Controlled Diet for Mental Illness and Behavior Problems

I have 2 relatives who have had success using the free advice on Ted talks from dr. Katherine Reed. One of them is bipolar with schizophrenic tendencies and is an adult. The other is an autistic child with o.c.d and anxiety disorders. Both of them have had a lot of success following the advice given by her. It is very strict but worth the effort, at least in their experience. The child saw results within the first two weeks and was like a different kid in a matter of months. The adult began to see a difference after about 4 months. Look it up on you tube, it is about 16 mins long Ted talks unblindmymind what are we eating by dr. Katherine Reed. The results have been amazing! It does not require a huge monetary investment, just a bit of dedication. Worth a try!

I too am sorry you have gone through this and continue to suffer. I suffered from clinical depression for many years. I did therapy and a regimen of medication - while I didn't have anywhere near the side effects that you have had, I didn't find it to be a cure-all either. You, like me, have the added burden (or motivation, to make it positive) to get well not just for yourself but for your children. My husband has had a long term chronic pain condition which also causes depression, so while I haven't had the physical pain you endure, I live with someone who has battled that.

I do know many people for whom medications do not work, and I've known people who have had the severe liver issues from other meds, not specifically anti-depressants or other psychiatric meds. So your situation is not unheard of, but it's made worse it seems by the confluence of so many issues at one time.

Have you done any reading on epigenetics? It's a well-respected science that is showing, more and more, that chronic conditions of all kinds, as well as food sensitivities and the rapid rise of mental/behavioral issues, may well be due to damage to the epigenome. The DNA in our cells is set, of course, and while there are some genetic conditions that cannot be changed, the epigenome is what tells individual genes in each cell to turn on or off, allowing that cell to specialize in function and appearance. So while the nerve, bone, retina, skin and muscle cells in your body have the same DNA, they do different things because individual genes in each cell are switched on or off. If that's done right, the cell works right. If not, we have individual (and inherited) problems. So when you hear people talk about a "family history" or "genetic tendency" towards heart disease or cancer or irritable bowel disease or even depression, that's an epigenetic factor. And it's changeable. It can be caused by disease, aging, environmental illnesses, or trauma/stress. Here's just one article - it happens to deal with Holocaust survivors and their descendants, but there are many others that related to PTSD and more.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/descendants-of-...

Yes, there are many dietary things that can have an effect, but it's very difficult to get enough of the essential nutrients to feed our bodies. This has to do with the food supply and depleted soils and so on, but also with the accumulation of epigenetic changes through severe and ongoing (and intergenerational) stress. There are some great studies - thousands, actually - about a dietary ingredient that is clinical shown to affect the epigenome and repair those defective switching mechanisms. I have a colleague with severe PTSD (war veteran, severe chemical exposure, cancer, and more) who no longer has the nightmares and pain, and is off something like 15 medications. I have other friends with autoimmune issues (MS, RA, etc.) who've also seen amazing turnarounds. I'm off my antidepressants and my husband has seen massive decreases in his pain. Not cured, but better over time.

But there's no overnight fix, and it's important that you know that. You can't undo that kind of damage in a short period of time, but results are ongoing and incremental. You have to make the commitment, you know? And that's so hard when someone is dealing with debilitating issues. Plant based solutions take time and consistency. Yes, you are right, it works for kids and also for adults - but adults often take longer because the damage is more established. But it can be done. There is hope.

So I send you immense amounts of support and sympathy, and my kudos for not giving up.

My son has ADHD, and we have heard so many people tell us to just change his diet or eliminate screen time. I do know that it's very important to make sure our kids eat a healthy diet, get plenty of sleep, not overdo the electronics, get plenty of exercise, etc. But my son has true ADHD, and his brain works the way it works. The medication helps his brainwaves so that he can function better in our society.

I don't want to say don't even bother trying. But I also don't want to give you false hope. Maybe you will find something that works for you. I would suggest you continue working with your doctors. More than likely, there are other types of treatments you can try.

My heart goes out to you. I hope you find something to give you some relief!!!

R.,

I am a firm believer that there is no one magic cure diet, or exercise, or alternative medicine approach when an individual such as you has such a complicated medical history.

