Paleo Diet: Raw Paleo Diet and Lifestyle Forum

Raw Paleo Diet Forums => Health => Topic started by: ontheroadnyc on June 09, 2010, 05:42:26 am

Title: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: ontheroadnyc on June 09, 2010, 05:42:26 am
I know there was a thread on this before but it'd be great to get some fresh input.  I'm thinking between this raw paleo diet and eating high-meat I can get off my meds.  Has anyone had good results in this area of health?

I take a very low dose of Effexor XR for depression.  37.5 mg.  I've tried to go off a few years ago but was absolutely miserable. But that was before I was doing this Raw Paleo.

Also, I'm about a month into the Raw Paleo and in some ways I feel great, better than before, in other ways I'm more tired.  Have anyone found they feel worse in the short term but stick it out to really get the benefits long term.

Lastly, I wonder if I should stop eating fresh raw coconut cream I make with my green power juicer.  It's so tasty and I eat a few tablespoons a day, but I wonder if it's de-toxing me too much and contributing to my depression and anxiety.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: goodsamaritan on June 09, 2010, 06:06:02 am
I believe the correct variant of raw paleo diet for you is intended to cure every disease.
You need to see how you feel and progressively lower the doses of your drugs.
You probably need a buddy to view you objectively.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: MoonStalkeR on June 09, 2010, 07:20:20 am
I would eliminate the meds ASAP, the long-term effects are not worth it.

What does your diet consist of right now? High meat as you mentioned is the quickest way to improve symptoms re depression.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: raw on June 09, 2010, 07:28:51 am
I know there was a thread on this before but it'd be great to get some fresh input.  I'm thinking between this raw paleo diet and eating high-meat I can get off my meds.  Has anyone had good results in this area of health?

I take a very low dose of Effexor XR for depression.  37.5 mg.  I've tried to go off a few years ago but was absolutely miserable. But that was before I was doing this Raw Paleo.

Also, I'm about a month into the Raw Paleo and in some ways I feel great, better than before, in other ways I'm more tired.  Have anyone found they feel worse in the short term but stick it out to really get the benefits long term.

Lastly, I wonder if I should stop eating fresh raw coconut cream I make with my green power juicer.  It's so tasty and I eat a few tablespoons a day, but I wonder if it's de-toxing me too much and contributing to my depression and anxiety.
sorry, green juice and raw coconut cream are not helpful for depression. my 23 yrs old brother has bunch of mental problems, including depression. with high meat, he shows positive signs. also long time ago, one of those chinese doctors recommend him planty of red meat in his diet. when he depends on green juice, he acts total crazy.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: TylerDurden on June 09, 2010, 06:51:03 pm
Yes, veggie juice and coconut oil/cream should be avoided like the plague  unless you are absolutely certain beyond any reasonable doubt  that they don't cause you any harm.

Other solution:- krill oil is very good re depression/anxiety, apparently.Mercola's krill-oil is supposed to be the best. I take it as I occasionally have only  grainfed meats available on some holidays etc., so that the extra omega-3s help counteract the lack thereof in grainfed meats.

As for the fatigue, people do experience minor detoxes in the initial stages of healing which often includes fatigue. You shouldn't worry too much re this issue. If the fatigue is continuous, then it may be a problem and cutting out coconut cream/oils and veggie-juice might be an option to see if they are the problem.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Josh on June 09, 2010, 08:24:26 pm
5htp is not great for you in the long term, but I did a course for a while and found it has left me permanently a bit happier and more stable. It might help to buffer the transition. Raw paleo is ace but some people have found it problematic to switch...I don't know if it's a good idea to drop all meds and then try and go low carb, raw paleo straight away.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: TylerDurden on June 09, 2010, 09:04:11 pm
Slowly reducing dosage should work.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: RawZi on June 09, 2010, 11:10:10 pm
I take a very low dose of Effexor XR for depression.  37.5 mg.  I've tried to go off a few years ago but was absolutely miserable. But that was before I was doing this Raw Paleo.

Also, I'm about a month into the Raw Paleo and in some ways I feel great, better than before, in other ways I'm more tired.  Have anyone found they feel worse in the short term but stick it out to really get the benefits long term.

Lastly, I wonder if I should stop eating fresh raw coconut cream I make with my green power juicer.  It's so tasty and I eat a few tablespoons a day, but I wonder if it's de-toxing me too much and contributing to my depression and anxiety.

