Ketosis, mental energy, and euphoria page 2

[Reservoir]

I've suffered depression often in the past, but since being primal I have noticed a general improvement of my day-to-day moods, less mood swings and less irritability about minor things. My sister is also primal and she says she feels more 'extroverted' lately.

Depression is a symptom of minor brain damage, which can be healed holistically. Pretty much anything you can do to keep your body healthy will prevent a bout of depression starting. These are the 4 things I would prescribe to every patient I ever met, if I were a doctor:
- reduce inflammation by having a clean diet,
- improve blood and lymph circulation by doing some regular intense exercise,
- spend some time every day in fresh air and direct sunlight (even if the weather is crap),
- cultivate healthy gut flora by taking fermented foods and/or a probiotic supplement.

There are visualisation and therapy techniques that can help as well but I haven't found them to be necessary - while running on good quality fuel my brain just seems to run better!

Except for probiotics, I'm doing all of these and taking lots of beneficial supplements such as omega 3, magnesium and B vitamin. Hasn't been enough to improve my mood, though!

[sbhikes]

I don't know that I ever had a true mental disorder. I was diagnosed with depression and took medication for a while, but gosh, isn't everyone? All throughout my life I have experienced at least a little depression. There were many periods of my life where I could barely stay awake all day. I thought at one point I fit the description of dysthymia pretty well.

Something truly changed on this diet. I don't think it was the ketosis, though. After the elimination of grains and seed oils, I think it was a combination of Vitamin D and animal fat that really pushed me to the good side of mental health. If I stop taking the Vitamin D and there's no sun to go out in, I stop feeling quite so energetically happy. If I eat less animal fat I stop feeling quite so focused, calm and even. By animal fat I mean the white stuff that floats to the top of my beef broth, the fattiest pieces of pork or beef and chicken with the skin still on.

[lssanjose]

I don't know that I ever had a true mental disorder. I was diagnosed with depression and took medication for a while, but gosh, isn't everyone? All throughout my life I have experienced at least a little depression. There were many periods of my life where I could barely stay awake all day. I thought at one point I fit the description of dysthymia pretty well.

Something truly changed on this diet. I don't think it was the ketosis, though. After the elimination of grains and seed oils, I think it was a combination of Vitamin D and animal fat that really pushed me to the good side of mental health. If I stop taking the Vitamin D and there's no sun to go out in, I stop feeling quite so energetically happy. If I eat less animal fat I stop feeling quite so focused, calm and even. By animal fat I mean the white stuff that floats to the top of my beef broth, the fattiest pieces of pork or beef and chicken with the skin still on.

Interesting you mention this. This past weekend, I was part of a two-man egg-cracking team for the breakfast event at our church. My teammate/friend kept calling me by someone else's name, even when I reminded him twice, or thrice. He said he needed more coffee, but I was more tempted to say he needed more fat.

[fiercehunter]

I eat vlc/no carb during the week & moderate carb on weekends- careful about carb sources, of course try to avoid grains etc. You could try that. I love the clarity from no carbs but enjoy a few days a week with some carbs also.

[js290]

THe number of calories isn't a problem, I eat around 2500cal.

Have you tried eating more?

[RichMahogany]

Interesting you mention this. This past weekend, I was part of a two-man egg-cracking team for the breakfast event at our church. My teammate/friend kept calling me by someone else's name, even when I reminded him twice, or thrice. He said he needed more coffee, but I was more tempted to say he needed more fat.

Didn't you get the memo that fat isn't a necessary nutrient because it's a macronutrient, and macronutrient breakdown is now irrelevant, because ChocoTaco ate 6 sweet potatoes after 4 hours of straight deadlifts (along with 3 ribeye steaks) and can almost see his abs now?

[Rattybag]

Interesting.

How long have you been in keto? How long has the euphoric feeling lasted initially?

Ive been keto since Feb 1st of this year in the hopes of seizure control, but feeling as I do I think Id rather have the seizures!!

[lssanjose]

Didn't you get the memo that fat isn't a necessary nutrient because it's a macronutrient, and macronutrient breakdown is now irrelevant, because ChocoTaco ate 6 sweet potatoes after 4 hours of straight deadlifts (along with 3 ribeye steaks) and can almost see his abs now?

Well, the guy I was helping is a S.A.D. fellow. I don't know what eats for his first meal; and it's not my concern.

As far as the provided instance, I don't know if you were being sarcastic with me. But, if not, good for him.

I suppose, I should've rephrased my remark, or statement: he needed more eggs, or something. Coffee's great and, all. But, in my mind, it's a little dangerous to make it a crutch.

[RichMahogany]

Well, the guy I was helping is a S.A.D. fellow. I don't know what eats for his first meal; and it's not my concern.

As far as the provided instance, I don't know if you were being sarcastic with me. But, if not, good for him.

I suppose, I should've rephrased my remark, or statement: he needed more eggs, or something. Coffee's great and, all. But, in my mind, it's a little dangerous to make it a crutch.

I was only making a joke/being sarcastic. I actually had a similar experience a few years ago on the ride up to an annual camping trip. I was asked to give a ride to a new member of our group, who happened to be a vegetarian. I spent the entire ride repeating things I'd told him a few minutes before. He kept apologizing for his forgetfulness, saying that as he aged, he felt like his brain wasn't working right any more. I think he was 44...

[lssanjose]

I was only making a joke/being sarcastic. I actually had a similar experience a few years ago on the ride up to an annual camping trip. I was asked to give a ride to a new member of our group, who happened to be a vegetarian. I spent the entire ride repeating things I'd told him a few minutes before. He kept apologizing for his forgetfulness, saying that as he aged, he felt like his brain wasn't working right any more. I think he was 44...

Gotcha, Rich, thanks. My ex worked at a senior home. There, she'd set up activities for the residents: bingo, cards, Wii; or any other memory-jogging game she could think of. With this in mind, I really think about brain fitness, likening it to muscular/cardiovascular fitness. Lately, I've been teaching myself to write left handed (mother made me write right-handed, despite my predominantly left-handedness), while teaching myself gross motor work on my right hand (throwing a football; shooting a basketball, etc.).