You must research and commit to a multi-disciplinary medical approach to managing your many and complicated medical diagnosis.

I suggest you always work with a few of the following medical professionals: A physical therapists, to manage your SI surgery and rehab; a PMR MD (physical medicine rehab) who can help guide you through the myriad of medical choices; continue with an acupuncture or acupressure regime, which is well known to help alleviate chronic pain / muscle / ligament / joint pain, help with sleep cycles, hormones, etc....and my hunch is that if you sleep well, your cycles might lessen; continue to work with a Psychiatrist / Psychologist to manage your moods and perhaps one day a new, improved med will benefit you.

My point is that I don't believe one perfect diet will cure you and having that expectation might sabotage the success in the long run, because you'll be wanting a complete fix. It's possible you might only achieve minimal success or partial pain relief and that is a reality you also have to live with and manage.

Personally, I have had tremendous success with monthly Japanese Shiatsu treatments, managing chronic pain from a horrible accident I was in many years ago.

I also use EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) for PTSD which you can google, or Youtube, or go to your public library and pick up how to books.

I'm sorry that you're going through all this, but eliminating sugar and eating only organic vegetables, even if they're grown by Tibetan monks, fertilized by virgin yak manure, and watered by fairy piss isn't going to fix it.
Talk to your doctors and keep working to find a medication regimen that will help you.

I've known people who try to self medicate - with alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, non-legal drugs - I've never seen it turn out well.
When you are dealing with a mental instability you can't be objective while you are working through the trials and errors of what ever you are trying to do to treat yourself.
If you're willing to try anything, keep open the option of working with doctors and health professionals to find what will work best for you.
New drugs and treatments are coming out all the time.
You won't know if they'll work unless you know about them and try them.
Good luck and I hope you find something that will work for you!

Often I think when people say these diets worked for their kids, they were really seeing a food or additive sensitivity rather than accurately diagnosed ADHD. We have a son with ADHD, OCD, GHD (once called pituitary dwarfism) and some other more minor challenges. Behavioral therapy worked well for managing the OCD. Not so much for the ADHD; after months of therapy, he still needed meds. BUT because of his GHD and OCD, he is not on a stimulant.

I'd suggest eliminating all artificial food dyes and opting for as natural a diet as you can manage AND finding medical providers who will see and work with you as a whole person when prescribing meds (I would not give up on meds; BPD with psychotic features is serious business).

Finding providers who saw our son as a whole person, who were not just focused on ONE challenge but considered them all, was key for our son, as many of the standard ADHD meds could have made the OCD worse and made the GHD treatments ineffective.

Good luck to you,
d

ETA: No meds are an option? Oh my, this is tough. Definitely keep up the acupuncture and assess your vitamin/mineral uptake. Otherwise, I don't know. I'm so sorry this has happened to you!

Bless your heart! GEEZ...I would start with a Naturopath. Seek out the best of the best in your area. We consulted one and did genetic testing and allergy testing etc. It was very revealing. You need a big picture on your body's chemistry, not just one area. Go to someone willing to consult other testing etc. I would think it would take a few doctors, working together to piece this puzzle together.

I am so sorry that your life is so difficult right now. I will pray for you.

You can try... but...

The thing about people with your disorder is that they think they're doing fine off meds, and they AREN'T. They can't tell. Everyone else can. They think that everyone around them is wrong.

Are you willing to listen to a trusted friend or family member about your behavior when you're trying to manage unmedicated? Are you willing to put someone else under the pressure of trying to manage you?

It's not just your life that you're dealing with. It's other people's, too. Your actions have consequences. How you act affects people around you. Not everyone has a choice about staying with you or leaving you when you are psychotic, anxious and cycling through all this.

It's one thing to change your diet and try alternative medicine. It's another thing to think it's the answer to everything.

Find another psychiatrist and really talk turkey with them about alternative medicines. If the meds turn your liver into a mess like this, they must find you a different one. And no allowing them to give you a bunch of meds at one time. That's just an awful thing to do to people. Don't accept that.

I'm so sorry you can't take meds. They often have such a good results. I know people that take them and have side effect too but nothing like what you've had. That absolutely stinks.

