Depression might be alleviated with a dietary change

Time Tested

There’s a lot to like about the Mediterranean diet. The olive oil, the fresh fruits and vegetables, the fish, the whole grains, and of course the wine.

Now there’s something new to like about this wholesome diet: lower risk of depression.

Chasing the blues in Spain

The concept of a Mediterranean style diet is half a century old.

In the 1950s, public health scientist Ancel Keys examined diets of several international populations. During his research, he found a group of elderly men in excellent health on the island of Crete. His analysis of their dietary habits lead to the Mediterranean diet.

Recently, researchers at Spain’s University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria published a study that looked at whether the Mediterranean diet might play a role in preventing depression.

The researchers examined about four and a half years of data on more than 10,000 healthy subjects.

They found that the people whose diets produced the highest Mediterranean diet score were significantly less likely to be depressed compared to subjects whose diets scored lowest.

All kinds of good

The Spanish team thinks the Mediterranean diet may prevent depression by regulating inflammation and delivering antioxidants. As you and I know, this same mix offers many health benefits.

In the e-Alert “Lower Your Blood Pressure without Side Effects” (8/23/01), I told you that regular consumption of onions cooked with olive oil (two elements of the Mediterranean diet) helps manage blood pressure.

And, in “Dining by the Sea” (11/30/04), I told you how the Mediterranean diet helped metabolic syndrome patients:

• Lower C-reactive protein and triglyceride levels
• Lower body weight significantly
• Increase HDL cholesterol
• Decrease glucose levels
• Decrease insulin resistance
• Improve blood pressure

When I wrote “T is For Tunnel…and Trouble” (5/15/06), I told you about a trial that showed following the Mediterranean diet lowered the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

And finally, in “Eyes on the Prize” (10/20/08), a higher intake of Mediterranean diet foods was associated with a significantly lower risk of asthma. In addition, rhinitis (nasal inflammation), itchy, watery eyes, and wheezing all improved.

No doubt, all of the components of the Mediterranean diet need to be combined to get the full benefits. But one component stands out: olive oil. You can find out more about the specific benefits of consuming extra virgin olive oil in “Liquid Gold” (11/16/05).

Sources:
“Association of the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern With the Incidence of Depression” Archives of General Psychiatry, Vol. 66, No. 10, October 2009, archpsyc.ama-assn.org