keto and mental health
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lolliopopsnrainbows
Posts: 101 Member
I've been low carb for about 6 weeks now and love it as a way of eating! However, I'm pretty sure I'm not "in ketosis" (based purely on my carb intake which hovers around 50-80g/day) and am interested in trying it out to see if it helps my mental health. My mental health is more stable since lowering my carbs but I'd like to see if keto might help even further - although I am more stable on this way of eating, I'd like to see if I can feel better than I currently do. I'm going to order some keto sticks to test myself. My thoughts are to keep my carbs as high as possible whilst staying in ketosis. Does that seem sensible? And how/when do you test your urine? First thing in the morning? After eating a meal? Do you expect to be in ketosis all the time, or does eating a meal (for example) reduce the ketones in the urine for a while afterwards?
Here's the link to just one of the articles that I've read on the subject
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5357645
Please let me know if the link doesn't work. My phone wouldn't let me copy and paste so I've had to type it out manually and may have made a boo boo!!
Here's the link to just one of the articles that I've read on the subject
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5357645
Please let me know if the link doesn't work. My phone wouldn't let me copy and paste so I've had to type it out manually and may have made a boo boo!!
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Replies
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@lolliopopsnrainbows the link?
Worked for me...
I haven't seen any of your previous posts, so if you don't mind the enquiry, what 'mental health' issues are yopu concerned about?
It's an interesting premise, and one which may help others who aren't up to speed with your situation....?
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As far as "fixing" any mental health issues, I'm not sure that's the right expectation to have. Now surely there can be some added benefits to helping with your mood. Getting enough fats, enough sleep, having a hobby to blow of stress, will all certainly help; and having a good and simple diet can help with that kind of stuff too. I've dealt with Anxiety/Depression/PTSD/Burnout, and I 100% recommend getting yourself a good psyCHOLogist (if you don't have one already).
Generally speaking your urine concentration is highest in the morning, and that's when I'd always tested. Ketosis is in "in or out" thing, barring any underlying health conditions; even if you're peeing "trace or small" you're still in ketosis.
50-80 carbs/day I would consider to be "lower" carb (than most people typically eat), but if you're wanting to hit ketosis you're probably going to have to drop it a bit further. I typically maintain eating up to 50g/day. You're likely going to have to experiment a little with that, and kind if find your own little spot.0 -
I've always found urine ketones to be lowest in the morning and that makes sense since cortisol is released to wake us from sleep and therefore glycogen and insulin.
Testing blood ketones is really all that matters of using for the purpose of treating any medical condition. In a medically therapeutic application, the ketone levels apparently do matter. The goal is to keep blood sugar low and ketones high.
Pushing your carbs as far as you can to just barely remain in ketosis is probably not conducive to a medical application. Not without supplementation of MCT or exogenous ketones anyway. But then this doesn't align with a body fat loss goal as you'd be supplying a lot of exogenous energy, not allowing much if any, to come from body fat.
Check out Marty Kendall's writing about total energy and therapeutic ketosis.
https://optimisingnutrition.com/2015/07/20/the-glucose-ketone-relationship/1 -
Hi all, thanks for your responses, and sorry for disappearing off the radar for a few days!
My background is as follows:
- with hindsight (being the wonderful 20:20 vision that it is!) I now realise that I've always been prone to depression and suffered from SAD (seasonal affective disorder every winter that I can recall). I'm typically a very happy, bubbly person to the outside world so very few people are aware.
- three years ago I self-referred (grudgingly, it took a lot of persuading by my husband to make me do it!) for counselling in January as I was really lacking in energy, motivation and most of all kept bursting into tears. Whilst I felt better after each session with the counsellor, it wasn't able to help me long term as I felt that we spent the sessions talking about my past and reasons for feeling the way I do but not long term coping strategies.
