Significantly cut out fast food

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  • RunningRichelle
    RunningRichelle Posts: 346 Member
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    That's great, OP! Contrary to what one of the self-appointed experts before said, certain foods can absolutely cause depression. When I cut out gluten, within a week, it was like the entire world had suddenly become buoyant. My outlook went from dismal as it's been for years to excited and hopeful. an array of other things eventually happened as well, and that's when I learned eating gluten when you have Celiac disease completely messes with your brain (celiac.com). My problem was that I didn't know I had Celiac, so I didn't know how harmful my diet was. All I was really trying to do was make logging my food less cumbersome on MFP, so I cut out all processed foods and refined sugars as well as all fast foods since I couldn't account for what was in them (nutrition facts on a website don't mean anything if your Subway sandwich maker gives you more mayo and oil than standard, or the chef at your restaurant tosses an unmeasured amount of butter onto a flat top to cook your food that is different from what was submitted for measurement by the corporation). The change in outlook plus the significant weight loss has been so motivational that I have no desire to return to my old ways. If I dice a cucumber and tomato and sprinkle it with red wine vinegar and S&P, I log a cucumber, tomato, red wine vinegar and S&P. So much easier!

    Keep up the good work! :glasses:

    No. Foods do not cause depression. You found out you were feeling so horrible because of Celiac disease and once you started treating that, you felt better. It was not food causing depression, it was food flaring your symptoms of Celiac disease.

    I do not know that your statement is correct. There are some studies that show certain foods can contribute to low mood and/or depression. So, the jury may still be out.

    As well, there definitely is evidence that certain foods can help improve mood and/or symptoms of depression.

    Of course, one knows one's own body best...ideally...and should do what is working for them.

    The important note, is that food does not cause depression. I have already stated up thread that other lifestyle changes can reduce symptoms of mild forms, such as a well-balanced diet and exercise regimen. However, that is in mild forms of depression. In more severe cases, all the lifestyle changes in the world are not going to make symptoms disappear or reduce, medication would be needed.

    :noway:

    You are not a psychiatrist, and even if you were, you cannot make that statement without dx an individual patient.

    Even with clinicallly diagnosed depression that is more than just mild, medication is not always the answer. And a blanket statement of "medication would be needed" as a response to the issue is very inappropriate.

    Agreed. Individuals without thorough, rock-solid knowledge of an issue or another person's particular situation should not make unsupported blanket statements.

    If Sally does an N = 1 experiment on herself and finds that she feels less depressed when she doesn't eat x or y, and she wants to share that information, what right does Betty have to come along and say 'no that's not right,' when maybe Sally's experience could benefit the depressed Ruth, who could possibly have benefited from also removing x and y from her diet, but doesn't, just because Betty seems to know her stuff.

    As long as what people are sharing isn't dangerous, why try to curtail the flow of possibly helpful information? What would Ruth have to lose by removing x or y from her diet (especially if x and y in this case involves mostly empty calories)?

    Just some thoughts.
  • conniedj
    conniedj Posts: 470 Member
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    I am not sure that this person who keeps posting the same thing about "food doesn't cause depression" isn't a troll.

    I know for a fact that food and exercise "cured" me of depression--the kind for which I took medication. Period.

    AFWIW, anyone who comes to the forums to post only to nullify the support of the OP? Pffft.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    I am not sure that this person who keeps posting the same thing about "food doesn't cause depression" isn't a troll.

    I know for a fact that food and exercise "cured" me of depression--the kind for which I took medication. Period.

    AFWIW, anyone who comes to the forums to post only to nullify the support of the OP? Pffft.

    Exercise is a known anti-depressant.
  • duke0825
    duke0825 Posts: 22 Member
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    If anything when I really track my calories on MFP this is when I eat the most fast food, otherwise I rarely touch the stuff. This is only b/c I can track the macros fairly accurately
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
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    That's great, OP! Contrary to what one of the self-appointed experts before said, certain foods can absolutely cause depression. When I cut out gluten, within a week, it was like the entire world had suddenly become buoyant. My outlook went from dismal as it's been for years to excited and hopeful. an array of other things eventually happened as well, and that's when I learned eating gluten when you have Celiac disease completely messes with your brain (celiac.com). My problem was that I didn't know I had Celiac, so I didn't know how harmful my diet was. All I was really trying to do was make logging my food less cumbersome on MFP, so I cut out all processed foods and refined sugars as well as all fast foods since I couldn't account for what was in them (nutrition facts on a website don't mean anything if your Subway sandwich maker gives you more mayo and oil than standard, or the chef at your restaurant tosses an unmeasured amount of butter onto a flat top to cook your food that is different from what was submitted for measurement by the corporation). The change in outlook plus the significant weight loss has been so motivational that I have no desire to return to my old ways. If I dice a cucumber and tomato and sprinkle it with red wine vinegar and S&P, I log a cucumber, tomato, red wine vinegar and S&P. So much easier!

    Keep up the good work! :glasses:

    No. Foods do not cause depression. You found out you were feeling so horrible because of Celiac disease and once you started treating that, you felt better. It was not food causing depression, it was food flaring your symptoms of Celiac disease.

