How
Food Affects Mental Health
It's
not all in your head
There are a number
of doctors, psychotherapists, and lay people
who really subscribe
to the theory that what we eat affects not only
physical health,
but also mental health.
In cases of severe
depression, nervous irritability, mental fatigue, extreme
confusion, irrational
behavior, even hopeless schizophrenia, all
seemingly without
cause, an explanation has been found:
Dietary Inadequacies
Not all mental
illness is nutritionally based, but many cases treated
within boundaries
of mental therapy will never improve without
attention to
dietary deficiencies.
Sometimes hormone
balance changes, stress or a restrictive diet
can cause some
of these symptoms.
Among other considerations
are Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
An unbalanced
diet lacking the supply of vitamins can bring on
depressed blood
sugar. A diet consisting largely of refined carbohydrates
lacking
Vitamin B, can trigger emotional instability.
The body also
needs Vitamin A and E for good mental health.
Other nutrients
known to be needed in proper mental functioning is
Magnesium
to regulate nervous irritability.
Some of this
can be determined by tests measuring sugar, food
oxidation rtes,
and concentration of vitamins and minerals.
Only a competent
Doctor can discover the ability to utilize food, and to
prescribe a diet
responding to the deficiencies.
Meals are spaced
throughout the day, early morning, mid morning,
midday, midafternoon,evening
and bedtime-so that food is continually
being metabolized
for the production of energy.
It is suggested
that the recommended daily allowance of 1 gram of
protein for each
2.2 pounds of body weight. The remainder of the daily
calories come
from carbohydrates and fat, with foods chosen for their
vitamin and mineral
content. The doctor also should give
megadoses of
Vitamin B in conjunction with the other elements
of your blood
analysis. As always THIS MUST be under a doctors care.
Only a blood
test can determine your metabolic characteristics
and determine
your personal diet needs.
If you are subject
to periods of depression, mental confusion, and other
emotional deviations
for which you find no psychological cause,
you may want
to experiment with changing your diet.
Evaluate
Your Diet~Click Here
