Over the years, we have heard Feuerbach's famous saying: "Man is what he is". But American psychiatrists and nutritionists follow the new slogan: "Man" feels "what he eats". In accordance with the new theory, which captured the minds of both sides of the Atlantic in the summer, there is a very close relationship between diet, brain work and the emotional state of the individual.
According to scientists, the study of the influence of food products, which in all world civilizations were called "comfortable products", opens up new and revolutionary boundaries for the treatment of depression and other mental illnesses. And these diseases, scientists say, can be defeated using food instead of drugs.
At least three scientific studies conducted in the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel indicate that an increase in the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega 3, which are present in fish, has a "huge impact" on the depressive state and on the violation of human brain activity. And this fact probably explains that the Japanese and Finns who eat fish every day are least susceptible to depression.
The British study shows that 88% of patients have a sharp reduction in mood swings, panic attacks and depressive crises due to the exclusion of sugars, caffeine, alcohol and saturated fats from the diet and a simultaneous increase in the diet of fruits, greens and especially fatty And such varieties of fish as tuna, salmon, anchovies, sardines, mackerel and mackerel.
Even more interesting results were obtained during a study in Mauritius. Scientists have determined that children who eat a lot of fish from the age of three are 64% less likely to go to prison. Conclusion: both crime and antisocial behavior depend on the diet, and those who do not eat fish should take Omega 3 capsules.
What is the secret of these wonderful products? "Some foods help the brain produce chemicals that allow us to feel more calm, happy, and clear," explains Dr. Christine Albert of Harvard University Medical School and author of a study confirming that a diet rich in Omega 3 acids abruptly Reduces the likelihood of heart attacks.
The two "key" chemical substances of the brain that are most dependent on what we eat are serotonin and dopamine (the third "element of happiness," endorphin, is associated with love and exercise). "The first substance reduces stress and causes a sense of calm and happiness," explains Jane Eldershaw, author of "Mood and Food". - The consequence of a low level of this substance is depression, feelings of anxiety, sadness and fatigue. The second substance is connected with the sharpness of the mind and causes such reflexes as the ability to feel pain and pleasure ".
Both these substances are produced in the brain with the help of amino acids present in food. Serotonin, with the help of l-tryptophan, contained in proteins (veal, lamb, pork, turkey, chicken, soy, cheese, milk and fish), also contributes to the production of dopamine. But in order for all these happiness substances to function, the brain also needs vitamin C, zinc, folic acid and, above all, the Omega 3 complex, which gradually turns into a new panacea for so many mental disorders, ranging from phobias to postpartum depression, from PMS To a chronic sense of anxiety and aggressiveness in adolescents.
"It acts in the same way as Prozac, but without side effects," says New York dermatologist Nicola Perricon, author of the bestseller Perricon Recipes, according to which a diet whose main product is salmon (rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids) Eliminates wrinkles on the face and is an excellent replacement for plastic surgery.
At the end of June an international conference of scientists was held in Great Britain, which concluded that "in the industrial world, millions of people are at risk of developing mental illnesses, because in their diet, as well as in mothers during pregnancy, there is no precious complex of Omega 3 ".
Medicus. En.