Can dairy products and whole grain foods contribute to mental illness?
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I think it's a load of crap, unless you have an unusual sensitivity. Celiac disease and lactose intolerance are very real, but not everyone has them.
I eat a ton of whole wheat and dairy products every day, and has no intention of stopping. I don't have "wheat belly," my skin is terrific, and i'm not sluggish, despite the myriad random claims my various dieting friends make, and mentally, I think i'm doing fine. I buy that too many processed and sugary foods are bad for you. That's about it.
If you take a closer look at some of these articles (e.g., the WaPo one) you'll see that some studies show eating whole wheat and dairy is protective of mental health:
Eta:
Sorry for the cranky sound of my post -- I live in NYC, and if you can name an extreme diet, I know at least one person on it, and every one of them tries to push their diet on (perfectly healthy) me. If I listened to all of theirclaims, there would be practically nothing I could eat. And every one of them claims the internet backs them up.
As someone below suggested, if you're using this idea in a story, get hold of some real research instead of a random internet search.
I eat a ton of whole wheat and dairy products every day, and has no intention of stopping. I don't have "wheat belly," my skin is terrific, and i'm not sluggish, despite the myriad random claims my various dieting friends make, and mentally, I think i'm doing fine. I buy that too many processed and sugary foods are bad for you. That's about it.
If you take a closer look at some of these articles (e.g., the WaPo one) you'll see that some studies show eating whole wheat and dairy is protective of mental health:
Eta:
Sorry for the cranky sound of my post -- I live in NYC, and if you can name an extreme diet, I know at least one person on it, and every one of them tries to push their diet on (perfectly healthy) me. If I listened to all of theirclaims, there would be practically nothing I could eat. And every one of them claims the internet backs them up.
As someone below suggested, if you're using this idea in a story, get hold of some real research instead of a random internet search.
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I have been told by mental health professionals that mental health is tied to physical health. I was doing some research after I discovered that pomegranate juice helped with my ADHD. What I found out was that it wasn't a miracle cure, it was just that I'd been lacking in antioxidants, and once I had them, my health improved, and then my mental health improved. So I'm going to say (without any remote degree of expertise but a whole lot of skepticism) that the connection between dairy, wheat products, and mental health is actually dependent on physical health.
I'm really curious, what's the story you're researching this for?
I'm really curious, what's the story you're researching this for?
Well, that's the confusing part...lots of conflicting messages in there. 
What I'm asking is: If someone is diagnosed with a mental illness, would cutting down on these foods make them any better? I don't think it will make much difference for someone who's already healthy...
What I'm asking is: If someone is diagnosed with a mental illness, would cutting down on these foods make them any better? I don't think it will make much difference for someone who's already healthy...
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Well, that's the confusing part...lots of conflicting messages in there.
What I'm asking is: If someone is diagnosed with a mental illness, would cutting down on these foods make them any better? I don't think it will make much difference for someone who's already healthy...
If stopping the foods would make them better, then logically, they'd also have the potential to make someone worse.
What mental illness are you talking about?
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It's going to depend on the person. I have a gluten intolerance, and before I cut it out of my diet I did have severe brain fog - but that's not a mental health issue, just a symptom that something in my body wasn't right.
Your link goes to search results, by the way, not actual research articles. You would do better looking in PubMed for actual medical articles rather than the stuff you find in the Washington Post (& similar).
Your link goes to search results, by the way, not actual research articles. You would do better looking in PubMed for actual medical articles rather than the stuff you find in the Washington Post (& similar).
One of the theories behind a variety of historical events (including Salem Witch Trials, and The Great Fear at the start of the French Revolution) is poisoning by the wheat fungus ergot. That can cause mental health issues. If I remember rightly there is a similar issue with dairy.
I'm allergic to lactose it makes my face, tongue and mouth swell.
I'm allergic to lactose it makes my face, tongue and mouth swell.
Hmmm. Some researcher somewhere goes "EEEEE! Common food will make you sick, insane and force your mother to dress you funny!" Never heard *anything* like that before.
Oh, wait, just for the length of time I've been alive.
Oh, wait, just for the length of time I've been alive.
The character definitely has pure O, and like most book characters, what you can call a "fluctuating" depression.
But really, he's being falsely led to believe that he's -for example- schizophrenic (mostly, and out of many other things...for plot-related purposes. See below).
