And if the miracle cure for depression was simply on our plate?
Many foods have the power to give us the peach and banana in a few bites.
Tryptophan, a serotonin booster to be favored on the plate
Protein , dark chocolate, banana and whole grains are rife with tryptophan, an amino acid to which we owe our joie de vivre. He is the precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which orchestrates our emotional balance and bypasses anxieties, stress and blues .
" When we are depressed , we have a low serotonin level, knowing that its concentration depends exclusively on the intake of food, being attentive to the choice of it, we can increase its production.On the third week, the morale goes up. ", rejoices the psychiatrist Florian Ferreri, author of the" Antiprime regime "(Odile Jacob ed.).
For this to work, tryptophan must be helped to cross the brain barrier that protects the brain by consuming a small amount of fast carbohydrates (fresh or dry fruits) at tea time, when the serotonin synthesis begins. Then, at dinner, we go into vegetarian mode .
This avoids the competition, detrimental to tryptophan that other protein amino acids induce during assimilation.
For its part, chocolate has not usurped its reputation as an antidepressant . It is home to substances similar to amphetamines, tryptophan and magnesium, a psychic stabilizer (also found in bananas, oilseeds and whole grains).
Coupled with vitamin B6 (herring, banana, sardines, eggs, rice, chicken), both boost the conversion of tryptophan serotonin, a substance responsible for transmitting signals from one part of the brain to another. It affects sleep, mood changes and satiety .
What do I put in my shopping cart? Eggs, cod, monkfish, red meat and offal, dark chocolate, banana, whole grains, citrus fruits (oranges, clementines, grapefruit)
Omegas-3: the anti-gloom shields
If omega-3s, essential fatty acids, are perfect for fighting depression, it's because they are major constituents of the cell membranes of neurons and they play on their fluidity.
Bottom line: Fish and chews two or three times a week and 1 tbsp. to c. of olive oil in seasoning by meal.
What do I put in my shopping cart? Cheese, chard, spinach, herring, salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna, nut, flax and canola oils, oilseeds (Brazil nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, linseed).