Does dairy cause depression

3 Foods You Should Avoid for Better Mental Health — Optimal Living Dynamics

September 17, 2022Jordan Fallis

Avoiding these three foods was one of the very first steps I took to improve my mental health.

I had a lot more energy, improved mood and reduced anxiety.

Unfortunately, about two months after cutting them out, I moved into a moldy house and suffered two really bad concussions. At that point, I had to look for even more advanced solutions.

But if you haven't done so already, I would strongly encourage you to try removing these three foods from your diet.

Doing so will likely improve your symptoms and calm your nervous system, making other therapies even more effective.

It’s harder to overcome trauma if you haven’t taken care of your physiology, as researchers have found that food allergies and sensitivities can trigger a wide range of emotional and mental health symptoms (110).

The problem with some foods is that they disrupt normal gut function and increase intestinal permeability (leaky gut syndrome).

When this happens, small particles of food can leak into your bloodstream. Your immune system sees these food particles as foreign entities and attacks them, increasing inflammation throughout your body and reducing the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, which can cause or worsen mental health problems (4-6, 66-67).

This is discussed in the book Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, ADD/ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Depression, Schizophrenia by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD.

If I eat any of these three foods by accident, I supplement with activated charcoal or bentonite clay.

Activated charcoal and bentonite clay are potent natural treatments that can trap problematic proteins, toxins and chemicals, allowing them to be flushed out of your body.

I notice I don’t feel as sick when I do this, and recover much more quickly.

Without further ado, here are three foods that I avoid as much as possible.

1. Wheat

Gluten sensitivity can be primarily, and at times, exclusively, a neurological disease.

— Dr. Hadjivassiliou, MD, Professor of Neurology

Following a gluten-free diet has significantly improved my mental health (even though I didn’t have any terrible digestive issues).

I completely cut it out seven years ago, and within a few weeks, I felt so much better mentally.

I also lost a bunch of weight and my asthma disappeared.

I haven't touched it again since.

The same thing happened to Mikhaila Peterson, the daughter of University of Toronto Professor Jordan Peterson.

She followed a gluten-free diet and her depression, fatigue, irritability and memory problems faded away, allowing her to come off her antidepressants.

Dr. Peterson made the same dietary changes and was able to reduce his medication by half.

You can watch a video of them discussing it here.

Unfortunately, the myth continues to spread that only people with celiac disease need to avoid gluten-containing food. That’s simply not true.

Dr. Kenneth Fine, a pioneer in gluten intolerance research, has demonstrated that 1 in 3 Americans are gluten intolerant, and that 8 in 10 have the genes that predispose them to developing gluten intolerance (1-3).

The benefits of cutting out gluten are also discussed in this book.

So if you struggle with a cognitive or mental health condition, you owe it to yourself to follow a strict gluten-free diet for 30 days and see how you feel. You'll likely feel better.

For more than sixty years, reports in the scientific literature have linked wheat and gluten sensitivity to a variety of neurological and psychiatric conditions (75-81), including:

A PubMed literature search (dates 1953–2011) located 162 original articles associating psychiatric and neurologic complications to celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Thirty-six articles were located for seizure disorders, 20 articles for ataxia and cerebellar degeneration, 26 for neuropathy, 20 for schizophrenia, 14 for depression, 12 for migraine, and up to 10 articles each for anxiety disorders, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, autism, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, myopathy, and white matter lesions.

Schizophrenia (39-60)
Depression (18-25)
Autism spectrum disorders (30-38)
Epilepsy and seizures (13-17)
Dementia and cognitive decline (61-63)
Anxiety (9-10)
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (26-27)
Cerebellar ataxia (69-72)
Social phobia (11)
Panic disorder (12)
Bipolar disorder (28)
Migraines (29)

Luckily, research shows that when people with these neurological and psychiatric disorders follow a gluten-free diet, there is a reduction in their symptoms.

Many times, there is even a complete resolution in their symptoms.

In one study, depressed patients who didn’t have digestive issues (like me) followed a gluten-free diet. Within 2-3 months, they experienced a reversal of their depressive symptoms (68).

Researchers have also found that a gluten-free diet improves depression and reduces behavioural problems by increasing levels of l-tryptophan – the precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin (64).

Another study found a significant increase in serotonin and dopamine because of the removal of gluten (65).