    I think coconut cream does detox too quickly.  I think too, it's good to buffer the detox of psychotropic medicines.  I felt depressed a few months before I started RAF.  I had just started reading about it too, but I wasn't ready to try eating it.  I asked my internist for antidepressants.  He prescribed one to me, not effexor.  I still felt somewhat depressed and told him I need more.  He doubled my dose.  That was ok, but it was a little weird.  It was the best I could do.  I had never been on antideppressant more than a couple of weeks before.  This time I really needed it so it lasted months.  Then I felt ready to jump into RAF.  I did, with (raw grassfed cultured) butter being my predominant food.  Within a couple of weeks it felt like I didn't need the anti-depressant any more.  I checked with my doctor (who was fully aware all along of my past and present diet), and he had no problem with me dropping that medicine.  I've never taken any (psychotropic) again.  If I were you, I might get professional advice.  I know it's a hard road for some people to come off psychotropics onto RAF or any raw food.  
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: ontheroadnyc on June 13, 2010, 04:45:49 pm
Thanks folks for all your comments.  I really appreciate it.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: cwilson00344 on July 12, 2010, 03:18:19 pm
very useful post!
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: kurite on July 12, 2010, 03:38:50 pm
My brother use to be depressed so he started taking some meds. Now if he goes off of them he is absolutely horrible, much worse than he was  pre meds. In other words going cold turkey on the meds could yield some negative results.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Angeline on July 27, 2010, 12:06:22 pm
Depression runs in my family (myself, my father, my brother, my 5 children) and over many years of experimentation we have come upon a program that has proven very effective. I know that depression can cause suffering from mild to unbearable, so I would not say taking antidepressants is not worth it. Some levels of depression are so excruciating that it can be equated with not using painkillers for surgery. As your health improves and you feel better, you can gradually reduce your antidepressant dose. This will avoid unnecessary suffering. The following is the approach my family has used to effectively eliminate depression and get off medications: Start by healing the gut. Without a healthy gut it is not possible to optimally nourish your body. The best program we have found for this is the GAPS Diet. (www.gapsdiet.com) The diet is based on bone broths (cooked) and probiotic foods. You can't eat bone broths raw, but you can incorporate a lot of raw foods. The book does a fantastic job of showing you how the gut affects moods, the brain, etc. Next, go to www.truehealth.org (The Daily Seafood Diet). Our bodies need every one of the 72 + trace minerals that are no longer found in our soils. Some soils never had them. Wildcaught seafood has them. My family eats wildcaught (no farmed or lake fish) salmon every day (other seafood will work). This seems to be the most important factor for one of my sons. If he eats fish every day, he feels normal. If he stops for more than a few weeks, his symptoms of anxiety and depression start to come back. Back on the fish, those symptoms disappear. Finally, look up the Homo Optimus diet. (homodiet.netfirms.com) This can be converted to primarily raw. The ratios are the key. I hope this helps you feel better. 
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Cinna on July 27, 2010, 12:43:20 pm
Depression runs in my family (myself, my father, my brother, my 5 children) and over many years of experimentation we have come upon a program that has proven very effective. I know that depression can cause suffering from mild to unbearable, so I would not say taking antidepressants is not worth it. Some levels of depression are so excruciating that it can be equated with not using painkillers for surgery. As your health improves and you feel better, you can gradually reduce your antidepressant dose. This will avoid unnecessary suffering. The following is the approach my family has used to effectively eliminate depression and get off medications: Start by healing the gut. Without a healthy gut it is not possible to optimally nourish your body. The best program we have found for this is the GAPS Diet. (www.gapsdiet.com) The diet is based on bone broths (cooked) and probiotic foods. You can't eat bone broths raw, but you can incorporate a lot of raw foods. The book does a fantastic job of showing you how the gut affects moods, the brain, etc. Next, go to www.truehealth.org (The Daily Seafood Diet). Our bodies need every one of the 72 + trace minerals that are no longer found in our soils. Some soils never had them. Wildcaught seafood has them. My family eats wildcaught (no farmed or lake fish) salmon every day (other seafood will work). This seems to be the most important factor for one of my sons. If he eats fish every day, he feels normal. If he stops for more than a few weeks, his symptoms of anxiety and depression start to come back. Back on the fish, those symptoms disappear. Finally, look up the Homo Optimus diet. (homodiet.netfirms.com) This can be converted to primarily raw. The ratios are the key. I hope this helps you feel better. 

