For people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), certain dietary changes can help when combined with a
comprehensive treatment program.
Studies have shown that by eliminating certain foods from the diet, people with SAD a
reduction in symptoms, and that certain foods can trigger the symptoms.
Food Cravings
With winter-onset SAD, cravings for simple carbohydrates usually increase. One study discovered that women diagnosed
with winter depression eat more carbohydrates, both sweets and starches, than do women without SAD. The women in the
study reported eating in response to emotionally difficult conditions, anxiety, depression, and loneliness more frequently
than women who were not depressed. The study noted that the eating patterns associated with SAD were distinct from those of
women with eating disorders.
People with winter-onset SAD process sugar differently in winter compared with summer, or after light therapy in winter.
Changes in neurotransmitters that can affect cravings also occur in women with this type of SAD. Because consumption of
carbohydrates can influence neurotransmitter levels, experts have long speculated that eating simple carbohydrates may
be a form of self-medication in people with SAD during the winter.
A review of the research on diet and mood found that,
while eating simple carbohydrates in reaction to depressed mood does bring about a temporary lift in mood, other evidence
suggests that a more lasting effect on positive mood may be achieved by eliminating simple carbohydrates from the diet.
Alcoholism and SAD
Research has indicated that a high percentage of alcoholics use alcohol to self-medicate seasonal depression.
Evidence also suggests that SAD is associated with both alcoholism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Moreover, SAD, ADHD, and alcoholism have a familial component and a relationship to serotonergic functioning.
This suggests that alcoholics should be screened for SAD and ADHD. Additionally, light therapy may also be a useful
part of an alcoholism recovery program and may help to prevent relapse.
Food Allergies
Food allergies can impact nutrient assimilation, digestion, and the effectiveness of prescription drugs.
Additionally, antidepressant drug intolerance may indicate a food intolerance. Evidence suggests that people with
SAD and other forms of depression who do not respond to conventional or natural approaches should consult a health professional to determine
possible food sensitivities.
Celiac disease, a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten, has been linked to major
depression and suicide. Gluten is in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods containing wheat,
barley or rye. Some oat products contain gluten as well. When a person with celiac disease eats foods containing gluten,
an immune reaction occurs in the small intestine, resulting in damage to the surface of the small intestine and an
inability to absorb certain nutrients from food.
Celiac disease is easily treatable with diet modifications. Investigations of abnormal electrical activity using
EEGs in children with celiac disease noted that two thirds of them normalized following dietary restriction.
Treatment for depression due to celiac disease should begin with blood tests, and be followed by dietary exclusion of
the offending proteins, such as gluten-containing grains and/or dairy proteins.
