It's crazy when you think about all the different kinds of foods we eat.

We just swallow and hope it all works out for the best.

Well, it turns out there are better ways to think about keeping our bodies humming healthfully

along.

Welcome to Nutrition Facts.

I'm your host, Dr. Michael Greger.

Today we look at ways to mitigate a serious mental health disorder depression.

There's accumulating evidence that brain-derived neurotrophic effect may be playing a role in

human depression.

BDNF controls the growth of new nerve cells, and so low levels may explain the atrophy

of specific brain errors you see among depressed patients.

That may be one of the reasons exercise is so good for our brains.

Start an hour-day exercise regimen.

Within three months you can get a quadrupling of BDNF reliefs from your brain.

This makes sense.

Anytime we were desperate to catch prey or desperate not to become prey ourselves, we

needed to be cognitively sharp.

And so when we're fasting or exercising or in a negative calorie balance, our brain

starts churning out BDNF to make sure we're firing on all cylinders.

So of course, big pharma is eager to get drugs to mimic this effect, but is there any way

to boost BDNF naturally?

Yes, I just said it.

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