Foods and Beverages That May Cause Depression.

Code7526

Someone I know who was suffering from depression went to a psychiatrist because she was suffering from depression.

The psychiatrist gave her different anti depressions which didn't work.

He eventually told her to reduce her intake of sugar, wheat, caffeine and alcohol.

My conclusion from this is that excess wheat, sugar, caffeine and alcohol can cause depression.

Ottawa_Randy

I didn't know about caffeine but knew about the other two (sugar and wheat).

Exercise helps beat depression.

Achrya

Someone I know who was suffering from depression went to a psychiatrist because she was suffering from depression.

The psychiatrist gave her different anti depressions which didn't work.

He eventually told her to reduce her intake of sugar, wheat, caffeine and alcohol.

My conclusion from this is that excess wheat, sugar, caffeine and alcohol can cause depression.

That is...quite the conclusion you've come to.

delicious_cocktail

Alcohol is a depressant.

Sugar and wheat are food.

Caffeine is a stimulant.

And, I think we're done here.

firstsip

You are scientist.

ThickMcRunFast

I must be trying to set a record for "most depressed person in the world, ever"

Cranquistador

NO.

fivethreeone

Can you refer me to this psychiatrist? I think I'll be needing a prescription.

Otterluv

Major sciencing going on in this thread, my poor little brain is having a terrible time following it. :flowerforyou:

danasings

Okay, what?

MireyGal76

I burn calories jumping to conclusions all the time. It's how I stay so slim.

Eta... Ok maybe that was mean. It seems like a bit of a stretch. I mean... I can list off a whole lot of things in my life that depress me more than sugar and caffeine. I'd do better at eliminating those things before I go drastic and cut out coffee.

TheSlorax

I must be trying to set a record for "most depressed person in the world, ever"

my caffeine intake alone will put me in the psych ward

primal_cupcakes

kale is depressing.

1horseygirl1

alcohol is a depressant, one that I particularly enjoy however.

Cindyinpg

kale is depressing.

You beat me to it!
Okay cauliflower pizza crust is depressing! :laugh:

FluffyKangaroo

Alcohol is a depressant.

Sugar and wheat are food.

Caffeine is a stimulant.

And, I think we're done here.

Yes... Enough said.

Madame_Goldbricker

I always took the depictions of Gin Lane & Beer Street (William Hogarth) to be 100% accurate. Drink beer it makes all problems disappear.

DopeItUp

Can you refer me to this psychiatrist? I think I'll be needing a prescription.

Take two plates and call me in the morning.

Rosplosion

My friend went gluten free and nearly cured herself of quite a few mental health issues. If she would stop drinking and eating candy she probably would be able to sleep a normal schedule and might be able to move past some serious issues she's been dealing with in the recent past.

But I'm sure she's a special snowflake and these results are just because of her specific problems. Obviously this is anecdotal and not scientific proof, it's just actual proof.

*eyeroll*

whierd

I'm always sad when I run out of beer.

RebekahR84

Someone I know who was suffering from depression went to a psychiatrist because she was suffering from depression.

The psychiatrist gave her different anti depressions which didn't work.

He eventually told her to reduce her intake of sugar, wheat, caffeine and alcohol.

My conclusion from this is that excess wheat, sugar, caffeine and alcohol can cause depression.

If all of this was in "excess," perhaps she was depressed from the consequences of excess anything...?

LurveTheDoctor

The way you eat really does play into your emotional state.

TheVimFuego

Spouts are the pits.

And low alcohol beer.

ELEANOR43da

hmmm,well I am gluten free so no wheat, I don't drink haven't since my teens, I am diabetic so limited sugar intake, and well I am not a coffee/tea drinker never was.Its water or diet soda for me .......but gee do I suffer from severe depression !!!

NikiMistry

I think I know where the doctor was coming from.

Sugar - burned up really quickly in a "sugar high" but then leaves you lethargic and low in a "sugar crash".

Caffeine - is a stimulant so the effects are the same as above.

Wheat - Not really sure. The doctor might be referring to highly processed wheat, which is pretty much 100% starch. The high and crash will be wider spaced but still there.

I think the doctor is trying stabilise her depression by removing highs and crashes from her diet.

jdhoward_101

I think I know where the doctor was coming from.

Sugar - burned up really quickly in a "sugar high" but then leaves you lethargic and low in a "sugar crash".

Caffeine - is a stimulant so the effects are the same as above.

Wheat - Not really sure. The doctor might be referring to highly processed wheat, which is pretty much 100% starch. The high and crash will be wider spaced but still there.

