[Icare dixit]

Is any of you a vegetarian? Do you think it helps to keep your mood stable?

I think it could be. There is also a possible biochemical explanation, something that might support the idea, given a specific theory of psychotic disorders.

[pirilin]

Vegetarians lack B12.

[venusss]

I tried it for a bit back then, but it didn't work for me.

I was never strictly a vegetarian, but there was roughly 5 years of my life where I hardly ate meat (it was like once a month).

I don't think it made my mood any more or less stable... but I was lacking protein because I wasn't making up for the absence of meat

Yep, for about seventeen years. I don't think it helps my mood or anything, just my conscience.

[raspberrytorte]

Yeah. I am. I don't eat dairy too. No effect on mood.

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

Is any of you a vegetarian? Do you think it helps to keep your mood stable?

I think it could be. There is also a possible biochemical explanation, something that might support the idea, given a specific theory of psychotic disorders.

i could never do it

laura (the girl who i knew at 1 stage) did it all the time, she never ate meat.. and i just can never imagine doing that.

actually it's 1 of those situations where i can't win.. when i'm eating, i do feel bad for the animals who had to die for me to eat what ever it is, but the only thing i'd eat if i didn't eat meat was potatoes, and even then i don't like many varieties

my body seems to hate veg, and has a gag reflex built in even before i've eaten it

I was an ovo-lacto vegetarian for 7 years. Hardly any sugar either. It was a long time ago and I wasn't dx'd at the time, so I can't say definitively any mood effects it did or didn't have, but I don't think it did. (I did have a reduction in migraines however.)

I do remember what was a hypo time of that era wherein one day while at the laundromat, I suddenly decided we should move a couple thousand miles and build our own house (as in totally hand build(!)) (Move happened, house, not surprisingly, didn't). Even not dx'd at the time, looking back, that spell was a fairly obvious. BUT. That's almost exactly the same thing I did a number of years later when not a vegetarian, so that's just "me", not "me"at, lol.

[Ocean Swimmer]

I eat eggs, dairy and fish.
No pork, chicken,beef or wild game.

[fishin fool]

The only meat I eat on a regular basis is chicken.
Very little red meat but it's easy to do because I just don't
like it very much. I will eat red meat maybe a few times a year.
I almost never eat pork, I just don't like it other than bacon of course.
I love sea food so I do eat a lot of fish and veggies.
I don't think any of it affects my moods, that I have noticed anyway.

[Nammu]

My opinion is the sugar and sugar substitutes influence moods more than meat.

[pirilin]

Originally Posted by Nammu

My opinion is the sugar and sugar substitutes influence moods more than meat.

Agreed. I'm using stevia now.

[bizi]

Originally Posted by Ocean Swimmer

I eat eggs, dairy and fish.
No pork, chicken,beef or wild game.

I think that makes you a pesktarian. or something like that.

bizi

[eclogite]

I'm a vegetarian 11 years today. I didn't realize until I checked this thread.

No effect on my mood, and I was diagnosed around 4 years ago.

[BastetsMuse]

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

Is any of you a vegetarian? Do you think it helps to keep your mood stable?

I think it could be. There is also a possible biochemical explanation, something that might support the idea, given a specific theory of psychotic disorders.

I think that "eating clean" is more important than vegetarianism. I find that the more processed foods I eat the worse my mood is -- but I can't give up Chef Boy Ar Dee Beefaroni! It's my go-to comfort food.

[zepchic]

I agree that sugar and processed foods probably have way more of an effect. My understanding is a vegetarian diet can set you up for nutritional deficiencies. Beans and grains are not good for your gut, so if you focus your vegetarian diet on those things you can disrupt your gut bacteria which DOES have a negative effect on mood. There is a gut/brain connection and I have tried my darndest to heal my bp through food, but I am just not disciplined enough. My healthiest eating would be whole30/paleo, but I would much rather not eat meat. Bottom line, if you can make your eating like 80% veggies and a little fruit and 20% other, you will probably be doing good.

[barbella]

I was vegetarian for about 30 yrs and think I got quite depleted. I started eating meat about 8 months ago and feel better but it hasn't affected my mood yet (as far as I know). I agree with the others who have posted about 'eating clean'. Eat the best quality food you can afford. Legumes can be OK for you - there are lots of herbs/spices you can add to increase their digestibility. I think some grains are OK (especially if they are organic).
Great topic and interesting posts here!
Hope you find what you're looking for!

[venusss]

Originally Posted by BastetsMuse

I think that "eating clean" is more important than vegetarianism. I find that the more processed foods I eat the worse my mood is -- but I can't give up Chef Boy Ar Dee Beefaroni! It's my go-to comfort food.

I agree.

Lately there is trend in my country "grandmother's cooking" (which is sadly becoming a "slap the word "grandmother on the product" and charge more). But it's basically not thinking in terms of calories and carbs and whatnot and cooking with real food. Sure, it includes sometimes using lard for baking cookies and for chocolate icing....

I have experience that I when I was in Ukraine last summer for a month I lost quite a bit of weight... sure I was always on the move, but I ate diet that would make many modern "healthy" people tear out their hair. The food is cheap there and mostly organic, so I ate out a lot... and it was like potato/mushroom filled dumplings with lots of ukrainian bacon and butter on the top, borsh, sausage, salad here and there, pancakes with chicken and lots of sauercream, bread with salo (ukrainian bacon)..... plus binging of "presidential chocolate". It sounds terrible. But these were real foods, meat was meat, sauercream was sauercream, nothing in the ridiculous non-fat version.... maybe there is something about high protein diet. Most of Ukrainians look good and fit.

[Sunnycupcake]

I Clean eat with rarely any meat at all other than fish. I found sugar and wine do effect my mood and oddly enough I crave sugar when I start dipping into mania.

[Icare dixit]

All very interesting.

B12 can be a problem when vegan, less so when vegetarian if you compensate. I also take supplements (methyl-B12).

Fewer migraines is something I have also found to be true. Animal/saturated fat, in my experience, is what can induce it.

[Icare dixit]

I agree sugar has a greater effect. Some are bad in themselves. Always.

I'm not sure it is as much the 'real' food we eat as the 'fake' that affects our mental health. Sugars, excess carbohydrates, additives, artificial ingredients - all these affect our brains. As long as you eat plenty of fresh natural foods - meat or otherwise - you will be of better health.