diet approach is working so far

[koshka]

After 17 years of depression and bouts of pyschosis, i decided to try a nutritional approach to getting better as well as visiting the supportive Recovery skype chats and prayer.

I noticed a difference in feeling better recently and the only change i had made to my diet was the introduction of much more natural yoghurt - I've been having organic probiotic natural yoghurt daily for breakfast, sometimes with a banana. I've been feeling more alert and able to focus more things, although i still think there's room for more improvement.

I've read a little about the yoghurt and believe it could be that the probiotic is helping my gut by giving it the right bacteria so i can absorb more nutrients from food.

Apparently, lots of people have too many bad bacteria in their gut which can lead to all sorts of problems.

So now I have begun taking a multivitamin and 1g of vitamin C extra and some omega oils too. I've read that there are lots of benefits to taking extra vitamin C and have found lots of helpful information on a website called www.doctoryourself.com. Over the past couple of days I've also made homemade soups and steamed some vegetables and cooked wholegrains to have with them.

Today I've managed to stay awake all day, I got up at nine am without feeling groggy (which is very unusual) and went out to the shops twice and felt quite positive which is a real achievement.

I know its early days but I'm really hoping that eventually I can get off the medicine and get healthier with this approach.

 

[Everlasting33]

I am so thrilled that you posted this thread! Nutritional healing is very much underestimated within our society, particularly due to the high dependency on prescription medicine.

Diet will certainly strengthen one's body. Have you heard of Komboucha? I've been drinking it for quite a while and its provided my gut with a ton of beneficial bacteria. GT's Kombucha - Home

I eat a lot of fish for the fatty acids, Omega 3s and I make sure I eat a lot of saturated fat (carbs make you fat). I have greater mood stability and overall better health.

So great to hear that you have found the healing in nutrition!

"Don’t eat anything your great-great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food. There are a great many food-like items in the supermarket your ancestors wouldn’t recognize as food (Go-Gurt? Breakfast-cereal bars? Nondairy creamer?); stay away from these.”~ Michael Pollan

 

[miss-a]

Excellent news! Thanks for sharing!

 

[koshka]

I am so thrilled that you posted this thread! Nutritional healing is very much underestimated within our society, particularly due to the high dependency on prescription medicine.

Diet will certainly strengthen one's body. Have you heard of Komboucha? I've been drinking it for quite a while and its provided my gut with a ton of beneficial bacteria. GT's Kombucha - Home

I eat a lot of fish for the fatty acids, Omega 3s and I make sure I eat a lot of saturated fat (carbs make you fat). I have greater mood stability and overall better health.

So great to hear that you have found the healing in nutrition!

"Don’t eat anything your great-great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food. There are a great many food-like items in the supermarket your ancestors wouldn’t recognize as food (Go-Gurt? Breakfast-cereal bars? Nondairy creamer?); stay away from these.”~ Michael Pollan

Thanks for your post - I haven't tried Kombucha but will take a look at the link. I've got a really long way to go but i really want to keep going this time cos i've noticed such a difference in the way i feel although i've yet to notice any difference in my weight (but here's hoping). I get what you say about carbs making you fat - they do! And yet, here in the UK I still think they push them in too high a quantity.

The next thing I want to investigate is what nutrients help you with stress cos I got pretty stressed out this evening and that made me ravenously hungry so i don't know what all that was about.

 

[derek W L]

Ive got to do something about diet ,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Everlasting33]

The next thing I want to investigate is what nutrients help you with stress cos I got pretty stressed out this evening and that made me ravenously hungry so i don't know what all that was about.

What did you eat today? Was the stress reasonable to the situation?

Nutrition is but one of the many ways to combat stress.

 

[koshka]

What did you eat today? Was the stress reasonable to the situation?

Nutrition is but one of the many ways to combat stress.

Thanks for your message Steelerbred. I think I had fairly reasonable meals although i had two things i wouldn't normally have - for lunch i had root vegetable soup and a slice of homemade broccoli quiche - for dinner I had wholegrain rice, cabbage, carrots, onion and some soya sausages. Wouldn't normally have the quiche (I ate too much for lunch really) or the soya (was using them up cos they were in the freezer).

The reason i got stressed is cos my son decided to change university quite suddenly and there was the prospect of him coming back to live with me again for a period of time - and he likes totally different food (lots of meat) and i'm now on a low benefit so it could have meant a lot of financial pressure.

I guess nutritionally, I may be lacking in whatever is normally found in dark green vegetables (which might be a bit vague!) since I haven't been having so many of them lately - the cabbage I had was quite pale.

Something for me to look up further.

 

[koshka]

I just read the following on this webpage:-

Diet: Reduce Stress With Nutrients

The key nutrients for stress are those that aid the adrenal glands, which are the tranquilising mineral, Magnesium (best taken in the evening) and all the B vitamins, in particular, Vitamin B5 to prevent adrenal atrophy. Urinary excretion of Vitamin C increases under stress so extra should be taken to support the cells and immune function. Other nutrients include DL Phenylalanine, an amino acid, that helps to elevate mood, vitamin E, to counteract cholesterol damage, and Co Q 10 to protect the mitochondria against oxidative stress.
SOURCE: Wholistic Research Company


So it seems actually the B vitamins could be key - I know that they are implicated with psychosis too - in particular niacin. I am wondering whether its worth taking a B complex supplement on top of my multivitamin as I know that if you have any excess you just excrete it in your urine because they are water soluble. Have yet to look up what foods contain the B's.