Coolio... thank you so much for sharing. I will check these sites out. The cool part about forums is that you often end up helping a lot more people than you think you are and helping out people more than you could know. ;D
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Angeline on July 28, 2010, 02:55:14 pm
If anyone would like further tips or details about methods that have worked for my family to eliminate depression and antidepressant medications, I would be happy to provide them.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: BakeyMan on August 10, 2010, 09:54:46 am
Hi Angeline,  I can't think of anything specific to ask you right now, but could you go into more detail about your method to cure depression?  My depression disappears whenever I eat raw meat but i am still  transitioning and still get depressed.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: TylerDurden on August 10, 2010, 05:40:45 pm
Homo Optimus Diet is problematic as it contains a hefty amount of dairy.

As regards depression, the one thing that really works re relief is, of course, "high-meat".
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: BakeyMan on August 12, 2010, 06:28:38 am
Homo Optimus Diet is problematic as it contains a hefty amount of dairy.

As regards depression, the one thing that really works re relief is, of course, "high-meat".

Hey Tyler,
oh haha I unknowingly tried that diet out a few months back then.  atleast raw dairy led me in the right direction.  are there any recipes or videos online that explains how to prepare high meat? 
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: goodsamaritan on August 12, 2010, 12:38:14 pm
I never interpreted Homo Optimus Diet as dairy based.
Where does it say its?
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: TylerDurden on August 12, 2010, 05:13:53 pm
Hey Tyler,
oh haha I unknowingly tried that diet out a few months back then.  atleast raw dairy led me in the right direction.  are there any recipes or videos online that explains how to prepare high meat? 
  http://www.rawpaleoforum.com/display-your-culinary-creations/high-meat-recipe-preparation-for-more-advanced-rafers/
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: TylerDurden on August 12, 2010, 05:17:56 pm
I never interpreted Homo Optimus Diet as dairy based.
Where does it say its?
It is primarily fat-based. and dairy provides a large proportion of that fat as many muscle-meats, these days, have their fat automatically removed before sale. Dairy is mentioned on various sites re the homo optimus diet. The trouble is that it's a diet of primarily Polish origin, so most such websites are in Polish, I think.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: BakeyMan on August 14, 2010, 10:17:09 am
  http://www.rawpaleoforum.com/display-your-culinary-creations/high-meat-recipe-preparation-for-more-advanced-rafers/
cool, i'll try it out soon Tyler.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Angeline on August 18, 2010, 02:35:11 pm
The first thing I tried with my children and myself was the Daily Seafood Diet. I came upon the site when I was desperately searching for something to help with my depression during a very bad time. Every day was torture. I've had problems with depression for 20 years (3 episodes of severe postpartum, and then a chronic depression which came and went and was mild to moderate). Then, at the age of 48, I had an episode of psychosis. I was told it was very rare for someone of that age with no history. That changed my diagnosis to bipolar, but the psychotic episode lasted only a few weeks. It was then followed by a very severe depression which I was battling for over a year. I was hospitalized 3 times. Searching under "natural cure for bipolar disorder" I came upon a site with the story of a man who was bipolar, started the Daily Seafood Diet, and within 5 months was off meds and had been doing well for a year. The theory behind that diet is that there are 72+ trace minerals that are necessary for our cells to function properly and which are no longer in our soils. Foods from the ocean are the only sure source of them. At that time my son was unable to attend school because of a severe episode of depression/anxiety, and all 3 of my daughters were experiencing some level of chronic depression. The trace mineral theory sounded plausible so we started that day. We all felt a definite improvement within a few months, and after 5 months or so my son was feeling completely normal. I quickly tapered him off the meds (3 different meds) and he was fine. He started the next school year a happy, healthy kid. (At that time, the rest of our diet was whole organic foods including grains and grassfed beef). For him, the seafood is the key. Going into the 2nd semester of school, he stopped eating the fish after a month of fighting me about it. He was convinced the fish had nothing to do with how he was feeling. I stopped battling him and decided to see what would happen. Within 5 weeks or so weeks his symptoms were coming back, he was missing a lot of school, and his grades had dropped to mostly Fs. He decided to accept the seafood diet, and within another 4 to 5 weeks he was attending school regularly and was bringing up his grades. He now eats wild salmon every day and is healthy and happy. I've removed grains from our diet, but he does drink raw goat's milk and eats butter. He eats fish, meat, and eggs lightly cooked and sometimes raw. Also fruits and vegetables keeping his carbs under 100 grams. 
