Rise in Mental Illness Linked to Unhealthy Diets, Say Studies

[rainy]

http://www.newstarget.com/020268.html
Changes in diet over the past 50 years appear to be an important factor behind a significant rise in mental ill health in the UK, say two reports published today. (August, 2006)
The Mental Health Foundation says scientific studies have clearly linked attention deficit disorder, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia to junk food and the absence of essential fats, vitamins and minerals in industrialized diets.

A further report, Changing Diets, Changing Minds, is also published today by Sustain, the organization that campaigns for better food. It warns that the NHS bill for mental illness, at almost £100bn a year, will continue to rise unless the government focuses on diet and the brain in its food, farming, education and environment policies.

"Food can have an immediate and lasting effect on mental health and behaviour because of the way it affects the structure and function of the brain," Sustain’s report says. Its chairman, Tim Lang, said: "Mental health has been completely neglected by those working on food policy. If we don’t address it and change the way we farm and fish, we may lose the means to prevent much diet-related ill health."

Both reports, which have been produced collaboratively, outline the growing scientific evidence linking poor diet to problems of behaviour and mood. Rates of depression have been shown to be higher in countries with low intakes of fish, for example. Lack of folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium and the amino acid tryptophan are thought to play an important role in the illness. Deficiencies of essential fats and antioxidant vitamins are also thought to be a contributory factor in schizophrenia.

I'm posting the above to bring awareness to the fact that diet is largely responsible for most of our ills including mental illness. Much research has been done and the conclusion is that changing to a healthy diet can cure most illnesses.

First, you might say BS, it's all genetic. Yes your genes determine how your own body will handle the toxins and mal-nourished cells but if you did not put the toxins in and also nourished your body correctly you wouldn't have to deal with how your particular genetic make up was going to deal with the toxins and mal-nutrition. Some get diabetes, some get heart disease, some are fat, some are thin etc... but almost all illness can be traced to the cell, either too much toxins or mal nurished, the health of the cell is the health of the body.

There is so much info out there now. Just look at how aware we are about the mechanisms of government. The facts that never make to the mainstream. Medicine is just like that. Too much money is being made to ever let the voices of descent get heard. But, if you do some research you will find tons of scholarly research on the topic. For instance there was a study that showed that some schools, after altering the diet of the children have totally removed behavior problems from their school and gotten all students off drugs. I'll look for a link to this story while I post the above.

L

[Heidi]

1. Nutrition certainly is a likely factor, in my opinion, although

I wouldn't go so far as to say "that diet is largely responsible for most of our ills including mental illness" because I haven't seen the science to support that assertion. My unscientific feeling is that mental illness, like any other illness, is due to a number of factors, ranging from genetic to environmental.

Putting the onus on diet lays the ground for the argument that the mentally ill are solely responsible for their mental illnesses as a result of their dietary choices. That's a slippery slope and there's little or no science to support such an assertion.

Nonetheless, I thank you for a thought-provoking read. :hi:

Edited for clarity.

[stellanoir]

8. There was quite a bit of clinical research and trials in orthomolecular psychiatry

a couple decades ago before big pharma started salivating for life long patrons.

I agree with you that causality often cannot be limited to one isolated factor but from what I've read and seen, dietary supps generally don't hurt, quite to the contrary in fact.

[Heidi]

9. My main concern with this the diet-is-the-cause line of thinking

is that it's an argument that the less compassionate among us might seize to place the blame for mental illness squarely on the person suffering from mental illness when, in fact, we know there are a number of valid reasons for poor diet. Those reasons range from abject poverty to ignorance to laziness. I wouldn't want to see any mentally ill person held criminally liable because they didn't have the financial means to choose a healthy diet, particularly when the definition of "healthy diet" is so broad and debatable.

[stellanoir]

12. I share your concerns in regards to punishing poverty, ignorance, and/or laziness.

Bottom line is though, as it is in this country people are already held criminally liable for non compliance for medication orders.

This has happened ever more so due to the closing of many psychiatric facilities since the 80's and the more recent privatization of the prisons. I've seen figures of private corps. charging the government 30-70 grand per year per inmate when most of them weren't even earning that much or they would have gotten better representation.

I just heard this morning that there was no profit in the business of running many psychiatric hospitals unless patients were wealthy and heavily insured, thus the massive closings and so many mentally imbalanced people on the streets or imprisoned.

This is no way to treat other human beings IMHO.

Cho was alleged to repeatedly rail against rich kids in his writings and video. His folks worked in the dry cleansing services. I can't imagine he received very good care based on his socio economics alone.