I wish I had good information for you but I've worked in mental health and know that living with these issues are hard. No one can understand at all unless they've been there.

I overcame my anxiety with therapy and taking Klonopin. I was able to get to the root of why it was happening then when I'd have an attack I found I was able to be back in control of my body. Food had very little impact on what my mind was doing. If I filled up on caffeine then of course I'd have jittery issues and that could easily stir up stuff but a full blown panic or anxiety attack is triggered by your brain and not what you eat or drink.

I would like to suggest that doing imagery and practicing relaxation techniques are exercises that will help you to stop having the issues with those things. I still have some avoidance behaviors such as sitting in a room but making sure I'm by the door so I can make a hasty escape if I feel uncomfortable. Getting places I've never been before a bit early so I can wander around and find bathrooms, exits, seating so I can be comfortable, etc... I plan ahead and make sure I do my best to be the calmest I can.

I had to quit work, stop driving in traffic where I was trapped at a stop light and not able to make a right turn on red to get free, and I had to stop taking classes because I couldn't cope with not being able to leave the class to move around.

Diet did nothing to stop my brain from freaking out when it wanted to. When I did therapy and found what was at the root of all of it I was able to take control of my mind again. I still have some issues but I function 99% normally and fell 99% normal, like before anxiety and panic attacks.

As for the bipolar, I don't think there is any diet that will fix that. It is a chemically based illness not an environmental one. Please work with a pharmacist or nutritional to see what other things will help. For instance, finding that a child is sensitive to red dye 40 and it wigs them out helps a parent who says their child is normal at home but the elementary school keeps sending him home every day after lunch for aggressive behaviors...he has chocolate milk every day at lunch and it had red dye 40 in it...behavior stopped by drinking white milk instead.

There are things that are attributed to mental illness that are directly linked to diet and not a real mental health issue, that's where diet come in.

Try reading stop the thyroid madness website. It doesn't just have thyroid information, even so that may be your case. It gives a lot of insight on to what blood testing to have done for vitamins/minerals that can help.

Wow.... sounds like you have had it really rough, and have tried a bunch of different approaches.

I'm sorry the medications don't work for you... that is unfortunate. Hopefully eventually a medication may be found that works for you, but until then, especially if your doctors say to stop trying....

as far as a specific diet for your mental illness, I would suggest eating as pure as possible... go back to a "whole foods" diet, skipping as much processed crud as possible..... I would think that would help you feel better in body, anyway.... It doesn't have to be organic, as such, but keeping away from all the processed junk should help some aspects of your health....

Also, start keeping a strict food diary and see if you can tie any swings to specific foods.... that might help...

Good luck with your surgery and your personal journey!

My husband swears by his whole food, plant based diet (pretty much vegan). He eats pretty much no pre-packaged processed foods, and although he was not suffering from mental illness, he feels much better now than ever before.

I'm very sorry your challenged with mental illness, my heart goes out to you. People just don't understand how hard it is. I really admire your determination to get well!

My loved one with some of the same illnesses as you mentioned is on a lot of meds, and honestly, I'm not convinced they help much anymore anyway. There's always side effects, and then when your body builds a tolerance, you just need more and more.

The only other things, you've probably already heard is consider a multi-vitamin, an omega 3 supplement, keep getting physical exercise, and don't isolate yourself! I wish you the best in recovery.

Unless you have a separate food sensitivity, diet isn't really going to help with brain disorders, I'm afraid. However, there are a lot of alternative approaches out there. Find the associations out there for people with your separate conditions and read up on what they have to say as far as reliable treatment options. Be careful, because there are a lot of scammers out there preying on people who don't want to medicate, so the associations are always a good starting point.

You might take a look at neurofeedback and see if it has applications with your conditions. We tried that for our son's ADHD and unfortunately it didn't work; however, it seems to have a 50/50 shot of helping with ADHD, so it might work with other brain disorders? There is some scientific backing to neurofeedback, although most insurers don't cover it and it's expensive (cost thousands in the end). Even one of the therapists at our Kaiser's psychiatry team used it for his son and had success.

Good luck! Hope you find something that helps you. It really is too bad all medications are out for you.