- I've been on antidepressants (SSRIs, specifically citalopram 40mg/day) for two and half years due to depression, generalised anxiety and burnout. The depression wasn't a suicidal depression, but each night I'd go to bed hoping I wouldn't wake up in the morning. I felt (and still often do) feel completely worthless and as if I'm wasting valuable space and resources on this planet and in the lives of my loved ones that could be used on more "worthwhile" humans.
- The citalopram helped, but the dose needed increasing from 20mg to 40mg and now I again am struggling and feel I need an increased dose. The citalopram helps quiet down the voices in my head but doesn't help with the lack of energy and motivation to do anything. However, I can't increase my dose as the max dose has recently been reduced to 40mg from 60mg. I went through about two months of horrific side effects getting used to the citalopram and so my doctor is unwilling to switch me to a different dose as I'm "reasonably" stable on 40mg.
- My doctor also referred me for CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) in which I was given a different method of trying to manage my problems each week. Since the methods we used changed each and every week, I was never able to find a method that worked well for me (I suspect I needed to be able to work on one or two methods for a longer period of time rather than jumping from one to the next)
I'm trying a number of things to help:
- 1500mg Omega 3/day
- probiotics (some studies have indicated that gut health may be linked to mental health)
- 2000 IU vitamin D per day
- tryptophan (to boost dopamine levels and to try and ensure I'm not overloading on seratonin from the citalopram at the expense of dopamine). Note: I will stop taking this when I stop taking citalopram.
- female multi vitamin daily: which is high strength Vitamin B6, Chromium and Magnesium plus 100% of RDA for iron
- high strength B12
- exercise: jogging a few times a week and making sure I get in at least 6000-8000 steps per day
- sleeping: I keep trying with this one, but I'm not a great sleeper! I use a bedroom fan every night, for both background noise and to cool the room, lavender spray on my pillow, warm milky drink before bed. Sometimes I sleep ok, sometimes I really really don't!
- LCHF: low carb / low sugar being good for mental health, and a plentiful supply of amino acids from the extra meat (I previously ate meat only a couple of times a week at most) to help keep my brain fed with all the amino acids it needs to make seratonin / dopamine etc.
I had no interest in being in ketosis when I started this WOE, but having read a few studies about the benefits of ketones on mental health, I think I'd like to try it out and see if it can help.
@AlexandraCarlyle - thanks for letting me know the link worked. I wasn't 100% sure I trusted my own typing!
@medic2038 - you are absolutely right. I understand that mental health isn't a "fixable" problem, rather that I need to work out for myself what preventative measures I need to have in place to keep me balanced. Can I ask, what exactly is a psychologist (or rather, what do you specifically mean by a psychologist)? I realise this sounds like a ridiculous question, but I've not really got a clear idea as to the differences between all the different mental health "therapists" there are out there! I (believe) the therapists I've seen so far would be classed as a counsellor (discussing your past and reactions and feelings from your childhood that can influence how you behave/react now) and a cognitive behavioural therapist (trying to find "distraction" mechanisms to avoid constant rumination)
@Sunny_Bunny_ thanks for that link, I'm going to go and check it out now!0 -
I was first diagnosed with depression back in the 90's, then it was clarified as bi-polar disorder. I'd have major depressive episodes lasting from months to years, and then short manic periods lasting weeks or months. My last bout with depression went from 2008 to 2013 and there were several occasions during that time where I very nearly gave in to the dark thoughts.
My psychiatrist had me on citalopram and wellbutrin (not sure on the spelling) and they maybe sort of helped, a bit, but never enough, considering how much they cost. I eventually ran into a problem (long story) with the meds and stopped taking them completely.
I managed to get out of that last depressive episode a couple years before starting low-carb, so I can't say if being ketogenic will 'fix' depression. I can say I have felt a lot better (mentally, as well as physically) since adopting this way of eating. Nowadays I'm generally positive and cheerful -- and I mean it, rather than just being a veneer I put on to hide the pain.