Clearly, there is more to gluten than celiac disease and digestive issues, and cutting out wheat is one of the first dietary steps I recommend to people who are striving to overcome mental health challenges.

I understand that it's tough to cut out completely, but it’s worth a try because it may be all you need.

A grain-free diet, although difficult to maintain (especially for those that need it the most), could improve the mental health of many and be a complete cure for others.

— Dr. Paola Bressan

Other than avoiding wheat, you should also avoid foods that contain barley, rye and spelt because they also contain gluten. Sauces, condiments and soups often contain it, so you should stay clear of almost all processed food. Even some medications can contain gluten.

As discussed in the GAPS Diet book, the bacteria in our guts can determine the degree to which we are sensitive to gluten (73).

So you should also try to increase the good bacteria in your gut.

And as I mentioned earlier, I take this activated charcoal or this bentonite clay whenever I accidentally consume wheat and it minimizes the negative effects.

2. Milk

"Milk, and all that comes from milk, increases melancholy." – Robert Burton, Anatomy of Melancholy

After childhood, many people lose the enzyme, lactase, required to digest milk.

And a lot of people who suffer from brain and mental health problems are allergic or sensitive to milk.

People are allergic or sensitive to two main components of milk – lactose and casein.

Casein is the milk protein. Lactose is the milk sugar.

Like gluten, both lactose and casein can contribute to inflammation in the body and brain, contributing to mental illness.

Research shows that people with neuropsychiatric diseases – including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and autism – often have significantly elevated immune reactions to casein in milk, which corresponds with the severity of their mental symptoms. And their symptoms can be “improved substantially or even been cured completely” on a dairy-free diet (82-83, 85-91).

Interestingly, casein has been shown to reduce the absorption of cysteine by 64% (92).

Cysteine is an important amino acid for mental health. I previously discussed it here.

It plays a role in the production of glutathione, your body’s master antioxidant, which protects your body from oxidative stress. And people with mental health problems often have high levels of oxidative stress (93-94).

Therefore, milk may indirectly reduce glutathione levels and increase oxidative stress by preventing the amino acid cysteine from entering cells (92).

Perhaps this is why so many people find benefit from supplementing with n-acetyl-cysteine.

Folate is another critical nutrient for mental health, and milk has been shown to decrease the transport of folate into the brain (95).

This makes sense considering that folate plays a key role in methylation, and other research has found that casein also reduces DNA methylation by 43% (96).

Lastly, researchers have also discovered that high levels of lactose in the intestines can interfere with tryptophan metabolism and serotonin levels. They concluded that lactose malabsorption may play a role in the development of depression (84).

All this being said, it seems that dairy affects everyone differently.

So you should try eliminating all conventional milk-based foods including ice cream, cheese and yogurt for 30 days. Then try adding it back in and examine how you feel.

It’s important to note that the milk in the grocery store is usually processed, homogenized, and pasteurized with distorted fats and denatured proteins. It’s not considered a whole food and I think everyone should avoid it.

My free food guide still includes grass-fed, full-fat, organic dairy because it’s a healthy whole food and plenty of people can tolerate it just fine.

I personally choose not to eat any milk or dairy though because I still feel better without it.

In conclusion, here is Dr. Daniel Kalish’s take on dairy. He is the author of The Kalish Method: Healing the Body, Mapping the Mind:

People with sub-clinical gluten intolerance need to avoid pasteurized cow’s milk products. As the villi on the intestinal lining heal from a gluten free diet, most individuals will be able to tolerate raw or unpasteurized dairy products again in nine months to a year. In other people, there will be a more or less permanent sensitivity to dairy products. However, in the initial two months of eliminating gluten, it is absolutely required to avoid all milk dairy products, because they will inflame the intestine lining just like gluten does and prevent healing.

— Dr. Daniel Kalish

3. Vegetable Oil

The increased incidence rate of major depression since 1913 may be explained by a sharp increase in the rate of omega-6 PUFAs in the diet.

— Dr. Michael Maes

The last food you should avoid or significantly limit is refined vegetable oil, including soybean, corn, safflower, sunflower, and canola oils.

They are highly unstable and oxidize very easily.

Like gluten, vegetable oils are everywhere and hard to avoid because they’re included in most processed foods.

These oils are also predominantly made up of omega-6 fatty acids.

This is a problem because most people eat way too many omega-6 fatty acids today, and not enough omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-6 fatty acids increase inflammation, while omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation.

