Curious, any opinions about holistic-food and lifestyle changes to benefit anxiety/depression?

[Candice@allthingsyogi]

Hey Whole 30'ers

Say, questions for you:

Does anyone suffer from anxiety and or depression and can share helpful lifestyle tweaks that have helped aleviate or benefitted them? I struggle with anxiety and have found the following to be helpful:

Whole 30: no dairy, no grains

• Meditation
  
• 
  
• Yoga
  
• 
  
• Running
  
• 
  
• Lighting Candles
  
• 
  
• Good nights sleep
  
• 
  
• deep breathing
  
• 
  
• journaling
  

[AmyS]

I still take medication for anxiety, but I find that it works better with Whole30 than without Whole30. It sort of integrates better into my body.

I'm very much a work in progress here. At the moment I'm on my third Whole30 and it's a Whole100, so I'm discovering a great deal that my sugar/junk food habits covered up. I'm finding that I am feeling my emotions much more deeply, and at the same time they sit on the surface. Dealing with anxiety for so long, I had learned to keep a calm-appearing facade, and I can't say I'm running around looking stressed, exactly, these days. It's more that I am in a stage where I am making discoveries about myself that I couldn't have made under the influence of sugar and junk food. Most of these discoveries are profoundly life-changing and I have no idea where they will lead. It's like when I was 39 and figured out, for the first time, that I'm a lesbian. A little late to figure THAT out, wouldntyasay???!!! And yet, I waited and processed things internally for, literally, a couple of years before coming out publicly. I'm feeling like that right now again, with some other discoveries I'm making. I never thought anything would be as deep as discovering I'm not straight, but I was wrong. This stuff is core stuff.

So I'm not sure where I am in terms of managing daily anxiety, except to say that I am finding Whole30 to be a gateway to all sorts of things that my anxiety (and the sugar and junk I used to pile on top of the anxiety) used to mask. I can't even begin to predict where this will take me.

It's possible that I am less anxious on a daily basis, but I am certainly being rocked to my foundations on a near-daily basis as well. I suspect that's a good thing. But wow, who knows what's next?

[CAK911]

For me, cutting caffeine way way back has been really beneficial, as has moving more (even if it's just a 15-minute walk). I think also a lot of journaling has helped, because as I reflect more, I get more attuned to when anxiety starts flaring up, so I don't sort of suddenly get caught in a full-blown panic attack. The Whole30 is beneficial for me because I sleep so much better, and things feel more routine/scheduled. I still have an anxiety medication prescription, but it's as-needed, and I'd say I maybe use it twice a month.

[Megan Claydon]

excessive stress can lead to if not worsen depression/anxiety. Poor food choices are a stress on your body physically and emotionally. It's no wonder that eating a clean and healthful diet are found to improve symptoms of depression.

[SouthernBeth]

I take Buproprion for depression and have been on the same dose for almost four years. I feel happier than I EVER have and more in control of my emotions. In the past, I've tried to go off of it and suffered some serious consequences. I'm going to the doc next month and I plan on asking her opinion. She's very into a W30 type of diet, so I'm curious about what she will have to say. I would LIKE to not take my meds anymore, but I recognize that it's a disease, like diabetes, that I might have to treat with medication for the rest of my life.

That being said, my meds changed my life. I realized I was totally eating my feelings and so I stopped, or at least got out of the habit (but I still ate junk). On W30 recently, I've noticed at my job, I don't lose control of my emotions as fast. I have a super stressful teaching job at an 'alternative' school where the kids are pretty rowdy and I've noticed that I have stuck more to our behavior model recently and not has as emotional of reactions when dealing with kids who go nuts. Now it's more about training myself out of the habit. How glorious is that??

Haven't had an anxiety attack in quite some time, though! I will take some of the activities you suggested, too!

[Candice@allthingsyogi]

Thanks for the responses!

[RevKT]

I have written about this on my blog, bipolarspirit.com. To make a long story short, I do much better with the Whole30/Whole9 lifestyle. I HAVE to exercise high intensity (CrossFit for me) three times a week. Sleep is a huge issue too. Meditation helps as well as a good work/life balance which of course is so hard these days. I take some supplements too but am still working on finding the best ones for me. Basically, to manage my bipolar, anxiety, and eating disorder without meds except for Ativan when needed, it is another full time job.