@Krinaphobia: I'm sorry, I didn't see your post before I sent mine earlier. The book is still in it's early stages (I'm a HUGE procrastinator!), generally -and to answer your question-, it's about a homicide detective who -for several, book-spoiling reasons- gets targeted by a military program that aims to handicap a list of targets using illegal surveillance, and deniable, gaslighting techniques performed by neighbors, several professionals, some family members, and even complete strangers (informants). The idea is to eliminate these targets in a way that can't be proven in court, either by convincing them they're insane (or really making them go insane), or by forcing them to commit a crime and be put away for good, or the like. The character uses his skills to avoid reaching that state and to find the people responsible, so he's not a sitting duck.
That's not all, the character already has some health problems, family issues, and spends a long portion of the book involved in an abusive relationship. It's complicated, but I tried to make it as brief as possible.
Anyway, it's very paranoid and disturbing, and surprisingly not event-driven at all, it's more about how this particular character perceives this bleak world around him, and how his circumstances affect the way he thinks. He tends to have strong opinions about a myriad of subjects that come across in the book. Mental health just happens to be one of them.
In one word, I call it "Clandestine", because in my head, a victim shouldn't know any more than he should about his attackers just because it's in a book. It's a clandestine program.
But really, he's being falsely led to believe that he's -for example- schizophrenic (mostly, and out of many other things...for plot-related purposes. See below).
@Krinaphobia: I'm sorry, I didn't see your post before I sent mine earlier. The book is still in it's early stages (I'm a HUGE procrastinator!), generally -and to answer your question-, it's about a homicide detective who -for several, book-spoiling reasons- gets targeted by a military program that aims to handicap a list of targets using illegal surveillance, and deniable, gaslighting techniques performed by neighbors, several professionals, some family members, and even complete strangers (informants). The idea is to eliminate these targets in a way that can't be proven in court, either by convincing them they're insane (or really making them go insane), or by forcing them to commit a crime and be put away for good, or the like. The character uses his skills to avoid reaching that state and to find the people responsible, so he's not a sitting duck.
That's not all, the character already has some health problems, family issues, and spends a long portion of the book involved in an abusive relationship. It's complicated, but I tried to make it as brief as possible.
Anyway, it's very paranoid and disturbing, and surprisingly not event-driven at all, it's more about how this particular character perceives this bleak world around him, and how his circumstances affect the way he thinks. He tends to have strong opinions about a myriad of subjects that come across in the book. Mental health just happens to be one of them.
In one word, I call it "Clandestine", because in my head, a victim shouldn't know any more than he should about his attackers just because it's in a book. It's a clandestine program.
If everybody ate that same food (because it's really common), nobody would notice it's making them worse unless they stop eating them...that's what I meant.
Hmm...That's very interesting. I've actually been on ergotamine pills for sometime and...well...it was terrible!
I hear you guys. Why do people do that, anyways?
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I've been alive long enough to see various extreme diets, miracle foods, and "bad, evil foods that are the root of all ill health" come and go. A few years ago, cholesterol was baaaaaad for you and whole grains were mana from heaven. Now everyone's chowing down on eggs and shunning whole grain. Brown rice? A miracle food, but wait, it's full of carbs. I had some friends who lost a lot of weight on the Atkins and South Beach diets a few years ago, and swore by them, even though they told you you couldn't eat fruit (and there were all those gurus that insist a serving of berries a day will stop heart attacks), but now all their weight has come back, and they're doing paleo diet or something (which has little connection to what our stone-age ancestors actually ate), or gluten free. And I was at someone's house the other day that had a book in their bathroom that insisted that your blood type determined which kinds of foods you should eat, even though there hasn't been a whole lot of research that's established any physiological significance attributed to being O, A, AB, B and + or -. And the vegan versus ultra low carb argument goes on and on. Animal fats are either linked to Alzheimer, or they're necessary for normal brain function, depending on who's peddling what.
The problem is, the media doesn't differentiate between isolated results, studies that were actually controlled, ones that concur with a preponderance of evidence, or plain wishful thinking. And you get "cult of celebrity" charlatans like Dr. Oz in the picture, selling their snake oil. But he's a doctor, people will say. Yes, he is, but so are the people who say he's a quack.
A balanced diet that derives nutrients from a variety of foods and isn't too processed is probably best for most people, unless a specific intolerance, sensitivity or allergy is diagnosed.
The problem is, the media doesn't differentiate between isolated results, studies that were actually controlled, ones that concur with a preponderance of evidence, or plain wishful thinking. And you get "cult of celebrity" charlatans like Dr. Oz in the picture, selling their snake oil. But he's a doctor, people will say. Yes, he is, but so are the people who say he's a quack.