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Angeline on August 18, 2010, 03:53:37 pm
One of my daughters did very well with just the seafood addition. She's been eating it regularly and has been depression free since 4 or 5 months into that. She eats all food groups, focusing on organic and raw, but she doesn't eat her meat raw. For me and my 2 other daughters, the seafood brought definite improvement, but it wasn't enough. We were working with a naturopathic doctor and based on several tests were diagnosed with intestinal candida overgrowth and leaky gut syndrome. She treated us with herbs and probiotics but we didn't feel better. I did my own research on gut problems and what looked most promising to me was the GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) diet. Also the SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet). Those diets focus on autism, but from what I see, would apply to all psychiatric disorders as well as many other health issues. The theory behind these diets is that the gut flora is abnormal and does not have a healthy population of beneficial bacteria to keep the pathogenic bacteria under control. The pathogenic bacteria damage the gut lining, making it leaky and unable to digest food properly, causing nutritional deficiencies.  Instead of being properly digested, the food gets digested by pathogenic bacteria and converted into toxic substances which get through the damaged gut lining and up into the brain. The GAPS diet is a program to heal the gut by eating certain foods and avoiding others. When we added this program to the daily seafood diet, we felt dramatic improvement in mood and other areas within 6 to 8 weeks. At this point I was gradually reducing and eliminating medications. I had been on 8 medications. Every time I put them in my mouth I'd be thinking I'll be lucky if I live 5 years.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Angeline on August 18, 2010, 05:00:45 pm
After several months on the GAPS program (with the seafood), I was down to 3 medications and my mood felt normal most of the time, but there were times during the day when mild depression symptoms set in. The GAPS diet allows fruit and some honey, but in time I could see that these foods were a problem for me. I started researching low carb diets. I had tried a high protein diet in the past and didn't feel well on it. I did some research on high fat diets and ordered the Homo Optimus book. The reported results were certainly impressive. I take the approach that I won't know how successful a diet will be until I try it. The Homo Optimus diet is based on a specific ratio of protein to fats to carbs. I don't embrace the entire approach as the doctor thinks all foods are best eaten fried and pork is the best food for humans. He does use milk products, but I see the main point to the diet as being the ratio of the macronutrients. This is a high animal fat, adequate animal protein, low carb diet. Within 2 weeks on this diet (a seafood, GAPs, Homo Optimus combination), a severe skin problem that I have battled since I was 12 was completely healed. I was eating about 80% - 90% raw, but this week started 100% raw. I'll see how that goes. Grassfed beef bone marrow and suet (as well as fatty pork products) are available by mail order. You can eat high animal fat without milk products. Another aspect of the Homo Optimus Diet that I have found to be excellent is its emphasis on organ meats. I have experienced immediate changes in my feelings of well being after eating liver. As I do myself, I would encourage you to try approaches that make sense or look promising to you. Also, if they have worked for others, they might work for you. If not, make adjustments or try something else. The theory is only useful if it brings results.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Angeline on August 18, 2010, 05:07:53 pm
I'm now down to 1 medication, 1/4 of original dose. I just might have more than 5 years ahead.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: BakeyMan on August 20, 2010, 03:01:12 pm
You and your family have been through quite an ordeal.  My family and I have been in similar situations.  I've had issues for about 10 years that I'm sure was fueled by the typical American diet.  I've never been on any long term medications even though there were times when my life was in jeopardy.   Instead, because of a distrust in doctors I tried to find alternative solutions.  That's been my sole priority for 3 years.  The problem was even if things were beginning to work I would lose confidence in myself to continue and give up.  That's when I realized my diet was killing me.  For the past two months thanks to raw meat and acupuncture I haven't had any severe emotional outbursts.  But it is still lurking about less intensely.  Surprisingly, my anxiety has not changed a bit.  I'm sure this is because I recently stopped eating grains and substituted them with mass quantities of fruit.  

