One of the essential elements of the world's five Blue Zones, which are the regions with the highest rates of centenarians, is a healthy diet.
For instance, the lifespan of the inhabitants of Ikaria, Greece, has been explicitly associated with eating legumes, wild greens, fruit, and small amounts of seafood.
Strong bones and hearts have long been linked to the so-called Mediterranean diet.
A recent study, however, shows that it can also enhance mental wellness, transforming the blues into Blue Zone material.
For the study, 72 individuals with moderate to severe depression between the ages of 18 and 25 were given the option of sticking with their
present diet or transitioning to a Mediterranean one. The diet, which was created in Greece and Spain, swapped a lot of eggs,
chicken, red meat, and fast food for vegetables, legumes, fish, olive oil, and raw nuts.
After 12 weeks, depressed symptoms were reduced in all of the male participants who were eating a Mediterranean-style diet,
with 36% of the group reporting minimal or low depressive symptoms at the end of the experiment.
Contrarily, none of the participants in the control group reported having minimal or little depression following the 12-week study period.
The group least likely to seek treatment is young guys, who are predisposed to depression.
While they consider or look for other treatments, people with depression can start acting right now by altering their diets.
The Mediterranean diet has been shown to minimise the signs and symptoms of depression in middle-aged guys in a few trials,
but the majority of the subjects in those studies were women. There is "no reason why older guys can't get the benefits as well,"
according to Bayes, despite the fact that the focus of the current study was on young males.
Inflammation of the immune system both contributes to and is a cause of depression, and the Mediterranean diet is thought to decrease this inflammation.
Nutrition also has an impact on the gut flora, which generates up to 90% of the body's serotonin.
While Western diets strong in processed foods and refined sugars have been related to a higher risk of depression, eating habits similar to the Mediterranean diet,
which is rich in vegetables and seafood, such as the Japanese diet, have been linked to a lower risk of depression.
Because eating is something we all do every day, it seems like a very feasible thing people can do to improve their mental health.