Summary: Dr John La Puma tells us the top foods and nutrients to fight depression and colds<br> <br> Host: Gloria Tsang, RD<br> Guest: John La Puma, MD<br> <br> Suffering from depression or a cold is more common during the winter months. But there are ways to combat them just by eating the right kind of foods. Dr John La Puma, author of Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine tells us the top foods and nutrients to fight depression and colds.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Transcript:<br> Gloria Tsang, RD: Suffering from depression and cold is more common during the winter months. But there are ways to combat them just by eating the right kinds of foods. Welcome to the Nutrition Tidbits Podcast. This is Gloria Tsang, Editor-in-Chief for HealthCastle.com. Joining me today is Doctor John La Puma, Director of the Santa Barbara Institute for Medical Nutrition and Healthy Weight. And author of Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine. He's here today to tell us how to choose the right kinds of foods to fight depression and cold. Thank you for joining me Dr. La Puma.<br> <br> John La Puma, MD: Gloria, what a pleasure. So nice to speak with you.<br> <br> Gloria Tsang, RD: Now let's talk about depression. Are there any foods that a person should avoid if they are suffering from depression?<br> <br> John La Puma, MD: There are actually. Some foods that one should avoid are those of course that are high in alcohol primarily because it causes mood swings and as a sedative can worsen depression and it doesn't help people cope no matter what we think. And caffeine as well. In fact, there is a study of 3600 adult twins that showed a link between lifetime caffeine consumption and major depression. Also, one should avoid foods such as simple sugars as well. As you know, what Chef MD is about and what my own work has been about is what to eat instead of what to avoid. People don't need me to tell them not to drink alcohol and cut back on coffee if you are depressed. I think the more interesting data is foods that are high in EPA and DHA, the omega-3 fatty acids in fish and seafood. An analysis of ten studies shows that these seem to actually help people with mild to moderate depression. And many people who are depressed are actually Vitamin D deficient. In fact, one study showed that 80 people tested, half with mild Alzheimer's (they were older people) and half without, those with Vitamin D deficiencies were more than 12 times more likely to have a mood disorder than those who are not deficient. So, the good news is that if you look at culinary medicine, which I think of as blending the art of cooking with the science of medicine to give restaurant quality food, helps to prevent disease. There are, in fact, recipes and foods that seem to help major diseases processes including depression. And in my book, Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine, I have a chocolate blackberry smoothie for depression. And of course, who doesn't like chocolate?<br> <br> Gloria Tsang, RD: That sounds yummy. I read in your book that you have linked folic deficiency with depression. Can you tell us more about that?<br> <br> John La Puma, MD: Folate is sometimes deficient in people with depression. And so foods that are high in folate include lentils, chilli peppers, turkey and tuna. In fact, folate deficiency is a correctable problem for people with mild dementia as well. It's remarkable actually how powerful foods can be. And that's why I wrote this book because I want people to have a food lover's roadmap to preventing disease with what they eat. It's one thing to have to eat nutrients whether they are macro or micro or phyto. It's another to have for example saffron scallop, shrimp and chickpea paella as a dish that is rich in folate, good omega-3 fatty acids and good healthy chickpea, fiber and protein. So, this is an easy new approach to the question "What do you eat for that?