An international panel of lipid experts says that the ideal dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is approximately 1 to 1. But these same experts estimate that the current ratio that people are consuming today is around 20 to 1 (97-101).

As I discussed before, omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent and treat mental disorders

Unfortunately, they are being outnumbered by the inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids in our food supply.

Luckily you can combat this by staying clear of vegetable oils, supplementing with krill oil, and eating wild salmon regularly (You can get very high-quality seafood and krill oil supplements here).

Not doing this can lead to mental health problems.

Dr. Raymond Peat, PhD, says that the sudden increase of vegetable oils in our food supply after World War II has caused many changes in our mental health:

In 1980, experimenters demonstrated that young rats fed milk containing soy oil incorporated the oil directly into their brain cells, and had structurally abnormal brain cells as a result.

Studies have also found a very strong correlation between vegetable oil consumption and violent behavior, including homicide (109).

This graph shows data from one study, looking at omega-6 intake and homicide rates in five countries.

Dr. Stephan Guyenet, author of The Hungry Brain: Outsmarting the Instincts That Make Us Overeat, discusses this in more depth here.

And it’s not just violent behaviour.

There is a significant correlation between the severity of depression and the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Many researchers suggest trying to treat depression by reducing the ratio with omega-3 supplementation (106).

Other researchers have found significantly lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood of patients with depression because of their higher omega-6 fatty acid intake (107).

Too many omega-6 fatty acids have also been linked to increases in cortisol, your body’s main stress hormone (102-104).

And elevated homocysteine levels – a known risk factor for mental health problems – has been associated with excess omega-6 fatty acids (108).

I recommend checking out the Perfect Health Diet if you’re interested in learning more about the detrimental health effects of refined vegetable oils.

Other Possible Food Intolerances

Be aware that you may be sensitive or intolerant to other seemingly healthy foods, and if so, they should be avoided to maintain good mental health.

This is discussed in Brain Allergies: The Psychonutrient and Magnetic Connections by Dr. Willam Philpott, MD.

For example, eggs are an incredibly nutritious and healthy food, but I’m personally intolerant to the egg whites, so I throw away the whites and just eat the yolks.

It’s not a big deal though because the yolks are the healthiest part of the egg anyway.

But I originally figured this out by following an elimination diet.

You eliminate all possible food allergens and then add them back in one by one and see if you have a negative reaction.

You can learn more about it in this book.

Some of the most common food allergens that could affect your mental health include:

Eggs
Soy
Corn
Nightshade vegetables
Peanuts
Tree nuts, like walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, brazil nuts, and pecans.
Yeast
Fish
Shellfish
Sulphites

If you struggle with mental health problems, you should cut them all out for at least 2 weeks. Then add them back in one by one and see how you feel.

Eat each food a lot over the course of three days and monitor your reaction to each one. Sometimes negative symptoms can pop up a few days later.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, the role of food in the development of mental health disorders is often overlooked by conventional psychiatrists and some psychologists.

They hardly receive any training in nutrition and rarely consider food intolerances as a possible cause of mental health symptoms.

Instead, psychiatric drugs are simply prescribed, which can lead to worse gut health, more symptoms and more medications.

However, psychiatric drugs are necessary for many people. I completely understand that.

But if your mental health is failing, try eliminating gluten, dairy and refined vegetable oils and observe the effects. You may be surprised at how much better you feel.

Please share this post with anyone that might find it useful.

Let’s spread the word that there is a link between nutrition and mental health!

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Is dairy consumption associated with depressive symptoms or disorders in adults? A systematic review of observational studies

. 2020;60(21):3653-3668.

doi: 10.1080/10408398.2019.1703641. Epub 2019 Dec 23.

Meghan Hockey¹, Amelia J McGuinness¹, Wolfgang Marx^{1 2}, Tetyana Rocks¹, Felice N Jacka^{1 2 3}, Anu Ruusunen^{1 4 5}

Affiliations

¹ Food & Mood Centre, iMPACT (the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation), Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
² Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Centre for Adolescent Health, Melbourne, Australia.
³ Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
⁵ Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.

PMID: 31868529
DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2019.1703641

Meghan Hockey et al. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2020.

. 2020;60(21):3653-3668.

doi: 10.1080/10408398.2019.1703641. Epub 2019 Dec 23.