“I came upon a site with the story of a man who was bipolar, started the Daily Seafood Diet, and within 5 months was off meds and had been doing well for a year. The theory behind that diet is that there are 72+ trace minerals that are necessary for our cells to function properly and which are no longer in our soils. Foods from the ocean are the only sure source of them. “

I've eaten fish for the past 5 days.  I've always noticed feeling a little less out of it after eating some in the past.  The mercury/PCB contamination hype unfortunately would get the best of me and I would freak out if I ate a fish labeled unsafe.  So it was only a monthly treat for a while.  I still am paranoid about preparing fish raw but I’m going to force some oysters down my throat tomorrow.  I haven't noticed any major improvement yet with cooked fish. The days I am unable to get fish I'll have fish stock plus this cheap red clay called Azomite that has 67 trace minerals in it from ancient sea beds.  It's $30 for 40lbs if you live near a farm that sells it.  You just stir it in water.  If you want to try a sample for your son just ask because I have tons.  

I read a little about the Gaps Diet before looking into the Paleo stuff.  I'll read more about it and the others  within the coming weeks.  I truly appreciate your advice Angeline!  You will be med free in no time!  Ditto on the organ meats!  Kidneys give me a surge of energy like no other food.


Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: raw on August 21, 2010, 01:38:19 pm
depression also runs in my family. my own brother has bipolar and every year he's becoming worse. he's severely suffering. Angeline, your informations are really helpful. i wonder, if you consume those wild salmons raw. it's difficult to feed my brother and he hates fish. he suffers with his bad stomach, ears and nose (he'd a surgery and become worse) inffections often. now he's very suicidal. most of the year he stays in hospitals. he changes his mind thousands time a day. he claims that he gets a fly inside his ear...etc. i was also depressed (very mild) before i started raw paleo. i used to get very angry for no reason after my nap in the middle of the day. i know the suffering from depression. it's harder than the cancer or aids. 
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Angeline on August 22, 2010, 02:08:18 pm
My son doesn't eat his salmon raw. I cook it on very low heat until it's just barely cooked. The rest of his diet is very healthy for a teenager. Grassfed beef, farm fresh eggs (from chickens that actually run wild on the farm), everything else is organic and made from scratch. A little fruit but not a lot. No grains. He occasionally eats junk food at friends' houses (all their food is junk), but as long as he eats mostly at home he's okay. Thanks for the tip on the clay. I'll check into it. I do eat (actually drink) the salmon raw. I can't chew and swallow animal products (too repulsive) so I get them down this way: Blend them in the Vitamix with water and lemon juice just to the point where there are no chunks (it needs it be watery, not thick). Drink it down quickly while I hold my nose and repeat in my mind "tropical shake, tropical shake". Then, still holding my nose, I swish my mouth out and put a piece of lemon in and chew. Only then do I let go of my nose. At first I was also concerned about mercury, PCB, other pollutants in fish. Check out what the guy on The Daily Seafood Diet has to say about that issue. I agree with him. At this point, all our food is polluted. I would rather be consuming the fish and feeling good, than avoiding fish and suffering. I am very wary of heavy metal chelation products, as I was using them when I had the psychotic episode. I've never had any kind of problem with any raw flesh that I've consumed, but I choose my sources carefully. No grocery store flesh. If you're trying to help your brother or someone who won't eat fish or healthy food, you could try soups made with fish broth, or try a natural trace mineral supplement such as the clay. I have used a similar product called ConcenTrace. The SCD diet is also worth looking into (similar to GAPS). Unfortunaley, it takes so much dedication to recover (and I mean restore good health) from a serious psychiatric illness, it's probably not possible to help someone who isn't cooperative. I didn't do well on the fruit. Consuming the flesh foods raw without salt and eating lots of raw butter without salt keeps me from craving fruit. One more thought if trying to help a family member. The Homo Optimus Diet may be helpful and may be more acceptable to the average person.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Brother on August 26, 2010, 05:38:28 pm
I have good results on a raw diet. It keeps my mood much more relaxed and mellow. I find that eating raw food makes me a better person. I am more conciderate, have more patience, the line beyond which I will become violent has been moved far far away from where it was before. I feel a stronger need to do good things for others and a stronger connectivity with people, something which people around me have commented on.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: BakeyMan on August 31, 2010, 12:51:57 pm
“Check out what the guy on The Daily Seafood Diet has to say about that issue. I agree with him. At this point, all our food is polluted. I would rather be consuming the fish and feeling good, than avoiding fish and suffering.”[/size]

that's true.  If we're going to end up consuming pollution either way, might as well be from fatty fish. 

“I can't chew and swallow animal products (too repulsive) “

Have you tried ground lamb or sushi?  That's how I eased my way into it.  Also marrow tastes just like butter.

The book Nourishing Tradition's has plenty of great raw meat recipes.

Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Angeline on August 31, 2010, 03:24:11 pm
I haven't tried ground lamb. I have tried sushi. I did get it down but it wasn't pleasing. Have tried steak tartare and the taste wasn't so bad - it was the texture and the amount of chewing it took to get it down. I was actually doing ceviche successfully (didn't really like it but thought it would work) for a few weeks and then just couldn't stand the sight of it. Drinking it has been the easy way for me because it's over so quickly. Maybe I'll get to a point where it's appealing. Just don't know yet. Thanks for the tips. I do have the Nourishing Traditions Cookbook. I haven't tried any of the raw meat recipes yet, but I'll look them over. Maybe something will look good. I know there are several factors involved. It's partly psychological, partly not what I'm used to, but also it just doesn't taste good. What really tastes good to me are cherimoyas, watermelons, cherries, nectarines. When I eat those foods I'm experiencing "this is the food of the gods". But the next morning I wake up feeling like I have the worst hangover. With raw flesh and fat, I wake up feeling good. I really hope I'll enjoy them some day.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: BakeyMan on September 04, 2010, 01:17:55 pm

atleast it's staying down.  fruit must give you a major sugar rush.  i'm ordering the SCB from the library, i'm going to try to convince my father to read it becuase he has TONS of digestive problems caused by eating cereal and bread everyday.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Angeline on September 06, 2010, 10:08:54 am
The SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) book is called "Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet" by Elaine Gottschall, and the GAPS book is called "Gut and Psychology Syndrome" by Dr. Campbell-McBride. They are similar programs with some differences. You can Google SCD vs. GAPS and get an overview of the differences.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: cliff on September 06, 2010, 11:31:01 am
You could try natural substances like herbs to replace your medicine.

All pharmaceuticals are extracted from natural sources or they make them in a laboratory based off the chemical in the plant.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: angelinadiaz on September 18, 2010, 03:00:01 pm
Better you go for yoga and meditation.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: sabertooth on September 18, 2010, 08:41:49 pm
some alternative health professionals recomend 6 weeks of sunbathing or tanning beds before any meds are given for depression, there is evidence that the majority of depressed people could benefit from more sun. When I was a teenager I would get seasonal winter depression, and during the summer it would go away ,because I would play all day in the sun. I know from experience that sun therapy works. Try eating a lot of raw cholesterol(egg yolks) and sunbath regularly and after a few weeks anyone with a depression disorder should have some improvement.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: pioneer on September 23, 2010, 02:22:28 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1nbZCNDgbY

anybody who needs help with, or are interested in this topic needs to see this video, The Marketing of Madness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1nbZCNDgbY

It turns out that the psychotropic drug industry is the biggest scam big pharma has ever had. Pulling in $550 billion annually, they pull in most of their wealth from these psychotropic drugs. They simply make up mental diseases and vote on symptoms in conferences. A lack of sunlight and testosterone are some of the main causes of depression. And psychiatrists fail to even admit that nearly 95% of depression is caused by an underlying physical condition. It is very rare to have a psychological condition without a physical condition to begin with. So that leaves us with the question of, why are we taking these mind altering drugs, which no one (not even psychiatrists or doctors) even knows how they work, when the problem stems from a physical cause. Fix the physical cause and fix the psychological cause.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Alomonger Pete on October 10, 2010, 05:07:46 pm
Yes, veggie juice and coconut oil/cream should be avoided like the plague  unless you are absolutely certain beyond any reasonable doubt  that they don't cause you any harm.
What's the problem with these foods?  Please explain, I'm very curious ...
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: TylerDurden on October 11, 2010, 06:38:42 pm
What's the problem with these foods?  Please explain, I'm very curious ...
Raw dairy, raw veggie-juice and raw coconut oil are the foods most complained about on RVAF diets.In the case of raw veggie juice, it is thought that the amounts of antinutrients as well as standard nutrients are made more bioavailable after juicing, thus resulting in nutritional deficiencies. And as for coconut oil, many seem to have some form of allergy towards it.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: raw-al on October 12, 2010, 02:43:13 am
Raw dairy, raw veggie-juice and raw coconut oil are the foods most complained about on RVAF diets.In the case of raw veggie juice, it is thought that the amounts of antinutrients as well aqs standard nutrients are made more bioavailable after juicing, thus resulting in nutritional deficiencies. And as for coconut oil, many seem to have some form of allergy towards it.

Tyler,
One of your favorite rants again.  ;) I notice you have tamed down your prior ascertations  into "its is thought"... That seems to be Sanskrt for "Tyler seems to think".

Lots of people do fine on these and no doubt lots do not, just like probably every type of food. The reasons may have to do with adaptions made in the past by groups of people who were in the situation of having these foods abundantly available in their locale. The foods had adapted to the local climate/soil and stressors located therein and their consumption helped out the local people's immune system to cope with them. Since nowadays populations can easily migrate large distances and these dietary adaptations have been thrown into disarray as people move to areas of the world completely foreign to their ancestors.

Also the multitude of chemicals and harvesting techniques and shipping techniques allow people in for instance Northern Canada to eat coconuts. Hardly a native part of their diet. Same is true with eating foods from the deep ocean. It's kind of like... "you pay yer money and you takes yer chances.... Some people can adapt to the foods and some can't.

