The scientific research on how the physiological effects of dietary sugar and refined carbs contribute to depression and greatly influence whether a person can recover successfully over the long term without dependence on medications.
You’ve no doubt seen the television ads warning “this is your brain on drugs”.
These public service announcements are designed to be visually shocking, thereby discouraging drug abuse by comparing the brain to an egg and a fried egg in a pan to a brain on drugs.
The same can be said about the effects of sugar and refined carbs on the brain.
Most people do not realize that a diet high in sugar and refined carbs runs a high risk of long-term mental illness, including depression.
Depression is at epidemic proportions today.
Even children are not immune!
Some experts estimate that 1 in every 8 teenagers is clinically depressed, especially young girls.
What’s more, major depression is on track to become the #2 disability in the United States.
This is roughly one-quarter of the population who will suffer its devastating impact sometime during their lives.
Why Antidepressants Aren’t the Answer
When the sobering diagnosis of depression is given, the typical remedy given by doctors is a script for antidepressant drugs.
According to Nora Gedgaudas, author of Primal Body Primal Mind, antidepressants only have about a 13% effectiveness rate, just slightly better than placebo!
Moreover, for the small minority of people for whom antidepressants actually help, 30-40% of them will not find antidepressant drugs effective over the long term.
The bottom line is…if you are depressed, don’t look to drugs as the long-term solution, especially if you want to maintain balanced hormones.
Antidepressants are well known to significantly dampen or even completely eliminate libido!
Instead of drugs, look to your diet as the best long-term solution whether it be a mild case of the blues or full-blown depression.
Are You A Carbovore?
Diet has a tremendous impact on the development of depression and whether or not the sufferer successfully recovers long term.
For some unknown reason, this basic truth is consistently ignored by most conventional medical authorities other than the possible suggestion of a doctor’s office recommended supplement of industrialized (toxic) fish oil capsules!
Imbalanced, unstable blood sugar is a common source of depression.
It is also a trigger for irritability and violent tendencies, according to Ms. Gedguadas, a board-certified Nutritional Therapist and Clinical Neurofeedback Specialist.
Doubt that blood sugar plays a huge role in brain health?
Consider that Alzheimer’s patients are notorious for having a voracious sweet tooth (particularly ice cream).
Eating sweets on a frequent basis with the accompanying blood sugar surges depletes magnesium in the body at a rapid rate.
This physiological state leaves the brain vulnerable to the ravages of aluminum.
A high aluminum level in the brain is, of course, a hallmark symptom of Alzheimer’s Disease.
An aluminum detox for the brain can often prove very helpful in those cases, in addition to dietary modifications.
Sugar and The Brain
Blood sugar surges destabilize the brain via the deadly process of glycation.
In layman’s terms, glycation is the chemical process in the body whereby glucose, proteins, and certain fats become tangled together, making all manner of body tissues stiff and inflexible – including the brain.
Glycation is a big free radical problem in the body causing rapid aging.
In neurological terms, glycation has the very real potential of actually shrinking brain tissue.
Absolutely nothing is more destabilizing to the brain than surging blood sugar, which triggers widespread glycation in the body.
Case in point: Have you ever noticed how your temper gets really short after that mid-afternoon candy bar?
Similarly, this is why kids get so moody and disruptive when a teacher ironically and misguidedly gives them candy as a reward for good attention.
Ms. Gedgaudas maintains that blood sugar issues are the #1 influencing factor in mental health, with depression being one of the most prominent.
Avoiding the devastating effects of glycation on the brain, which can cause mental illness like depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders, requires stable, steady blood sugar as much as possible.
Healthy Fats Stabilize Insulin
Surging blood sugar levels caused by overconsumption of grain-based foods, processed sugars, and even alcohol in the diet is the most destabilizing force the brain can experience.
In fact, sugar can cause liver cirrhosis just the same as booze.
Conversely, natural dietary fats are the most stabilizing neurological force giving way to clear thinking and stable emotions.
The best dietary fats for blood sugar control are those consumed liberally by Traditional Societies which experienced vibrant health and suffered little to no mental illness or degenerative disease.
These are the very same fats that are typically shunned by most people in favor of factory fats, aka “seed oils”.
These processed fats, such as canola, soy, sunflower, and safflower (among others), are not favorable to brain function.
Avoid them as much as possible!
Here’s the catch.
Traditional fats must be consumed liberally in the diet to achieve mental stability.
Let’s look at this a bit more in depth.
Lowfat Diet = Neurological Instability
Think about the makeup of the brain.
Consider that 60-80% of the brain is fat, a full 50% of which is saturated fat!
11% of the brain is arachidonic acid. This nutrient is best found in egg yolks.
