The Healthy Christians Issue 3 | Page 10

If you are having trouble sleeping, consume complex carbohydrates like wholegrain bread sandwiches or crackers at least an hour before your bed time because the increase in serotonin levels will help you sleep better. Brown rice is a complex carbohydrate which deserves a mention of its own since it is also rich in vitamin B1 (thiamine) and vitamin B9 (folic acid) which are all beneficial for the management of depression. Therefore, replace the white rice in your menu with brown rice. 2. Milk Milk is one of the “serotonin foods” that raise the levels of this mood balancing hormone. It also contains vitamin D which makes it doubly effective for dealing with depression. Milk is also rich in calcium which makes it triply effective for dealing with the stress of sleep problems associated with depression since the calcium reduces tension by reducing muscle spasm and reducing anxiety. Milk also contains phenylalanine which has been shown to enhance the production of dopamine by the brain. Therefore consider drinking a glass of warm milk before your bedtime if you have been having trouble sleeping. Oatmeal is another whole grain food which is important for the management of depression since it can increase the levels of serotonin which imparts a calm feeling of emotional well being. Therefore include this healthy comfort food in your diet. Page 10 (C) TheHealthyChristians.com All Rights Reserved. No material from this publication may be copied or reproduced without permission from TheHealthyChristians.com