I think the doctor is trying stabilise her depression by removing highs and crashes from her diet.

I was going to say something along these lines: also, i know with me wheat makes me feel very bloated and heavy if i eat too much of it, which in turn can lead me to feel lethargic and blergh; i wouldn't say depressed, but it still isn't the ideal way of feeling.

ryry_

My conclusion from this is that eliminating wheat, sugar, caffeine and alcohol can cause depression.

Correction in bold

juliewatkin

This is also purely anecdotal based on my own recent experience. I'm not a doctor but I can play one on the internet:indifferent:

Any who. I had always held the opinion that carbs were indifferent and gluten problems were, for the most part, a load of crap. I restructured my diet to drop weight quickly for a meet. To that end, I cut a lot of carbs (predominantly wheat), dairy and added a lot of fat. Much to my surprise, I felt more energetic, more even keeled, happier and more mentally focused. I kept the diet change which is how I ended up on here. I never suffered from depression but the difference in my mental state was marked enough that I decided to carry on with the changes.

I may now have to reexamine my theory that pro-biotics, anti-oxidents and free-radicals are also bull**** designed to sell crap.

Ottawa_Randy

Lot of great answers. I liked the "Kale is depressing" best but you do get a jaw workout with it. :-)

Though not a diabetic, I was close for a while.
There is definitelt strong evidence that refined foods and sugar have direct links to depression, particularly is those with high blood/sugar.
Here are a few quotes ...

“If sugar were to be put on the market for the first time today, it would probably be difficult to get it past the FDA.”Kathleen DesMaisonsPotatoes not Prozac
Sugar consumption causes inflammation in the gut, body, and brain, which sets off an inflammation-immune chain reaction response resulting in depression anxiety.

"American Journal of Psychiatry analyzed the dietary habits of more than 1,000 women, ranking them according to their psychological symptoms.li The women whose diets mirrored my 30-day plan – high in vegetables and fruit, meat and fish and whole grains – showed a correspondingly lower incidence of depression and anxiety. Women who had a higher incidence of depression and anxiety partook of a diet of fried foods, fast-carb refined grain products, sugary foods and beer. Dr. Stefan Ripich, ND, CNP"

Nora T. Gedgaudas, CNS, CNT
Modern humans have become, for the most part, dependent upon glucose as their bodies’ source of fuel, whereas our ancestors used ketones as their primary metabolic energy source. This is a crucial distinction to understand, since the maintenance of proper blood sugar levels is something the body is “literally obsessed with,” stresses Gedgaudas. While excess blood sugar can theoretically be burned off—by taking a hike after eating a sugary dessert, for example—the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels—insulin— cannot be burned off. And it is constantly circulating blood insulin that causes so many health problems. In fact, regulating blood sugar levels is a rather sideline function of insulin, according to Gedgaudas; the main function of this hormone is to store fat. While insulin is present, body fat cannot be burned.


• Frequent hits of fructose mean frequent hits of dopamine. This leads inevitably to fructose addiction and that is exactly the mechanism used by other man-made opiods (like nicotine and cocaine).
• The trouble is that it seems the upregulating of dopamine at the expense of serotonin can become hard-wired if we allow it to go on for long enough. And once we’re addicted, we cant help but let it go on for long enough.
Fructose was once about as common as a bear encounter, but is now embedded in almost every processed food we buy.

David Gillespie Author of Sweet Poison and 8 other books

****
“Food for the Brain” offers this simple explanation:

Eating lots of sugar is going to give you sudden peaks and troughs in the amount of glucose in your blood; symptoms that this is going on include fatigue, irritability, dizziness, insomnia, excessive sweating (especially at night), poor concentration and forgetfulness, excessive thirst, depression and crying spells, digestive disturbances and blurred vision. Since the brain depends on an even supply of glucose it is no surprise to find that sugar has been implicated in aggressive behavior, anxiety, and depression, and fatigue.

Lots of refined sugar and refined carbohydrates (meaning white bread, pasta, rice and most processed foods,) is also linked with depression because these foods not only supply very little in the way of nutrients but they also use up the mood enhancing B vitamins; turning each teaspoon of sugar into energy needs B vitamins. In fact, a study of 3,456 middle-aged civil servants, published in British Journal of Psychiatry found that those who had a diet which contained a lot of processed foods had a 58% increased risk for depression, whereas those whose diet could be described as containing more whole foods had a 26% reduced risk for depression.

suziepoo1984

OK

ldrosophila

lack of chocolate and sex cause depression in me oh and not having access to my beautiful new mexican chile