It has been great to see the threads on the forum (check out the one for people with medical conditions) to hear what other things people are doing holisticly to manage mental illness. Very helpful as you just have to keep trying to find the right combination of things for you. Thank you for sharing!

[ciria]

No grains, minimal sugars and plenty of exercise & sleep work for me. I've also found 5htp to help with my anxiety.

[KarleeDee]

My anxiety thrives on sugar and caffeine. I am okay with some coffee, but if I pair it with sugar (and lack of sleep) I become an anxious mess. Lack of sleep really increases my anxiety too, but sometimes I can't sleep BECAUSE I am anxious.. Hahaha.

Short duration/high-intensity exercise, no sugar, healthy fats and sleep definitely help me

[emilylime]

I still take medication for anxiety, but I find that it works better with Whole30 than without Whole30. It sort of integrates better into my body.

I'm very much a work in progress here. At the moment I'm on my third Whole30 and it's a Whole100, so I'm discovering a great deal that my sugar/junk food habits covered up. I'm finding that I am feeling my emotions much more deeply, and at the same time they sit on the surface. Dealing with anxiety for so long, I had learned to keep a calm-appearing facade, and I can't say I'm running around looking stressed, exactly, these days. It's more that I am in a stage where I am making discoveries about myself that I couldn't have made under the influence of sugar and junk food. Most of these discoveries are profoundly life-changing and I have no idea where they will lead. It's like when I was 39 and figured out, for the first time, that I'm a lesbian. A little late to figure THAT out, wouldntyasay???!!! And yet, I waited and processed things internally for, literally, a couple of years before coming out publicly. I'm feeling like that right now again, with some other discoveries I'm making. I never thought anything would be as deep as discovering I'm not straight, but I was wrong. This stuff is core stuff.

So I'm not sure where I am in terms of managing daily anxiety, except to say that I am finding Whole30 to be a gateway to all sorts of things that my anxiety (and the sugar and junk I used to pile on top of the anxiety) used to mask. I can't even begin to predict where this will take me.

It's possible that I am less anxious on a daily basis, but I am certainly being rocked to my foundations on a near-daily basis as well. I suspect that's a good thing. But wow, who knows what's next?

I too struggle with anxiety/obsessive worrying, and runaway thoughts. I also have ADD and have noticed an uptick in my symptoms lately. Partially it's due to a customer reassignment at work that has me 100% busier than before, and partially I think it was because I was trying to run my grey-matter-thinking-machine on subpar and/or no fuel.

I'm looking forward to seeing how W30 affects my mental clarity and my mood, and work through things I'd been covering up with cravings, junk food, and alcohol. I ended a five year relationship half a year ago and have really only now just started to scratch the surface of my emotions and how I'm made to feel about the situation.

Thanks everyone for the coping tips!

[PamH]

New here, but not new to depression and anxiety.

Address any possible yeast overgrowth. Eliminate soy proteins; possibly can keep fermented soy in diet as a condiment only (soy sauce, tempeh, natto). Take a vitamin B supplement. Cutting out sugar.

That is what works for me. A healthy dose of Omega 3 fatty acids is awesome!

[AmyS]

Note that no form of soy is allowed while on a Whole30 (obviously for those who are finished with their Whole30s they can do as they wish).

[Teebs]

I'm an anxiety sufferer too and hoping the whole 30 will help me get control of this, so I'm glad I've come across this thread.

I'm on day 8 of the whole 30 and I've been increasing my exercise as well (going for runs and also doing the 30 day shred at the same time in a bid to increase weight loss!) I'm also hoping to start a course of CBT at the end of this month, so hopefully, all of these things combined will improve my mental health or at least help me manage it a little better!

I can't say I have noticed a massive difference to anything just yet, but it's early days so I'm keeping at it and hoping for the best. It's good to hear other people are having successes! I'd love to hear more!

