Connection between mental health and certain foods.

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  • Treesy72
    Treesy72 Posts: 230
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    i was diagnosed with ADD as a kid. i was on drugs but then someone suggested my mom try controlling it with diet.
    a lot of the symptoms subsided when i follow the diet.

    for me, ADD is a result of not having enough dopamine, so i make sure i eat things with the right proteins that can be turned into dopamine : eggs, yogurt, walnuts, dairy, chicken, dark chocolate. i also make sure to have 1-2 cups of caffeine a day especially when i need to concentrate.

    also lack of dopamine is related to dopamine, so i'd imagine that those same foods that are helpful to me would be helpful to someone with depression.


    Awesome! Thanks for sharing that!!
  • ChelleFeegan
    ChelleFeegan Posts: 80 Member
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    Thank you for posting x
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    i was diagnosed with ADD as a kid. i was on drugs but then someone suggested my mom try controlling it with diet.
    a lot of the symptoms subsided when i follow the diet.

    for me, ADD is a result of not having enough dopamine, so i make sure i eat things with the right proteins that can be turned into dopamine : eggs, yogurt, walnuts, dairy, chicken, dark chocolate. i also make sure to have 1-2 cups of caffeine a day especially when i need to concentrate.

    also lack of dopamine is related to dopamine, so i'd imagine that those same foods that are helpful to me would be helpful to someone with depression.


    Awesome! Thanks for sharing that!!

    ugggh i meant to say lack of dopamine is related to DEPRESSION :grumble:

    i think this is why a lot of the commonly prescribed ADD meds are also used for depression.

    in any case, you can always try to see if diet helps. the worse that can happen (assuming the person doesnt have severe mood swings) is that you eat a cleaner diet
  • mstorvik
    mstorvik Posts: 356 Member
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    Balancing Omega 3 with my Omega 6 has helped WONDERS!
  • propskat
    propskat Posts: 191 Member
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    i was diagnosed with ADD as a kid. i was on drugs but then someone suggested my mom try controlling it with diet.
    a lot of the symptoms subsided when i follow the diet.

    for me, ADD is a result of not having enough dopamine, so i make sure i eat things with the right proteins that can be turned into dopamine : eggs, yogurt, walnuts, dairy, chicken, dark chocolate. i also make sure to have 1-2 cups of caffeine a day especially when i need to concentrate.

    also lack of dopamine is related to dopamine, so i'd imagine that those same foods that are helpful to me would be helpful to someone with depression.


    Awesome! Thanks for sharing that!!

    ugggh i meant to say lack of dopamine is related to DEPRESSION :grumble:

    i think this is why a lot of the commonly prescribed ADD meds are also used for depression.

    in any case, you can always try to see if diet helps. the worse that can happen (assuming the person doesnt have severe mood swings) is that you eat a cleaner diet

    I remember reading an article a long long time ago, where there was a study with regard to diet and ADD. One of the connections they made was that foods with red dye were related to increased ADD symptoms. (and yes, there is a clear connection between ADD and depression).
    Some foods with red dye are: Brown Soda, Gatorade/Koolaid, Hot Dogs, Candy, and lots more!

    I have never been able to 'eat clean' as so many people do, but the evidence is out there that seems to show that it would improve your health!
  • sunshine_gem
    sunshine_gem Posts: 390 Member
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    Serotonin is controlled in the gut not in the brain. So yes food help/hurt your moods.

    Serotonin is NOT controlled in the gut. It is a hormone that works off receptors in the brain! Too little serotonin can cause depression. There are certain foods that have more serotonin in them which stimulate the receptors as does exercise and sex. However, there are certain people who are predisposed to depression as their receptors aren't working properly which means that unless they combat that with anti depressants or other such means, the food you eat won't make a damn bit of difference. It can help sure, but only a little.
  • KatjaLynne
    KatjaLynne Posts: 7
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    Thank you for sharing! This will help me quite a bit! :)
  • KatjaLynne
    KatjaLynne Posts: 7
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    Balancing Omega 3 with my Omega 6 has helped WONDERS!

