Numerous psychiatric patients treated for anxiety and depression usually have vitamin B deficiencies due to poor diet. Studies likewise show that vitamin B deficiencies result in depression-related medical ailments such as irritability, fatigue, moodiness, poor memory, stress, insomnia and restlessness.

Taking Vitamin B group helps in treating depression and anxiety due to the functions of the vitamins that belong to this group. Thiamine or Vitamin B1, for instance, helps stimulate brain activity and essential for the entire nervous system to function normally. Vitamin B3 or Niacin, on the other hand, maintains and supports the nervous system. Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine is necessary in the formation of certain chemicals in the brain; whereas, Cobalamin/cyanocobalamin or vitamin B12 is linked to mental ability.

For those suffering from symptoms associated with anxiety and depression, taking B group vitamins or B complex is recommended to improve your mood. Eliminating Vitamin B group deficiencies is an ideal start toward effective treatment.

Fish oil contains omega-3, which is a polyunsaturated fatty acid which has been more popularly linked with lowering the risk of coronary heart disease and reducing bad cholesterol levels. Omega-3 has two active ingredients: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA is said to be the one that has therapeutic effect with regard to depression and bipolar disorder. Studies that used DHA for similar treatment apparently did not show significant results. Nevertheless, having both EPA and DHA does not manifest any adverse effects when taken with antidepressant as well as mood stabilizers. It is likewise recommended to take omega-3 along with vitamins C and E for good results.

The studies on omega-3 fatty acids as treatment for bipolar disorder and depression, however, are yet to be verified and validated. It remains unclear as to how omega-3 improves the symptoms of these two psychological disorders since results of different studies vary where the most favorable dosage is yet to be determined.

Although omega-3 appears to be a promising treatment for depression and bipolar disorder due to the absence of notable risks, it must only be taken together with your medication as complementary treatment and should not be considered as a replacement altogether. More importantly, clearing it with your doctor before taking them is still the best recourse.

As is well known, fish is an extremely perishable food. Therefore, when it is caught in quantities too great to be used at one time, it is preserved in various ways. The preservation methods that have proved to be the most satisfactory are canning, salting and drying, smoking and preserving in various kinds of brine and pickle. As such methods are usually carried out in the locality where the fish is caught, many varieties of fish can be conveniently stored for long periods of time and so distributed as to meet the requirements of the consumer. This plan enables persons far removed from the Source of supply to procure fish frequently.

Composition and Classes of Fish

In general, the composition of fish is similar to that of meat, for both of them are high-protein foods. However, some varieties of fish contain large quantities of fat and others contain very little of this substance, so the food value of the different kinds varies greatly. As in the case of meat, fish is lacking in carbohydrate. Because of the close similarity between these two foods, fish is a very desirable substitute for meat.

In fish, as well as in shell fish, a very large proportion of the food substances present is protein. This proportion varies with the quantity of water, bone, and refuse that the particular food contains, and with the physical structure of the food. The percentage of fat in fish varies from less than 1 per cent in some cases to a trifle more than 14 per cent in others. This variation affects the total food value proportionately. The varieties of fish that contain the most fat deteriorate most rapidly and withstand transportation the least. Fish containing a large amount of fat such as salmon, turbot, eel, herring, halibut, mackerel, mullet, butterfish and lake trout have a more moist quality than those which are without fat such as cod. Like meat, fish does not contain carbohydrate in any appreciable quantity. In fish, mineral matter is quite as prevalent as in meat.

Food Value of Fish

The total food value of fish, as has been shown, is high or low, varying with the food substances it contains. Therefore, since weight for weight, the food value of fat is much higher than that of protein, it follows that the fish containing the most fat has the highest food value. Fat and protein, as is well known, do not serve the same function in the body, but each has its purpose and is valuable and necessary in the diet.

So far as the quantity of protein is concerned, fish are valuable in their tissue-forming and tissue-building qualities. Nutritive value of fish may be lost in its preparation, if proper methods are not applied. To obtain as much food value from fish as possible, the various points that are involved in its cookery must be thoroughly understood. When the value of fish as a food is to be determined, its digestibility must receive definite consideration. Much depends on the way it is cooked. The ease with which fish is digested is influenced largely by the quantity of fat it contains.

In addition to the correct cooking of fish and the presence of fat, a factor that largely influences the digestibility of this food is the length of the fibers of the flesh. It will be remembered that the parts of an animal having long fibers are tougher and less easily digested than those having short fibers.

Essentially a Low GI diet means eating more fruit and vegetables and cutting down on foods that are high in saturated fats. An easy way toknow if you are eating a low GI meal is when you look at your plate (your meal should be a standard serving) it should be divided into three parts, one quarter meat, one quarter carbs and one half vegetables.

“Why?” you ask.

It’s simple, when you eat low GI foods like fruits and vegetables, your body has a much more consistent level of blood glucose (sugar) over a longer period of time. This means that your energy levels last longer and you don’t get that big sugar rush that makes you feel sleepy and tired after a short period time.

When you eat, the sugar in food cause your liver to produce insulin. Insulin stores the nutrients from your food so that you have energy in between eating. High GI foods makes the body produce excessive insulin levels, which causes you to have higher levels of energy than necessary (and make you feel more hungry as they do not help to sustain your appetite). If you do not lead a consistently active lifestyle to burn of the excess energy off, the high levels of insulin will cause you to gain weight. The more overweight you are, the greater the effect the high insulin levels will have on you.

Now that you have a basic understanding of a Low GI diet, this means that you can create a balanced eating guide to help you lose weight, or keep an already healthy figure trim. But just because your eating healthy does not mean that you have to give up eating all your favorite sweet, like any diet a Low GI eating plan lets you incorporate a well deserved treat. Just remember to make an effort to get up and have a walk around the block afterward to help your body process that extra energy. Sticking to a Low GI diet will lower your chances of developing diabetes, lower the risk of heart disease and keep you feeling terrific.

GI foods are rated with a number from 1 -100 with high GI foods generally rated over 70, medium GI foods around 50 – 60 and low GI foods less than 50. Learn more about Eating a Low GI Diet.