Has Primal Helped for Depression/Anxiety? Please share. page 3

[highaerials36]

That's an interesting way to put it. My friend said he has times when even making simple decisions seems so paralyzing that he just sits there and doesn't do anything. Has anybody else felt that way?

Oh absolutely! Now with PB life is speeding forward in so many amazing ways, it's nuts and miraculous.

And to add some more history about me, when I first started trying to eat right by cutting out some things (long before I ever heard of PB), that's when my anxiety was really bad. I was eating lots of grains (bread, cereal, rice), fruits, and veggies, and little meat. My anxiety peaked in the form of me having to go to the hospital a few times...and they said I was in great health (besides my being 50 lbs. overweight). Great blood pressure and all those numbers, yet I felt like I couldn't breathe.

It felt like it was totally a physical basis for my anxiety...I could tell it was something to do with my eating, even back then. Actually going back on the SAD helped because I ate less grains haha. PB though...I don't get anxiety on PB at all, and depression is something less prevalent and my depression isn't so much physiologically based...it comes from external sources.

[naiadknight]

That's interesting. For both of you low carb is good but super low carb is not. Both of you as I recall from other posts tend toward the thinner end of things, right? (as does my friend). Hmmmm.

Accurate.
I'd rec getting him off the gluten first, as that seems to be the major culprit, and taking it from there.

[Paleobird]

My anxiety and depression disapeared when I dropped the grains. Gluten can apparently cause depression and anxiety.

Hey LilEm, Nice to see you. I didn't know this was a part of your history. Thank you for sharing.
Gluten seems to be a recurring theme here. If anybody has a good link to some info about this specifically as it related to depression (since it seems to cause all kinds of other issues too) that would be helpful.

[Paleobird]

YES. Me. I had been suicidal, and suffered manic outburts since the age of 10. Anxiety was crippling, I had panic attacks that had me leave in the middle of a lecture to run outside just to BREATHE. I was hardly socially functioning at one point, and could not complete schoolwork. Other days, I would be as happy as ever - so nobody ever saw any reason for treatment. Anyway, enough about me.

Eventually I found PB, and it changed my life. I am now my "happy self" 24/7 and very successful in college. I still get a teensy bit anxious sometimes, but it's the "normal" kind - more like just being nervous. Depression is almost non-existent, and I am NEVER manic/have angry outbursts.

Also, all the kids I nanny had various issues. One had asbergers, the rest had behavioral problems. Almost overnight, they completely transformed to these idyllic children. Different, but still showing the crazy effect it has on personality. When the mom decided to lean more towards "gluten-free"/raw/vegetarian, that they were doing previous to primal - their issues came back.

I am not passionate about PB because of weightloss, I am passionate because it has the ability to transform lives in ways you couldn't even imagine.

(Okay, done being crazy cheesy and making primal sound like a cult )

Not crazy cheesy at all. It's inspiring. Thank you.

[aktres]

Gluten Sensitivity and Depression

Evolutionary Psychiatry: Depression and a Leaky Gut

[Paleobird]

Gluten Sensitivity and Depression

Evolutionary Psychiatry: Depression and a Leaky Gut

Thank you, aktres. I love this forum!!!!! Such wonderful caring people.

[aktres]

We are all learning together. It's pretty amazing. Somebody should do a study on us. When I see the Success Stories, I am blown away.

[JLB]

Hi. I have grown up with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, addiction and the list goes on... As I have gotten older (33) and changed my behavior, there is still and underlying level of depression that I still deal with and a lot of it has to do with my eating habits. For myself, when life gets out of control I either respond by restricting my diet (meaning lifestyle, not just foods) and/or going off the deep end and screwing up my success... giving me something to wig out about. I am still on zoloft BUT I notice a huge difference in when I am eating clean versus crap and when I am eating balanced. I function best when eating gluten, wheat, dairy and sugar free, which is pretty much primal! I fought this for years and still have my bouts for some reason (a whole other story!) but within a few days I am mentally clearer. I also MUST work out. The serotonin increase with working out is so good for me. The only other thing that used to feel as good was smoking because that would give me that instant increase, chocolate does the same thing. I have read so much of what diet can do for you that I can't even begin to give you the links... here is a quick one that can help:
Diet And Depression -- You Can Diet Down Your Depression

Also, check out medical journals and psych journals. I truly believe there is a connection. Good luck to you and your friend.

[paradisefound]

I just wanted to post in here so I can come back and read it more thoroughly later. I suffer from depression and horrible anxiety. At this point the anxiety is controlling a lot of my life, and I am so hopeful that fixing my diet will at least help. It's been a few months and I can't say I've seen too many changes, but there are other factors and I am sure it takes more time. Thank you all for sharing, I hope to have a positive story to add someday

[Grokkles]

I've been primal for two and a half months and I've lost 50 lbs. Best I've looked in years. Take 5000iu D3 and Niacin supp daily. Still feeling depressed and always tired, no energy. But then again, I hate my job. Probably just that...Oh and winter seems like it's been draggin on for a year. I can't wait for spring/summer.