There are still bad days now and then, and the spectre of another depressive episode will probably always haunt me. But when those bad days come up, they're just that - days. Not the start of another downward spiral into depression.
As for urine ketone testing, I found they're highest around noon for me. Urine testing is a bit hit or miss though - my sister has been low carb longer than I have, and the urine tests never work for her, but the breath test works for her. I found the breath test rarely worked but the urine strips were almost always giving positive results.
Good luck. Depression is a *kitten* but you can beat it, and I am sure that sticking to this way of eating will help.0 -
I suffer from SAD (I live in Wisconsin so that's not uncommon here) and anxiety (which seems to be hormonal and linked to my cycle), and I have to say I noticed a great improvement while in ketosis! As in, almost completely gone. Lately I've been more lax and I can certainly tell the difference. I had some ridiculous anxiety the week before shark week this month. That feeling alone makes me want to get myself back into ketosis and never leave again. 2
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soechsner09 wrote: »I suffer from SAD (I live in Wisconsin so that's not uncommon here) and anxiety (which seems to be hormonal and linked to my cycle), and I have to say I noticed a great improvement while in ketosis! As in, almost completely gone. Lately I've been more lax and I can certainly tell the difference. I had some ridiculous anxiety the week before shark week this month. That feeling alone makes me want to get myself back into ketosis and never leave again.
That's amazing to hear, and definitely gives me hope that it's possible! Thanks so much
Were you in ketosis last winter? Did you also notice a big reduction in SAD or have you not had chance to find out yet? 0 -
lolliopopsnrainbows wrote: »Hi all, thanks for your responses, and sorry for disappearing off the radar for a few days!
My background is as follows:
- with hindsight (being the wonderful 20:20 vision that it is!) I now realise that I've always been prone to depression and suffered from SAD (seasonal affective disorder every winter that I can recall). I'm typically a very happy, bubbly person to the outside world so very few people are aware.
- three years ago I self-referred (grudgingly, it took a lot of persuading by my husband to make me do it!) for counselling in January as I was really lacking in energy, motivation and most of all kept bursting into tears. Whilst I felt better after each session with the counsellor, it wasn't able to help me long term as I felt that we spent the sessions talking about my past and reasons for feeling the way I do but not long term coping strategies.
- I've been on antidepressants (SSRIs, specifically citalopram 40mg/day) for two and half years due to depression, generalised anxiety and burnout. The depression wasn't a suicidal depression, but each night I'd go to bed hoping I wouldn't wake up in the morning. I felt (and still often do) feel completely worthless and as if I'm wasting valuable space and resources on this planet and in the lives of my loved ones that could be used on more "worthwhile" humans.
- The citalopram helped, but the dose needed increasing from 20mg to 40mg and now I again am struggling and feel I need an increased dose. The citalopram helps quiet down the voices in my head but doesn't help with the lack of energy and motivation to do anything. However, I can't increase my dose as the max dose has recently been reduced to 40mg from 60mg. I went through about two months of horrific side effects getting used to the citalopram and so my doctor is unwilling to switch me to a different dose as I'm "reasonably" stable on 40mg.
- My doctor also referred me for CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) in which I was given a different method of trying to manage my problems each week. Since the methods we used changed each and every week, I was never able to find a method that worked well for me (I suspect I needed to be able to work on one or two methods for a longer period of time rather than jumping from one to the next)
I'm trying a number of things to help:
- 1500mg Omega 3/day
- probiotics (some studies have indicated that gut health may be linked to mental health)
- 2000 IU vitamin D per day
- tryptophan (to boost dopamine levels and to try and ensure I'm not overloading on seratonin from the citalopram at the expense of dopamine). Note: I will stop taking this when I stop taking citalopram.
