I know I have not made many posts about mental health, prioritizing my focus around Christianity. I still intend to promote Christianity on this site, but I know that if you came across this site, you have some interest in dealing with mental health. As someone who has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, I know that the diagnosis and struggle can make one very focused on research into recovery, so I am writing this to help you recognize a critical part of your lifestyle that can affect your mind: diet.
Diet plays such a big role in mental health that the gut is sometimes referred to as the “second brain.” The gut’s microbiome plays a large role in mood, from producing serotonin, to removal of biological waste products, and even to improving your immune system.
From experience, I can tell you that sugar is a BIG PROBLEM for mental health. Sweet foods may taste good, but that bliss is very short-lived. It won’t take long for you to feel depressed again. There is hope though, if you can’t imagine yourself without sweets forever. I can also attest that I can eat sweets without the “depression crash” anymore. You have to give your body time though. Do your best to abstain from sugars.
I have not had any tests on myself done pertaining to this following theories, but they may explain why depression could come upon someone after eating sweets. One of the organisms present in many people’s guts is yeast. Yeast feeds on carbs, especially sugars. Yeast is also the natural producer of alcohol! It’s very possible that if your microbiome is not healthy, then yeast would be a dominant player in your gut, and the sugars from sweets may cause alcohol to be produced and absorbed into the bloodstream, which means it will get to the brain and cause mood issues.
A second theory of mine is that the sugars themselves can cause damage to the brain. The brain requires energy, which can come from three main sources: carbohydrates (Sugars are the simplest form of carbs), protein, and fats. Since sugars are the simplest form of carbohydrates, it is very easily converted to energy for the brain. Unfortunately, if the brain doesn’t have a steady flow of energy supplied to it, the brain can crash. Most people think of tiredness when they hear the term “sugar crash,” but this can also result in depression or anxiety. (In my case, it was depression.)
Without a doubt, the best types of foods to eat are not processed foods. Do your best to abstain from junk foods. Junk food and actually nutritious food will compete with each other for absorption in the body.
Fasting may actually help in this regard, but please do be careful. If fasting, do make sure you are keeping yourself hydrated AND that you are replenishing electrolytes. I am not an expert on fasting, but online sources have convinced me that the main electrolytes to take while fasting are sodium, magnesium, and potassium. If your levels of these minerals are not maintained properly, your body can go into shock.
Lastly, I would like to point out that fasting is not only something you can do for biological benefits, but also for spiritual benefits if you are a Christian. Jesus has mentioned that there are some evil spirits that cannot come out by simply casting them out, but by prayer AND fasting. (Modern “bibles” omit fasting as a requirement to cast out the strongest of unclean spirits.) If you came across this site, you probably are (or were) interested in the possibility of evil spirits being connected to mental health issues. Personally, I do believe that IF an evil spirit is attacking one’s mind so severely that he or she is diagnosed with a mental health issue, then the evil spirit either (a) was allowed in some manner to have a place in the victim’s mind, or (b) is very powerful. If you are fasting as part of a spiritual approach for handling your mind, it is VITAL that you also pray. Fasting without prayer is not spiritual, but fasting with prayer is powerful.
And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. (Matthew 17:19-21)