Authors

Meghan Hockey¹, Amelia J McGuinness¹, Wolfgang Marx^{1 2}, Tetyana Rocks¹, Felice N Jacka^{1 2 3}, Anu Ruusunen^{1 4 5}

Affiliations

¹ Food & Mood Centre, iMPACT (the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation), Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
² Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Centre for Adolescent Health, Melbourne, Australia.
³ Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
⁵ Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.

PMID: 31868529
DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2019.1703641

Abstract

Diet quality is associated with depression risk, however the possible role of dairy products in depression risk is unclear. A number of epidemiological studies have examined associations between dairy consumption and depressive symptoms, but results have been inconsistent. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to examine whether an association exists between dairy consumption and depressive symptoms or disorders in adults. Anxiety symptoms were also explored as a secondary outcome. CINAHL, Cochrane, MEDLINE complete, EMBASE, Scopus and PsycINFO databases were searched from database inception to December 2018. Studies were included if they used a case-control, cross-sectional, or cohort study design, and included community dwelling or institutionalized adults (≥18 years). Seven prospective and six cross-sectional studies (N = 58,203 participants) reported on the association between dairy consumption and depressive symptoms or disorders. Findings were mixed, with one study reporting a positive association; five studies reporting no association; and seven studies reporting mixed associations depending on dairy type, gender or population group. We found conflicting and inconsistent associations in studies that were generally of fair quality. Future longitudinal and intervention studies that employ more rigorous dietary assessment methods are warranted.

Keywords: Diet; dairy; depression; milk; systematic review.

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Hockey M, Mohebbi M, Tolmunen T, Hantunen S, Tuomainen TP, Macpherson H, Jacka FN, Virtanen JK, Rocks T, Ruusunen A. Hockey M, et al. Eur J Nutr. 2023 Feb;62(1):227-237. doi: 10.1007/s00394-022-02950-8. Epub 2022 Aug 10. Eur J Nutr. 2023. PMID: 35947163 Free PMC article.
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Nonfermented Dairy Intake, but Not Fermented Dairy Intake, Associated with a Higher Risk of Depression in Middle-Age and Older Finnish Men.
Hockey M, Hoare E, Mohebbi M, Tolmunen T, Hantunen S, Tuomainen TP, Macpherson H, Staudacher H, Jacka FN, Virtanen JK, Rocks T, Ruusunen A. Hockey M, et al. J Nutr. 2022 Aug 9;152(8):1916-1926. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxac128. J Nutr. 2022. PMID: 35652820 Free PMC article.

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Nutritionist lists depression-causing foods - Moscow 24, 11/20/2021

November 20, 2021, 08:09 increases the risk of developing depression.

"The first component of the Western style of eating is fatty foods. That is, it is fatty red meat: pork, lamb, these are fatty sour-milk products, as well as foods that contain hidden fats. For example, convenience foods, sausages," the specialist explained in an interview with the program "Doctor 24".

Cholesterol, which is found in foods rich in animal fats, increases the risk of depression by 40%. This was found out by the scientists who conducted the analysis.

Victor Zhilyaev

dietitian, endocrinologist

In addition, red meat is digested for a very long time, says the endocrinologist. It takes a lot of energy that could be used to restore the body, including the nervous system. Therefore, the expert advises eating red meat no more than 1-2 times a week.

Sugar abuse can also lead to depression, continues Zhilyaev. The expert explained that sweets contain fast-digesting carbohydrates. They lead to significant fluctuations in glucose and insulin in the blood, which affects our well-being. Therefore, after eating a sweet mood, it first rises and energy appears, then it decreases and apathy occurs, the nutritionist specified.

Coffee also increases the risk of depression. It contains caffeine, which stimulates the central nervous system. With an excess of coffee, a person may experience irritability, anxiety, and anxiety. This is especially dangerous for people who are in a state of chronic lack of sleep and fatigue.

Victor Zhilyaev

dietitian, endocrinologist

At the same time, it is better not to abuse refined foods, such as bread made from premium flour, white rice, semolina and pastries, the expert says.

"Scientists have found that these products contain a meager amount of fiber. In some, it is completely absent. And in our large intestine, the balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria is disturbed," the doctor warns.

All this, according to Zhilyaev, leads to inflammation. Since the gut microflora affects the state of the whole body, excessive consumption of these foods also increases the risk of depression, says the nutritionist.

