Guest guest Posted April 26, 2004 Report Share Posted April 26, 2004 Christy thank you for posting this. This gentleman put into words what I've strongly believed and have learned on a daily basis. This is valuable information for anyone who has questions about their moods and nutrition. Lilirawfood , " Christy " <yogafreeze> wrote: > I read this on another site: > > http://b25.ezboard.com/fdepoproverafrm10.showMessage? topicID=427.topic > > In response to inquiries from Audrey and Patricia, here are some > general comments on depression and anxiety. > > In considering depression and anxiety, its important to keep general, > lest we end up over-analyzing and complicating what can be a > straightforward issue. Depression at its simplest represents a lack > of ability to formulate energy. Depression is commonly seen as > referring to low mental outlook, and feelings of hopelessness. This > indicates a overburdening of our brain cells, or nerves, whereby > they've lost their ability to function optimally and efficiently to > create and organize energy production throughout the body, the brain > included. However, because the body is a whole, other parts of the > body are necessarly involved, particularly the glandular organs, such > as the adrenals, thyroid, hypothalamus, and pineal, which are > important in prompting increased energy production throughout the > entire body. The body by way of its various glands, produces hormones > to regulate brain, glandular, and muscular activity. > > In our modern day lifestyles, and especially in our eating habits, we > all abnormally drive our bodies beyond their normal capacities > without realizing it. We have gotten ourselves into a habit of > excessive stimulation in order to overcome prior feelings of > tiredness, or enervation. The tiredness originates in previous > excesses of activities, of which eating poor foods is the worst > energy usurper. Since most people are unaware of and remain untaught > of the harmful energy depleting ways of their unhealthy habits, they > begin to fall victim to an endless search for ways to keep their > energy high, such as eating when feeling down, entertaining > themselves with t.v, movies, drugs, and other excessive activities > when bored, lonely, or otherwise fatigued. This habitual pattern of > stimulative behaviour, which is not respectful of the body's need for > rest and recuperation after activity, leads to the excessive > stimulation of those glands and tissues in our bodies that are > responsible for creating energy. > So for example, the adrenal glands, instead of being able to rest > when a person is feeling down or tired, are forced to work overtime > again as the person indulges in a slice of pizza. Not only do the > adrenals tire out, but also the thyroid which creates hormones to > stimulate the adrenals, and the hypothalamus which creates hormones > to stimulate the thyroid. In this process, neurotransmitters are used > by the brain to relay messages, and eventually the neurotransmitters > themselves become short in supply as the glands and nerve cells that > are forced to produce the various transmitters tire out and wear > down. When our bodies lose their ability to produce normal levels of > hormones, transmitters, and other important chemicals for bodily > processes, we experience depression -- a lack of ability to function > energetically. > > Concurrent with the development of depression throughout the body, > and particularly in the brain, is anxiety. Anxiety is really an > internal recognition by the body of a threat to its existence. It is > a feeling of insecurity that is the result of excess burden put on > the body, burden that is starting to go beyond the body's ability to > resolve. People call this stress, but it is really over-stress. > Stress is a good thing, overstress is a bad thing. Over-stress occurs > when we eat foods not of our biological adaptations, when we over > exercise, or overdo anything. In response to stress, our brain will > activate itself and the entire body to correct the situation, but > when the brain is continually forced to do this, its very ability to > do this is lessened, since it can never rest enough to regenerate and > restore its functions. We end up having feelings of stress build up > due to following excessive habits, but after the brief stimulative > period, we are not able to develop enough hormones, neuro- > transmitters, and other chemicals to resolve within us the stressed > state of our cells. So we continue to feel this tensive state for > unusually extended periods of time. A person who is anxious has > little ability in that moment to handle more tasks and will avoid > situations that even only slightly stress them. > > To the extent that a person abuses their organs, brain cells, and > body in general with excessive stimulation, and in conjunction with > their predisposed various strengths in glands and organs, will the > person experience the severity of anxiety and depression in their > life. Depression and anxiety slowly build up over decades, even right > from birth if energy usurping practices are followed. The individual > who manages to overcome these problems by incorporating