I've been fairly silent about this whole issue and listened to those who were focusing endlessly on mental health issues and gun legislation.

On several of the Sunday snooze shows, people were taling about arming the kids. Great let's turn more of our institutions of higher learning into further bloodbaths. I couldn't believe it and was thinking my kid might acquire his degree/s on line upon hearing that idiocy.

No body is talking about the larger issue. . .

"It's the poverty. . ."

Maybe most terrorism finds it's root in extreme inequities in our country and others methinks. Maybe we could talk about that a bit more.

[Heidi]

17. Agree. I believe we must "treat" poverty before we can even begin to

grasp the myriad outcomes of an impoverished life. Like you, I've stayed away from the gun control stuff because I don't believe guns are the core issue. Untreated mental illness . . . well, that's something we ought to be talking about.

[Lex]

18. Absolutely agree with that, Heidi.

"Untreated mental illness . . . well, that's something we ought to be talking about."

Very true.

[Heidi]

26. Lex!

You are missed! :hug:

[rainy]

14. Your point is well made as well as other post here about that as well

we don't want to blame the sufferer. If they don't know the food is bad for them or they can't afford the healthier foods it is not their fault. Plus, diet is just a part of our ills, but, it is a large part and changing ones diet can often, more often than not, reverse disease.

[LiberalEsto]

11. The Brain Bio Center

in Princeton, NJ, for one.

[Richard D]

2. I'll second that

Just one factor, the near absence of the omega 3 fatty acids in our diet, especially the DHA factor, can contribute to poor neo-natal and fetal brain development and depression. Possibly more. Add into that food allergies (most of the American junk-food diet is based on corn, soy, wheat, dairy, and beef - all foods with very high allergenic potential) and all of the millions of chemicals put into processed foods - and it's a wonder any of us are even moderately sane.

[Eurobabe]

3. You are what you eat. I've always believed that. n/t

[rainy]

4. Here's the info on the school study: Very interesting!!!!!!!

School Diet Change Brings Improved Behavior, Healthier, More Focused Students


"Before the Appleton Wisconsin high school replaced their cafeteria's processed foods with wholesome, nutritious food, the school was described as out-of-control. There were weapons violations, student disruptions, and a cop on duty full-time. After the change in school meals, the students were calm, focused, and orderly. There were no more weapons violations, and no suicides, expulsions, dropouts, or drug violations. The new diet and improved behavior has lasted for seven years, and now other schools are changing their meal programs with similar results."
-- Jeffrey M. Smith, Author of Seeds of Deception

[mopinko]

39. this just does not pass the sniff test.

i mostly agree with your points. but throwing in something like this that just cannot be true does you no good. i'm sure changing the food available to kids is a good thing. and i'm sure that change in diet and food supply is part of the reason that mental illness is increasing. but no such sweeping changes are going to occur because of school lunches. that is just absurd.

[SoCalDem]

43. There was a special on PBS (I think) about this very thing

a school for "troublemakers" completely switched their menu and hired a nutritionist. They took ALL the junk out of the school, and behavior DID change, kids lost weight, and grades went up. After a few months with the new food, it was hard to distinguish it from a "regular school".

They went from soft drinks, bagged snacks & a pre-prepared starchy & fried cafeteria, to fresh foods/salads/baked fish & chicken etc.

Some of the kids even wanted to "take some home" for their families.:(

[mopinko]

44. i'm not arguing the principle, but

the fantastic nature of the claims. this is just not science, and neither is "one school that did this" the swallowing of shoddy pseudoscience around here makes me crazy some days.

[BuddhaGirl]

67. Very, very cool!

My young niece was having attention problems in school a couple of years ago, and she was getting poor grades. Her mom reduced my niece's intake of junk food, sugar, etc. and eventually got her to eat a healthier diet along with taking some fish oil supplements. Changing her diet was a challenge, but the results were wonderful. Better grades, better focus. What a difference!

Would that all schools could do what the Appleton school did! :-)

[nebenaube]

5. oh gee, and I thought it was just because of the...

fabricated reality we live in! :sarcasm:

[KittyWampus]

6. Please to consider Sugar & MSG. Sugar (along w/antibiotics) disrupt our intestinal flora

leaving our bodies flodded with large amounts of wee beasties and their toxic waste products.

Also, MSG and isolated yeast extracts are, in fact, neurotoxins.

And sugar and MSG (or its relatives) are in ALL processed foods.

