This is the typical food from Spain that psychiatrists never eat to avoid depression

If you ever visit a psychiatrist’s office, he or she may suggest changes to your daily diet. We’re used to getting dietary advice from our primary care physician, cardiologist, or endocrinologist. However, in recent years scientific studies have become clear: healthy diets, similar to traditional diets, It is not only associated with a lower risk of heart diseasesBut also many other organs.

The most interesting thing is that all medical experts agree on what healthy foods are. That is, what is good for the heart is usually also good for the kidneys, brain or any other organ. However, latest studies also indicate that What we eat has a fundamental impact on the functioning of our brain. In fact, diet quality has in recent years been linked to a higher or lower risk of suffering from depression.

“Studies have compared traditional diets, such as Mediterranean or traditional Japanese, to typical Western diets and have shown that Those who eat a traditional diet have a 25% to 35% lower risk of depression.“, Harvard University explains on its website. Unfortunately, although the Mediterranean diet has been the dietary pattern in Spain for centuries, the dangerous Western diet has become more common in recent decades.

too much sugar

Although we think of Serrano ham or sausage as staples in the Spanish diet, in reality, the Mediterranean diet is fundamentally plant-based. Beans, fruits and vegetables are far more important in this traditional diet and are Foods that protect organs and brain, In addition to the abuse of processed foods, an overabundance of red and processed meat – where, unfortunately, our hams and sausages are found – is a hallmark of the Western diet.

“For example, diets rich in refined sugars are harmful to the brain,” Harvard explains. “In addition to worsening your body’s insulin regulation, they promote inflammation and oxidative stress. Several studies have shown Association between diets high in refined sugars and cognitive impairment And even the symptoms of mood disorders like depression become worse.

,Dr. Guarner, the doctor who explains how we have destroyed the microbiota over the last 150 years,

But how can food affect our mood? According to Harvard, without the micronutrients in plant foods that fight free radicals and inflammation, we can expect Injuries to brain tissue and, of course, cognitive consequences. In any case, several scientific studies in recent years have shown that the intestinal microbiota is closely related to the possible development of depression. That means, what happens in the gut may have a lot to do with it.

take care of the gut

scientific journal Nature Last year they published two scientific studies in which they reported the discovery of 13 microbial taxa that were associated with depression. They are specific gut bacteria Responsible for the synthesis of key chemical messengers for depression, Such as glutamate, butyrate, serotonin and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). According to this article from EL ESPAÑOL, the authors of the study reported that a balanced diet could represent a complement to the treatment of depression.

For this reason, psychiatrists try to avoid processed meat at all costs, a group of foods that includes our precious Serrano ham, but also other products such as sausages. Processed meat has been proven to be bad for our intestines and in fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it to be carcinogenic to humans. The study that gave rise to this classification states that “Eating 50 grams of processed meat per day increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%”As explained in this article from EL ESPAÑOL.