A balanced diet that derives nutrients from a variety of foods and isn't too processed is probably best for most people, unless a specific intolerance, sensitivity or allergy is diagnosed.
I hear you guys. Why do people do that, anyways?
Short answer? Usually, money. Food faddery is profitable. You sell a lot of books. Sometimes a particular ethical / spiritual / political axe to grind as well. Finally, ego. You can be seem as Mr. Expert.
I would venture to say that there is no connection between dairy / wheat products and mental health, except the ergot fungus. However, through experience, I can tell you that certain foods can set off depression episodes. For example: pineapple. A chemical in it reacts badly with me, personally, so it sends the depression off the deep end. It's the same with MSG (essentially overcooked combination of sugar and salt). Again chemical reactions.
The other day, I also read an article about bacteria in the intestine influencing one's mood. It posited that while the brain is protected from bacteria / viruses / bad things, the gut bacteria have somehow circumvented that protection to send signals to the brain. So, at the extreme, if one's intestinal bacteria were highly displeased with the ingested food or lack of, then said organisms would communicate that the brain, which would then manifest such displeasure using moods. Logically, then, diet has a direct effect on mood, but not in the way that may have been previously thought.
I'll see if I can find that article and will edit this response accordingly. It was fascinating.
The other day, I also read an article about bacteria in the intestine influencing one's mood. It posited that while the brain is protected from bacteria / viruses / bad things, the gut bacteria have somehow circumvented that protection to send signals to the brain. So, at the extreme, if one's intestinal bacteria were highly displeased with the ingested food or lack of, then said organisms would communicate that the brain, which would then manifest such displeasure using moods. Logically, then, diet has a direct effect on mood, but not in the way that may have been previously thought.
I'll see if I can find that article and will edit this response accordingly. It was fascinating.
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I get very sick when eating gluten. Extreme pain, vomiting, frequent dashes to the toilet, and an overall lack of ability to function on a human level. Don't you dare discount my experience just because you haven't lived it.
Yes, there are fads, yes there are extremists who taken it too far, yes there are capitalists who make money out of these issues, and yes there are people who follow a diet because it's fashionable, but that doesn't mean the experience is not real for some people.
Now, rather than speculate on whether it's a fad or not, can someone please answer the OP's question - is there any medical research to show a link between food and mental health?
Yes, there are fads, yes there are extremists who taken it too far, yes there are capitalists who make money out of these issues, and yes there are people who follow a diet because it's fashionable, but that doesn't mean the experience is not real for some people.
Now, rather than speculate on whether it's a fad or not, can someone please answer the OP's question - is there any medical research to show a link between food and mental health?
There are people who are intolerant to some degree to all sorts of wonderfully good foods. It is entirely possible that there are some people who have been made insane from eating grains and dairy; although for most people those are excellent foods.
If you want some people to go mad from eating dairy and grains, then do so. It may make the novel seem humorous to some people, but you can't please everyone.
If you want some people to go mad from eating dairy and grains, then do so. It may make the novel seem humorous to some people, but you can't please everyone.
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We discussed diet and mental health in one of my premed classes and while it's a fairly new field, studies suggest there's a connection between them, such as this one and this one. Both studies are Norwegian and use a traditional Scandinavian diet as an example of a healthy option (correlated with fewer incidences of mental illness), which is rich in dairy and whole grain food, so those would be more likely to be beneficial if you don't have celiac or lactose intolerance. But again, nothing definitive. If someone tells you this one simple superfood will definitely cure all your ailments, they're lying. I don't remember ever hearing that dairy or whole grain foods in particular would be detrimental and none of the sites your search linked to that suggest this look in any way reputable. The top link is a site run by a well-known quack.
So if you want to exacerbate someone's mental illness by slipping them yoghurt and whole-grain cookies, I don't think there's any scientific basis for that.
So if you want to exacerbate someone's mental illness by slipping them yoghurt and whole-grain cookies, I don't think there's any scientific basis for that.
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My husband's depression is worse when there is meat in his diet. He functions much better when we're not eating any.
I'm allergic to lactose (as in face and tongue swells) so it's rare we use dairy in our house.
I'm allergic to lactose (as in face and tongue swells) so it's rare we use dairy in our house.
To be clear, I initially read the OPs question as asking whether wheat and dairy had a bad effect on EVERYONE (as some of my more extreme acquaintances are fond of claiming). And that I don't buy, and would have a hard time buying in a book, frankly. The only way I might buy it is if you had some kind of pathogen or mutation get into the grain that was toxic to human beings generally, not just a few.
