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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ruth on February 18, 2000, at 10:17:28
Has anyone out there read the book "Potatoes, Not Prozac"?
No matter what camp you're in regarding depression and
meds, this is a truly fascinating book about how sugar
and simple carbs effect our seratonin, insulin, and
beta endorphin levels! It's made me wonder if there's
a connection between my sugar addiction and my depression.Has anyone else read it? What do they think?
(I still take prozac, but it's peaked my curiousity)
Posted by Noa on February 18, 2000, at 12:47:51
In reply to Potatoes Not Prozac, posted by ruth on February 18, 2000, at 10:17:28
Haven't read it, tho I did hear of it.
I know there is a scientist at MIT named Wurtman who has done a lot of research on food and mood, but the one book I saw of hers was addressed to normal mood variations, not clinical depression.
Posted by Sef on February 18, 2000, at 17:45:56
In reply to Potatoes Not Prozac, posted by ruth on February 18, 2000, at 10:17:28
Read the book. I gave up all SIMPLE carbohydrates & condiments (I only ate complex ones in moderation...whole grains etc..), ate lean meats (I normally don't eat much meat), no alcohol, even baked my own bread (because I couldn't find a brand with all whole grains and no sugars or chemicals added). I even used soy milk instead of reg milk because of the lactose. I did this for 3 months and only ate NATURAL foods. I also took Twin Lab multi-vitamins with minerals. I was not on prozac at the time, but had been on it in the past, and was trying not to go on it again.
Ended up going back on prozac. Maybe diet can work for some people, but it didn't for me. Normally my diet is almost all carbs, that is why I thought it would work for me, but no luck! But maybe it is worth a try for you, peoples bodies are all different.
Posted by bob on February 18, 2000, at 18:17:48
In reply to Re: Potatoes Not Prozac, posted by Sef on February 18, 2000, at 17:45:56
Sounds like this requires the usual Babbleland caveat -- Your mileage may vary....
Posted by dj on February 19, 2000, at 1:25:39
In reply to Potatoes Not Prozac, posted by ruth on February 18, 2000, at 10:17:28
As I've noted above making improvements in my nutrition along with other changes and lots of body work as well as working through issues, using a variety of mainstream and non-approaches has helped me move away from ADs. And boiling ginger for tea was very good for moving through the flu-like symptoms that make coming off ADs as painful as going on and being on them, in different ways.
My naturopath, who is involved in ongoing studies on alternative approaches to healing in conjunction with the Tzu Chi Centre for Alternative Medicine at the former (they now call themselves some more PRish name) Vancouver General Hospital -- I believe both have websites -- first discussed diet issues with me and brought my attention to the diabetic diets which are much of the basis for the foci of the PNP book, which I've read.
PNP is kinda light reading (Wurtzman is a contributor or co-author I believe or at least heavily quoted) but I believe the concept of moving toward complex carbos. which raise your blood sugar more gradually is sound. I think it's called a high glycemic diet and you can find lots of info. on appropriate food types on-line. For instance excessively ripe bannana will give you more of a sugar rush than those that are not. Same with darker textures of rice and wheats vs instant ones, etc...
Dr. Andrew Weil's website is a good source of info. on the glycimic diet issue and his book "8 Weeks to Optimum Health" has some good takes on proper nutrition.
> Has anyone out there read the book "Potatoes, Not Prozac"?
...
> Has anyone else read it? What do they think?
Posted by ruth on February 21, 2000, at 9:50:10
In reply to Re: Potatoes Not Prozac, posted by dj on February 19, 2000, at 1:25:39
DJ,
Thanks for your response...it's interesting to me
that you've been able to go off meds for a more
natural approach. Do you find that's it's harder
to regulate your depression without the meds, that
it's more of a struggle?
I'm really liking PNP. I've always been totally
addicted to sugar and carbs, and I'm sure there's
a connection with my moods/depression. I just hope
that quitting sugar, increasing protein, and eating
complex carbs would be enough...I'm healthily wary..
but not closed minded about it.
I'd like to know what Andrew Wiehl's website address
is...do you know it?Thanks again for your response and if you feel up
to it, tell me a little bit more about your experience
weaning off medication...the struggle and all that.Thanks,
Ruth
Posted by dj on February 21, 2000, at 14:35:42
In reply to Re: Potatoes Not Prozac--dj, posted by ruth on February 21, 2000, at 9:50:10
Hi Ruth,
Check out my comments below:
J and B and the Haven for Janice othrs.. (long) Dj 2/21/00
and other comments I've made here and on the previous page and you'll get a pretty good idea of my process, which included MUCH more than changing my diet. As I ended the above-noted thread to Janice I noted that it's simple but not easy. It takes lots of effort and support from yourself and others who surround you.As my naturopath, who's a conservative research-focused kinda guy (as I am on many fronts) noted in a discussion we had about this last week, there was a recent article in some professional pharmaclogist or other such mag. that noted that drinking lots of ginger, helps while coming off ADs (helps combat those intense flu-like symptoms). You've got to be at the right stage to do that and do it very carefully and you have to listen to your own body and treat it with care.
Good luck!
DJ
P.S. -- Dr. Weil's website is: http://www.drweil.com/ Some of his readings have also influenced my thinking as he is an MD who has studied alternative approachs to healing and has a program on the same at the U. of Arizona.
He is no fan of SSRIs, and nor am I as no-one knows their longterm impact and their shortterm impact can be as harsh as the depression and anxieties they help treat, just harsh in different ways.. However, as I think he acknowleges, they have their place at times. Personally I think people just don't trust themselves and their body/minds enough to wean themselves off them, which is simple but not easy.
> DJ,
>
> Thanks for your response...it's interesting to me
> that you've been able to go off meds for a more
> natural approach. Do you find that's it's harder
> to regulate your depression without the meds, that
> it's more of a struggle?
> I'm really liking PNP. I've always been totally
> addicted to sugar and carbs, and I'm sure there's
> a connection with my moods/depression. I just hope
> that quitting sugar, increasing protein, and eating
> complex carbs would be enough...I'm healthily wary..
> but not closed minded about it.
> I'd like to know what Andrew Wiehl's website address
> is...do you know it?
>
> Thanks again for your response and if you feel up
> to it, tell me a little bit more about your experience
> weaning off medication...the struggle and all that.
>
> Thanks,
> Ruth
This is the end of the thread.
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