[csl19]

I'm prone to a 'natural' state of anxiety (worrying, overthinking, but not debilitating) I recently went through a serious bout of anxiety and some depression with full on attacks, lack of sleep, feelings of hopelessness, etc. Here is what's helped me:

- Vitamin D supplement and outdoor activity (yardwork, beach trips, outdoor sports) (doctor's orders after bloodwork showed deficiency)

- Fish oil, Omega 3s

- Exercise (running 3x/wk, yoga 1-3x/wk and occasional team sports)

- Making an effort to get good sleep (going to bed at a reasonable hour, blacking out my bedroom)

- Avoiding large doses of caffeine, for some reason ICED coffee specifically has a nasty effect; I do drink black tea sometimes in the AM and am doing fine with that

- Making time to have FUN with friends and family without thinking about work or housework

- Counseling with a certified counselor I trust

- I'm just beginning my Whole30, so I can't comment yet on the benefits of a super solid diet, but I do know cutting out the processed junk helped too!

[Selene]

I actually came to this diet after experiencing intense hormonal mood changes/depression and reading the work of Julia Ross (The Diet Cure, The Mood Cure). She recommends amino acid supplementation for anxiety & depression and a diet comprised mostly of animal proteins, healthy fats, and vegetables. Definitely helping.

I second meditation! Amazing tool. There is a great book called The Mindful Way Through Depression that is really great. Comes with a CD of guided meditations.

[Beets]

Selene I will check that out. I'm also getting a lot of good positive results from my very beginner meditation practice.

I second everything said here (esp Amy's idea that the w30 allowed her to work some stuff out: totally true!) but will add my saga in case it helps anyone.

Pre w30 my anxiety was so bad that I could barely manage the basic functions in my day. I was crying all the time and paralyzed. My home was a wreck but I was overwhelmed by the thought of tackling it. I broke into tears when I dropped my son at school three times in a week. I'd been gearing up to start my own biz, but again was paralyzed by anxiety. In short: a mess.

I'd taken anti-anxiety meds in the past but they made me, BP type II, manic (a connection I didn't make at the time, unfortunately for everyone involved) and I feel physically ill at the thought of going back to that place those meds brought me.

As part of my w30 I decided to quit coffee. I recognized all the symptoms of adrenal fatigue and knew the cortisol brought into play by 4-5 cups a day was not helping. Quitting coffee sucked, I won't lie, but it brought very real results.

I'm doing my second w30 now. I didn't do much off-roading between, but I was eating a lot of dried fruit and some daily chocolate. I'm on Day 4 and experiencing some withdrawal symptoms: I'm anxious, easily overwhelmed.

I never felt "tiger blood" on my w30 (maybe for a couple half days, but I still get tired in the afternoon: adrenal fatique) and tended to focus on the things that didn't quite come together. But I was coming from severe sleep deprivation (18 mos of my daughter waking up every two hours and screaming inconsolably) and a damaged gut. Anyway. Feeling this way again now reminds me of where I was before I started down his road. I may still be a little depressed and tired, but it's miles away from where I was. And I know that with food and mediation I'll continue to get better. I also am starting to feel competent enough to get the biz going again.

This is a fascinating blog with a good bit of scientific talk re the gut/brain connection. http://evolutionarypsychiatry.blogspot.com/2012/01/more-evidence-for-gut-brain-connection.html?m=1. The psychiatrist who writes that blog rec'd a supplement I can't recall but meant to buy...NSA or something...I'll find it today and post here.

[Beets]

Yes, how can I forget: SLEEEEEEEEEEP!

Critical. On my last w30 I made a goal to be in bed by 10:30 and no phone/iPad. It was good but I let things slide. Now my daughter is waking up earlier so I'm grappling with the idea that I'll have to go to bed even earlier. It's hard but it's worth it.

And, this site is totally jacked right now and Tapatalk cut me off (maybe it decided I'd written enough?) but as others mentioned : exercise. Especially outside. I tend to push that off my plate when things get hairy even I've known for 20 years I need to exercise outside regularly.

Last Paleo Mom is another great resource for all things biochemical. She addresses the gut/brain connection as well.

[Mrsview]

Hello Ladies,

 

I know I'm joining the conversation a little late but I'm really glad I came across this topic.  I suffer from major anxiety and panic disorder.  I've been dealing with this off and on now for 4.5 years. I'm trying to do it medication free although I do have a prescription medication I can take on a as needed basis.  My son is 14 months old and I didn't have any attacks while I was pregnant with him.  The attacks started happening back in April and I know everything has just kind of compounded itself since then, my stress, my worry, etc.  I have  a lot of digestive issues as well.  I don't have celiac's disease but I am lactose intolerant. 