Also, I think I've been low in magnesium too because I found out on an alternative health website that low magnesium can cause leg cramps and I've been having quite a lot of that for some time and my doctor didn't know why.

 

[miss-a]

Most foods contain B vitamins, but in quite low quantities. When I was in the throes of adrenal fatigue, my doc had me take additional B complex on top of my multi-vitamin, as well as LOTS of C.

Glad, sooooooo glad to see you doing so well with this!

 

[Criada]

Glad this is working for you so far

Dark green veg contains a lot of minerals and vitamins, and is especially recommended for vitamin K

 

[Everlasting33]

I just read the following on this webpage:-

Diet: Reduce Stress With Nutrients

The key nutrients for stress are those that aid the adrenal glands, which are the tranquilising mineral, Magnesium (best taken in the evening) and all the B vitamins, in particular, Vitamin B5 to prevent adrenal atrophy. Urinary excretion of Vitamin C increases under stress so extra should be taken to support the cells and immune function. Other nutrients include DL Phenylalanine, an amino acid, that helps to elevate mood, vitamin E, to counteract cholesterol damage, and Co Q 10 to protect the mitochondria against oxidative stress.
SOURCE: Wholistic Research Company


So it seems actually the B vitamins could be key - I know that they are implicated with psychosis too - in particular niacin. I am wondering whether its worth taking a B complex supplement on top of my multivitamin as I know that if you have any excess you just excrete it in your urine because they are water soluble. Have yet to look up what foods contain the B's.

Also, I think I've been low in magnesium too because I found out on an alternative health website that low magnesium can cause leg cramps and I've been having quite a lot of that for some time and my doctor didn't know why.

I have read through the many nutritional books that I own that its best to get these vitamins through diet, not supplements.

 

[Everlasting33]

Thanks for your message Steelerbred. I think I had fairly reasonable meals although i had two things i wouldn't normally have - for lunch i had root vegetable soup and a slice of homemade broccoli quiche - for dinner I had wholegrain rice, cabbage, carrots, onion and some soya sausages. Wouldn't normally have the quiche (I ate too much for lunch really) or the soya (was using them up cos they were in the freezer).
.

Here is something to really consider: dietary fat has been linked to mood stability. An interesting study:

"In this 1998 study from the British Journal of Nutrition, subjects initially consumed a diet with 41% of calories coming from fat, then half of these subjects switched to a low-fat diet with only 25% of calories from fat. The group with the lower-fat diet developed higher levels of anger, hostility, and anxiety compared to the group continuing the higher-fat diet:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9505799"

As I have increased saturated fat on a daily basis, my moods have stablized dramatically. And, this is saying a lot since I have been a moody individual since childhood. So, please look into this.

 

[Forgiven828]

Interesting thread.

I definitely don't want to add more saturated fat to my diet because I am overweight already. Lord knows my blood needs to be a bit thinner so I won't add any thickener.

I am lost on the idea of adding bacteria to my gut helping my moods?

Can someone add a link or give a bit of information on the benefits?

Thank you!

 

[Everlasting33]

Believe me, saturated fat will make you lose weight. Sounds crazy, I know! If you cut carbs under 100 g a day, you will lose weight.

"Many of my clients and my 'Kombuchian' friends suffer from depression. Some of them have been on antidepressants for years and have been able to cut back, and in some cases, discontinue their medication when they begin drinking Kombucha Tea consistently.

Here are some of the 'key words' they use when describing the effects of Kombucha:

• Well being
• Endurance
• Happy feeling
• Light feeling
• Serenity
• Peace
• Joy
• Stamina
• Tolerance
• Better concentration
• Deeper sleep
• Vivid dreams
• Lucid dreams
• Enhanced meditation

Kombucha and Depression

 

[Forgiven828]

Kombucha is fermented tea, right?

Is there any alcohol content?

Thanks!

 

[Everlasting33]

Yes, there is alcohol content in it, although there is debate over how much. Alcohol, in and of itself isn't a problem, especially since Kombucha has so many benefits. Alcohol, like with beer or wine, is much more harmful and offers no benefits.

 

[Forgiven828]

Thank you for your information Steelerbred. I can see the benefit of adding natural bacteria to our systems. I am just not sure I want to do it with fermented tea. I am open to trying it though after I do a bit a research. Lord knows I have spent enough years battling mood swings that I am willing to consider alternative methods.

Have a blessed day sister.

 

[SoulSinging247]

I find that avoiding processed foods and high amounts of sugar help me GREATLY!

 

[Dianna_Child of God]

That is great you are doing this. Wishing you the best of luck. Can be hard to make changes to how we eat. I have certain vitamins can help.

 

[Everlasting33]

Thank you for your information Steelerbred. I can see the benefit of adding natural bacteria to our systems. I am just not sure I want to do it with fermented tea. I am open to trying it though after I do a bit a research. Lord knows I have spent enough years battling mood swings that I am willing to consider alternative methods.

Have a blessed day sister.

If you are worried about the alcohol content, Bubbies makes saurkraut and pickles that are full of healthy bacteria for the gut!