After reeling from the shock news that the Mediterranean diet was vanishing, Spanish scientists have managed to give even more reason for not deserting their naturally healthy diets.
Something that was suspected for a very long time since movies like supersize was that junk food affects not just the body but the brain/mind also. Now the universities of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Granada have published a study that claims people on a junk food diet are 51% more likely to become depressed.
The study comprised of 8,964 participants, who had never been diagnosed with depression or
taken anti-depressants. Almudena Sanchez-Villegas, who led the study, which was printed in the Journal Public Health Nutrition claims that people on a junk food diet are more likely to be single and less active than those on a healthy diet.
After only 6 months of the junk food diet, 493 of the participants were diagnosed with depression or taking anti-depressants. It also goes on to show that it is dose related, meaning that the more junk food you eat, the more likely you are to be depressed.
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| Photo - Trevor Langbell |
These days eating healthily is always a challenge, especially with such mine fields as people claiming that potatoes make you fat and tell you to cut 'carbs' and fat out of your diet. A healthy balance of fresh food is always the best option. The study highlights how processed food is the main culprit.
Fruit, vegetables (yes even potatoes) and fresh sources of other grains, proteins and fats are essential for good mental and physical health. Just control the portion sizes. Be happy to eat less and try to avoid eating so that you feel full. Try to (metaphorically) leave some space in your tummy for it to move around a bit and get properly digested.
Stay Healthy!
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