I did not mean to sound insensitive in my post about animals and feeling their emotions. I guess part of me does feel guilty for eating meat because I know the animal suffers much of the time.

Is my post that lame? I thought at least one person would have replied by now...:(

Not lame one bit. I only checked into group just now and saw your post.
Sometimes it's quiet in here.

I have tried to go vegetarian one time. I Went a whole year. I did it for health reasons rather than humane reasons.
I resumed eating animal products. I didn't find it made much difference not eating meat and poultry.
I actually find I really need animal protein. I feel better consuming it. More energy. I have fibromyalgia and we need protein. I do consume other sources of protein too. Beans, lentils.
I don't eat much red meat. Maybe once in a while. I do like fish and poultry. Cornish hens. Chicken.

I don't know about picking up animal emotions by consuming them.
But I do believe the fear they feel alters their body chemicals and may make their meat taste different but perhaps there is something to what you say.
I do have bad anxiety and have various fears. I don't recall what my emotions were like when I went vegetarian. It was many years ago.

I do get the guilt though. I have vegetarian days a couple times a week. We live a few miles from a chicken factory and often I am driving behind a truck stuffed with live chickens. It always causes me to be upset and not eat chicken for a while but then I resort back to it.

If I could afford organic meat and poultry I would do so as I believe their living and their slaughter is more humane.

I am sure diet can effect us mentally. Sure. Look at all the crap that's in food. Sugar is in everything.
I eat fresh produce and whole food regularly but I'm not a saint and I eat junk too sometimes.

Let us know how your new diet works out for you. Is that almost like the Paleo diet?
I hope it helps your health conditions.

I eat Gluten Free mainly. Been doing that for a couple of years. I find it agrees with me better. I have had digestive issues. Bathroom troubles :)
Certain foods will upset me.
Recently I found out I have to keep well away from eggplant. Had a major reaction to it. Wicked bad stomach pain, sweating, toilet trips. Bad!
I am also allergic to clams.

I can't eat out like I use to. I have to be careful of what I eat. I sometimes have had to rush home as I needed to use the bathroom.
Hope it's not TMI
:)

Make sure you are getting plenty of nutrients- such as calcium which would be in milk, and iron from meat for example, need to be replaced.

I don't believe the fear thing personally.

I am not sure about diet "causing" or"curing" mental health conditions. It might help them feel a bit better and maybe more motivated to self-care and do things to aid their recovery, but they also might need medication/s and/or therapy as well.

I am wary of talking of 'cures' - some mental health conditions can never be cured and people struggle with them their whole lives, The whole frustration of depression and other mental illnesses is that people think 'well if only they would get out of bed and do such-a-thing, they would be better' and it seems like we don't, or won't, but the truth is we can't.

The problem is that if you are mentally ill you probably lack motivation to eat healthily, you might feel you are not worth the effort or it won't work, and so you don't, and the worse you feel the worse you will eat and it spirals from there.

jupiterjazz ... I'm sorry I only just read your topic. Lately, I have not been checking in as often as I used to due to family issues & my own anxiety. I must say that I agree with you. I have tried not eating meat of any kind for all the reasons you just mentioned. I don't stick with it though. I do avoid red meat & pork because it is heavy & I don't feel well afterward. I usually eat lots of vegetables & fruit & rice & pasta. I do eat chicken but only organic. In fact I try to stay only with organic everything because I have been learning about GMOs & Monsanto etc. which is very bad. I do eat fish but I worry about that too. I don't like to imagine the fear & pain they go through being caught & also worry about the pollution in the sea. Yes ... I worry about everything.

I am happy that there have been some replies. Thanks, you guys.

Hi Janvier,

I find myself worrying too much as well. Anxiety is something I struggle with sometimes. I hope you are feeling less anxious these days and I wish you the best with your family.

NatureGirl and Lizzie--you are right about the nutrients. My mom was vegetarian for a while, but eventually had to eat meat again because she became anemic. I often think that there are some people who need to eat meat to be healthy.

I've been reading on the web about food that boosts serotonin or dopamine, and also about lwering cortisol.

Apprently snacking at night is linked to high cortisol, and i think low serotonin.

Although the serotonin/dopamine pathways are complicated, so it doesn't seem to be reliable. Still worth trying.

Also of note is taking fish oil and how it is very important for stabilising moods.

Sadly, i also read of some studies that apparently show that antidepressant medications cause cancers. And the pharmaceutical industry hushes this up.

One of the best ways to ensure good emotional health is regular exercise. ...if one is, for example, naturally lw on serotonin, endorphins from physical exersion can act as a substitute - and it is good for the body.

Giving up stimulants is also important. So, coffee, sugar and alcohol should be reduced or eliminated. Regarding cortisol - which builds up in the body in response o fight r flight feelings and causes a lot of damage (actually i read that ome believe it is the cause of a lot of health problems we have) - having a penchant for stimulants is related to having high cortisol.

One of the symptoms of high cortisol, i think, is belly obesity. Alcohol can also give a person a fat belly. Supposedly depression and obesity have strong links.

Taking care of your immune system and your gut will really help with emotional health. So probiotics may be a good idea. ...i have noticed gut issues coinciding with anxiety problems.

As a side note, i also read the opinion that the frequent prescription of antibiotics has likely created psychological problems... I think ths is what i remember reading, at least.

Also, some peopke use things like Rhodiola. However, 'naturl' supplements like this still can have side effects just like medication and can make a person feel worse.