- female multi vitamin daily: which is high strength Vitamin B6, Chromium and Magnesium plus 100% of RDA for iron
- high strength B12
- exercise: jogging a few times a week and making sure I get in at least 6000-8000 steps per day
- sleeping: I keep trying with this one, but I'm not a great sleeper! I use a bedroom fan every night, for both background noise and to cool the room, lavender spray on my pillow, warm milky drink before bed. Sometimes I sleep ok, sometimes I really really don't!
- LCHF: low carb / low sugar being good for mental health, and a plentiful supply of amino acids from the extra meat (I previously ate meat only a couple of times a week at most) to help keep my brain fed with all the amino acids it needs to make seratonin / dopamine etc.
I had no interest in being in ketosis when I started this WOE, but having read a few studies about the benefits of ketones on mental health, I think I'd like to try it out and see if it can help.
@AlexandraCarlyle - thanks for letting me know the link worked. I wasn't 100% sure I trusted my own typing!
@medic2038 - you are absolutely right. I understand that mental health isn't a "fixable" problem, rather that I need to work out for myself what preventative measures I need to have in place to keep me balanced. Can I ask, what exactly is a psychologist (or rather, what do you specifically mean by a psychologist)? I realise this sounds like a ridiculous question, but I've not really got a clear idea as to the differences between all the different mental health "therapists" there are out there! I (believe) the therapists I've seen so far would be classed as a counsellor (discussing your past and reactions and feelings from your childhood that can influence how you behave/react now) and a cognitive behavioural therapist (trying to find "distraction" mechanisms to avoid constant rumination)
@Sunny_Bunny_ thanks for that link, I'm going to go and check it out now!
I won't go into a ton of details here - @lolliopopsnrainbows - since you're getting tons of good feedback, other than to highlight a couple things here.
1) 2000 IU a day of vitamin D is not going to help you any if you have SAD. Like won't even touch it. You also need to have testing done to determine your vitamin D levels. 2000 IU a day wouldn't have even helped me get my during the sunny months vitamin D level up, much less during SAD/Winter months. Additionally, you must pair the vitamin D with K2, M7 Form (unless you have rare bleeding disorders/medications) in order to properly absorb and direct the D into your bones and muscles where it needs to go. Without the K2, your vitamin D will soak up calcium, then loiter about in your arteries, cluttering them up. Enough magnesium and potassium are needed to be the passport to get into the cell walls of bones and muscles (90% of the first world population is deficient in magnesium - and most of those people don't even know - it's used in over 300 bodily processes; most folks get enough potassium in foods - it's not required to be on nutrient labels yet, so if you're drinking coffee, eating chicken, and getting any greens, you're probably MORE than fine - and it's dangerous to add potassium without testing)... For me, I had to increase my levels of boron and zinc - which act as bouncers, essentially, to keep the D, Calcium, and K2 in the muscles and bones - even when electrolytes start to get out of sorts - triggering the body to consume more - but in a crisis it will still allow life saving amounts out, etc., instead of dumping it all back out - causing massive cramps and all manner of madness. Without all of this, and using a specific therapy dose of vitamin D to get my levels up. I'll have to see how this winter goes as far as not needing to increase my doses during winter months, or get my daylight lamp back out...
2) With the B12, please make sure you are getting a B-Complex vitamin, and specifically Folate (methyl-folate NOT FOLIC ACID). Taking large amounts of B12 without the other B vitamins will gradually deplete the other B vitamins, as they have some sort of weird balance that I've yet to fully understand.
3) tryptophan - Make sure you are taking the B6 vitamin (as long as it doesn't have D and other AM stuff in it) and vitamin C with this, as they are co-factors for absorbing it/being able to convert it, etc. Also - this should be taken at night, and should help with your sleep quality, at the least. I'm assuming the SSRI is taken during the day?
WAIT - tryptophan is for SEROTONIN, not Dopamine. Dopamine is increased by L-Tyrosine and/or L-Phenylalanine...not tryptophan... You could actually be overloading the serotonin by supplementing the wrong amino acids...3 -
@KnitOrMiss you're a blessing with all your detailed information!
