I have a lot of problems with depression, and I think it might be bipolar. Last time I went to my doctor armed with a list of symptoms that I hadn't thought to mention before, she wouldn't listen, and put me back on the medication I was on before, which seemed to make me worse.

I have hesitated to go and buy the drug, and have been reading up a lot about diet and relaxation. I have started doing yoga again and have almost gone vegan, also cutting out wheat, tea, coffee and refined sugar. If I can keep this up (and feel good on it) I would like to aim to go raw food in another couple of months.

So, I would be interested to hear from anyone on here who has suffered from depression and found the raw food diet helped. I do realise I can't assk for medical diagnosis, advice on here, and I am not. I'm just gathering as much information as possible.

Many thanks
Dawn

Dawn, You are on the right track, but I'd suggest a support group for bipolar/ depression(try your local hospital for a list) Best wishes, janice

I had some mild, occasional depression and found the raw food diet very effective - as my body detoxed I would have days when I felt great and then days when I was so depressed, nothing felt right. And then I would feel better than I had before, lighter and happier - it was a process until finally it was all gone.

The reasons for experiencing depression can be due to external factors (people, negative life situations, etc), internal (unbalanced chemistry and nervous system disorders, etc) or likely a combination of both. To the extent these factors are addressed, to that extent there can be relief from the symptoms they caused.

That being said, many people who have switched to a high raw vegan diet have experienced improvements in their moods, even though that wasn't their original goal when making dietary changes. And since so many have seen positive changes regarding other physical issues, then it stands to reason that someone with depression/nervous system issues can also look forward to positive results.

Wishing you vibrant health

I used to be significantly depressed off and on, and what I found was that stabilizing my blood sugar level was the best thing I could have done. Even on a raw food diet, eating too much fruit and other sweet things would throw me off. Low glycemic eating and attaining a stabe blood sugar leve are the main remedies for most depression.

Of course, the doctors aren't going to tell you that. They just want to push their drugs on you, considering they have a contract with the medical industry.

thank you for all the tips/info so far on this. I still check the messages every few days, so if anyone has more to add please go ahead.

Here I will refere to raw food and mental health.
I found you have cut on the wheat which is very essential for the mental health, specially sprouted wheat. Only refined wheat flour is required to be avoided.
Similarly since person with bipolar disorder put on lot of weight due to certain kinds of medicines one should prohibit fried food items from the regular diet. Though the fats is important component for mental health it should be obtain from seasame, mustard, oliveoil, cow milk etc.
refined oil should be reduced, but other oils from different sources should not be completly cut off. The requirement of essential fat along with other important component can be fulfilled with the use of seeds and dryfruits.
Walnut and pumpkin seed is specially important.
Similaraly sprouts, vegetables and fruits of all kinds I feel necessary for good mental health along with bipolar.

The good food habbit is not enough for a person with bipolar.
One should take enough water ( as much as from natural source), sunlight and should know how to take maximum fresh air in their lungs (proper breathing), along with practising yoga, exercise, physical games, relaxation, meditation etc.

In the last the most important point is that a person should try to incorporate highest form of moral values in his personality. I am convinced that without this bipolar disorder can not be cured even with medicine. Actually the cure for bipolar disorder is to learn fault in self and remove them. A site of use for every one to learn science of living throgh practice is WWW.HereNow4u.de where we will get online related material (books etc.)

Naveen

THank you for that Naveen. Yes, I haven't yet started to use wheatgrass. I have some organic seeds downstairs, but wasn't sure what to do with them. I was going to ask at some point, and plant them or sprout them

Hello

To learn more about food habbit, Yog excercise, meditation, relaxation etc. one can consult online by mentioning the problem and sending the email at ask@del3.vsnl.net.in along with reading related material available online for reading and practicing at www.herenow4u.de, all free.

One can try various herbs such as roots of ASWAGANDHA, as it is good for brain.

The drastic cut on medicine should be under the guidance of qualified doctor only.

Praying for Peace for self and all.

Naveen

Humbug-

you're definately on the right track. i was bi-polar for a while, though now i am symptom free. i went through the meds and the treatments (also adhd) and couldn't live like that. of course, most of the meds i was on are now black-boxed.

the first major change to my diet that really helped was removing wheat. even sprouted and raw has the glutens, which is a really strange protein and does not do kind things to my body. obviously you've done some research to decide not to eat it, so that's all i'll say on that.

But i will say eat as raw as possible starting now. the hormones in meat and the opiates in cooked foods do affect the depression cycles. start to pull away as soon as possible. you'll even start to be able to tell when your moods are shifting by what foods you eat and how you eat them. yoga and meditative practices are essential as well.

i think the cleansing of the body is essential for your mental health. it's hard, but it is truly worth the life-changing effects.

peace,
Cassiani

I have heard that a mineral-vitamin-herb-etc. supplement sold by Truehope has been successfully used for treating bipolar and other mental/neurological disorders.

Started aabout 4-5 weeks ago drinking green smoothies, (read "Green for Life" by V. Boutenko) I felt so great so fast I started on the path to raw. I was battling depression and anxiety, a vicious cycle but now thats gone and I can deal with my problems much more effectively. I have energy!
But I have been vegetarian mostly for about a year and I meditate regularly, a really great adventure if you get into it.
Wish you the best, everything you need is here.
G Chapman

Humbug, not sure if you are still on but I hope you are doing better. I have only been raw a few days and transitioning two weeks and the difference has been HUGE. Green smoothies with carrots seem to really help me (I have major depression, and ADHD w/ family history of bi-polar) and my psychologist noticed an immidiate difference during my appointment. Depression is both emotional and physiological and many of the vitamins that support serotinin production and nerve health aren't things people normally get enough of on the SAD diet. Add a traditional SAD diet to genetics and you have a recipe for disaster.. . the green smoothies and increased raw food intake has improved all my mineral and vitamin consuption to the point that two days after starting them I woke up for the first time without an alarm and didnt felt some happyness after two years of aladonia.

Many of the problems related to our Physical, Mental and emotional health is due to our ignorance regarding how to spent our life. A large majority of us even do not know how to breath which is key to mental health.

Certainly some of the few use ful site for not only mental health but they will change positvely our perspective of life by teaching SCIENCE of LIVING.

[www.herenow4u.de]
[heartdiseasereversalprogramme.org]

Naveen

Dawn I think that even though it is a pain for your doctor to listen to the symptoms that you forgot to mention before, she should still have listened to you. I don't think that a doctor that does not listen to his /her patient is a good doctor.
As for the depression thing,... more and more research seems to point out that toxoplasmosis is a source od a whole host of mental conditions. I think that you should have yourself tested for toxoplasmosis.

Hope this helps.

Hi my name is Caroline Im new to this forum.

I was wondering if raw food and nutrition can heal major depression and how long this took for people out there. I was diagnosed 4 months ago with my 2nd major episode of MD and wondered if anyone had any tips for me. Also there maybe indications that I have ADHD all my life but im having this tested currently. If anyone has any advice I would really appriciate it.

Speak again soon,

Caroline

Please read my post (the one just above yours) for some useful info.