Most dieters are unhappy about having to diet, but few are genuinely depressed.  Depression can manifest itself in the form of sadness, emptiness, anger, irritability, and/or an overall inability to control one’s emotions.  Many women who experience premenstrual syndrome also experience depression, irritability, and weight gain that is not necessarily connected to dieting.
That said, if you are on a diet, and have acquired symptoms of what you and your doctor have determined is depression, here are some ideas that may help:
1. Â Decrease the amount of sodium, caffeine, and sugar in your diet.
2. Â Make sure you are getting adequate B-vitamins by taking at least 300mg per day of B6.
3. Â Check to see if you are Vitamin D deficient. Â If so, increase your intake using diet or supplements.
4. Take a multivitamin daily that includes essential minerals such as zinc and copper that are known to help fight depression.
5. Increase your  omega-3 fatty acids by including more fish in your diet such as salmon and tuna
6. Increase your folic acid by eating more deep green vegetables such as spinach and kale. Avocado is also a good source of folic acid.
7. Â Try herbs such as St. Johns Wart and Ginkgo Biloba. Â Both have shown excellent results in treating depression.
8. Exercise.  Exercise is known to increase serotonin which helps to fight depression.
9. Sleep. Â Sleep deprivation itself can look like depression in some people. Â Make sure you are getting an adequate amount for your body. (Generally 7-8 hours in most people, but you may need more or less than that).
-MD Diet Staff