5 Responses to “Mental health link to diet change”

1. julie
   January 17th, 2006 @ 2:29 pm

   It definately makes sense…Condisering how not eating affects people, it is obvious that food in general will have an effect on a persons mental state…I’m amazed that this study is still so new. The rise in processed and fast food, the decline in exercise, and the amount of lazy (television..etc) activities seems [to me] to coincide with a rise in depression, ADD…etc. Of course this is all just my personal speculation, but I think you are living proof that a healthy diet and exercise helps to improve your state of mind. If I haven’t told you yet…I am in awe of everything you are doing to improve your health!!!…on a side note…I’m going to be on campus tonight to show Theresa where Leslie’s class is and to do some research for my Levis paper…so if you want to meet for coffee (my treat) let me know–J

2. julie
   January 17th, 2006 @ 2:29 pm

   It definately makes sense…Condisering how not eating affects people, it is obvious that food in general will have an effect on a persons mental state…I’m amazed that this study is still so new. The rise in processed and fast food, the decline in exercise, and the amount of lazy (television..etc) activities seems [to me] to coincide with a rise in depression, ADD…etc. Of course this is all just my personal speculation, but I think you are living proof that a healthy diet and exercise helps to improve your state of mind. If I haven’t told you yet…I am in awe of everything you are doing to improve your health!!!…on a side note…I’m going to be on campus tonight to show Theresa where Leslie’s class is and to do some research for my Levis paper…so if you want to meet for coffee (my treat) let me know–J

3. julie
   January 17th, 2006 @ 2:30 pm

   did i mention I’m a dork and I don’t know how to press return correctly…:)

4. Cat
   January 17th, 2006 @ 2:36 pm

   We talked about this when I worked at Outpost…the on staff nutritionist was a firm believer in providing Milwaukee’s section 8′s (combat vets, and independently living mentally ill citizens) with organic foods, but it costs them a lot. This is one of the reasons I worked on that organic farm this past summer…all the food was sold dirt cheap to everyone. Outpost does a good thing as does Whole Foods, and I understand why the price is so high, but it isn’t fair to people who cannot afford it…they deserve to eat healthy too. The farm I worked at (Growing Power) has a branch in Chicago…and has a community garden in Grant Park. When we move there I plan on becoming involved with that branch, as well. They provide an amazing service and are the answer (on a very small scale) to the growing issue of there not being enough quality food in the future.

5. Frankie
   January 17th, 2006 @ 7:18 pm

   Saddly the truth of the matter is that unhealthy is cheap while healthy is labor intesive and healthy. What needs to happen is a happy medium needs to be found. Industrial farmers need to find insentives for growing orgainic, or if not organic healthy foods. This might come from government subsides, which I know farmers already get mountains of, or possibly research grants on more effective and nutritious ways of growing and cultivating livestock and vegetables. I’m a firm believer that we shouldn’t take a step backwards. We have made amazing leaps and bounds over the decades. We are now at a point were, due to these industrialized farms, the first world countries could technically feed most of the known world if only we were to cut back on our own insane need for consumption. I don’t think there is a need for us to work harder but instead we need to work smarter.

   Now about the mental health thing. HELL YES this makes sense. The proof in the pudding starts with the simple fact of college. Lets take a look at a sample of freshmen from a local college. I bet if you were to dig into the facts you would notice that the rate of freshmen who are depressed is much higher in students who live on there own then students who still live with there parents? Why might this be…DIET. I know personally when I moved out of my parents house my mood changed drastically. I had horrible mood swings and I felt alone and depressed regularly. After looking back I noticed that the major difference in my life was in what I ate and how much I exercised. Even me, a person who enjoys cooking and always has, couldn’t cook at the same level as my mother at the time. I know its odd to think that people don’t notice this, but you have to realise that sometimes the most obvious answer is the hardest to prove. Hopefully this study shows a change in the psychiatry of children as well. Hopefully Dr’s will be quick to once again point the blame at a parent and make sure that a child is being treated well at home, feed well, and exercising before putting them onto a medication. At least that is my hope

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