25% of the brain is DHA, an omega-3 fat best found in oily fish or virgin, raw cod liver oil (NOT industrialized fish oil).
Note to vegetarians. Flax oil is a poor substitute as it converts very inefficiently to true DHA.
Worse, those who depend on flax for omega-3 fats risk hormonal disruption or even precancerous breasts down the line.
How much of the brain, under healthy, normal circumstances, is composed of polyunsaturated vegetable fats (seed oils), the primary fat in the Western diet?
How about none!
Brain-Building Fats (consume liberally)
If you want to adopt the wise and time-tested strategy of eating properly for your brain’s sake, then you must eat the type of fats that actually comprise the make-up of the brain.
Doesn’t this seem like common sense?
These brain-building fats include:
- Butter
- Cream
- Store-bought or homemade ghee
- Coconut oil
- High vitamin cod liver oil
- Tallow/Lard
- Egg Yolks
Interestingly, these are the very same fats demonized by politically correct nutrition.
These nourishing, traditional fats are the ones to seek and consume liberally if you wish to put depression behind you for good.
For more details on the healthiest fats to consume and the ones you absolutely can’t do without if you want peak mental fitness, please see this article about five healthy fats to stock in your kitchen.
By slaying the sugar monster, you can save your brain…and possibly even your life!
References
Primal Body Primal Mind by Nora Gedgaudas
Wise Traditions Conference, lecture by Nora Gedgaudas
More Information
Natural Remedies for Panic Attacks
Fix Childhood Anxiety with Simple Dietary Changes
This only proves that energy drinks which we all know rich in sugar are one of reasons why people experiencing depression on to their day to day lives, same with the sweets like chocolates, candies. Even we know that they can replenish stamina temporarily and some ways, though the side effects are really life threatening It seems.
Please tell me HOW you put this much fat into your diet??? I thought that I was but we still struggle with things that must mean that we don’t…
Normally every morning eggs with coconut oil, sausage and toast w/ butter.
Juices (with the vita mix) with coconut oil and olive oil
yogurt
nuts
lunch some veggies/protein/starch and a Tbls of butter and dinner the same. Are you eating more then this? if so, what do you put it in???
I don’t suffer from depression but from blood sugar issues that have taken over my life.
I do agree that a healthy diet is best for optimal health. Most mental health experts will tell you the same thing these days. What I don’t agree with is the assumption that everyone just needs to eat a little more healthy fats and all will be well. Since my pregnancy and the ensuing years of early childhood, I have been hospitalized four times for suicide watch. I also am occasionally plagued with irrational thoughts and have consequently been diagnosed as major depression with psychotic features. The main reason behind all four hospitalizations was that I was not medicated. I kept trying to come off the drugs and do it on my own. The prevalent attitude about anti-depressants especially among health-conscious individuals is very dismissive and adds extra weight to the burden of social stigmatization that is often attached to matters of mental health.
I would like to see more advocates of holistic wellness take into consideration that there is no one-size-fits-all panacea for mental or physical health. Some people reading articles such as this might be inspired to act independently, to do away with the medication against their doctor’s orders and without supervision and end up back in the psych ward or worse, on a mortuary slab.
I couldn’t agree more, Changeling. There is no one-size-fit-all. I have been battling chronic depression since my teens with two stints in hospital due to it. I never followed anything remotely resembling the SAD recommendations especially saturated fat restrictions. Despite having always avoided processed foods and restricted my intake of sugars, after reading the glowing improvements some achieve following a primal eating pattern, I made a few tweaks. Due to various health issues I am conscientious about what I eat. After more than four years eating this way I STILL need to take antidepressants to function. While genetics/epigenetics may not be everything nor is diet.
Depression: Your Brain on Sugar – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/bWvTGyMf
I’d like to add one more book to the mix that supports nutrition and depression. It’s a book I got recently and just finished it. It’s “Rebuild from Depression – A Nutrient Guide” by Amanda Rose PhD. This talks a lot about post-partum depression and on into other types. It’s an excellent with good explanation about nutrients you need to take and especially eat. Her website is http://www.rebuild-from-depression.com. Amanda’s mom has a great website where she teaches and talks about healthy eating…it’s http://www.traditional-foods.com Have a look and hope you enjoy browsing around these sites and I really encourage you to get the book to read. It’s definitely a keeper if you deal with depression!
Mary
Great article! Shared 🙂
This is fantastic and a great reminder to me of why we are striving to eat so well. Thank you.
Hi,
What is a good way to get a “sweet fix”? Truly raw honey? Fruit?
thanks!
Depression: Your Brain on Sugar http://t.co/zes3cswi feeling really happy right about now that i have cut out sugar!!!