 

Anyway I found the whole30 and thought it would be a great thing for me but I gotta tell you I'm about ready to give up.  I just started this past Wednesday so this is only the end of day 5 but my panic attacks have gotten worse and more frequent since I started.  I'm emotionally, mentally and physically worn out at this point and don't know if I should keep going.  I'm trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel and hoping that this is my "It get's worse before it gets better".  And hoping that it gets better sooner than later.  Did any of you experience this at all during your whole30?  Any advice, support or suggestions would be great thank you! I don't want to give up but at the same time it's hard to deal with these constant attacks. 

[AmyS]

This is not a medical opinion, but the first thing I thought was "eat more starchy carbs."  Sweet potatoes, squash, stuff like that.  I'm not suggesting it's going to fix panic attacks immediately, but I'm guessing this might be your body's way of telling you it's very aware that you're doing something new with your eating.  I know others with more experience will chime in here, so I'll send good thoughts your way.

[Bet]

I started on Zoloft about a year and a half ago. I was in bad shape, panic attacks, obsessive worry and anxiety. It was messing up my life and work. I also take Trazedone at night (it's also an anti-anxiety medication which makes you drowsy). These have greatly improved my life. I am sleeping better (even before W30) and have been able to handle stressful situations with less anxiety and put a halt to most of my obsessive thoughts (at least now I recognize them for what they are).

 

If you are like me, you have likely been ill for a longtime. Bad diet, stress at work, lack of exercise, environmental factors have all robbed us of our health. The Gut/Brain connection is very strong. If your gut is not in great health, your brain will not be either. I just listened to a fantastic podcast by Chris Kresser about this. Did you know that Melatonin and Seritonin are both made in the gut and used by the gut to control digestion including gastric juices and intestine motility? If those are screwed up don't you think that you won't have enough of these chemicals in your brain to feel calm and get a good nights sleep?

 

Don't overlook medications including SSRIs. These can really help you get  your bearings. You don't need to be on them forever. But stopping anxiety is a good thing. Talk to your doctor. Healing your gut can start to heal your anxiety.

[Mrsview]

Thank you AmyS for the suggestion.  I might have to try that.  I'm sure my body is in a bit of a shock with the drastic changes I've been making in the last 6 days.  That and I think I just had a bit of a meltdown since I'm not used to this way of eating and all of the attacks I was having.  I've decided to keep going with it and just be as patient as I can. 

 

Thank you Bet for sharing your story.  I'm actually allergic to Zoloft so I can't take that.  I tried Welbutrin but that made me feel even worse so I decided to forgo the meds but i am considering trying Buspar which is another anxiety medication. 

 

I will have to check out that podcast you were talking about.  Sounds interesting.  Yeah I'm hoping that as my gut heals so will my anxiety and stress.  I'm also working out more regularly so that should also help. 

 

Thank you guys for the info and support! Have a good day!

[lexes42]

I am more on the depression spectrum then the anxiety side... but Omega3 and Vitamin D supplementation has worked well for me and for others I know.  Plus water, sunshine, sleep, and exercise of any kind (yoga, walking, or harder intensity).  I keep WANTING to meditate regularly but have yet to find the discipline.

 

The whole 30 does make me anxious though, because carbs are my comfort food and keep me calm (or in a coma).  So I also agree to over emphasize the sweet potato and butternut squash in the transition.  Especially in meal 3 I find it very calming when I start to rebel against the whole30.

[KitchenWitch]

I 've been Agoraphobic since I was 29.  I went on total disability at 35. I was afraid of well, everything. I've been on Zoloft for 16 yrs. now.  I 've decided that it's time to make a change. I've just assumed that I would be on this med for the rest of my life. How stupid is that!  I'm going off it gradually to see if I'm OK without it now.  I've already had to cut back on blood pressure meds. I was going WAAAAAY to low.

 

I've found that the Whole30 way of eating is just right for me. I no longer have to worry about "should i get this" or "is this OK". I look at the label, if there's sugar it goes back on the shelf.  I feel for the first time in my life I have control over how my body and mind are being cared for.

 

I'm freakin' 58 yrs. old. It's about time.

 

I have never eaten much and never had an appetite. Yesterday I actually looked forward to dinner.

[Bet]

KitchenWitch, all I can say is Congratulations. Good job, keep working at it.