1. < Depression & Anxiety

Food as Medicine to Address and Overcome Mood Disorders

Posted by nla4625 @nla4625, Feb 14, 2021

I've gotten really interested in the topic Food as Medicine, which includes research going on connecting depression, anxiety, brain fog and other mood disorders with an unhealthy gut. You can find information about this on gutbrainseries.com. The people who run this website are sponsoring 9 free seminars with 30 experts running from 2/15/21-2/23/21 beginning at 8pm to show how to overcome mental challenges like depression, anxiety, brain fog and other mood disorders by using proven strategies to heal your gut. In addition, they gave away 2 free e-books (Top 10 Foods To Eat to Avoid Anxiety and What Leaky Gut Does to Your Brain). Hopefully, since this starts tomorrow, these resources will be available on their website after 2/23/2021. I am not an expert on this and have no desire to be challenged or debate the issue with anyone. I'm just presenting information that has helped me. Since I've been on an intermittent fast, eliminated sugar, refined carbohydrates, and processed food from my diet, and started taking a really good probiotic, I feel 100 times better and haven't had to use my light box as much to deal with my SAD. It is clear to me there is a direct correlation between my diet, my gut and my mood. As further evidence, I had 2 years of debilitating headaches after my brain surgery at Mayo where I couldn't work or do anything but try to avoid headaches. Heavy duty prescription drugs weren't helping. At my yearly checkup, the neurologist said I shouldn't still be having headaches related to this surgery. He didn't ask me what I was eating or drinking, and I hope today that has changed. I pretty much identified my headache triggers by keeping a detailed journal of what I ate and drank and tracked my headaches against that...nonorganic chicken pumped full of hormones and antibiotics, chocolate, red wine, nitrates, ice cream, cheese, etc. I spent a lot of time researching headaches, and THE main culprit for me was aspartame. I read about how it affects brain chemistry. I quit using a packet of Equal in my coffee in the morning and stopped drinking a can of diet pop in the afternoon. That was all it took. My headaches stopped. Aspartame destroyed two years of my life. I still suffer from periodic headaches, but usually they are caused by barometric pressure weather changes or celebrating with one of my food triggers. I hope doctors and scientists will continue to do research in this area and you will look into this if you think it might help you. Nancy

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imallears | @imallears | May 14, 2021
In reply to @marye2 "Meds still work best with attention paid to diet and movement. So I do not feel..." + (show)
@marye2

Meds still work best with attention paid to diet and movement. So I do not feel they are exclusive to one another. Quality of Life is the goal.

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@marye2
You are absolutely right. I never said they were exclusive to each other which is why I ended my comment like I did. Perhaps you are taking my comments in another direction and a different topic.
We all do as we see fit with no judgements. I am glad you included movement...again another whole topic.

FL Mary

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marye2 | @marye2 | May 14, 2021
In reply to @imallears "@marye2 You are absolutely right. I never said they were exclusive to each other which is..." + (show)
@imallears

@marye2
You are absolutely right. I never said they were exclusive to each other which is why I ended my comment like I did. Perhaps you are taking my comments in another direction and a different topic.
We all do as we see fit with no judgements. I am glad you included movement...again another whole topic.

FL Mary

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For my condition, it is like a 3 legged stool to include all three. Better outcome: 24 yrs with MCTD

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annasophia | @annasophia | Jul 6, 2021
In reply to @nla4625 "@colleenyoung Thanks for your nice note and the link to the Mayo article. Along with intermediate..." + (show)
@nla4625

@colleenyoung Thanks for your nice note and the link to the Mayo article. Along with intermediate fasting and Keto, I'm exploring tea and all it's amazing medicinal properties. When I was growing up, all I knew was Lipton tea in bags, which is pretty sad. Now I'm trying a myriad of varieties and mixes, which are delicious, give me energy, and are helping me lose weight. I'm actually starting a coached 14 day intermittent fast using different teas beginning February 22. Participants don't have to follow a strict Keto plan but can. The program features Dr. Jason Fung, leading expert on fasting, obesity, and Keto; Dr. Will Cole, leading expert on functional medicine and Keto; and Margaret Ramos. There are two ways to sign up: 1. If you buy tea from Pique Tea, you can participate for free -- https://help.piquetea.com/hc/en-us/articles/1260802080690-What-is-included-in-the-Fasting-Practice-; and 2. If you sign up for a month's program through the Intermediate Fasting website. https://thefastingmethod.com/ you can participate with no additional charge. You have to register by February 19. Several days have a 16/8 fasting window and others a 20/4. Since I've been doing the 16/8 without using Keto, I want to try the 20/4 using Keto and will probably do that for the 14 days. How to do all of this is on the internet, on YouTube, or in books; but it's hard to change eating patterns and habits of 74 years. I think it will be fun and helpful doing it as part of a group for 14 days and have a chance to hear and interact with world famous experts...for the price of some tea. Thanks for everything you do help us along our way to better health. Nancy