There are systems that can give you a leg up on figuring out if you are able to adapt to the foods. One is Ayurveda which I happen to enjoy. There are others.

To try to assume that everybody can eat such and such and some foods are bad news for everyone is pure and simple silliness. One friend of mine can down Chilli peppers in some hot sauce like they were potato chips. I'd be going to the hospital if I tried that.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: TylerDurden on October 12, 2010, 02:50:49 am
The above is, of course, absolute nonsense. I did not of course suggest that they were problem foods for absolutely  all, merely that they were the foods most commonly reported by other RVAFers as causing endless problems for them. Other raw foods cause far, far fewer issues for RVAFers as a whole, so do not have to be cautioned against to the same extent as raw dairy, raw veggie juice, raw eggs or raw coconut oil.

It would be wholly dishonest to pretend, therefore, that issues with raw dairy or raw veggie juice are as frequent as issues with raw meats, for example.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: raw-al on October 12, 2010, 08:34:20 am

anybody who needs help with, or are interested in this topic needs to see this video, The Marketing of Madness:

It turns out that the psychotropic drug industry is the biggest scam big pharma has ever had. Pulling in $550 billion annually, they pull in most of their wealth from these psychotropic drugs. They simply make up mental diseases and vote on symptoms in conferences. A lack of sunlight and testosterone are some of the main causes of depression. And psychiatrists fail to even admit that nearly 95% of depression is caused by an underlying physical condition. It is very rare to have a psychological condition without a physical condition to begin with. So that leaves us with the question of, why are we taking these mind altering drugs, which no one (not even psychiatrists or doctors) even knows how they work, when the problem stems from a physical cause. Fix the physical cause and fix the psychological cause.
Thanks Pioneer,
That was a very interesting time consuming set of videos (18). That explains a lot of my distrust with the words "latest research", "scientific research", "Doctors recommend", etc etc etc. When I read research papers I smell big stinking rats hiding behind them. Including people like Mercola and the other Merchants of potions running around the net. For awhile I subscribed to one of these character's newsletters as I thought he was ligit. I noticed after awhile that his globe trotting to find new therapies always seemed to find him selling the stuff.

I do not agree (although I cannot prove what I am saying) with your assessment that 95% of psychological issues are based on underlying physiological conditions. I believe that many psychological issues go back to an underlying psychological event or environment as was demonstrated at around the 16th or 17th video. Naturally things like malnutrition (which can mean a multitude of things, no doubt including cooked vs raw foods), drugs and alcohol will exact a toll both prenatally and post natally).

Naturally this could be debated till the cows come home as psychological events are what form our lives and we all react to them in our own unique manner.

However I appreciate the link and I passed them to a few friends some of whom are in the medical community (mainstream and alternative). I do have a relative who just finished Harvard in Psychiatry and his generation are less inclined to opt for the drug panacea.

I have to say that being in the psychiatry profession must be difficult, as I suspect that the options of what to do, can in a lot of cases be disheartening and the alternative therapies can seem to be like snake oil. I guess every profession has the soft underbelly.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: pioneer on October 13, 2010, 12:34:33 am

I do not agree (although I cannot prove what I am saying) with your assessment that 95% of psychological issues are based on underlying physiological conditions. I believe that many psychological issues go back to an underlying psychological event or environment as was demonstrated at around the 16th or 17th video. Naturally things like malnutrition (which can mean a multitude of things, no doubt including cooked vs raw foods), drugs and alcohol will exact a toll both prenatally and post natally).


No problem, I really enjoy spreading good information. Also, that assessment was not from my own words, but straight from the movie, as is was asserted that most psychiatrists agree on a poll that physiological factors are the cause of depression, or other psychological problems nearly 95% of the time. This really rings true to me in my own life and many others I have come in contact with. When you really think about it, what psychological problem does not have an underlying physiological factor? I should not have said cause of depression, but rather, main factor in it. Our physiological state of well being correlates 100% with our psychological state, in other words, they are synonymous. Sure, if I had a traumatic event happen to me, like going off to war and seeing my friends die, that would be the cause of my depression, but it is not necessarily the reason why I would be depressed. Humans should be able to handle the psychological stresses and trauma that happen to them, unless of course their body does not permit them to do so.

I used to be depressed because of my bad health, but it was not because of pity on myself, it was because I had too much estrogen and not enough testosterone. When I began to regain testosterone, and lose estrogen, I became much happier. All you need to do to make a man happy is give him some testosterone and progesterone, and he'll be back on his feet.