[donsu]

7. raw, organic, unmessed with, cane sugar is OK to consume

artificial sugars/sweeteners are the harmful ones.

and the putting of corn sugar in everything, to feed the addiction. things like fast foods.

the reality show Honey We Are Killing the Kids shows time after time that the kids calm down after the house is rid of these faux sugar foods.

[Lex]

16. We're consuming 10 times the sugar as our grandparents generation did

in one report I read. That can't be OK.

[KittyWampus]

20. there are certain alcohol sugars that are very much beneficial to our systems

Xylitol, for instance. Although some people need to eat small amounts of xylitol and gradually increase amounts so their bodies begin to produce more of appropriate enzyme.

Erythritol is the other alchohol sugar that is beneficial. And tolerated by everyone w/o issues of Xylitol.

Oh, and there's Stevia.

And also Inulin (FOS)

[SmokingJacket]

59. Too much of even cane sugar is not good, though.

We've gotten used to everything being sweetened. It just isn't necessary to add sweetener to foods...

[Lorien]

54. High fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners are real trouble too

I saw this documentary recently: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n-gA0wvi84 a real eye opener, and it pretty much confirmed my suspicions after many health problems I had had for years cleared up after I cut aspartame, MSG and HFCS out of my diet (hey, Don Rumsfeld is behind the approval of aspartame: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8N0z8stino&NR=1 Do we really want to trust him with our health)?

[pitohui]

10. can't win for losing, i guess

don't eat fish and kill yourself from clinical depression

eat the fish and develop dementia from all the mercury

studies that put us in these stupid double-binds are probably a major risk to sanity in and of themselves!

alzheimer's disease is not linked to junk food, that is a stupid and cruel claim, and makes the whole thing seem like this organization has some agenda

by all means, let's blame victims of disease for having eaten food, the criminals, they don't deserve to have good health and sane minds if they dare to eat food! :sarcasm:

real tired of this blame the victim crap, real tired

[smirkymonkey]

22. What about Fish Oil supplements?

Are they contaminated too? I would think that they wouldn't be able to sell them if they were. (wishful thinking maybe). That might be a way to help people who otherwise couldn't afford to supplement their diet w/ fish. (covered by medicare/medicaid for depression/ADD/etc.)

Also, what about organically raised/farmed fish - is that safe?

[KittyWampus]

27. flax seed oil and ground flax seed

[Richard D]

47. Some people . . .

. . . are defecient in an enzyme to convert the omega 3's in flax oil to the DHA faction. So for many people fish oil, or now algae and krill oil, is far superior.

[Richard D]

46. Fish oil

Fish oil should be purified to remove the mercury and other toxins. Good companies do that. Cheap ones don't.

Farmed fish may be a lot worse than non-farmed, tilapia being the exception. Farmed salmon is a joke.

[GreenPartyVoter]

50. Good info on the safety of fish oil

http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/meds/Omega-3.htm

[Shallah Kali]

51. testing by consumerlab found many fish oil supplements free of mercury

plus there is the option of omega 3 enhanced eggs for those who can eat eggs. And if you have the $$ grass fed cattle naturally has omega 3s in meat and dairy.

as for typical farm raised fish the articles I have read said it is worst than wild fish. not just in mercury but in PCBs and heavy metals. I don't know of any organically raised fish but there might be some out there.

[KittyWampus]

28. taking responsibility for ones health by eating whole foods is the ultimate instance

of taking responsibility for ones self.

"Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food".

The whole Western notion of disease is based on victimhood, where some foreign patholotical agent invades our system and we are its victim.

Note- I go to allopathic doctors AND acupuncturists AND naturopaths.

First and foremost, I examine what I have been eating, drinking, thinking and feeling when not feeling well to see if something might have triggered whatever condition.

[rainy]

55. I wholeheartedly believe that diet plays a huge role in our overall

health. There is so much info out there about it, plus, it makes such perfect since. I feel so much happier when my diet is the purest. I really feel good with moments of euphoria especially after one of my special smoothies with flax seeds and gogi berries. Yummm.

[Rex]

31. Screw it.

Eat what ya want at have a happy life, for as long as it lasts. That's the conclusion I came to. What is the fun of living if I can't eat a dam hamburger or pizza when I want?

I take a chance every morning when I go to work and breath all the fumes from the zillions of cars around me, people leave my food out of it. Please.

[rainy]

32. It could mean that you may not one day have to live in pain and disease

If only you did not make your body a toxic wasteland. I'm just saying many suffer extreme pain and disease all because the truth is hidden for profit in the world. Nature is perfect. It is man who has ruined what is, was good, about the earth and it's inhabitants. I think we have failed in many ways because of ignorance and greed.

