Tackle low mood with fish oils
Low mood, stress and depression can stifle the strongest ladies among us, and a healthy diet is key to tackling and managing mental health issues. New research found a component in fish oils helped to stabilise moods and even reduce alcohol cravings.
Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine looked at Omega 3 fatty acids and specifically DHA, which is one of the main active ingredients in fish oil.
They found it "normalised the behavior," in a test on mice but an unexpected finding of the research was the discovery that the mice given DHA also showed a reduced desire for alcohol.
"We believe a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids may help the treatment and prevention of bipolar disorder, and may help with alcoholism as well," said Alexander B. Niculescu, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry.
Omega 3 fatty acids are found in cold water oily fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardines. They can also be found in eggs, or taken as part of a daily supplement.
They are particularly recommended for pregnant women or women who intend to get pregnant.
The study is reported online in the Nature Publishing Group journal Translational Psychiatry.
