Fish is widely considered to be one of the healthiest foods in the world for obvious reasons. Aside from that fact that it serves as a good source of protein and vitamin D, fish is also the world’s best source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for the brain. Now a team of researchers from the Medical College of Qingdao University in China have discovered another healthful quality of fish; it is believed to influence levels of depression in patients.
WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
Depression is a medical illness that affects roughly 350 million people worldwide. It is characterized by intense feelings of sadness, which can manifest in several ways. Depressed individuals, for example, may lose interest in hobbies they once enjoyed, have feelings of hopelessness or pessimism, and experience insomnia, fatigue or an overall decrease in their levels of energy.
For years, health care professionals have been searching for effective ways to treat depression. This mission, however, has not been an easy one as there is a tendency to view mental illness as less than what it is (“it’s all in your mind”). Regardless of the type of depression – whether it is situational or long term – there are preconceived notions about the illness.
Furthermore, obtaining data about mental health, in general, is difficult due to the prevalence of reporting bias, in which people misreport their feelings or suppress information they do not think is important or do not feel comfortable sharing. Cultural and societal norms may also prevent someone from revealing too much about their illness due to the fear of judgement.
LINKING FISH-FILLED DIET WITH DEPRESSION
In an attempt to learn more about depression, researchers conducted a review of 26 types of research that include studies of over 150,000 people from North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania and South America, from the years 2001 to 2014. Based on the accumulated data, the team was able to conclude that individuals who consumed more fish and fish-related products had a 17 percent reduction in their risk for depression.
Researchers were also able to identify a link between fish consumption and gender: a high level of fish consumption, for instance, lowered the risk of depression in men by 20 percent, whereas for women, the statistic was 16 percent.
THINKING ABOUT BECOMING A PESCATARIAN?
Although researchers have not determined the exact component that causes this effect, it is known that the fatty acids, vitamins and proteins specific to fish, play a key role in decreasing loneliness and depression – especially during a particularly stressful period of time, as Daily Times Gazette points out.
The results, however, may also be attributed to other factors unrelated to a fish-diet alone. It happens that those who consume higher amounts of fish also tend to exercise more and eat healthier in general. The results of the study are now published in Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
EAT HEALTHY AND KEEP FIT WITH THE PAVLOK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh73AjBjCN0
Fish Filled Diets Associated With Depression
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