[Rex]

36. Man is part of nature, we just try not to act like it.

And if nature were perfect, we wouldn't be here typing in a public forum.

[davsand]

13. Some of this is the impact of multiple generations of deprivation.

Some, but not all of this is related to the fact that multiple generations have been lacking in some of the essential fatty acids like Omega 3. Dr. Barry Sears discusses this in more than one disease. There have been any number of studies looking at the impact of Omega Three and brain function, particularly on the Neurotransmitters like Dopamine and Serotonin.

Omega Three supplementation will increase the levels of Dopamine which is directly linked to conditions like ADD, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Depression. There are studies suggesting that after three generations of Omega Three deprivation significant behavioral and cognitive defects start to appear. Similarly, Serotonin production decreases which is directly linked to several mental health issues. (Consider that Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil all are drugs that boost serotonin levels in the brain.)

I'm thinking the article is probably not too far off the mark, really...



Laura

[Lex]

15. Essential fats and oils = healthy neurological system including the brain.

I've wondered how the whole "low/no fat" = healthy misinformation has effected health.

[donsu]

24. me too, I don't buy/eat food that says low fat or X% fat except

for cottage cheese. unmessed with cottage cheese is not to be found for sale on the island.

it is like eating empty food.

[Deja Q]

19. That's it! Cho wasn't a loner, Aspie, or anything else! His diet sucked!!

:eyes:

[Lex]

21. That's a pretty simplistic way of interpreting the article.

Plus, since there was mental illness throughout history, our diet "changing" over the last 50 years can't be the cause of all mental illness.

However, diet affects health, even mental health.

[rainy]

33. Was mental illness pre-cooked food? Was there mental illness pre chemical

and invironmental hazzards? Are apes and chimps who are not exposed to man's waste mentally ill?

[mopinko]

40. yes, yes and yes

actually, there is a theory that what we think of as mental illnesses might actually be useful traits in tribal peoples. shamans may just be schizophrenics. certainly many catholic saints were. depression might be a mechanism to change the behaviors of people who are in some sort of trouble, like a declining environmental situations- ie, loss of a food animal in the area.
chimps commit infanticide, and become otherwise "whacked out"
you are guilty of what is called the naturalistic fantasy. all natural is good. all industrial is bad. sorry, but many of your conclusions show an attitude that is more "religious" than scientific.

[Marrah_G]

68. Chimps are extremely violent creatures

They will murder other chimps, they hunt monkeys, they even stalk and kill people, including babies (they are an easy meal). They can be gentle and emotional, but there are some that are definitely a bit screwed up.

I would venture to say mental illness has always been a part of humanity.

[johnnie]

23. I believe it plays a part in some instances

Obviously it isn't the cause of all cases, but there is no doubt in my mind that diet affects not only our physical self, but our mental self as well. Just as people take chemicals to "fix" imbalances, chemicals can also do the opposite..no?

[kestrel91316]

25. My grandmother suffered from malnutrition during the Depression,

when she was pregnant with my mom.

Makes sense to me that it would be a factor in a genetically susceptible fetus.

[KittyWampus]

29. Cats. I've read that over several generations, cats who eat canned food have increasing

likelihood of various disorders.

Should strike that to say low-quality food.

[kestrel91316]

30. Canned food PERIOD (regardless of brand/quality) is associated with

increased risk of hyperthyroidism and oral squamous cell carcinoma in cats.

[Lorien]

53. True

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=243&topic_id=4388&mesg_id=4388

[WinkyDink]

34. So the "Twinkie Defense" was for REAL?!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twinkie_defense

I don't buy it.

[Lex]

35. Of course it was real. It was put forth by a rightwing nut's attorney.

The rightwing nut in particular was one who shot to death, in cold blood, progressives (Moscone and Milk) in San Fracisco.

You really should watch the Academy Award winning documentary "The Times of Harvey Milk."

[WinkyDink]

38. Oh, I know the defense existed! I'm just wondering if now it would be considered scientific fact!

I'm aware of the HM murder. And the school named after him.

[Lex]

42. For this to be considered a "scientific fact" I think a few more

studies (controlled, peer-reviewed) and THEN you'd have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it led directly to the criminal act.

However, in the Harvey Milk case, the Twinkie Defense was given to the jury as excuse so they could let a rightwing nut essentially OFF the hook for the cold blooded murder of a gay man and a progressive, liberal mayor. And they were willing to do that.

