The Mediterranean diet is more than just a nutrition plan – it is a way of life. Many experts now say that this diet can have an enormous benefit for your wellness and wellbeing, including boosting the health of your heart, and brand new evidence shows that it could also help to reduce depression.
A group of Spanish researchers tracked 4,000 people aged between 55 and 80, some of whom where on a Mediterranean diet, which was rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and olive oil, and some of whom were simply on a low fat diet. The researchers followed them over a period of four years. During the time period, 200 members of the group developed some form of depression.
Amazingly, the Mediterranean diet cut the risk quite significantly, by around 41 percent, especially among diabetic men. This is possibly because the diet is thought to reduce levels of inflammation in the body. When inflammation occurs, it reduces the secretion of a certain brain compound called neurotrophic factors, and the levels of these are generally lower in patients who are suffering from depression.
The Mediterranean has been followed by many generations, generally by those who live around the Mediterranean (hence the name). It is rich in fish, which is lean and filled with omega 3 oils, and also contains lots of fruit and vegetables, which are naturally low fat and low carb.
Many studies have already proved that the Mediterranean diet is an ideal diet for health and wellness but this new information about depression is an area that has yet to be studied extensively, and further research is needed in order to fully understand the repercussions of it. It has, however, been known in a more general sense for some time that a good, nutritious diet helps to reduce the chances of you suffering from depression.