Food and Mood: A Complementary Approach to Managing Depression
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Authors
Herscher, Elaine
Issue Date
2015
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Depression is a serious, disabling, and widespread condition. The questionable efficacy and serious side effects of antidepressant drugs have created a need for new strategies for successfully managing the disorder. This paper examines diet and supplements as powerful tools for people who suffer from depression and proposes a blueprint for a workshop and support group to facilitate self-healing through nutrition. The project, entitled Food and Mood, advances the idea that the prevailing standard of care, that is, prescribing antidepressants as the first line of treatment, ignores the power of diet and supplements to positively influence the brain chemistry of people who suffer from depression. The Food and Mood project is designed to be a complementary educational modality for managing depression. The workshop will teach the elements of a holistic nutritional approach for enhancing neurotransmitters that affect mood. From the workshop will grow a support group for those who seek support to put the knowledge into practical use.