA a day for a mood boosting effect. That means supplementing a concentrated Omega 3 Fish Oil capsule providing 500mg, once or twice a day and eating a serving of any of the above fish three times a week.
Check your homocysteine level and get enough B vitamins
Your homocysteine level is an indicator of your B vitamin needs. , You can be tested through your GP or using a home test kit. If your level is above 9mmol/l take a combined ‘homocysteine’ supplement of B2, B6, B12, folic acid, zinc, and TMG, providing at least 400mcg of folic acid, 250mcg of B12 and 20mg of B6. If your homocysteine score is above 15mmol/l double this amount. Also eat B vitamin rich whole foods – whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. Folic acid is particularly rich in green vegetables, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, while B12 is only found in animal foods – meat, fish, eggs and dairy produce. A good starting point is also to supplement a multivitamin providing optimal levels of B vitamins, which means 25mg-50mg of B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine) and at least 100mcg of folic acid and 10mcg of B12 and biotin.
Consider supplementing the amino acid 5-HTP
Most of the effective studies used 300mg of 5-HTP, however we ideally recommend testing if you are low in serotonin with a platelet serotonin test and starting with 100mg, or 50mg twice a day. If 5-HTP is not available, you could supplement the amino acid tryptophan in amounts of 500mg – 2g per day – again, we would suggest starting at the lower end. Tryptophan is best absorbed either on an empty stomach or, ideally, with a carbohydrate snack such as a piece of fruit or an oatcake. 5-HTP is well-absorbed with or without food. Also, make sure you eat enough protein from beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, fish, eggs and meat, which are all high in tryptophan. Do not take 5-HTP or tryptophan if you are currently taking an anti-depressant without your doctor’s permission.
http://www.foodforthebrain.org/content.asp?id_Content=1644
