There are certainly
a number of reasons to feel down as we get older: loss of friends, loss of
loved ones, loss of mobility, having to move, and so on.

When you are faced
with enough stressful situations for long enough, your defenses can give way.
It is normal to feel blue, for a while, at least. But did you know that
prolonged stress has an effect on your body, not just your mind?

Any kind of chronic
stress affects your nervous system. You make more of the pro-stress hormones like
adrenaline, and less of the anti-stress ones. Too much adrenaline, too often,
and your whole body becomes inflamed. So, chronic stress can lead to chronic,
low-grade inflammation.

Even worse,
inflammation can actually cause depression, even without the stress. And
depression causes more inflammation – a vicious cycle.

In fact, in some
cases of severe depression doctors have prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs,
along with anti-depressants, and have seen better responses than they were
getting with anti-depressants alone.

Another source of
inflammation is often found in your diet. So, a few dietary adjustments might
just be the thing to pick up your mood.

Sugar

Sugar is everywhere, including places where it should not be, like
pasta sauce. Sugar is, also – literally – addictive. Read labels of sauces that you buy. If they contain
sugar, try versions without sweeteners. Find one you like, switch over, and you
have just painlessly decreased one cause of inflammation.

Use a natural non-sugar sweetener like stevia instead of sugar. If
it doesn’t taste quite right to you, try changing brands. Different brands have
slightly different tastes, and by changing brands you might find one you like
better.

Herbs and Spices

Did you know that most herbs and spices fight inflammation? Use as much as you want of the following ones:

• Cinnamon – in desserts and coffee
  cake, of course, but also in coffee and tea, and in meat and poultry dishes,
  too.
• Turmeric – often used in Indian
  cuisine. You absorb more if you use it with black pepper, also part of Indian
  dishes.
• Oregano and basil – essential for pizza
  sauce and spaghetti sauce – and the
  Mediterranean diet. You can grow them in pots on your kitchen windowsill.
• Bay leaves – great in spaghetti
  sauce.
• Rosemary – try in potato dishes.
• Thyme – think chicken, especially
  chicken soup.

More Fish

Oily fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have
anti-inflammatory action and help prevent heart disease, strokes, and even
Alzheimer’s disease. Salmon, sardines, and herring are your best choices.

Less Fried Food

Frying in oil, with or without a coating, makes any food more
inflammatory. Try to lower your intake of French fries, fried fish, and chicken
nuggets.

More Vegetables

Most vegetables have anti-inflammatory effects. Eat a variety of
colors to get all the anti-inflammatory ingredients. If you don’t like
vegetables that well, and have difficulty increasing them in your diet, there
are ways to hide them and sneak them into your meals.

Here is a list of the ones that are most beneficial:

• Leafy greens – both cooked and in
  salads;
• Broccoli family – broccoli,
  cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale;
• Carrots;
• Tomatoes;
• Onions and garlic;
• Other veggies – add as many
  different colors as you can.

More Fruits

Although fresh fruits are known to be good for your health, be careful
here – fruits that are too high in fructose can be harmful. Great choices include:

• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Apricots
• Nectarines
• Peaches

Whole Grains

Fiber found in whole grains helps nourish the good bacteria in
your gut. This has actually been shown to decrease inflammation in your whole
body. I have not listed grains high in gluten as gluten is inflammatory for
many people. Try:

• Oatmeal
• Brown rice
• Millet

More Poultry, Less Red Meat

Meat from conventionally-raised sheep and cattle is
pro-inflammatory. Grass-fed, grass-finished meat is better for you, but poultry
is best. Go for:

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Quail

Red Wine

Red wine has resveratrol found in red grape skins. Resveratrol has
anti-inflammatory action. One 5-ounce glass of wine per day has been shown to
help decrease the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. A few varieties are listed
below.

• Burgundy
• Pinot noir
• Malbec
• Merlot
• Cabernet sauvignon
• Red zinfandel

Anti-Inflammatory Spaghetti Sauce

Keeping all of the above in mind, here is a healthy
anti-inflammatory recipe for spaghetti sauce:

Ingredients

1 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 lb ground turkey

1 28-oz can of tomatoes, canned in tomato juice (not tomato sauce)

2 8-oz cans of tomato sauce

½ cup red wine

1 bay leaf

½ tsp basil

¼ tsp oregano

¼ tsp pepper

Directions

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil, over low heat, until onion is
slightly translucent. Add turkey, chopping up the meat to crumble it and cook
until it is no longer pink.

Add the tomatoes and cut them into smaller pieces with your
spatula. Add all the rest of the ingredients, cover, and simmer for at least
half an hour. Just before serving, taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
(This is a low salt recipe, so you may wish to add salt.)

Notes: The flavor gets better the longer it cooks. After sautéing the
onion, garlic, and ground turkey, all ingredients can be added to a crock pot
and cooked on low for 6 to 8 hours.

You can make this sauce without pre-cooking the onion, garlic, and
turkey, but the pre-cooking process adds additional flavor. If you like a
thinner sauce, add a little chicken broth. If you like a thicker sauce, cook
without a lid.

How often do you feel depressed without
apparent reason? Do you use junk food to comfort yourself when you feel
blue? Would you consider trying antioxidant foods as a mood lifter? Please
share your thoughts in the comments below.