Hi Circe,

I have researched some stuff about mental health and medications, supplements, and food on the web.

It is interesting information, but sometimes it leads me to being a hypochondriac. I have been on SSRIs for 9 years now. I worry that they are really bad for me and I think about going an alternative, more holistic route, but I am really scared to come off.

I tried once with very difficult consequences. My therapist thinks that some people need to be on medication for life. Sometimes I don't know who to trust, though. I don't even know if I can trust my therapist. It's not because I doubt her intentions, its more that I don't know if people really know the whole truth about medications.

In terms of coffee, I have thought about giving it up several times...but I love it. I go through periods where I feel like I need it because I'm sleepier, but when I feel more anxious, I try to limit it.

I hear you about exercise. I wish I did it more often, but I know it makes me feel more grounded.

Thanks for reminding me about immune system and gut being tied to emotional health. I am noticing this more and more with myself. I take probiotics and would like to begin taking fish oil again. I think IBS is often present in people with anxiety.

Interesting topic on food, supplements and the like. Being sensitive to most foods, I've always gone with what my body likes and doesn't like by having a food journal. This keeps me on track to what I can eat that doesn't cause side effects of bloat and indigestion among other symptoms. I've had to cut back on many foods as the years have gone by simply because my metabolism and digestion have slowed which is normal. I have trouble eating dairy but I can tolerate Goat products like yogurt, cheese, or milk. I prefer Almond milk in smoothies , cooking, and drinking with meals rather that goat. It has a nice taste and the expiration date lasts longer.
I've been vegetarian at one time but having to eat often to keep my blood sugar stable proved to be a mistake- I really needed a lot of protein and like others here have stated, being anemic is no fun when you feel week with fatigue. So I do eat animal products as long as they are clean like organic feed, humane living conditions, etc... I think its goo to listen to your body and act accordingly.

jupiterjazz, I believe there is a lot you can do to heal yourself in many situations. There are a lot of alternative medicines, herbs and supplements that can heal most ailments. The doctors are quick to prescribe meds and most people just stay on for life not knowing the consequences of the chemicals they are taking year after year. You've mentioned that you suffer from anxiety yet your doctor has you on SSRI's which is strange because the very drugs you are taking has increased anxiety levels as one of its side effects along with sexual dysfunction, insomnia, and headaches. These drugs are not addicting but they can become psychologically habituating. They can become the psychological crutch, and there is also some evidence that they may speed recurrence of depression. Since these drugs only treat symptoms of depression and do virtually nothing to address the multiple causes, Its recommended that you undergo a thorough evaluation by a holistic physician or psychiatrist to see if you can get off of these drugs and try some other form of therapy as these drugs will change your brain chemistry over time. A holistic treatment has many alternative treatments for mild to moderate depression (which I have used myself with great results). I believe in holistic medicine as an alternative to someone who is very sensitive to side effects, however if Western medicine must be used to treat a condition I am not against its use if it will help save your life. People need to consider all the possibilities in a medical evaluation for their quality of life.
Thanks for bringing this subject up, there is so much more that this conversation can go-but I will keep it brief.

Nabby, I think a food journal is a great idea!

In terms of alternative treatments, I get accupuncture once a week for anxiety and I take Chinese herbs that have been terrific for anxiety and sleep. The practitioners have told me that they can help me come off ssris. Maybe when I get pregnant....

I'm new to the group but I imagine that a lot of people who are HSP also have IBS. It makes sense as our gut is really like a 2nd brain. I, too, have to avoid gluten, dairy and eggs. And I'd prefer to be vegetarian but with the IBS, beans tend to bother me as well. Onions are a disaster for my digestive system. Corn is also starting to be a little unfriendly as well.

What I've found is that there are a lot of substitutions I can use which I can adapt to almost any recipe. I love Udi's bread but it's super expensive so it's a treat. Pamela's makes a flour that is delicious - I can use it to bread meats and veggies, make pancakes or cookies, etc. It does have powdered buttermilk in it but for whatever reason that doesn't bother me. Quinoa noodles are a great alternative if you like noodles.

I definitely believe that diet has a great deal to do with our overall health - mental as well as physical.

I self diagnosed myself this year with a gluten allergy. Tried gluten free for a week and have been the same since. I have SO much more energy and am regular now. My mood is much brighter, also.

I was a vegetarian for 31 years, until a year ago when I started to eat a small portion of fish (tuna, salmon,herring) for my husband's health concerns. I don't have any stomach issues or health concerns and am almost 70. My husband has GERDS and Asthma. I found from blood tests that I needed some Omega 3 to have a proper cholesterol level...it was too low. I was following a low-fat regimen. For many many years I only ate egg whites but now I eat the whole egg. My husband was found to be low on B-12. I feel very good with my diet. I never craved meat, fish or chicken. Happiness18, there is a good blood test for a gluten allergy. My husband had it and the results were negative. I think an ideal diet is predominantly: whole foods and fruit and veggies. I have my big meal at lunchtime.

Definitely man (or woman, haha).

I react badly to Gluten (or any grains, except for rice occasionally), Dairy, Legumes, Simple sugars or High Glycemic Foods, too much Omega 6 and of course junk food in general. No way will you ever, EVER be seeing me eating McDonalds.

So, therefore I've been on the Paleo diet for over a year now, and I tell people all the time how much it's changed my life for the better, dramatically.