It is better to choose wholemeal bread, replace white rice with brown or wild rice, and generally minimize pastries, the endocrinologist recommends.

People who are more committed to the Mediterranean style of eating, their risk of depression is reduced by 33%. The basis of this style is fish and seafood in general, vegetables, herbs, fruits, nuts, and vegetable oils.

Victor Zhilyaev

dietitian, endocrinologist

Earlier, dietitian Elena Solomatina said that foods rich in vitamin D will help in the fight against fatigue and seasonal drowsiness: cod liver, oily fish, vegetable oils and egg yolk. You can also add bell peppers, sauerkraut and rose hips to your diet - they are rich in vitamin C, which is useful in the autumn.

Medvedeva Svetlana

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Where does joy come from? 9 Best Foods for Seasonal Depression | Proper nutrition | Health

11/25/2018 00:06

Julia Borta

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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What foods help with seasonal depression? Tells nutritionist, candidate of medical sciences, researcher at the Federal Research Center for Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety Natalia Denisova .

Dairy products . They contain vitamin D, the production of which decreases in autumn and winter due to reduced sunlight. And this vitamin is directly related to mood. By the way, studies show that the entire population of Russia is more or less deficient in vitamin D. Maybe that's why we often go gloomy and dissatisfied? On the day you need to consume 2-3 servings of different dairy products. For example, in the form of snacks. It can be yogurt, milk porridge, a glass of kefir or milk at night. In addition, the presence of special substances in milk - endorphins will help us cheer up.

Oily sea fish . Mackerel, herring, salmon, tuna are not only sources of vitamin D, but also omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. They help the brain work well and also act as antidepressants. It is advisable to eat fish at least 3-4 times a week. By the way, there is even research evidence that in regions where fish is eaten more often, people suffer from depression less often. Useful fatty acids are also found in vegetable oils, especially linseed and hemp.

Dark chocolate . Moreover, the one that contains at least 70% cocoa beans. And cocoa beans, in turn, are leaders in the content of the amino acid tryptophan, from which the body synthesizes the joy hormone serotonin. But with this means of raising the mood, one must observe the measure. Chocolate, although healthy, is very high in calories. But 20-30 grams of dark chocolate a day will help to cope with seasonal depression.

Banana . Also a source of the amino acid tryptophan, it is also able to cheer up and acts as an antidepressant. Since it is quite high in calories, it should not be abused. One banana a day will not bring harm to the figure, but it will be of great help for the mood.

Avocado . Generally one of the main fruits against depression. It contains a good protein, which serves as a source, including tryptophan. And plus to it useful fatty acids.

All vegetables and fruits of bright color - red, yellow, orange : carrots, bell peppers, pumpkin, citrus fruits, persimmons, tomatoes. They contain large amounts of beta-carotenes, which are also involved in the synthesis of serotonin from tryptophan, and are also antioxidants. Plus, fresh fruits and vegetables are a source of vitamin C, also an antioxidant.

Leafy greens . In addition to beta-carotenes, it is also rich in folic acid. And its deficiency reduces the ability to withstand stress, while increasing fatigue, apathy and irritability.

Meat (poultry) . Again, a source of the amino acid tryptophan, a complete protein and B vitamins, which are necessary for all biochemical processes in the body to proceed normally.

Wholemeal bread . Another source of B vitamins, which have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and help fight stress.

What else do you need to remember?

Do not abuse drinks that contain a lot of caffeine . On the one hand, tea and coffee are a little invigorating. But their excessive use, on the contrary, can aggravate a bad mood, because there is a very powerful stimulating effect on the nervous system. Ultimately, this can result in insomnia, anxiety, which are not needed at all with a low mood. It is better to use herbal teas, especially with the addition of mint, lemon balm, chamomile, which have a calming effect.

Do not forget to walk in any weather . Even in the rain, even under the clouds. Some UV rays still penetrate and help produce vitamin D.

Follow the diet. If a person eats irregularly, allows long intervals between meals, then the concentration of glucose in the blood decreases.

Learn more

Does dairy cause depression

3 Foods You Should Avoid for Better Mental Health — Optimal Living Dynamics

Is dairy consumption associated with depressive symptoms or disorders in adults? A systematic review of observational studies

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Nutritionist lists depression-causing foods - Moscow 24, 11/20/2021

Where does joy come from? 9 Best Foods for Seasonal Depression | Proper nutrition | Health

What else do you need to remember?