truly > healthful practices into their life in the greatest degree will come > to see how in their former lives their depressive and anxious > symptoms slowly increased, as they remained oblivious and ignorant of > the consequences of their harmful actions. > > A return to raw food eating provides the body with an immensely > reduced digestive load while providing vast quantities of energy. It > will take a period of time for the body to heal its glands, nerves, > digestive faculties and other tissues, but as it does so, its strong > function will return and symptoms of depression and anxiety will fade > and disappear. It usually does not happen overnight, as a person who > is depressed and anxious has much lessened ability to create energy, > which is required for healing. However, depending on the person and > the intensity of the depression, recovery can sometimes be very fast. > Sometimes just simple little activities like eating too late are all > that are preventing the body from being able to re-generate adequate > nerve energy reserves over night and thus causing it to experience > depression. > > It is important to note that, at their roots, all depression and > anxiety are physiological problems and all physiological problems are > chemical problems, or chemical imbalance. Depression and anxiety are > said to be mental and emotional problems, but it must be noted that > our mental and emotional processes are undertaken by our nerves that > make up our brains and which extend everywhere throughout our bodies. > Our nerves are supported by all other tissues in the body, including > our glands, muscles, blood vessels, lymph vessels, and mucous > membranes, even as our nerves serve these various tissues. It's a > whole, interconnected, interdependant system, all for one, one for > all. All of these organs, including nerve cells, are constructed of > and are creating billions of interacting chemicals all of the time > which we experience as the process of life. It is through our nervous > system that we are consciously aware of this life process, due to the > electrical currents thusly created in nerve cells. > > This infinitely complex system of chemical, then cellular, then > glandular, and finally nerve reactions occuring in our bodies is > always automatically striving to maintain that state of balance that > we describe as total well being, or health. It is a system that is > dependant upon wholeness of action. This means that it is also > dependant on getting whole foods into it, foods which are also > biologically and physiologically correct for it. When all its needs > are met correctly, the body in its whole will function optimally. To > the extent its whole needs are not met, it will suffer dis-comfort, > or dis-ease, or chemical imbalance. Depression and anxiety are two of > these symptoms of imbalance. > > So anyone who has regularly abused themselves in the past with > unhealthy habits will undoubtedly have suffered some extent of > anxiety or depression, no matter how light. Who suffers more or who > suffers less is determined by the extent of the bad habits and the > particular strengths and weaknesses of various organs (a person's > diathesis, as is said, or their constitution, or tendencies, or > inheritance, or genetic makeup, etc). Were a person not to indulge in > bad habits, then their diathesis would be irrelevant. Some people > will experience depression or anxiety since, say, their dopamine > producing cells get overworked first, while others will experience > asthma as their lung cells get overworked. Those who continually > indulge in poor health practices all suffer various levels of the > innumerable ailments of modern life, but its only when the ailments > become severely aggravated that we tend to recognize them and call > them particular dis-eases. > > So, are we anywhere with all the discussion? We aught to be by now. A > person could go on for years describing all the various chemical, > nerve, and organ reactions going on in the body in regards to > depression and anxiety, but it would get us nowhere closer to > understanding what to do to resolve the problem. We already know that > depression means lack of energy production and that anxiety means > inability to overcome threat to oneself. But now that we know what > causes needless energy loss and what puts unnecessary threat upon the > body, namely unhealthy energy depleting habits, we automatically know > what to do to resolve the problem ---adopt healthy habits as they > pertain to the situation we find ourselves in. So a person needs to > eat whole healthy foods, refrain from excessis of behaviour, develop > emotional calm, get fresh air and adequate sleep, enjoy sunshine, and > so on. Rest is very important, and it may even be necessary to fast > for a few days, a week, or more, before adopting more sensible active > health habits, such as eating fruits and vegetables. > > Because diet is the number one major culprit of health destruction in > our age, it is the one area, when improved, that gives the greatest > results in depression and anxiety. It may take time for the body to > resolve the healing required in our nerves and organs, but it will > come so long as good habits are continually fostered and persevered > in. > > Some notable poor dietary habits that lead to depression and anxiety > are: overeating in general, eating too much at one meal, eating > concentrated foods (particularly sugary foods like dried fruits, > which drive our adrenals and dope our brains with excessive glucose), > eating late (after say 6pm), eating haphazzard combinations of foods, > eating spicy and stimulating foods, pursuing foods as a comforting or > exciting activity in order to avoid low feelings(called emotional > abuse), eating beyond needs dictated by activity level, eating for > entertainment, eating foods that are supposedly healthy like sea > salt, vinegar, wine, garlic, and others that only serve to stimulate > cleansing but not actual healing, binging, purging, eating before > noon, eating heavy foods early in the day instead of later, > overeating particular types of foods, especially the heavy more > concentrated foods such as avocados (excess fat), nuts and seeds > (excess protein and fat), and dried fruits (excess sugars), eating > unripe fruits that don't satisfy appetite, mixing foods to > overstimulate appetite (eg: fruit bowls, large complex salads with > tasty fatty dressings), prolonged and excessive starch or > concentrated sugar consumption, and generally speaking, overeating, > once again and again and again and..... > > Growing up, I was a specialist in the overeating department, > unknowingly, and if there was one thing that was gonna kill me, that > was it. I suffered immense amounts of anxiety and depression from > overeating, and I only made the connection after I improved my diet. > Then I realized what an extreme food alcoholic I had been all my > life, particularly a starch and sugar addict. I tried all sorts of > procedures and a few medications to get over my depression/anxiety, > some of which seemed to work, but which I dropped once I discovered > my main problem was food addiction. It takes time to develop sensible > eating habits after a life time of abuse, but the good feelings that > one remembers as a child slowly return and dominate ones > mental/emotional/physical state as pure raw ripe fresh whole foods > dominate the diet. If I hadn't experienced it, I wouldn't believe it > possible, but its so obvious to me now. > > Other lifestyle factors are important to consider as well, such as > fun exercise, sleep, rest, sun, social activities, intimacy or love > expression, fasting if necessary, abstaining from excesses of all > types, development of emotional calm, good water if necessary, bodily > cleanliness and purity (I don't mean soaps, etc here), productive > work, mental stimulation, enjoyable emotional expression, security of > life and means, warmth, aesthetic environment, and others. > > Of course once a person resolves their habits that lead to depression > and anxiety, that person must remain aware that depression and > anxiety are where their body first demonstrates a breakdown when bad > habits are indulged. Thus they can expect to feel poorly once they > indulge badly. I note in myself when I sometimes overeat (still here > and there, eh, can ya believe it!! --though I don't overeat anything > near like I used to) that the next day I start to get the slightly > down feeling slightly reminiscent of the past. It's a good reminder > to keep towing the line. But of course, feeling great is an even > greater reminder. > > A person needs to be patient with themselves, persevere, remain > attentive to improvements, and thus develop a sense of control and > admiration of oneself. Living healthfully automatically generates > those feelings that we associate with confidence and comfort. Living > unhealthfully removes us from those feelings because it creates > imbalances within our bodies, and as our nerves sense and experience > those imbalances, we experience feelings of non-conconfidence, worry > and foreboding. It's sometimes a more challenging route to choose > health improvement over drug therapy or other misapplied solutions to > depression and anxiety, but the rewards run much deeper. > > Hopefully that didn't over-complicate the subject. Somewhere some > general simple concepts were discussed, with logical solutions to > problems. > > > > rawfood , bandbcollection <no_reply> wrote: > > Is there anything you all would suggest for someone like myself > > who's been working at going raw, but is seriously depressed. Not > to > > the point of hurting myself or my kids, but to the point where I'm > > considering going to a doctor for it and I don't like doctors. > > > > What is the common approach to this with the raw lifestyle? Any > > foods in particular that can help with this? > > > > Thanks, > > Mel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 27, 2004 Report Share Posted April 27, 2004 No problem Lili - He's a smart guy read his other messages too Christyrawfood , " Lili " <ladyschaumburg> wrote: > Christy thank you for posting this. This gentleman put into words > what I've strongly believed and have learned on a daily basis. This > is valuable information for anyone who has questions about their > moods and nutrition. Lili--- In rawfood , " Christy " > <yogafreeze> wrote: > > I read this on another site: > > > > http://b25.ezboard.com/fdepoproverafrm10.showMessage? > topicID=427.topic > > > > In response to inquiries from Audrey and Patricia, here are some > > general comments on depression and anxiety. > > > > In considering depression and anxiety, its important to keep > general, > > lest we end up over-analyzing and complicating what can be a > > straightforward issue. Depression at its simplest represents a lack > > of ability to formulate energy. Depression is commonly seen as > > referring to low mental outlook, and feelings of hopelessness. This > > indicates a overburdening of our brain cells, or nerves, whereby > > they've lost their ability to function optimally and efficiently to > > create and organize energy production throughout the body, the > brain > > included. However, because the body is a whole, other parts of the > > body are necessarly involved, particularly the glandular organs, > such > > as the adrenals, thyroid, hypothalamus, and pineal, which are > > important in prompting increased energy production throughout the > > entire body. The body by way of its various glands, produces > hormones > > to regulate brain, glandular, and muscular activity. > > > > In our modern day lifestyles, and especially in our eating habits, > we > > all abnormally drive our bodies beyond their normal capacities > > without realizing it. We have gotten ourselves into a habit of > > excessive stimulation in order to overcome prior feelings of > > tiredness, or enervation. The tiredness originates in previous > > excesses of activities, of which eating poor foods is the worst > > energy usurper. Since most people are unaware of and remain > untaught > > of the harmful energy depleting ways of their unhealthy habits, > they > > begin to fall victim to an endless search for ways to keep their > > energy high, such as eating when feeling down, entertaining > > themselves with t.v, movies, drugs, and other excessive activities > > when bored, lonely, or otherwise fatigued. This habitual pattern of > > stimulative behaviour, which is not respectful of the body's need > for > > rest and recuperation after activity, leads to the excessive > > stimulation of those glands and tissues in our bodies that are > > responsible for creating energy. > > So for example, the adrenal glands, instead of being able to rest > > when a person is feeling down or tired, are forced to work overtime > > again as the person indulges in a slice of pizza. Not only do the > > adrenals tire out, but also the thyroid which creates hormones to > > stimulate the adrenals, and the hypothalamus which creates hormones > > to stimulate the thyroid. In this process, neurotransmitters are > used > > by the brain to relay messages, and eventually the > neurotransmitters > > themselves become short in supply as the glands and nerve cells > that > > are forced to produce the various transmitters tire out and wear > > down. When our bodies lose their ability to produce normal levels > of > > hormones, transmitters, and other important chemicals for bodily > > processes, we experience depression -- a lack of ability to > function > > energetically. > > > > Concurrent with the development of depression throughout the body, > > and particularly in the brain, is anxiety. Anxiety is really an > > internal recognition by the body of a threat to its existence. It > is > > a feeling of insecurity that is the result of excess burden put on > > the body, burden that is starting to go beyond the body's ability > to > > resolve. People call this stress, but it is really over-stress. > > Stress is a good thing, overstress is a bad thing. Over-stress > occurs > > when we eat foods not of our biological adaptations, when we over > > exercise, or overdo anything. In response to stress, our brain will > > activate itself and the entire body to correct the situation, but > > when the brain is continually forced to do this, its very ability > to > > do this is lessened, since it can never rest enough to regenerate > and > > restore its functions. We end up having feelings of stress build up > > due to following excessive habits, but after the brief stimulative > > period, we are not able to develop enough hormones, neuro- > > transmitters, and other chemicals to resolve within us the stressed > > state of our cells. So we continue to feel this tensive state for > > unusually extended periods of time. A person who is anxious has > > little ability in that moment to handle more tasks and will avoid > > situations that even only slightly stress them. > > > > To the extent that a person abuses their organs, brain cells, and > > body in general with excessive stimulation, and in conjunction with > > their predisposed various strengths in glands and organs, will the > > person experience the severity of anxiety and depression in their > > life. Depression and anxiety slowly build up over decades, even > right > > from birth if energy usurping practices are followed. The > individual > > who manages to overcome these problems by incorporating truly > > healthful practices into their life in the greatest degree will > come > > to see how