[AikidoSoul]

65. Do you have any idea what "scientific certainty" requires?

It is an extremely complicated, expensive and time consuming process. To establish that DIOXIN was carcinogenic it took over thirty years and required many millions of dollars. Because there were monied interests and liability -- studies were paid for mostly by industry, and also by some independent scientists. The peer review process went on for decades.

Who is going to fund a study on food? The food industry? Maybe KRAFT, or General Mills?

People are right to read as much as they can on health topics and to use their own brains to notice the patterns. We can't wait decades for scientific certainty which is an almost impossible ideal to reach. In fact, most scientists will tell you that almost NOTHING can be proven with scientific certainty.

[bling bling]

37. Junk food is the new "smoking"

I've had people come up to me and comment on what I'm eating. "Oh, THAT'S healthy," they say of the processed cheese in the Lunchables cracker/cheese assortment. I guess it's the bad nutrition but when people do that shit I seriously feel like throwing a stapler at their head. Don't fuck with people eating junk food. We're nuts. K?

Everywhere I go people are flipping obsessed about food. It's like a mental illness in of itself.

Here's how I feel about it. Eat whatever the fuck you want and STFU about it because I don't give a shit about your soy, tofu, or organic filled pantry. I try to buy organic too but I don't always and why am I even explaining this? This issue has become so trendy and ridiculous it makes me feel like eating junk food just to rebel against the self-righteousness of those who preach.

Excuse my rant. I'm high from the garlic bread and ranch dressing on my salad.

[bobbolink]

58. right arm!!

Thanks for taking the words out of my mouth!

It's one more way to feel ever so high and mighty, and look down on others who don't share your "religion"!

To fucking hell with those of us who can't afford the "good food".

SHIT!

Same with the vegetarians of yesteryear, and their elitist shit. I finally got a bumpersticker that said:

"VEGETARIAN: Primitive Word For Lousy Hunter"

Do your own thing, folks, but try PEACE with the rest of us....

[frankenforpres]

62. Im interested in the truth

now how some will want to exploit the truth. If a good diet aids mental health, isnt that better than taking prescription SSRIs?

[bobbolink]

63. Yet, the only "truth" you'll accept is either "diet" or meds.

That's quite a pile of.... truth.

[frankenforpres]

64. no, i didnt say that

maybe some could alleviate problems with diet others with talk therapy others with meds. maybe a combination is what is needed. i dont get why some are so bitter about this line of research.

[bobbolink]

41. They'll look at everything EXCEPT increasing isolation in this society,

and lack of very much real reaching out to each other.

Most of us know, deep down, that we're really alone in this society, much more so than many others.

Of course that has an effect on us!

But, keep looking for brain waves and defective diets.

:eyes:

[KittyWampus]

45. Isolated people, adults not cooking whole foods. Taking time to eat quality.The problems are linked.

IMO.

[SoCalDem]

48. yes.. and poverty can spill over into all areas of life n/t

[Shallah Kali]

52. I agree it is both. We all need not just our bodies but our hearts & spirits to be nourished

malnourishment will exacerbate any problem. 100 year ago Americans were dying in the thousands of Pellagra - lack of niacin.

[bobbolink]

57. I hope some day you can come from behind your biases, and actually

hear what I said.

:(

[BluePatriot]

49. *nods*

Lack of community...stressful jobs and broken "systems" all around us with corrupt masters. Speaking of masters, someone in another thread posted this book which likens school/workplace shootings to slave rebellions. I had never thought of it that way but it strikes a chord with me.

http://www.amazon.com/Going-Postal-Rebellion-Workplaces-Clinton%C2%BFs/dp/1932360824

[InvisibleTouch]

56. All I can say to this is, "Duh!"

Surely this is beyond obvious? Not the only factor, given all the toxins in our environment, but it's definitely an element. Then look at all the toxins and manipulations in food, not to mention electromagnetic pollution, drug side-effects, and stress, and it all comes together.

[Beaverhausen]

60. How about the prevalance of Ritalin, Prozac, etc in the last 50 years?

I'm sure nutrition is a factor, but these psyche drugs should be studied as well.

[bdamomma]

61. what has * been eating?

[AikidoSoul]

66. Industrial agriculture is polluted with heavy metals and poisons

that affect not only physical health but mental states as well. Pesticides, heavy metals, neurotoxins stored in animal fat... all of this is building up in the human body and brain.

It's well known that heavy metals and neurotoxins can produce psychological effects.