    I do not know that your statement is correct. There are some studies that show certain foods can contribute to low mood and/or depression. So, the jury may still be out.

    As well, there definitely is evidence that certain foods can help improve mood and/or symptoms of depression.

    Of course, one knows one's own body best...ideally...and should do what is working for them.

    The important note, is that food does not cause depression. I have already stated up thread that other lifestyle changes can reduce symptoms of mild forms, such as a well-balanced diet and exercise regimen. However, that is in mild forms of depression. In more severe cases, all the lifestyle changes in the world are not going to make symptoms disappear or reduce, medication would be needed.

    :noway:

    You are not a psychiatrist, and even if you were, you cannot make that statement without dx an individual patient.

    Even with clinicallly diagnosed depression that is more than just mild, medication is not always the answer. And a blanket statement of "medication would be needed" as a response to the issue is very inappropriate.

    Once again, you missed the point, but I will clarify for you. I said lifestyle changes, including the examples of a well-balanced diet and exercise. Additional examples would include the following: various approaches in treating depression (cognitive-behavioral therapy, community reinforcement approach, one-on-one therapy, group therapy, etc.). Those additional examples would be included in lifestyle changes and if all options have been exhausted, medication would be the next step. Obviously, treatment should be tailored to the individual, but that is a different discussion and this thread has already been derailed enough from the OP.

    My original statement was in response to someone stating food was the culprit of their depression, which in fact it was undiagnosed Celiac disease. My point was this
    >>>>>>> Food does not cause depression.
  • Mslmesq
    Mslmesq Posts: 1,001 Member
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    That's great, OP! Contrary to what one of the self-appointed experts before said, certain foods can absolutely cause depression. When I cut out gluten, within a week, it was like the entire world had suddenly become buoyant. My outlook went from dismal as it's been for years to excited and hopeful. an array of other things eventually happened as well, and that's when I learned eating gluten when you have Celiac disease completely messes with your brain (celiac.com). My problem was that I didn't know I had Celiac, so I didn't know how harmful my diet was. All I was really trying to do was make logging my food less cumbersome on MFP, so I cut out all processed foods and refined sugars as well as all fast foods since I couldn't account for what was in them (nutrition facts on a website don't mean anything if your Subway sandwich maker gives you more mayo and oil than standard, or the chef at your restaurant tosses an unmeasured amount of butter onto a flat top to cook your food that is different from what was submitted for measurement by the corporation). The change in outlook plus the significant weight loss has been so motivational that I have no desire to return to my old ways. If I dice a cucumber and tomato and sprinkle it with red wine vinegar and S&P, I log a cucumber, tomato, red wine vinegar and S&P. So much easier!

    Keep up the good work! :glasses:

    No. Foods do not cause depression. You found out you were feeling so horrible because of Celiac disease and once you started treating that, you felt better. It was not food causing depression, it was food flaring your symptoms of Celiac disease.

    I do not know that your statement is correct. There are some studies that show certain foods can contribute to low mood and/or depression. So, the jury may still be out.

    As well, there definitely is evidence that certain foods can help improve mood and/or symptoms of depression.

    Of course, one knows one's own body best...ideally...and should do what is working for them.

    The important note, is that food does not cause depression. I have already stated up thread that other lifestyle changes can reduce symptoms of mild forms, such as a well-balanced diet and exercise regimen. However, that is in mild forms of depression. In more severe cases, all the lifestyle changes in the world are not going to make symptoms disappear or reduce, medication would be needed.

    :noway:

    You are not a psychiatrist, and even if you were, you cannot make that statement without dx an individual patient.

    Even with clinicallly diagnosed depression that is more than just mild, medication is not always the answer. And a blanket statement of "medication would be needed" as a response to the issue is very inappropriate.

    Once again, you missed the point, but I will clarify for you. I said lifestyle changes, including the examples of a well-balanced diet and exercise. Additional examples would include the following: various approaches in treating depression (cognitive-behavioral therapy, community reinforcement approach, one-on-one therapy, group therapy, etc.). Those additional examples would be included in lifestyle changes and if all options have been exhausted, medication would be the next step. Obviously, treatment should be tailored to the individual, but that is a different discussion and this thread has already been derailed enough from the OP.

    My original statement was in response to someone stating food was the culprit of their depression, which in fact it was undiagnosed Celiac disease. My point was this
    >>>>>>> Food does not cause depression.

    In general, one cannot make assumptions. They can only read what a poster has written. In my case in particular, I read and analyze for a living and I'm well trained in it and quite comfortable with my abilities.

    In response to your ellaboration, I am glad you added that treatment of depression should be tailored to the individual. That is always the case. In response to your original statement, which I read quite clearly, "In more severe cases, all the lifestyle changes in the world are not going to make symptoms disappear or reduce, medication would be needed", that is an inappropriate thing to say, and I pointed it out. If you are retracting that statement, as you should, and/or saying that is not what you meant to write, that is fine. But, I read and understood it quite clearly.

    As far as food not causing and/or contributing to depression, I stated my position directly to you in another post. There are studies that conclude that it does. Therefore, I think many still consider the 'jury to be still out', at best. If there is a reason you think differently, you are entitled to your opinion. But from what I can see, it is only your opinion.

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