in their former lives their depressive and anxious > > symptoms slowly increased, as they remained oblivious and ignorant > of > > the consequences of their harmful actions. > > > > A return to raw food eating provides the body with an immensely > > reduced digestive load while providing vast quantities of energy. > It > > will take a period of time for the body to heal its glands, nerves, > > digestive faculties and other tissues, but as it does so, its > strong > > function will return and symptoms of depression and anxiety will > fade > > and disappear. It usually does not happen overnight, as a person > who > > is depressed and anxious has much lessened ability to create > energy, > > which is required for healing. However, depending on the person and > > the intensity of the depression, recovery can sometimes be very > fast. > > Sometimes just simple little activities like eating too late are > all > > that are preventing the body from being able to re-generate > adequate > > nerve energy reserves over night and thus causing it to experience > > depression. > > > > It is important to note that, at their roots, all depression and > > anxiety are physiological problems and all physiological problems > are > > chemical problems, or chemical imbalance. Depression and anxiety > are > > said to be mental and emotional problems, but it must be noted that > > our mental and emotional processes are undertaken by our nerves > that > > make up our brains and which extend everywhere throughout our > bodies. > > Our nerves are supported by all other tissues in the body, > including > > our glands, muscles, blood vessels, lymph vessels, and mucous > > membranes, even as our nerves serve these various tissues. It's a > > whole, interconnected, interdependant system, all for one, one for > > all. All of these organs, including nerve cells, are constructed of > > and are creating billions of interacting chemicals all of the time > > which we experience as the process of life. It is through our > nervous > > system that we are consciously aware of this life process, due to > the > > electrical currents thusly created in nerve cells. > > > > This infinitely complex system of chemical, then cellular, then > > glandular, and finally nerve reactions occuring in our bodies is > > always automatically striving to maintain that state of balance > that > > we describe as total well being, or health. It is a system that is > > dependant upon wholeness of action. This means that it is also > > dependant on getting whole foods into it, foods which are also > > biologically and physiologically correct for it. When all its needs > > are met correctly, the body in its whole will function optimally. > To > > the extent its whole needs are not met, it will suffer dis- comfort, > > or dis-ease, or chemical imbalance. Depression and anxiety are two > of > > these symptoms of imbalance. > > > > So anyone who has regularly abused themselves in the past with > > unhealthy habits will undoubtedly have suffered some extent of > > anxiety or depression, no matter how light. Who suffers more or who > > suffers less is determined by the extent of the bad habits and the > > particular strengths and weaknesses of various organs (a person's > > diathesis, as is said, or their constitution, or tendencies, or > > inheritance, or genetic makeup, etc). Were a person not to indulge > in > > bad habits, then their diathesis would be irrelevant. Some people > > will experience depression or anxiety since, say, their dopamine > > producing cells get overworked first, while others will experience > > asthma as their lung cells get overworked. Those who continually > > indulge in poor health practices all suffer various levels of the > > innumerable ailments of modern life, but its only when the ailments > > become severely aggravated that we tend to recognize them and call > > them particular dis-eases. > > > > So, are we anywhere with all the discussion? We aught to be by now. > A > > person could go on for years describing all the various chemical, > > nerve, and organ reactions going on in the body in regards to > > depression and anxiety, but it would get us nowhere closer to > > understanding what to do to resolve the problem. We already know > that > > depression means lack of energy production and that anxiety means > > inability to overcome threat to oneself. But now that we know what > > causes needless energy loss and what puts unnecessary threat upon > the > > body, namely unhealthy energy depleting habits, we automatically > know > > what to do to resolve the problem ---adopt healthy habits as they > > pertain to the situation we find ourselves in. So a person needs to > > eat whole healthy foods, refrain from excessis of behaviour, > develop > > emotional calm, get fresh air and adequate sleep, enjoy sunshine, > and > > so on. Rest is very important, and it may even be necessary to fast > > for a few days, a week, or more, before adopting more sensible > active > > health habits, such as eating fruits and vegetables. > > > > Because diet is the number one major culprit of health destruction > in > > our age, it is the one area, when improved, that gives the greatest > > results