Experts Reveal Meeting Mickey Mouse Is NOT the Only Way to Cure Your Depression in Disney World

We’re in the throes of winter. It gets dark at, like, 4 PM. Everything is expensive. It’s cold outside. We need a little comfort — a little distraction. If you’re anything like us, that probably means you, A.) Head to the pantry for a snack, or B.) Watch a comfort movie or show (for us, that’s probably a good old Disney movie. Just not Up; that movie would only make us sad).

Here’s the problem with our attempt at a mood boost: according to scientific studies in nutritional psychiatry, which deals with the relationship between diet and mental wellness, sweet, sugary treats probably aren’t the best thing for your mood. So, if a bag of Nerds Gummy Clusters can’t cheer us up, what can, and how can we use this information to convince our family to go to Disney World? Don’t worry; by the end of this, you’ll be amazed at the dots we can connect when Disney and food are involved.

Let’s start with the cold, hard facts. According to an article by the New York Times, the microbes in our gut have a lot to do with our mental health. Those microbes in your gut produce neurotransmitters (a.k.a. serotonin and dopamine), which regulate our emotions.

The New York Times also quoted author Dr. Drew Ramsey, who wrote Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety and founded the Brain Food Clinic in New York, which helps people improve their diets and mood. Dr. Ramsey promotes “Seafood, greens, nuts and beans — and a little dark chocolate.”

That group of foods might sound familiar. Many diet programs promote the Mediterranean Diet, which, according to the Cleveland Clinic, “emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats. You eat mostly veggies, fruits and whole grains. Extra virgin olive oil is the main source of fat.”

Now, nutritional psychiatry has produced some interesting studies over the past few years, but for now, many psychiatric professionals are hesitant to make dietary recommendations with the promise of improved mental health. That’s a long way to say that we can’t promise our food suggestions will make you feel better, but there’s no harm in trying, right?

So, if you want to get away on a little vacation and feel like giving the Mediterranean diet a try, what kinds of foods do we recommend? Well, a big one is salmon, which, lucky for us, is plentiful in Disney World.

Other nutrient-rich foods, like nuts, chickpeas, and berries, are also surprisingly easy to find in Disney World.

You can head to Sanaa for that iconic bread service, which comes with several dipping sauces (once of them even has chickpeas!), or even visit Spice Road Table in EPCOT for the House-made Hummus Fries. See? Disney World isn’t just burgers and fast-food!

Many nutrition experts also recommend eggs. They’re famous for being full of protein and good nutrients! If you want to try some amazing eggs in Disney World, we recommend breakfast at The Cake Bake Shop Restaurant.

We’re not medical experts, so we can’t promise a trip to Disney World will cure depression. But in our experience, a well-earned vacation can do wonders to improve your mood. And hey, if you want to indulge in a cookie or two, we won’t fault you. But the next time you’re out for dinner, consider the salmon, or try some hummus as a starter! You might just feel better.

We want to hear YOUR thoughts! Leave a review right here on AllEars for the restaurants you’ve been to so you can help out fellow Disney lovers planning their next trip!

In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.

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What’s your favorite thing to eat in Disney World? Let us know in the comments!