I don't really have an answer. I am looking forward to seeing some! My son has also been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I do know veggies, veggies and more veggies help moods...but not specific answer for you. Only that they help to give you the vitamins you need along with proteins. I just want to say I am praying for you and really care.

Look for a Doctor of Holistic Medicine.
It would help if I knew what type of diet you are on right now. You might want to try to take dairy, gluten, MSG and all processed foods out of your diet.
Look into 5 HTP, our body makes it naturally form tryptophan found in dairy products, turkey and a few other foods. However it can take a week for the tryptophan becomes 5 HTP in our brain. anyway it works on the serotonin levels.

I'm not a professional, so this is just from what I've read and studied.

I am concerned about the amount of processed foods that are available and that are consumed and the advertisements for convenience foods and sauces and mixes and boxes. Recently I was reading about glutamates, and their importance to our health. However, there are two kinds: bound glutamates (that basically help our brains function in a good and healthy way) and free glutamates (that cause spikes in emotions, and all kinds of other problems). Free glutamates aren't natural. Bound glutamates are, and we couldn't function without them. MSG is just one example of a free glutamate. There are dozens of others.

If you browse sites online that are developed to help families who have a loved one dealing with a disease or condition (Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig Disease, MS, autism, etc), there are lots of sites that help by suggesting things the family can do to alleviate some of the symptoms or difficulties that the loved one experiences. Many of the sites include diet and food suggestions, and I was surprised at how many of them suggest ridding the home of free glutamates, processed foods and packaged foods.

This site and the links within it can explain this a lot better than I can. As for us, I won't use foods that contain carrageenan, xanthan gum, MSG, and other glutamates as much as possible. You might find this site helpful, and it links to lists of free glutamates:

http://chriskresser.com/beyond-msg-could-hidden-sources-o...

Try reading about free glutamates and their impact on mental illness and neurological diseases, and maybe that would give you some help.

I hope your surgery goes well. I wish you the best on your journey to feeling better!

Totally random book I read sometime long ago. ...the mercury in old fillings bothered some people and removing that helped...no idea how much of that is wacky or not...but if you have tried everything else. ...

I agree with Doris Day and Mum4ever re your psych diagnosis. Please keep an open mind and try a multidisciplinary approach instead of just quitting psych meds. Please note there is no medication that will work PERFECTLY for anyone. I say this not to be discouraging, but because I have personal experience with those with rapid cycling bipolar with psychotic features. It is a very scary thing and extremely scary for children whose parents are exhibiting the symptoms, as I'm sure you know. I don't even want to think of anyone with this diagnosis even thinking of going off meds completely. Bipolar disorder with psych features, and any other psych diagnosis involving psychotic features is significantly more serious than other psych disorders like depression, OCD, or learning disorders for which alternative methods of treatment may work better.

Anything is possible, but it's hard to believe that changes in diet would change the way the chemicals in your brain functions better than psych meds that are specifically designed to target these chemicals to function better. I also would like to suggest getting a second opinion from another psychiatrist.

well, i don't know, R., because i'm not an expert. and i hope with all my heart that you find one, because as useful as this site is, it really really really cannot address problems as profound as yours. you MUST go to a qualified professional and work with them closely.
i know that for my far less intense and overwhelming issues i found relief from a good homeopathic doctor. like you, western medicine wasn't finding or solving anything. it took a couple of years but did the trick.
no one other than someone trained and looking at your specific situation can recommend a diet that will actually work for you. but i do think diet is a great place to start. anyone can better their health by cutting out all processed foods, dyes, sugars and so forth, so you could start with that while you seek out and interview holistic health practitioners and find the one who is just the right fit for you.
it may take a while. but as i'm sure you know, you are well worth it.
good luck!
khairete
S.

Have you done any research on Joan Mathews-Larson or Health Recovery Center?

It has been around a while, and started with some really good information regarding brain chemistry, addiction, anxiety and depression.

She started the program after the death of her son, and I think, like you, she was looking for healthier options to manage mental health issues. She came at it from an addictions angle, but there is a lot of mental health information also.

I don't know where she has taken her research in the last 10 years or so.

So just a word of caution that I hope she has stayed true to her cause and not gotten too commercialized.

Hope you find what you are looking for soon, and keep up the good job taking care of yourself.