Sugar and Depression
Abm4n
Posts: 529 Member
Just been reading about the link between eating high levels of sugar and depression - how sugar makes some people feel anxious and then depressed when their sugar levels fall. So maybe this is why a HIGH SATURATED FAT diet combined with LOW CARBS works so well for me in controlling and elevating my mood. I just feel so much better emotionally and mentally much sharper on this low carb high fat diet.
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Interesting how that works, isn't it? Much to my surprise, one thing that following a LCHF lifestyle resolved for me was depression. I no longer have to take medication for it (yay) and I'm rarely depressed anymore. I do still have the occasionally sad / down day, but overall, the difference with reference specifically to my depression levels pre-keto vs. post-keto are night and day!3
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I can't help but wonder if this may in some way, be related to LCHF's effect on epilepsy in some people.2
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@Abm4n , I eat a ketogenic diet for a neurological disorder, Cervical Dystonia aka Spasmodic Torticollis. After reading that a couple folks felt their involuntary movements minimized when eating keto then reading that keto has been used since the 1920's for epilepsy and is still used for those who do not respond to anti-seizure meds, I decided to give it a try. I don't have epilepsy but believe there may be a similarity regarding neuro excitability.
I have been eating this way only since April 3rd, 2016 so am fairly new to keto. While I have not experienced a "miracle cure" for my CD/ST I can say without a doubt, I have experienced considerable improvement. It is pretty darn easy to tell whether or not my head is turned to the right and pretty darn easy to observe the difficulty I have (or simply cannot) turn it to the left.
I have on 4 occasions had a "super high carb binge" since starting keto. Always very late at night. A true "secret", middle of the night binge of a couple to a few hundred grams of carbs from sugary stuff. On every.single.occasion-the very next day-the involuntary muscle contractions/movements returned with a vengeance. It took a few days to get back into keto and the movements again minimized. Proof? I think so. Keto on!3 -
@kpk54 Glad to hear that you are finding benefit from this WOE. Your comments intrigue me and reconfirm my curiosity as to the possible benefits of LCHF in addition to weight control. I think that the diet reduces inflammation and helps to improve the function of the nervous system in some way.
Yesterday I fasted for more than 24 hrs and did not feel hungry at all. During this period I was able to concentrate at work on some onerous administrative matters I had been putting off for days. I find it helps me to overcome ADD tendencies. I don't take ADD meds anymore.3 -
Yes! Sugar and wheat! I loved the book Wheat Belly that really explains the connections. Sugar Blues is an older book that tells you how poisonous sugar is.
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/04/wheat-is-an-opiate/0