Very valuable input! Thanks for taking the time to be so specific.3 -
I should add that the MTHFR genetic mutation do not tolerate the methyl forms of B vitamins (among other complications), and so synthetics may be warranted in those cases, but those are specific issues to address with your medical professional. This can be indicated of taking supplements with no improvement in labs or symptoms, and especially with having a B12 and a Folate level that are out of sync (one high and the other low, etc.).
For me, personally, if I added potassium in any non-food form, it caused me to dump magnesium... Too much potassium is deadly, and so is too little. Most folks should have blood work done or symptom tests to indicate supplementation is needed. Aside from REPLACING DUMPED SODIUM, there is no guarantee that you need any specific nutrient, unless medical tests or symptoms have indicated it/confirmed with medical profession...
@Sunny_Bunny_ I have luckily had personal experiences that corresponds with known research on the exact above subjects, so it makes it easier to share. I firmly believe that if any of us can save another person a single minute of misery by sharing what we learned from our own, this world will surely be a better place!3 -
@KnitOrMiss, you're amazing - thank you so much!
To answer your questions/respond to your comments in the order you posed them:
1. Do you use vitamin D at all? How much do you use? As I say, I've not "done" a winter yet since starting low-carbing and introducing these supplement so I don't know what effect it may or may not have on my SAD. I know my intake of Vitamin D is reasonably low (although higher than the UK RDA of 400IU). The UK health guidelines say not to take in excess of 4000IU/day, which is why I've kept my intake to below that. I take my vitamin D with my multivitamin which contains Vitamin K, but I will check what form it is!
2. I take my B12 with my multivitamin, which contains all the B vitamins so hopefully I should be covered there.
3. Thanks for catching that, I made a booboo in my typing. I have both L-trytophan and L-tyrosine at home that I bought when I first looked into amino acid therapy. I'm actually taking L-tyrosine for dopamine, and (after purchasing it), decided to keep the tryptophan for once I stop using my SSRI (if I ever get to that point, which I hope I will). Just to emphasis, I'm NOT currently taking tryptophan and do not intend to do so for as long as I am on SSRIs. I even went a double checked which one I was taking before typing out that message and obviously by the time I'd got back to my computer I'd mixed them up again in my head!!! I take the tyrosine in the morning when I take my SSRI. I avoid having any caffeine or protein for a few hours after taking them.
Once I finish my studies in a few months time, I want to book myself in to get some blood work done to work out which supplementation would be best for me. At the moment I kind of feel like I'm stumbling round in the dark trying things on with no means of telling whether it works for me or not! But at the moment, I don't have the money for that....2 -
Also, you guys are all amazing, I love this forum 3
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lolliopopsnrainbows wrote: »@KnitOrMiss, you're amazing - thank you so much!
To answer your questions/respond to your comments in the order you posed them:
1. Do you use vitamin D at all? How much do you use? As I say, I've not "done" a winter yet since starting low-carbing and introducing these supplement so I don't know what effect it may or may not have on my SAD. I know my intake of Vitamin D is reasonably low (although higher than the UK RDA of 400IU). The UK health guidelines say not to take in excess of 4000IU/day, which is why I've kept my intake to below that. I take my vitamin D with my multivitamin which contains Vitamin K, but I will check what form it is!
2. I take my B12 with my multivitamin, which contains all the B vitamins so hopefully I should be covered there.
3. Thanks for catching that, I made a booboo in my typing. I have both L-trytophan and L-tyrosine at home that I bought when I first looked into amino acid therapy. I'm actually taking L-tyrosine for dopamine, and (after purchasing it), decided to keep the tryptophan for once I stop using my SSRI (if I ever get to that point, which I hope I will). Just to emphasis, I'm NOT currently taking tryptophan and do not intend to do so for as long as I am on SSRIs. I even went a double checked which one I was taking before typing out that message and obviously by the time I'd got back to my computer I'd mixed them up again in my head!!! I take the tyrosine in the morning when I take my SSRI. I avoid having any caffeine or protein for a few hours after taking them.
