Posted by audrey on January 1, 2002, at 22:00:14
In reply to Re: vegetarianism and depression, posted by gregg on January 1, 2002, at 18:30:02
Jane,
I was severely depressed from the age of about 13 until I was 22, at which time I made a lot of healthy lifestyle changes, one of which was becoming vegetarian, and my depression seemed to lift. I know that it was the combination of the changes that I made, but I've been vegetarian for 6 years now, and my depression hasn't returned. I know a lot of people who eat a lot of meat who are depressed (i.e., practically my entire family, who are all on Zoloft), and I know a lot of strict vegetarians who are perfectly normal.
Getting an adequate amount of B12 is a concern for strict vegetarians, but there are a lot of B12 fortified cereals and soy milks, as well as nutritional yeast, on the market these days that can be digested normally. Also, B12 can be stored in the body for up to 20 or 30 years. However, since you've been vegetarian since you were so young, perhaps you are lacking in B12. Perhaps consuming some of the above mentioned products would be helpful to you, if you don't want to start eating meat again.
poster:audrey
thread:88464
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011222/msgs/88490.html