Mediterranean Diet Beats Depression

Here’s our second guest blogger entry by our resident medical expert on Spices.

Dr. Keith Scott –

Melancholy Mood? Look No Further Than Your Food!

What many of us have known for years – that one of the causes of depression and anxiety is a poor quality diet – has now been scientifically proven.

Mediterranean diet beats depression

At least three scientific studies over the past year have shown that a good, so called “traditional” diet can REDUCE the risk of depression by up to 30%. On the other hand those who eat a “westernized” diet INCREASE their risk of depression by up to 50%.

These research papers show that individuals who follow a Mediterranean type diet have far lower incidences of depression than those who eat a typical western style diet.

A Mediterranean diet typically consists of whole grains, pulses, fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices, seafood and low levels of saturated fats.

A typical western diet, on the other hand, consists primarily of refined carbohydrates, sugar, high levels of animal-based saturated fats and very few fruit and vegetables.

Diet affects physical and mental diseases

For some years nutritionists have accepted that those who adhere to a Mediterranean type diet have lower risk levels for physical illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other degenerative diseases.

With researchers now taking a closer look at the relationship between mental illnesses and nutrition it is now apparent that, by making fundamental changes to our eating habits, we can also reduce the risk of succumbing to common mental diseases.

This should not come as too much of a surprise to us – the brain is an organ and as such is subject to similar environmental stresses as other organs and tissues. As such it becomes more and more susceptible to disease as it ages.

Value of spices and fatty acids

Some important dietary components of a whole food diet are omega-3 fatty acids and spices such as oregano, turmeric, thyme, sage, saffron and rosemary. These foods have all been shown to have positive bioactive effects on the brain and protect against depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions.

How diet affects the brain

Precisely how diet influences the incidence of anxiety and depression is not entirely clear. However it does appear as though a good diet enhances the levels of neurotrophins in the brain. Neurotrophins are proteins that stimulate the formation of new neurons in the brain and support the survival of existing neurons. The various neurotrophins are thought to be the key to preventing many mental illnesses including depression.

Young brains also need good food

Anxiety, stress and depression are often interlinked conditions and increase in incidence as we age. However the seeds of these disorders are often sown in the early years as nutrition has a substantial impact on the young, developing brain.

Consistently eating a good diet from babyhood onward is one of the most important ways in which we can delay aging and prevent developing degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses.

The dietary key to the maintenance of a healthy mind and body is to follow, as closely as possible, a whole food diet as typified by the Mediterranean diet. It is also worth bearing in mind that true Mediterranean cuisine includes a wide variety of culinary herbs and spices – a fact often overlooked by those who advocate this healthy way of eating.

Swapping the refined food in your diet for more wholesome fare will go a long way to lifting you out of the doldrums. Moreover, adding plenty of herbs and spices to your cooking will make a significant contribution to your continued physical and mental wellbeing.

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In Cape Town, South Africa there is a very well known expert named Dr. Keith Scott who has been interested in the nutritional aspects of disease since he qualified as a doctor over 30 years ago.

I have been personally studying his work and I have found him and his discoveries fascinating! I contacted Dr. Scott and asked him if his highly specialized work had lead to any discovery of spices that could help with stress relief. He said “YES!” So I have asked him to tell us about his findings from over 30 years of research and trials in the world of spices.

He is quite an extrodinary doctor with a very unique perspective on medicine.