Once I finish my studies in a few months time, I want to book myself in to get some blood work done to work out which supplementation would be best for me. At the moment I kind of feel like I'm stumbling round in the dark trying things on with no means of telling whether it works for me or not! But at the moment, I don't have the money for that....
I also take Tyrosine, for thyroid support, but I've recently uncovered some research indicating that while it helps, it can actually suppress thyroid function, so I've gone off it for a while, and let me tell you, my thyroid dosage does NOT feel anywhere near sufficient anymore. I've got my normal appointment with my endocrinologist at the end of October, so hoping the system is cleared and whatever function I do have is rebooted by then...
Now, I'm not sure which is most accurate, as I've heard both things - that it's good and that it's bad, so I'm waiting to see. I feel better on it, particularly AT FIRST, but then efficacy wanes. And I'm super happy that you just got them mixed up in your head!
As for the Vitamin D, I followed a protocol from Dr. Berg to increase my levels. It is significantly higher than the UK RDA and such. if you go to healthunlocked.com and go to the thyroid section, various posts have some excellent resources on UK testing and supplementing and optimal levels and such. I'm in the US, so my goal levels are different.
HOWEVER, that being said, according to Dr. Berg, the concern about taking too much vitamin D is actually regarding calcium absorption without getting it properly dispersed (hence my huge explanation above). Most folks who take calcium supplements don't actually have a calcium problem. They have a vitamin D/K2 problem...and the supporting cast of nutrient deficiencies to follow. Dr. Berg says that if you MUST take calcium, take it at night, 12 hours offset from your vitamin D and with nothing else along side it.
But his regular protocol that he follows is to take 40,000 IU of D3 daily, either at once or split into 2 doses (at rising/breakfast and with lunch) - this follows the natural circadian rhythm of rising and falling cortisol. That is to be taken with 200 mcg of K2 (M7 Form - my favorite form personally has K1, K2 M4 form, and K2 M7 form...only the M7 form isn't enough for my body). Different indicators indicate different amounts - seems a post in the UK Thyroid forum advocates a much higher dose of K2... But the above is what I took. I just stepped back down again this week to where I am now taking 15,000 IU D3 with 100 mcg K2 M7. With the original protocol I got my level lowest third of the range (near deficient level) to just above the optimal level. I didn't test between the time of the lower level to the good range, and that was a 6 month period. So at most, it took six months, but it could have been less. My level is currently ABOVE optimal, and so all my medical team is panicking, so they've asked me to bring it down some, due to calcium risks, but I just had a calcium arterial scoring done which admittedly only shows HARDENED CALCIFICATIONS, but my number was ZERO... It doesn't show blockages, so it isn't foolproof, but my new primary doctor calmed down and stopped asking me to get my level down ASAP once she saw that there was no hardened blockage, despite me having been obese and unhealthy for 20 years.
What I would do is slowly increase an incremental dosage, increasing only on the first day of the week and keeping that dose all week. So last week, I was 20,000 IU daily. This whole week, I will be 15,000 IU daily, etc. Increase by whatever increment you're taking, once at a time. Try not to adjust anything else while doing this, so that you can isolate your optimum level when you take it. When you are incredibly deficient, once you're taking the proper dose, it is more energizing and levelizing than drinking an energy beverage of choice...
