Chances are you know someone suffering from depression or maybe you feel depressed yourself. The modern bubonic plague, depression feeds on the stresses and anxieties of modern living. When a problem reaches 30-minute infomercial status, you know it affects a huge percentage of the population.

If you're dieting, depression makes it difficult to stay motivated. Why bother, you make think. Who cares if I'm fat? And the downward spiral continues.

You may find yourself in a bit of a Catch-22 situation: Your poor diet makes you feel depressed, and because you feel depressed, you make poor food choices.

The "feel good" foods beckon--chocolate, donuts, chips--and too often you succumb.

So does the answer to depression lie with psychotherapy and/or prescription drugs? The implications of those solutions are vast, including:

• financial burden
• time commitment
• social stigma
• health concerns
• loss of privacy

The treatment can be more depressing than the disease itself, and with no guarantee of a cure.

But our problems won't just go away by themselves. Much as we'd like to tell our boss to "take this job and shove it," that usually isn't an option. A rich relative won't die and leave you a million bucks and that annoying co-worker won't vanish into thin air.

Back to our diet again. What we put in our bodies determines how we act and react. What foods should we eat or not eat to help overcome depression?

The same foods and substances that make us fat and sick, make us depressed as well. These include:

• sugar

• fats

• starch

as well as many food additives:

• artificial sweeteners

• artificial dyes

• preservatives

A balanced diet, rich in fresh fruits and vegetables will eliminate many of those toxins, particularly if the produce is organic. A good multivitamin supplement provides extra nutritional insurance.

Start replacing coffee and soda with water. Enjoy sweet fruits, such as apples and plums, instead of candy or pastries. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"--a cliche for a reason--it's true!

You can treat depression with other nonmedical treatments, including meditation or yoga, taking up a new hobby, or spiritual counseling, to name just a few.

Resolve to beat depression without drugs and a trip to the therapist's couch. Reward yourself for each victory with some nonfood treat. Soon you'll be looking and feeling better!