In addition, you need to avoid foods that can dramatically alter your neurotransmitter levels. This includes:
- Alcohol is a depressant and it causes your body to dump neurotransmitters, especially serotonin.
- Soda is loaded with either sugar or artificial sweeteners and is a diuretic. It causes blood sugar, hydration and neurotransmitter imbalances, all of which will set you up for depression.
- Artificial sweeteners have been shown to not only alter neurotransmitter levels, they also cause a condition called insulin resistance, which creates long-term blood sugar imbalances and leads to weight gain.
- Caffeine is also a diuretic and brain stimulant, which throws off proper neurotransmitter function. In addition, many caffeinated beverages are also loaded with sugar, artificial sweeteners and/or alcohol, which can cause more extreme imbalances.
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is used extensively in many processed foods as a flavor enhancer; it is especially used in foods that have a strong salt or meaty flavor, including most soups, processed meats, many snack-chips and salt substitutes. It can be tricky to identify. When you are looking at ingredient labels, here are several pseudonyms for MSG:
- monosodium glutamate
- sodium glutamate
- L-glutamic acid, monosodium salt
- Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
- Autolyzed yeast
MSG acts as a neurotransmitter and can dramatically alter proper brain functioning.
All of the products above can cause depletion in key neurotransmitters in the brain, which can lead or exacerbate depression. Some people are more sensitive than others, but you will not know unless you take these substances out of your diet for at least 3-4 weeks, or until you are symptom free.