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I have read several of Dr. Fung’s books and have been following a low carb, moderate protein, high good fat diet. I eat in a restricted window and change it up as needed.
I find that eating real food ie: organic, clean, no additives, no coloring etc is paramount to my health. I limit dairy and grains for my needs and vibrant health is my reward.
When I fast I often use an organic peppermint tea. It helps calm the tummy and add a flavor to curb the monotony.
Also Dr Fung has two Facebook support groups: One for feasting, One for fasting which I have found to be enlightening and helpful.
Sharing our journey with one another can be immensely helpful.

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nla4625 | @nla4625 | Jul 8, 2021

@annasophia Thank you for your nice note and for letting me know about Dr. Fung's facebook groups. I'll check them out for sure. I tried to join his and Megan Ramos's website fasting program and support group; but they couldn't process my Discover Card or take PayPal, which is kind of odd. I saved some money but would have liked the structure, support, and information. Mayo Connect has an Intermittent Fasting High Fat/Low Carb Group you might be interested in if you haven't found it. I've been taking a break from OMAD and am on an IF 16-8 schedule now to shake things up and be able to take supplements with food several times a day to treat my leaky gut. Functional medicine practitioners say you have to get healthy to lose weight, rather than lose weight to get healthy. I was pretty surprised when I found through extensive blood tests that I have leaky gut, which might have caused a myriad of health problems I've had over the years, including depression and chronic fatigue. I have several more weeks on this protocol; but I think I will be be glad when it is finished to get back to trying longer fasts, which Megan Ramos has found helps older women lose weight. Additionally, I really hope there is something to people being able to lose weight more easily when they are in good health. It is nice to meet kindred spirits; and organic peppermint tea is definitely on my shopping list. Thanks for that tip too. I was never a tea drinker until I started IF and then the keto diet and recently ordered an assortment of organic pukka teas that I am really enjoying. I hope things continue to go well with you. Nancy

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1 reply
annasophia | @annasophia | Jul 8, 2021
In reply to @nla4625 "@annasophia Thank you for your nice note and for letting me know about Dr. Fung's facebook..." + (show)
@nla4625

@annasophia Thank you for your nice note and for letting me know about Dr. Fung's facebook groups. I'll check them out for sure. I tried to join his and Megan Ramos's website fasting program and support group; but they couldn't process my Discover Card or take PayPal, which is kind of odd. I saved some money but would have liked the structure, support, and information. Mayo Connect has an Intermittent Fasting High Fat/Low Carb Group you might be interested in if you haven't found it. I've been taking a break from OMAD and am on an IF 16-8 schedule now to shake things up and be able to take supplements with food several times a day to treat my leaky gut. Functional medicine practitioners say you have to get healthy to lose weight, rather than lose weight to get healthy. I was pretty surprised when I found through extensive blood tests that I have leaky gut, which might have caused a myriad of health problems I've had over the years, including depression and chronic fatigue. I have several more weeks on this protocol; but I think I will be be glad when it is finished to get back to trying longer fasts, which Megan Ramos has found helps older women lose weight. Additionally, I really hope there is something to people being able to lose weight more easily when they are in good health. It is nice to meet kindred spirits; and organic peppermint tea is definitely on my shopping list. Thanks for that tip too. I was never a tea drinker until I started IF and then the keto diet and recently ordered an assortment of organic pukka teas that I am really enjoying. I hope things continue to go well with you. Nancy

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Hi Nancy,
Thank you for your kind and informative note.
Wasn’t it Hippocrates who said, “Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food”
I truly believe we are what we eat in the most cellular and basic sense.
In this last year I have changed the way I eat in that I do not consume the same type of meat, fish, poultry in succession. An elder lady suggested I do this for better gut response to food. She also recommended eating fermented foods (pickles, sauerkraut…) for gut health. I have taken her advice and see improvement in digestion.
Peppermint tea is lovely as an iced beverage as well… sometimes I make pretty ice cubes with lemon slices to make it fun!
Have a lovely day,
Anna

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