There's a great deal of complexity to food. There's the nutritional component, the emotional factor, and the power of tradition. Knowing which aspect of this you're dealing with at any given time is important to your physical and mental health. Knowing how you use food, or sometimes, how food uses you, is also important.

Comfort Foods

What's your comfort food? Is it meatloaf? Macaroni and cheese? Chocolate cream pie? This is the emotional context of food. Food not only fuels your body, it soothes the hurts life tosses at you. Once again, it's all things in moderation. If you've gotten a traffic ticket and eating a few spoonfuls of chocolate ice cream makes you feel better, go for it! However, if you sit down and eat the entire half gallon, that's not such a good idea.

Then there's eating out of boredom or because you're tired. You're not hungry, but you reach for the comfort foods because they're there. They're reliable — the trusted old standbys. When you are struggling with depression, it's easy to reach for the comfort foods a little too often. This is the time to remember your goals, take a deep breath, and stop with a spoonful or two.

Eat When You're Hungry, Drink When You're Dry

There are many kinds of diet programs out there, in the world. Some are good, some are not so good, and some are downright dangerous. It's your nickel, but spend it wisely, and think twice before choosing to invest in a plan that promises miracles.

Balance is really the key to nutritional health. And if you start making good nutritional choices, you'll have no need for a “diet.” Let each day build on the successes of the previous one. Set your goal for the day, write down objectives that will help you meet it, and develop good habits. That's the key to both nutritional health and fighting depression.

Choices

Ultimately, the choice is up to you. Learning to change bad eating habits into good ones takes time and energy. Time may not be a problem, but the energy may be in short supply right now. Still, the payoff is worth the effort, and there is some help to be found in another of those wise sayings that are part of our culture, such as “just for today,” which comes from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), an organization that knows its stuff.

You have to eat, so you might as well eat something that's good. You can choose to fuel depression or to fight it. It's up to you. Just for today, eat healthy. Then tonight, you can look back at what you accomplished. It will feel good. Little steps, one at a time, can cover a tremendous amount of distance if you make up your mind to keep walking. You've got to eat. Feed your body well and reap the benefits of the mind/body connection.