in depression and anxiety. It may take time for the body to > > resolve the healing required in our nerves and organs, but it will > > come so long as good habits are continually fostered and persevered > > in. > > > > Some notable poor dietary habits that lead to depression and > anxiety > > are: overeating in general, eating too much at one meal, eating > > concentrated foods (particularly sugary foods like dried fruits, > > which drive our adrenals and dope our brains with excessive > glucose), > > eating late (after say 6pm), eating haphazzard combinations of > foods, > > eating spicy and stimulating foods, pursuing foods as a comforting > or > > exciting activity in order to avoid low feelings(called emotional > > abuse), eating beyond needs dictated by activity level, eating for > > entertainment, eating foods that are supposedly healthy like sea > > salt, vinegar, wine, garlic, and others that only serve to > stimulate > > cleansing but not actual healing, binging, purging, eating before > > noon, eating heavy foods early in the day instead of later, > > overeating particular types of foods, especially the heavy more > > concentrated foods such as avocados (excess fat), nuts and seeds > > (excess protein and fat), and dried fruits (excess sugars), eating > > unripe fruits that don't satisfy appetite, mixing foods to > > overstimulate appetite (eg: fruit bowls, large complex salads with > > tasty fatty dressings), prolonged and excessive starch or > > concentrated sugar consumption, and generally speaking, overeating, > > once again and again and again and..... > > > > Growing up, I was a specialist in the overeating department, > > unknowingly, and if there was one thing that was gonna kill me, > that > > was it. I suffered immense amounts of anxiety and depression from > > overeating, and I only made the connection after I improved my > diet. > > Then I realized what an extreme food alcoholic I had been all my > > life, particularly a starch and sugar addict. I tried all sorts of > > procedures and a few medications to get over my depression/anxiety, > > some of which seemed to work, but which I dropped once I discovered > > my main problem was food addiction. It takes time to develop > sensible > > eating habits after a life time of abuse, but the good feelings > that > > one remembers as a child slowly return and dominate ones > > mental/emotional/physical state as pure raw ripe fresh whole foods > > dominate the diet. If I hadn't experienced it, I wouldn't believe > it > > possible, but its so obvious to me now. > > > > Other lifestyle factors are important to consider as well, such as > > fun exercise, sleep, rest, sun, social activities, intimacy or love > > expression, fasting if necessary, abstaining from excesses of all > > types, development of emotional calm, good water if necessary, > bodily > > cleanliness and purity (I don't mean soaps, etc here), productive > > work, mental stimulation, enjoyable emotional expression, security > of > > life and means, warmth, aesthetic environment, and others. > > > > Of course once a person resolves their habits that lead to > depression > > and anxiety, that person must remain aware that depression and > > anxiety are where their body first demonstrates a breakdown when > bad > > habits are indulged. Thus they can expect to feel poorly once they > > indulge badly. I note in myself when I sometimes overeat (still > here > > and there, eh, can ya believe it!! --though I don't overeat > anything > > near like I used to) that the next day I start to get the slightly > > down feeling slightly reminiscent of the past. It's a good reminder > > to keep towing the line. But of course, feeling great is an even > > greater reminder. > > > > A person needs to be patient with themselves, persevere, remain > > attentive to improvements, and thus develop a sense of control and > > admiration of oneself. Living healthfully automatically generates > > those feelings that we associate with confidence and comfort. > Living > > unhealthfully removes us from those feelings because it creates > > imbalances within our bodies, and as our nerves sense and > experience > > those imbalances, we experience feelings of non-conconfidence, > worry > > and foreboding. It's sometimes a more challenging route to choose > > health improvement over drug therapy or other misapplied solutions > to > > depression and anxiety, but the rewards run much deeper. > > > > Hopefully that didn't over-complicate the subject. Somewhere some > > general simple concepts were discussed, with logical solutions to > > problems. > > > > > > > > rawfood , bandbcollection <no_reply> > wrote: > > > Is there anything you all would suggest for someone like myself > > > who's been working at going raw, but is seriously depressed. Not > > to > > > the point of hurting myself or my kids, but to the point where > I'm > > > considering going to a doctor for it and I don't like doctors. > > > > > > What is the common approach to this with the raw lifestyle? Any > > > foods in particular that can help with this? > > > > > > Thanks, > > > Mel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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