raw foods and severe depression

[heatherjoy]

is there anyone out there who has a history of major clinical depression and has found help in eating raw? i would love to hear from you. i am five days raw and would love some more inspriation.
(i promise i will "pay it forward" and post when i experience relief after i've been raw a while :) )
heather joy

[Sheryl]

Gabriel Cousins has a whole book about this.. might be worth checking out. From what I've heard people have had great results. I know personally I'm a much happier person on raw.

Congratulations at taking steps to improve your health!

Cheers,
Sheryl

[karenisraw]

Heatherjoy,

Several years ago, I was diagnosed with depression although I was depressed all of my life. I stopped taking my meds about 4 months ago, and felt all right, but when I went ORGANIC raw I immediately saw a difference in my moods. I was on a "high" all of the time and euphoric and very happy. My eyes became sparkly, and I had much more energy. Two weeks ago, I decided I could not afford organic so I bought regular produce. Since then, the high and euphoria has been dulled a bit. So today I went back to the store and decided my happiness was worth the extra money and bought organic.

I don't about everyone, but when I am on ORGANIC 100% raw I consider my depression cured.

Good luck,

K :p :p

[DrPr]

I was diagnosed with depression but have found relief after a month raw. I wrote about it on my blog so I'll just point you there rather than writing a whole lot about my experience- www.rawodyssey.blogspot.com and the depression commentary is in my post titled "Weekly Summary for Week Four on Raw". You can just do control-F and search for the term "depression" while on the main page.

Not suffering those symptoms has been very liberating for me. I wish you luck in your battle against depression and I for sure would like to know if raw foods help you.

-Allison

[Raw Jewelrylady]

HeatherJoy, I have been suffering w/Depression for many years & Raw is the only thing that has worked for me. I buy organinc as much as possible, but I live in an area w/not much available.

If I stray & eat cooked or processed foods-I have problems. I also have fibromyalgia & chronic fatique syndrome, so I suffer from physical pain when I don't stay Raw. This is a huge incentive for me.

Read my journal & feel free to Private Message me if you would like. Don't worry, things get better & it really works...I know when the "darkness" sets in you can feel quite overwhelmed & frustrated. Learn from the forum & reach out to others for help.
Take Care... :)
Lana

Ps..I "caught your "Pay it Forward" comment. One of the best movies I have ever seen.

[b_light]

I haven't been able to stay 100% raw for very long periods yet (although I will). But so far, I've noticed a difference in my mood. I've been diagnosed with bipolar disorder (but I sorta dispute that), but have definately gone through severe depression. The best help I've gotten has been through the master cleanser. I feel so happy and "high" (the good kind, not the manic kind) when I've done this cleanse in the past. Prescription medicine never made me happy, but this has helped.

Feel free to pm me if you wish, and I agree with lanasq -- reach out to others for help (it can be so important sometimes).

The other thing that has helped me so much is a book my therapist recommended --> New Guide to Rational Living, by Albert Ellis

[eatyourbroccoli]

::raises hand::

i was depressed from 13-18, the latter half of that time period doctors begin throwing around "ADD" "schizofrenic" "intense anxiety disorders" and other terms of the like, not to mention a battle with binge eating disorder and exercise bulemia.

it was a pretty rough experience, i was on paxil, and then adderall xr, and then wellbutrin SR a good portion of that time period.

after realizing it had been 5+ years and the only answer i had gotten was written on a Rx pad (for my "mental issues" as well as for a lengthy bought of mono that after a year i had yet to recover from fully), i decided to take control of everything MYSELF.

i stopped my prescriptions on my own, as much as "professionals" advise against that, and slowly began to eliminate processed foods from my diet.

i am currently 100% raw and i no longer feel a need for antidepressants or anything of the sort, at all. it has reshaped my mentally more than any amount of chemicals and counseling ever could; i'm truly convinced of that.

my mental states has not been this cleansed, this calm, since i was a child.

i attribute it all to going RAW. period.

