HEALTHY DIET A 2009 study published in Archives of General Psychiatry found that people who follow Mediterranean dietary

patterns -- that is, a diet high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and unsaturated fat (common in olive and other plant oils) -- are up to 30 less li!ely to develop depression than those who typically consume meatier, dairy-heavy fare"#$% &he olive oilinclined also show a lower ris! for ischemic stro!e#2,3% and are less li!ely to develop mild cognitive impairment and Al'heimer disease, particularly when they engage in higher levels of physical activity"#(,)% Fat: The Good and the Bad A study conducted in *pain#+,,% reported that consumption of both polyunsaturated fatty acids (found in nuts, seeds, fish, and leafy green vegetables) and monounsaturated fatty acids (found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts) decreases the ris! for depression over time" -owever, there were clear dose-response relationships between dietary inta!e of trans fats and depression ris!, whereas other data support an association between trans fats and ischemic stro!e ris!"#.% &rans fats are found e/tensively in processed foods, including many commercial chocolates (hence, chec! that label when considering the chocolate slide below)" A deficiency in polyunsaturated fatty acids has been lin!ed to attention deficit0hyperactivity disorder in children"#9% Fish Oil to Fend Off Psychosis &han!s to their high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, namely omega-3 fatty acids, fish can help fend off numerous diseases of the brain" A 20$0 study correlated fish consumption with a lower ris! for psychotic symptoms,#$0% and concurrent wor! suggested that fish oil may help prevent psychosis in high-ris! individuals"#$$% Although data are conflicting, new research shows that the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahe/aenoic acid are beneficial in depression and postpartum depression, respectively, and other research suggests that omega-3 deficiency may be a ris! factor for suicide"#$2-$+% 1ily, cold-water fish, such as salmon, herring, and mac!erel, have the highest omega-3 levels" Berries for O!idati"e #tress 2olyphenols, namely anthocyanins, found in berries and other dar!ly pigmented fruits and vegetables may slow cognitive decline through antio/idant and anti-inflammatory properties" A study in rats from 20$0 showed that a diet high in strawberry, blueberry, or blac!berry e/tract leads to a 3reversal of age-related deficits in nerve function and behavior involving learning and memory"3#$,% 4n vitro wor! by the same group found that strawberry, blueberry, and acai berry e/tracts -- albeit in very high concentrations -- can induce autophagy, a means by which cells clear debris, such as proteins lin!ed to mental decline and memory loss"#$.% 5erry anthocyanins may also reduce cardiovascular disease ris! by reducing o/idative stress and attenuating inflammatory gene e/pression"#$9% A $%hole$ Diet: Ma&e 'oo( for 'ed Meat A so-called 3whole3 diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and high-6uality meats and fish results in a 30 ris! reduction for depression and an/iety disorders, compared with consumption of a 37estern diet3 high in processed foods and saturated fats, according to a 20$0 study" #20% 8ven unprocessed red meat seems to be protective against depressive and an/iety disorders, #2$% in contrast to many studies in which red meat often falls into the category of 3unhealthy3 food" 4n spea!ing with 9edscape :ews, principal investigator ;r" <elice =ac!a specifically addressed the importance of farming practices> ;espite the growing locavore movement, much of the livestoc! in the ?nited *tates is still raised on industrial feedlots, which 3"""increases saturated fat and decreases very important good fatty acids"""pasture-raised animals have a much healthier fatty acid profile"3 A 3whole3 dietary pattern may also reduce depression ris!, as assessed at )-year follow-up Alcohol: Al)ays in Moderation &he @ree!s touted 3nothing in e/cess,3 a refrain that still rings true> Aow to moderateB alcohol consumption has been associated with numerous potential physiologic benefits, including

improved cholesterol profiles, beneficial effects on platelet and clotting function, and improved insulin sensitivity"#23% According to a recent meta-analysis, limited alcohol use is associated with a lower ris! for overall and Al'heimer dementia,#2(% a finding supported by a 20$$ study of @erman primary care patients"#23% 9oderate alcohol inta!e may also protect against cerebrovascular disease, with wine potentially having added benefit because of its polyphenolic antio/idant components (ie, resveratrol)"#2)-2,%-owever, the health costs of alcohol consumption beyond low to moderate inta!e can 6uic!ly outweigh benefits to the brain, as heavy and longterm alcohol use can lead to alcohol abuse and dependence, impair memory function, contribute to neurodegenerative disease, and hinder psychosocial functioning" *The US Food and Drug Administration defines "moderate alcohol consumption" as up to 1 drin per day for !omen and up to " drin s per day for men# $ne drin is e%uivalent to 1" fluid ounces of regular &eer' ( fluid ounces of 1") alcohol !ine' or 1#( fluid ounces of distilled spirits# Bre)ed A)a&enin*: +offee for Depression and #tro&e &he worldCs most widely used stimulant might do more than Dust wa!e us up> A 20$$metaanalysis#2.% found that consumption of $-+ cups of coffee a day cut stro!e ris! by $, " Although it may increase blood pressure, coffee beans contain antio/idant compounds that may reduce o/idation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and coffee consumption has also been associated with increased insulin sensitivity and reduced concentrations of inflammatory mar!ers"#29% Another 20$$ study#30% reported that women who drin! 2-3 cups of coffee per day have a $) decreased ris! for depression, compared with those who drin! less than $ cup per wee!" A 20 decreased ris! was seen in those who dran! ( cups or more" &he short-term effect of coffee on mood may be due to altered serotonin and dopamine activity, whereas the mechanisms behind its potential long-term effects on mood may relate to its antio/idant and antiinflammatory properties, both factors that are thought to play a role in depressive illnesses +hocolate ,, and #till More Antio!idants Ehocolate -- the dar!er the better -- seems to help scavenge free radicals and improve endothelial and platelet function, li!ely via flavanols (such as catechin), a group of plant-derived polyphenols"#33% A 20$0 cohort study published in *uropean +eart ,ournal found that consumption of + g of chocolate daily -- a standard -ershey bar weighs (3 g -- was associated with a 39 lower combined ris! for myocardial infarction and stro!e in adults,#3(% whereas data collected from the *wedish 9ammography Eohort demonstrated a 20 decreased ris! for stro!e in women who regularly consume chocolate"#3)% Although chocolate has been associated with a positive influence on mood, possibly mediated by the dopamine and opioid systems, an e/tensive review by 2ar!er and colleagues#3+% suggests that the benefits are not sustained, with emotional 3comfort3 eating actually contributing to depressed mood %hat -ot to Eat *aturated fats and refined carbohydrates have highly detrimental effects on the immune system, o/idative stress, and neurotrophins, all factors that are !nown to play a role in depression" &he study by A!baraly and colleagues cited previously#22% showed that a diet rich in high-fat dairy foods and fried, refined, and sugary foods significantly increases ris! for depression" *imilar findings were seen in another study from *pain,#,% showing that inta!e of such foods as pi''a and hamburgers increased the ris! for depression over time, and in another study, women with a diet higher in processed foods were more li!ely to have clinical maDor depression or dysthymia" #$,% Fesearch published last year#3,% also showed for the first time that 6uality of adolescentsC diets was lin!ed to mental health> -ealthier diets were associated with reduced mental health symptoms and unhealthy diets with increased mental health symptoms over time" 8/cess salt inta!e has been long !nown to increase blood pressure and stro!e ris!#3.,39%G however, recent data also correlate high salt inta!e, as well as diets high in trans or saturated fats, with impaired cognition