There is a lot of promising research being done about the relationship between your gut microbiome and depression and other mental health issues.
Hopefully more research is done in populations across the world because it seems like currently most of the literature is focused on a western population.
"High-fat consumption not only leads to obesity but also causes widespread inflammation of body systems. The gut microbiome may alter the harmful effects of the high-fat diet, improving mood and behavior. By modulating gut microbiome composition through proper nutrition and probiotics, we also help decrease anxiety and depression [4]." [0]
[0] (2020) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7510518/
[4] (2018) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088915911...
I agree about the "thanks I'm cured" energy and that's why I included citations to show that it does help some people. It's worth trying. It's not the only reason for depression, but it is the easiest and has the least side effects in terms of treatment options. No constant cost of therapy and no drugs and side effects. But if you have multiple things causing issues with mental health, you're going to crave the unhealthy food to cope. That makes adherence to a healthy diet harder too.
I think the most promising recent legislation regarding food has been Oaxaca, Mexico banning sugary drinks and junk food for those under the age of 18 in 2020. [0] Which also has specific research backing that age group. [1]
There's might be some debate eventually about high-fat vs high-sugar being worse, but over-processed junk food is a good catch all I think. Neither is healthy for a gut biome although high-fat/lipid is talked about more often. [2]
I personally have a theory that high-sugar is worse than high-fat. But I have no research I can point to backing it other than the idea that low carb diets seem to do better than low fat diets. Even though diets at the end of the day it's calories in, calories out, in this context not all calories are equal. I think self measuring blood sugar levels are going to be the next big thing for diet trends.
I do agree that fresh fruits and vegetables are harder to find in places of lower socioeconomic status, but that's a more complex issue than only "elite" grocery stores reserving the fresh fruit.
GMO fruit is just as good as organic. The marketing in the west makes it seem like organic is the only way to go, but frozen fruits and non organic vegetables are just as healthy if not healthier. [3] You generally have to use harsher pesticides for organic foods anyway to get good yield. [4]
The bigger issue is that time is a also luxury and preparing a healthy meal takes time.
People who can afford that time are also affluent enough to be able to shop at elite places like Whole Foods. The supply chain for fresher fruits and vegetables means the cost is higher so it only sells at 'elite' chains where there is a demand and people can afford it.
If you're working long hours, maybe two jobs, you're not going to have time to cook, the cheapest reasonable meal is the processed fast food place.
I don't have a solution but with enough research, public policy won't be able to ignore the detrimental cost of high-sugar and high-fat and highly processed foods. One day I think we'll look at food today the way we see nicotine and cigarettes of the past, and I'm not alone in that sentiment.
[0] https://www.npr.org/2020/09/14/912029399/we-had-to-take-acti...
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7284805/
[2] 2019 Microbiome and Mental Health, Specifically as It Relates to Adolescents
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11920-019-1075-...
https://sci-hubtw.hkvisa.net/10.1007/s11920-019-1075-3
[3] https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/science-f...
[4] https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/02/author-robert...
Food banks are also significantly less likely to carry fresh vegetables vs canned ones.
They may use the same umbrella diagnosis, but when you seek treatment different causes of depression are all separately tested for. Food-mediated things are not top of mind, not in the least because nutrition is poorly understood and incredibly personal besides. That's something much easier investigated on your own (something you are taught the tools for when you seek therapy).
Not every therapist is the same. There's an even bigger problem when it comes to the standards of therapy.
I have strong opinions about this because I have been through the system. I prefer not to go into further detail however.
Perhaps a fecal transplant, way less invasive, would do her some good. South Park even did an episode on this topic.
Isn't this covered by "situational depression" (adjustment disorder with depressed mood) VS "clinical depression" (major depressive disorder), and the fact that diagnosis entails excluding physical conditions that cause similar symptoms?
None of the various depressive disorders (nor other psychiatric disorders) deal with defining a cause, but with describing a set of symptoms.
The point I am arguing agrees with the second thing you mentioned, psychiatry is about treating the symptoms not cause.
Should they be both treated using the same medication?
Situational depression doesn't "count" as real depression.
If the cause of the mental issues is unknown, you're left with treating the symptoms, which is certainly better than nothing, but often inexact and trial and error. Thus it makes sense to knock out any probable known causes when starting treatment before assuming an unknown cause.
My personal experience was when I was first diagnosed is that I had my vitamin levels checked, thyroid checked, had some sleep labs, and everyone recommended losing weight and exercise.
One problem with depression, as mentioned in the article, is that it's hard to define exactly what the problem is (there's no "depression center" in the brain) which means treating the symptoms is often the only option.
For starters, you could eliminate the extra-processed foods from your diet and add more natural sources of food.
Then you could follow a regiment of 2-3 meals a day. Put the protein heavy + fatty foods in the first meal of the day and the carbs heavy foods as last meals.
Make sure you are eating enough nutrients. Don't be afraid of salt.
Add lots of fermented food cause there is a link with improving the gut and its ability to fight inflammations.
Add movement and exercise, and make them a habit. Get a fitness buddy.
Make sure you are a getting regular good sleep.
I would recommend you a great podcast series called the Huberman lab, where this Stanford professor offers great insights about how the body works and what are the latest news from various research fields.
I am not aware of any good reason for worrying about when your basal metabolism is lowest. If you want to lose weight do intermittent fasting and get into ketosis.