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Dietary responses to SAD 'aren't complete solution'Date: 03/10/2007 09:52:51
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People suffering with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) have been advised to avoid quick fix dietary solutions to the problem.
Telling sufferers to be wary of quick fix solutions, the British Dietetic Association (BDA) downplayed the benefits of nutrition-based remedies like eating lots of carbohydrates or taking vitamin supplements.
Diet was identified by the BDA as an important factor in maintaining the sense of well-being necessary to stave off all forms of depression, but nutritional advice came with a warning that it alone is not a solution to SAD.
A spokesperson for the BDA said: "One of the problems is that, as a dietician, what we mustn't get into is saying: 'You've got seasonal mood disorder, you are feeling depressed, therefore make sure you boost you're serotonin levels by eating lots of carbohydrates'.
"That is not actually how your body works. We make our own levels of serotonin in the brain," he continued, adding, however, that dietary proteins do play a part in upping serotonin levels, making certain foods an important part of a general healthy diet.
Rating highly in these stakes was the Mediterranean diet, full of complex carbohydrates and the sustained release sugars, but the BDA acknowledged uncertainty over whether positive effects on mental health were psychological or chemical.
"We do know that if you are taking omega 3 you are likely to have less depression, but we don't know if that is a direct effect or whether it's just because your general diet is better when you are feeling happier," said the organisation.
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