Mental Illness and Nutrition

1. Avoid Junk Food.

Changes in diet over the past 50 years appear to be an important factor behind a significant rise in mental ill health in the UK, say two reports published January 16, 2006.The Mental Health Foundation says scientific studies have clearly linked attention deficit disorder, depression, Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia to junk food and the absence of essential fats, vitamins and minerals in industrialized diets. "Food can have an immediate and lasting effect on mental health and behavior because of the way it affects the structure and function of the brain. Mental health has been completely neglected by those working on food policy. If we don't address it and change the way we farm and fish, we may lose the means to prevent much diet-related ill health” states Tim Lang of Sustain in Changing Diets, Changing Minds.

Both reports, which have been produced collaboratively, outline the growing scientific evidence linking poor diet to problems of behavior and mood. Rates of depression have been shown to be higher in countries with low intakes of fish, for example. Lack of folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium and the amino acid tryptophan are thought to play an important role in the illness. Deficiencies of essential fats and antioxidant vitamins are also thought to be a contributory factor in schizophrenia.

2. Food sensitivities and cerebral allergies

A number of patients have the above condition which is often undiagnosed.

A. “Leaky Gut” or hyper intestinal Permeability

“The allergic child or adult may suffer form the so called allergy-tension-fatigue syndrome described by Dr. Frederic Speer in 1954, which results in irritability, hyperactivity and impaired concentration, thus adversely affecting school or job performance. Food dyes or additives may cause the symptoms. The most commonly implicated types of food are milk, wheat, egg, bee corn, sugar cane, and chocolate. A similar syndrome in adults has been called simply “cerebral allergy.” The allergy often appears in a masked form, in which the individual actually feels better after ingesting a favorite food. However, in a variable number of hours a severe letdown occurs and the patient experiences symptoms that may be diffuse and non-specific and often include headache, depression, nasal stuffiness and sleepiness. Allergies run in families and so does cerebral allergy. ADHD and Autistic spectrum patients often have Leaky Gut.

B. Celiac sprue – Gluten enteropathy

The link between celiac disease (a disorder in which the body has an allergic response to gluten found in grains, leading to damage of the absorbent villi fingers that line the intestinal tract) and schizophrenia is suggestive. Based on a Danish data, the authors suggested a 3-fold increased risk of schizophrenia symptoms in an individual with celiac disease, over that of an individual in the general population (relative risk of schizophrenia for general population is 1%). Gliadin sensitivity is often seen in ADHD and Autism

3. Liver detoxication. (Metabolism of pharmaceutical drugs and other toxins.)

A. The majority of medication and toxins both external and internal are cleared by the liver, a process involved in which phase 1 detoxication is via the cytochrome p450 system and phase 2, Sulfation, glycination, glucuronidation, methylation and glutathione elimination which uses supportive nutrients. Supplementation is often useful: Medical Foods such as Medi Clear or Ultra Clear,

4. Glutamate Toxicity.

Nervous system is sensitive to glutamate toxicity. There are a growing number of Clinicians and Scientists who are convinced that excitotoxins play a critical role in the development of several neurological disorders, including migraines, seizures, infections, and abnormal neural development, ADHD, Autism and Schizophrenia. The FDA still refuses to recognize the immediate and long term danger to the public caused by the practice of allowing various excitotoxins to be added to the food supply, such as MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal).

5. Heavy Metal Toxicity

Heavy metal poisoning remains a major cause of behavioral disorders. Lead poisoning of children, for instance, is endemic in some cities. Mercury is a known neurotoxin and can be ingested from eating contaminated fish and other foods, water, and even liberated from amalgams.

6. Probiotics

Beneficial bacteria are important in gut immune system. Approximately 85 % of the body immunity is associated with the GALT. 95% of the serotonergic receptors are in the gut, only 5% are in the brain. Antibiotic and other drug therapy, viral gastroenteritis and other chronic illnesses can affect the number and strains of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Probiotics may produce their beneficial effects is immune modulated by normalizing the ratio of anti-inflammatory to proinflammatory cytokines in IBS.

7. Homocysteine connection

A toxic amino acid, homocysteine can be found in many diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and schizophrenia. Vitamin B12, folate and B6 along with a methyl donor such as Betaine (trimethylglycine) can lower levels of homocysteine.” Methyl B12 can help sleep. While testing SAMe as a treatment for schizophrenia, Italian researchers discovered that the depression levels in their patients had greatly decreased. In a Dutch study, hyperhomocysteinemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, and to a lesser extent, folate deficiency was all related to depressive disorders.

8. Lyme (Neuroborreliosis)

Lyme borreliosis is a brain disease as well as a multi systemic disease caused by spirochetal bacteria. Lyme borreliosis confirms itself in subtle to profound neuro-psychiatric symptoms, such as overriding confusion, loss of organizational skills, decreased concentration, memory loss, mood disorders, irritability, and unprovoked rages--to mention just a few. Bipolar depression is one of the most commonly seen presentations in a Lyme literate specialist office. After specialized laboratory testing by MDL of New Jersey, Igenix of Palo Alto or Imugen of Norwood Mass, antibiotic therapy along with nutritional supplementation is often very helpful in alleviating symptoms or controlling relapses in the disease.