Red Meat and Depression Connection
Red meat can also impair mental health, new study reveals. Depression does not just occur; certain factors surely lead to its development; regular consumption of red meat is one of them.
Not only ago a mega study revealed eating red meat increases the risk of developing certain cancers. Bu there is more than that, the practice can also cause mental disorders, particularly major depressive disorder. The researchers have found red meat not only increases the risk of premature aging, kidney disease, and cancer, but also the onset of depression symptoms.
Other pro-inflammatory foods, such as sweet foods and unhealthy fats, are also found to be responsible for the occurrence of clinical depressive disorder. This is what emerges from a study conducted by a group of Australian and American researchers, whose findings were published August 8 (2016) in the British Journal of Nutrition.
Red Meat and Mental Health
Medical data and eating habits of over 6,000 women were analyzed. By studying the results of five surveys previously conducted, scientists analyzed the medical record and eating habits of 6.438 women, 52 years old on average. The scientists consider women the fact they are twice as frequently affected by depression than men.
18% of those who had the habit of eating red meat and other pro-inflammatory foods experienced more likely symptoms of depression. In contrast, those who favored the anti-inflammatory foods decreased their risk. “These results suggest that anti-inflammatory diet is associated with a lower risk of depression in middle-aged women,” summarizes the researchers.
The researchers also found that, by promoting or intensifying inflammation throughout the body, pro-inflammatory foods also affect the brain and impair mental health. This is not new. A previous study already demonstrated that brain inflammation could be linked to depression. Specific markers for inflammation were higher in depression.
In contrast, the analysis revealed that individuals who ate mostly anti-inflammatory foods (fish, nuts, vegetables, fruits…) had the risk of suffering depression decrease by 20%. Adopting a diet that contains no or little red meat and unhealthy fats helps to keep not only a physical but also mental balance, the scientists conclude.
It is well known that health comes mostly from what we eat. Therefore, this new research focused mainly on the impact of diet on depression and its connection to the severity of the symptoms of the disease. The conclusions of the work suggest regular eating of red meat and other pro-inflammatory foods not only promote depression but also accelerate the aging process.
What to conclude
Poor diet would be a risk factor for depression. Some foods, such as red meat, fried foods, sweets and trans fats (trans-unsaturated fatty acids), should be avoided or considerably limited. They increase inflammation in the body, which can lead to serious diseases including cancer, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer, osteoarthritis, and others. They also impair the functioning of the natural defense mechanism of the body, which helps to fight against pathogenic aggressions: injury, infection…
In contrast, other foods such as nuts, non-GMO vegetables (cabbage, kale, collar green), healthy fats (hempseed oil, olive oil), roots (sweet potatoes and others), fruits and berries (pineapple, blue/blackberries…) and dark chocolate should be privileged. They are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, add to your diet other foods that contain nutrients which increase the production of cerebral neurotransmitters: avocado, banana….