    That is fascinating. I'm researching that now and I can see how it could be so benefitial but it also looks like a challenge. Has it been a difficult task or is it easier than it looks?
  • Treesy72
    Treesy72 Posts: 230
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    Just to add I've also started taking many vitamins, omega's, Coq10, probiotics and chromium. This has probably done wonders too. All I know is I've been off all meds for 3 years because of multiple pregnancies and this is the best I've ever felt, medication free and feeling like a million bucks. :happy:
  • sugarbone
    sugarbone Posts: 454 Member
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    Clean diet and regular exercise are usually the first thing prescribed to those with depression, before going on to try more serious things like medication. So, yep! It's all about neurotransmitters and body chemistry.
  • gazz777au
    gazz777au Posts: 157 Member
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    What a great thread. Thanks for raising this.
  • JLD81
    JLD81 Posts: 133 Member
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    Something else to think about: food allergies are more common than people realize. I thought I had bad seasonal and indoor allergies. Turns out I got tested and only tested positive for mold allergy and slight dog and cat allergy. Everything else I'm allergic to are foods. Food allergies and sensitivities can cause mood problems as well. I was allergic to a ton of stuff I was eating daily and I am cranky and irritable when I eat those things.
  • Howbouto
    Howbouto Posts: 2,121 Member
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    Serotonin is controlled in the gut not in the brain. So yes food help/hurt your moods.

    Serotonin is NOT controlled in the gut. It is a hormone that works off receptors in the brain! Too little serotonin can cause depression. There are certain foods that have more serotonin in them which stimulate the receptors as does exercise and sex. However, there are certain people who are predisposed to depression as their receptors aren't working properly which means that unless they combat that with anti depressants or other such means, the food you eat won't make a damn bit of difference. It can help sure, but only a little.

    Please cite information to back up that there is no link from your gut to serotonin. And I will do the same.....


    http://www.enzymestuff.com/serotonin.htm
    http://www.ehow.com/how_8696693_balance-serotonin-levels-gut.html
    http://www.puristat.com/braingut/serotonin.aspx

    Maybe I mis-spoke, serotonin is not controlled by your gut but there are more neurotransmitters for serotonin in your gut than brain.

    As quick as you are to dismiss a food connection, you must be a pharmaceutical sales rep :laugh: !
  • scrapper3131
    scrapper3131 Posts: 9
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    Wow! I am definitely going to look into this. My teen has been moody and angry and possibly depressed since he turned a teen. I'm at my witts end with him. He eats nothing but junk and tons and tons of sugar.
  • itgeekwoman
    itgeekwoman Posts: 804 Member
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    I believe the gluten, soy and dairy in MY diet contributed to MY health changes. Once I removed them, I am without allergic symptoms, I have no depressive symptoms, I am not moody and I can deal with stress much better.

    Life is so much better when I eat cleanly.

    Unless it is all natural, gluten free and all the other great stuff, I don't buy it. I don't typically buy anything that has a label that needs to be interpreted.

    No supplements aside from Turmeric for my knee.
  • amyjax
    amyjax Posts: 102
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    Thanks so much for this article, it's a really helpful read. I'm fighting the good fight against depression, have been since my teens, and I feel much better since starting - and sticking to - a regular exercise regime and a low-carb diet (I have PCOS too, joy!).
  • dhakiyya
    dhakiyya Posts: 481 Member
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    Personally I find that both exercise and a healthy diet help to control the symptoms of the mental health problems I have (i.e. PTSD and stuff relating to it) However it is not a cure or a magic bullet that makes it all go away. Exercise can turn a crappy day into a not so crappy day and the wrong foods can make a crappy day into an unbearably crappy day. Some people think that all mental illness is from a bad lifestyle and can be cured by a good lifestyle, however my lifestyle is very healthy but I still have PTSD.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2004/carbs.html

    Just more reading on the topic at hand. (Study out of MIT on low carb diets and people with serotonin issues.)
  • Treesy72
    Treesy72 Posts: 230
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    http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2004/carbs.html

    Just more reading on the topic at hand. (Study out of MIT on low carb diets and people with serotonin issues.)

    Thanks I'm going to check out the link :)
  • etc63
    etc63 Posts: 6 Member
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    I completely agree that sugar reduction helps you in the mood department. Its a quick fix to have ice cream or in my case a cookie or two (or the the box) but afterwards I feel terrible. I lost 65 pounds a few years ago too quickly. But I felt great full of energy. It didn't last long so I am taking it much slower this time. Good for you for recognizing this.

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