Mediterranean Diet Beats Depression

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.

Spices Stabilize Stress

A couple of years ago I started writing my third book on a health related topic. While carrying out research for the book, numerous references to scientific studies showing how important spices are in helping to prevent and treat a variety of diseases, kept turning up.The closer I looked into this subject the more I discovered how much research was being done into the therapeutic and preventive properties of spices.

That warm feeling you get after you have eaten a very spicy meal is not only a result of the heating effects of chilies and other spices. Apart from their delicious flavors and metabolism-boosting effects, all spices have extremely valuable health enhancing properties.

What has this got to do with stress you may ask?