Let me know if you want any links to back this up. (P.S. If you are eating organic grassfed meats and dairy, you're probably already getting some K2... It's worth checking...)1 -
Keto helped me a lot with depression and the worthless feelings. Losing weight made me feel good about myself too. For various reasons, in the last two months I stopped watching what I ate and felt unwell. As of this Monday I'm back on track and hoping to carry on. I take 10000IU vitamin D too and eat Brie cheese with that (not sure enough k2 there but I hope so) b vitamins and omega 3 are vital too for my mental health. Citalopram was the worse SSRI I've taken. I know people who swear by it but it numbed me and made me really disconnected and "lazy" i.e. I felt like doing nothing for most of the time. So now I'm on nothing except for propanolol if a panic attack is coming.2
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bluets2011 wrote: »Keto helped me a lot with depression and the worthless feelings. Losing weight made me feel good about myself too. For various reasons, in the last two months I stopped watching what I ate and felt unwell. As of this Monday I'm back on track and hoping to carry on. I take 10000IU vitamin D too and eat Brie cheese with that (not sure enough k2 there but I hope so) b vitamins and omega 3 are vital too for my mental health. Citalopram was the worse SSRI I've taken. I know people who swear by it but it numbed me and made me really disconnected and "lazy" i.e. I felt like doing nothing for most of the time. So now I'm on nothing except for propanolol if a panic attack is coming.
I have had a very similar reaction to Citalopram to you. It's helped enough to stop the wanting to no longer be alive feelings, but the disconnection and "laziness" that you describe are issues I still have. At the moment I'm not in a position to be able to go through weaning myself off SSRIs but in a few months time I intend to do so. Which B vitamins specifically do you need? I take RDA amounts of most B vitamins, with a boosted amount of B6 and B12.1 -
From my experience.... when following the keto diet, my anxiety is more manageable. This could be partially due to cutting out processed foods, taking lots of vitamins, and taking a probiotic (acidophilus).
It's done nothing for depression and/or SADS. BUT... I found when I go heavy at carbs I'm left feeling like I have no energy and I just want to sit or sleep. I'm sure that played a part in it as well.1 -
lolliopopsnrainbows wrote: »I have had a very similar reaction to Citalopram to you. It's helped enough to stop the wanting to no longer be alive feelings, but the disconnection and "laziness" that you describe are issues I still have. At the moment I'm not in a position to be able to go through weaning myself off SSRIs but in a few months time I intend to do so. Which B vitamins specifically do you need? I take RDA amounts of most B vitamins, with a boosted amount of B6 and B12.
@lolliopopsnrainbows I take a B complex+ B12 methylcobalamine (spelling?) sublingual. B6 twelve days before my periods. Weaning off SSRIs is not to be taken lightly. I read a lot and worked with my GP. I took 5HTP for six months and now since March just diet, supplements, exercise, lots of yoga, meditation. I see depression as alcoholism. I feel I'll never be cured. It's all about trying to avoid that first slip (dip), and maintaining a healthy routine helps me personally. Winter coming Im bracing myself!
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@JasonOnceAgain thanks so much for sharing your experiences. I think you're absolutely right about the anxiety, something about not having the highs and lows of sugar binges and crashes definitely helps make life a little more manageable in general!
@bluets2011 - it really sucks doesn't it. But I think recognising that depression is a life long condition that's always just hiding round the corner waiting to pop back in at any time is probably the healthiest way to deal with it. I do feel that having gone through this journey, I am in a much better position to recognise that initial mental dip and do something about it at that point. I will be reducing my SSRI dose under the supervision of my GP - my previous GP left the surgery and so I've been switched to a new GP and the first thing he said to me was that he wanted me to come off them. After discussing it with him, we agreed that we'd leave it until my prescription next gets reviewed at the end of October with a view to considering starting to taper it off at that point. Just in time for winter!! But then there will always be a reason not to do it, so that will be as good a time as any....1 -
lolliopopsnrainbows wrote: »
That's amazing to hear, and definitely gives me hope that it's possible! Thanks so much Were you in ketosis last winter? Did you also notice a big reduction in SAD or have you not had chance to find out yet?
I got back into ketosis in January and didn't break it for a good couple of months. Now that I think about it, there was a HUGE difference in comparison to past winters. With cold weather creeping in, I definitely need to keep this in mind.
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