Soldiers are committing suicide more now than any time in history, but it is not because of post traumatic stress, it is because of withdrawal from prescription drugs given to them overseas.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: raw-al on October 13, 2010, 10:41:03 pm
It is my opinion (not to be confused with the truth ;D ) that psychological events are a major contributor to the state of the physiology. Actually the two of them work in concert and can be like a dog chasing it's tail. The mind is intimately connected to the body and vice versa. What happens to one affects the other.

Give you a frinstance. My ex was in the grocery store one day when she was pregnant. Someone in there said to her "ha ha you are pregnant now so ya can't eat chocolate anymore". This just happened to hit her at a weak moment and she got defiant and started eating chocolate for the first time in her life. She had it hidden all over the house and basically ate gobs of it throughout the pregnancy (she later admitted to me). Daughter # 2 had issues associated with pitta and as far as I am concerned this was the source. The chocolate was a symptom. The psychological issue was the source.

A psychiatrist would look at the daughter and say that she had a physical issue but in reality if you go deeper you find....

As far as psychiatrists being held out as the gold standard on knowledge of the psyche it is curious that they have such a p*sspoor success rate. They generally tend to manage problems, not cure them. (No dough in a cure model) This tells me they are not experts on the subject. They do a wonderful job of defining and classifying just like modern medical doctors but that's where their ability stops.

Meditation is the latest in their arsenal. This has been around since "Christ was a cowboy" and they are finally seeing the efficacy of it. There is tons of "science" around showing how it helps and indeed in some cases has worked the miracle cure. However I believe that the physical has to be worked on also and part of that is diet.
Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: Sudeshmishra on October 14, 2010, 01:12:23 pm
Hello guys,
I also agree all posts because there have a much suggetion to improve your depression, and i also suggest you Raw dairy, raw veggie-juice and coconut oil are the foods most complained about on RVAF diets.In the case of raw veggie juice, it is thought that the amounts of antinutrients as well aqs standard nutrients are made more bioavailable after juicing, thus resulting in nutritional deficiencies. And as for coconut oil, many seem to have some form of allergy towards it.


Title: Re: Depression ? Can I use this diet to get off my meds?
Post by: pioneer on October 15, 2010, 12:04:56 am
It is my opinion (not to be confused with the truth ;D ) that psychological events are a major contributor to the state of the physiology. Actually the two of them work in concert and can be like a dog chasing it's tail. The mind is intimately connected to the body and vice versa. What happens to one affects the other.

Give you a frinstance. My ex was in the grocery store one day when she was pregnant. Someone in there said to her "ha ha you are pregnant now so ya can't eat chocolate anymore". This just happened to hit her at a weak moment and she got defiant and started eating chocolate for the first time in her life. She had it hidden all over the house and basically ate gobs of it throughout the pregnancy (she later admitted to me). Daughter # 2 had issues associated with pitta and as far as I am concerned this was the source. The chocolate was a symptom. The psychological issue was the source.

A psychiatrist would look at the daughter and say that she had a physical issue but in reality if you go deeper you find....

As far as psychiatrists being held out as the gold standard on knowledge of the psyche it is curious that they have such a p*sspoor success rate. They generally tend to manage problems, not cure them. (No dough in a cure model) This tells me they are not experts on the subject. They do a wonderful job of defining and classifying just like modern medical doctors but that's where their ability stops.

Meditation is the latest in their arsenal. This has been around since "Christ was a cowboy" and they are finally seeing the efficacy of it. There is tons of "science" around showing how it helps and indeed in some cases has worked the miracle cure. However I believe that the physical has to be worked on also and part of that is diet.

True, and as far as I know psychotrpopic drugs only harm you, and never rid you of depression. The best antidepressants known are testosterone, progesterone, fat, sleep, and sunlight. I speculate that a big reason why so many people are depressed these days are because of these issues and their interrelatedness. You need the fat intake and sunlight to give the proper cholesterol needed to give the building blocks for testosterone and progesterone. Then you need the sleep to trigger LH to stimulate the testes or adrenals to produce testosterone and the testes, ovaries, and adrenals to produce progesterone. I always look at health as a process of reproduction. Reproduction is the #1 reason why we exist. Therefore, we need to have the prerequisites for reproduction. Sleep is a prereq to diet and diet is a prereq to reproduction.

So far, I know that the major studies prove that testosterone injections are 10X more effective at treating depression than psychotropic drugs such as prozac. This was proven in a study.