Sweets and Fast Food linked to Depression

[Journeys1]

Diet and mental state seem to be tightly entwined, with new research showing an increased risk of depression in junk-food eaters.

Consumers of fast food and sweets, compared with those who eat little or none, were 51 percent more likely to develop depression, the new study showed. The researchers saw that as depression levels increased, so did the amount of junk food eaten.

Study researcher Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Spain, said in a statement that "although more studies are necessary, the intake of this type of food should be controlled because of its implications on both health (obesity, cardiovascular diseases) and mental well-being."

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That's great info! Depression will increase because of the constant input of sugar and the way the body reacts to over-stimulation by triggering neurochemicals to lower stimulation levels back to homeostasis.

It's practical research too. I used to eat lots of chocolate in the evenings but for about a month now I've been weaning myself, snacking instead on lots of fruit, still sugars but not such a sweet taste. Now I'm snacking a bit on nuts which are high calorie but I find I can only eat a small number before I feel full so that stops me grazing. I followed a similar pattern with smoking, simplifying where and when I smoked until I only smoked 5 a day and only in one place, then I decided to give up and was successful.

Cutting sweet things is definitely a good move for people with anxiety and depression, as well as for weight loss.

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