Let me start here: I am not a medical professional. I will not tell you that you can replace <insert type of medication> with <insert type of food>. I will share my applicable experiences and that I’ve made changes to my own life and medication while working with my regular physician. It is not my purpose or role to diagnose or prescribe; I do not have that training. It is my purpose to entertain and share information en route to encouraging my audience to make positive, sustainable, healthy changes.
I’d heard a passing mention at some point that nuts in general made a good antidepressant.
Huh?
So, since I’m really, really fond of nuts, particularly almonds & cashews, I went looking for more information. Because that’s what I do; to paraphrase a fictional character from a mildly popular book & TV show, I read & I know things. :) And then I share things.
Multiple factors contribute to depression, and depression expresses differently for everyone who experiences it. This is not a topic that I take lightly. A healthy diet contributes not only to physical wellbeing but to mental wellbeing as well. (You all know this already.)
Apparently, nuts in general and cashews specifically contain tryptophan, an amino acid the body uses to build serotonin, which then boosts mood. Cashews also have antioxidants, heart-healthy fats, magnesium, copper, and potassium. They can be somewhat hard for the body to digest if they aren’t chewed thoroughly, so make like a food processor and chomp up those cashews until they’re well mashed before you swallow. I’ve heard that it’s best to chew nuts up to 50 times before swallowing. Um…for one thing, I’m not sure I have that kind of patience, and for another thing, I’m not sure I have that kind of patience. That would be a lot of chewing before swallowing, although I know I want the nuts well ground up, and nut butters don’t have the same appeal as crunchy whole cashews or almonds. Finally, even though sodium is necessary in the diet to a degree, as I mentioned in a recent post, raw, roasted & unsalted, or lightly salted cashews are probably the way to go. Unless you’re trying to replace something like potato chips, and then the salt plus the crunch equals a satisfying (and mostly healthy) snack.
What’s the bottom line? If you already take a medication, don’t replace it with cashews. Adding cashews to your diet can be a fun, tasty way to boost your mood. (So can going for a nice walk! Take the cashews along for the trail!)
Cheers! Here’s to your health!