David Crawford MD: How sugar affects your mood and its link to depression
David Crawford MD, a psychiatrist, believes that food can have a significant effect on your mood and emotions. Eating too much sugar may increase your risk for mood disorders, including depression. Sugar is naturally occurring in complex carbohydrates, which includes fruits, vegetables, and grains. It is also present in its simple, refined form in foods like pasta, cakes, baked goods, soda, and candy, to name a few. The consumption of too many simple sugars is what puts you at risk for mood disorders – eating unprocessed, whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and fish for heart and brain health is a must in warding off chronic diseases and mental health issues such as depression. Another thing that makes simple sugar dangerous is that studies have shown that it is more addictive than cocaine – the high you get from it is stronger than the high one can get from cocaine. It is also linked to inflammation, which is linked to depression. Symptoms of inflammation are also common...