:) hope that's of some sort of help

[JMD]

This post is a miracle to me...I HAVE been raw and free from any processed foods white flour etc...for over 8 yrs....but I have been recently diagnosed "with depression". I have had lots of changes this yr..mom sick, new marriage, moved, unhappy with my job so there is some stuff going on. I WILL NOT go on meds..but wonder if any of this could also be detox.???? my only unraw item for a whole yr is some steamed veggies....I dunno by letting them go could cause such a swing in my chemistry??

I am not sure what I can advise...just wanted to let you know you helped me by sharing and I am hoping someone has some advise for me too...besides just staying raw. I have a naturopath and we are exploring how to help my hormonal imbalance..I can get suicidal with PMS??

Glad to hear that some have gotten better--you encourage ME:)

JMD

[mommamia]

I just wanted to add my story to this, too:

I'm 37 and have been on meds since I"ve been 32. I had some moments of depression (kinda ragey/self destructive) in my 20's....maybe every 6 mos...then every three months..then every month. Looking back I think it was connected w/hormones. After my daughter was born I had severe (didn't know it)PPD. Took me two years of hell to finally go on drugs. Zoloft came first, after two years I thought sex was "wierd. People like this?" so tried a bunch of other things. Serzone worked for 6 months. Then I was wild eyed. Tried again. I've been on Wellbutrin for about a year. When I'm not well I have severe anxiety. Very difficult to be in large crowds. I find that I get obsessed w/perfection. My house, myself. I fly into rages over nothing. I get very self destructive. I was at my wits end when a friend (bi polar) told me how raw helped her.

Transitioning to Raw: I've been in various stages since December. I was absolutely 100% raw for about four days. Then chocolate got me. My husband (really the best judge because sometimes I can't see outside myself too well) notices a HUGE difference. I feel like waking up. I am joyful. I am positive (wierd for me!) I am not irritated by small things. Noises don't seem amplified. I am realistic in expectations. I love myself. This happend in three days. I had a two day pizza binge and notice a huge difference. Irritable and depressed. We are both able to see how related this is to my monthly cycle. Despite raw I noticed that a week before my period things got worse. I hope that raw straightens out my hormones.

So it is ongoing. If you search depression there are some helpful posts. It has been very encouraging and I am hoping that in time I will be off drugs! That's the goal.

So,Heatherjoy: There is so much support here. Give raw the best chance you can. If you have some trip ups along the way, don't get down, just reknew your commitment to raw. It will and can get better. I think tho, the timeframe is different for everyone. Don't expect miracles overnite...then again you never know!!


MissLinda: I can relate to the trip to the mall. I can imagine how overwhelming that was. Hang in there!!
*JMD~I am looking into naturopathy. Will you please let me know how that works out??*

[JMD]

Mommamia--

I Am Speaking With Her Tomorrow And I Will Let You Know..my Naturopath--. I Am Already On Supplements For My Adrenals...we Shall See...

Trust Your Intuition Always...
Thanks For All Your Honesty Everyone...
:)jmd

[karenisraw]

Heatherjoy,

It helped me with my diagnosis of depression (I no longer have thanks to raw), when I saw how I became immediately depressed after eating a certain food item that I had not ever had before (nutritional yeast), and I realized that it was not me being a failure and having a mental problem, but literally a spoonful of food that made me depressed. This happened after being 100% raw and high (euphoric) so I could pinpoint the food item.

Everyone else, Thank you for sharing and being honest about the things you have been through. It is giving me more self confidence to know that I was not alone.

k
:p :p

[dreamrawalwz]

is there anyone out there who has a history of major clinical depression and has found help in eating raw? i would love to hear from you. i am five days raw and would love some more inspriation.
(i promise i will "pay it forward" and post when i experience relief after i've been raw a while :) )
heather joy

I have had clinical major depression for 1/3 of my life and not only until I did raw did it get lifted. After eating two days of raw there was a remarkable improvement! It just kept getting better until I was finally "happy" consistantly. Good luck on your road to health!

[Beanie]

I've had problems with depression and anxiety. I find that diet helps a lot, but also I need to exercise, meditate, socialize, have a creative expressive means, feel valued, worthy and loved, and laugh. I don't think raw can cure it alone nor, unless its a chemical imbalance, can meds cure it either.