If we are talking about an individual, or a group of individuals, that is an entirely different story. I have a close friend with celiac disease -- that is very real. And food allergies to all kinds of things can kill or make you extremely sick. So if you are talking an individual character (or group of characters), I would certainly buy that -- indeed, you could make the allergy or sensitivity to any food and I would buy it.
If we are talking about an individual, or a group of individuals, that is an entirely different story. I have a close friend with celiac disease -- that is very real. And food allergies to all kinds of things can kill or make you extremely sick. So if you are talking an individual character (or group of characters), I would certainly buy that -- indeed, you could make the allergy or sensitivity to any food and I would buy it.
That's a very odd way of putting it. Did I somehow imply this is what I was going for? It doesn't even sound funny to be honest.
This is what I was asking about. Most people around here seem to agree that a generally healthy diet contributes to better physical health, and in turn mental health, which is very agreeable, and perhaps a little too obvious.
The link between specific foods and mental health seems to be "declared" as individual cases, I was more interested on the relevancy of it, and how it can lead to unconventional treatment methods, or at least how it can lead this particular character to question the "traditional" methods, like he questions everything else.
It never gets easy, being reminded that people struggle with these problems everyday, and that others will probably never know what it really feels like. I'm glad that I started this thread, seeing you guys talking about your experiences is enlightening in it's own way.
I remember an article from a newspaper about diets. (It was at least ten years ago and in a paper version, I have no idea if it's even possible to find it online now.)
What I remember most about the article is that they'd found a link between dieting* and happiness. Or, rather that they found that people who do not diet are generally happier than those that diet.
There's a "theory" out there that autism is linked to unhealthy bowels. Not something that is supported by serious autism research though.
Generally I'd be very careful with using special diets in books, when they are linked to a characters behaviour. (As a quirk of a character they are fine.)
I'd also suggest going to peer-reviewed medical literature if you research things that are dominated by a lot of people with an agenda online.
* Talking about non-medical diets here. If you have a condition that makes you intolerant in some way to some food, that's a different thing.
What I remember most about the article is that they'd found a link between dieting* and happiness. Or, rather that they found that people who do not diet are generally happier than those that diet.
There's a "theory" out there that autism is linked to unhealthy bowels. Not something that is supported by serious autism research though.
Generally I'd be very careful with using special diets in books, when they are linked to a characters behaviour. (As a quirk of a character they are fine.)
I'd also suggest going to peer-reviewed medical literature if you research things that are dominated by a lot of people with an agenda online.
* Talking about non-medical diets here. If you have a condition that makes you intolerant in some way to some food, that's a different thing.
Then there was the problem that, Mark Vonnegut, the son of Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. encountered when he lived in a farming hippie commune in British Columbia. There was some question as to the actual cause and effect, but the schizophrenia that he developed while living on the commune disappeared after he returned to an ordinary diet. I don't recall the details; I read his book about it decades ago. You might want to read Mark's two books to see if there is anything you could use.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Vonnegut
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Vonnegut
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I will say this. I have bad depression and anxiety (currently controlled through therapy and medications). For another medical condition I had to cut gluten from my diet (elimination diet). My depression and anxiety only got worse during this time period. Once I was allowed back on Gluten things got better for me. I never had to drop dairy though so I don't know how I would react to that.
Just wonder which comes first - being unhappy, deciding that part of it is you don't like the way you look, and going on a diet to improve the way you look or eating less.
To contradict that, there is supposed to be a mood boost/tranquillizing effect from eating carbohydrates, so maybe if you eat less of those you will notice it. (But that is not anything I've seen commented on scientifically.)
I used to know someone who went on one of the early versions of one of the high protein low carbs diet and gave herself gout - it put her on crutches.
The other interesting thing to me about the human mind, is how it is possible to make your body ill - the double link of body can make mind ill, mind can make body ill. As in you get stressed by situations - heart, stomach acid, bowels can all be affected.
Finally - there was a TV series recently which looked at the impact of diet on the function of the body. Can't remember its name right now. Was based on scientific research. They ran the tests on identical twins. One was on low carb diets - it did affect the mind immediately. There simply was not enough fuel for the brain to run at full effectiveness. One twin was on a low carb diet, the other on I've forgotten, and they had various tasks to do that required data processing and logic. The low carb twin performed far worse both in accuracy and time taken than the carb receiving twin.
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