Is gluten making you glum?

Gluten-free foods seem to be all the rage at the moment, but is there any evidence that a diet free from this pesky protein found in wheat, barley and rye lessens depression? A recent study conducted by the Department of Gastroenterology at Monash University and The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia proved exactly that. Investigators were able to pinpoint a definite link between gluten and depression.

Celiac disease in particular has connections to a variety of mental health problems such as schizophrenia, autism, psychosis and more. Take away the gluten, and the symptoms go away. Yet you don’t need to suffer from celiac disease to suffer from the ill effects gluten can have on your mental well-being. Bacteria in your gut can affect the way you feel, and gluten changes that bacteria.

Not all experts agree, however. Some are saying more research still needs to be done. What they all do agree on, however, is eating mainly whole foods as far as possible. The less processed, the better.

A healthy diet goes a long way in defeating depression.