Depression is a mood disorder which affects the lives of many Americans. Left untreated, it can wreak havoc on your work and personal life, impacting everything from how you perform at your job to how you sleep at night. It is a leading cause of suicide and attempted suicide, making it potentially life-threatening to many individuals.
Depression is usually treated through a combination of therapy and medication. Diet and exercise have also been shown to have a huge impact on the mood of people living with mental illnesses like depression(1).
When it comes to treating any mental illness, the best approach is a holistic one, which doesn’t rely too much on any one singular approach but combines different treatments – including therapy, nutrition, and lifestyle changes – that benefit the patient.
Here are some easy juice recipes to help elevate your mood. Just combine these ingredients in a juicer, serve and enjoy!
1. Green Juice
Ingredients:
- 1 apple
- 1 stalk of celery
- 5 kale leaves
- 1 lemon, peeled
- 2 handfuls of spinach
How It Works
This juice has high levels of magnesium, which is vital in preventing and treating depression. Numerous studies have documented the positive effects that magnesium supplementation can have on depression, and magnesium preparations have had a place in homeopathy as a remedy for mental health problems for many years(2).
2. Turmeric Juice
Ingredients:
- 1 apple
- 1 medium-sized carrot
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger root
- 1 lemon, peeled
- 1 medium-sized pear
- 1 thumb-sized piece of turmeric root
How It Works
Chronic inflammation, especially the chronic inflammation caused by poor diet, has been linked to depression in several studies(3). Fortunately, just as poor dietary decisions can cause inflammation, consuming the right foods can help fight inflammation on a systemic level. Turmeric is a known anti-inflammatory, just as effective – and even safer – than over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines like Ibuprofen and Aspirin.
3. Red Cabbage Juice
Ingredients:
- 1 medium apple
- 1/4 head red cabbage
- 1 medium-sized carrot
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger root
- 1 lemon, peeled
- 1 handful of spinach
How It Works
“Folate, a naturaly occuring B vitamin, is needed in the brain for the synthesis of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine,” one study explains(4). This juice recipe contains high levels of folate to help your brain with the synthesis of these important chemicals. Folate supplementation has been shown to relieve symptoms of major depressive disorder in many individuals.
4. Beets and Pineapple
Ingredients:
- 1 beetroot
- red cabbage (leaf – 2)
- medium carrot
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 orange
- 1/4 fruit pineapple
- a bunch of spinach
Beets contain tryptophan which can help you relax. Combined with other helpful ingredients like pineapple (mood-lifter), red cabbage, citrus fruits, and spinach, this juice is the perfect way to elevate energy level, prevent mood swings, and relieve symptoms of depression.
sources:
[1]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC474733/
[2]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23950577
[3]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22553073
[4]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19909688