Are Junk Foods Making You Depressed?

Inflammation is the catch word in medical circles as the cause of many of our dreaded diseases. But the latest research shows an undeniable connection between inflammation and mental health, particularly depression.

“We gone light years beyond the notion that certain foods like carbohydrates create a good mood,” Dr. James M. Greenblatt, a Boston-based psychiatrist and author of “Breakthrough Depression Solution: Mastering Your Mood with Nutrition, Diet and Supplementation,” tells Newsmax Health.

“We know from many research studies that a poor diet causes a variety of mental disorders including depression.”

Greenblatt says that the recent Center for Disease Control and Prevention study citing that suicide rates leaped by 24 percent over the past 15 years is partially a reflection of our junk-food society.

“Particularly at risk, in my personal experience, [are] adolescents with eating disorders,” he says. “The most dramatic increase in suicide rates was seen among girls between the ages of 10 to 14. Since 1999, the suicide rate for this group has exploded by an incredible 200 percent.

“Part of this is due to social media, but a large part is due to malnutrition. The adolescent diet is characterized by increased intake of refined grains and processed sugars, and devoid of essential nutrients.”

Greenblatt explains that your brain consumes a whopping 25 percent of our metabolic energy and therefore needs the correct food sources of protein, vitamins, and minerals along with omega-3 fatty acids to ensure optimum functioning.

“Research has shown that low levels of vitamins D, B-12, magnesium, and particularly omega-3 essential fatty acids have been linked to depression and increased risk of suicide,” he says.

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