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Default May 20, 2022 at 09:16 PM
  #1
Hello. Forgive me if this is the wrong section for this thread, and if so please feel free to move it. (Also please note that I mean no offense to anyone at all with anything in this thread.)

So I'm just wondering, I've commonly read and hear that one of the biggest factors in someone's overall mental (and cognitive) function/health is diet, and if you have a poor diet your mind is going to suffer and vice versa if you have a healthy diet your mind will be healthy.

But if this is true and such a significant factor, I just don't get how there are plenty of very, very, and even very overweight people, who function mentally/cognitively just as good or even better than somebody who has a very healthy diet, or just a normal not healthy but not unhealthy diet.

I get that there are many other factors too besides diet, but from what I can tell, and have read and heard, diet is one of if not the biggest most considerable factors, so if that's true like I said I just don't get how an (no offense intended) obese person who eats nothing but junk food constantly, can mentally/cognitively function just fine or even better than others with a better diet.

Edit: I thought of a good example. My father isn't overweight or anything - but his diet isn't the best, and he eats a lot of little Debbie's and sweets, and he functions perfectly fine, and I'd say mentally even 'sharper' than hardly anybody else I know, yet sugar is supposed to be one of the worst things for your brain even.

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Last edited by Photonate; May 20, 2022 at 09:39 PM..
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Default May 21, 2022 at 05:56 AM
  #2
I don't get it either, and I think its ****ed up. I'm 29. I am 5'5 157 pounds. I am supposed to be at the prime of my life. Yet I have high blood pressure, high blood sugar, kidney issues, I'm currently going through a cancer scare. Yet my 31 year old 250 pound brother who eats very poorly and doesn't leave the house is in perfect health.

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Default May 22, 2022 at 05:56 PM
  #3
I think it’s oversimplifying it. It’s not black and white. “Overweight people are sick and miserable. Skinny people are healthy and happy.” It’s not that simple. I think everything is good in moderation. Who told you that diet is a main thing?

I am not sure how cognitive functions and mental health are directly related to diet. There is some connection of course but not direct. My cognitive functions don’t change when I gain or lose weight and I don’t become stupider or smarter all of a sudden. Also it’s kind of silly to assume that overweight people must be all miserable suffering with mental health issues. No evidence of that. Sure being very overweight will potentially cause health problems. But so is extremely underweight

In general our society is so preoccupied with weight and looks that I think that becomes a problem. Like being obsessed with staying skinny might be more dangerous for mental health that being overweight
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Default May 23, 2022 at 01:40 PM
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I think when people aren’t mentally well they can neglect their nutrition, and maybe there’s some confusion between cause and effect. I’m not sure that a poor diet could cause general mental health issues but a good diet can support self care and resilience generally.

However there might be some conditions which are affected by nutrition, a couple of times in my life I’ve experienced my anxiety rising and seemingly unconnected found out I was anaemic. Apparently anxiety is one of the symptoms of anaemia. I’m not sure it’s definitely aggravated mine but certainly it makes me wonder. I do seem to have settled on the iron supplement.

I would’ve said I had a reasonably good diet btw, but obviously not as well balanced as I hoped.
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Default May 23, 2022 at 02:51 PM
  #5
It is far more complicated than simple cause effect. There’s documentation of people that have lived to 100 and were fairly healthy and smoked or drank or ate unhealthy. Humans are not computers and input in doesn’t equal output.

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Default May 28, 2022 at 04:30 AM
  #6
As someone with mental health issues, in my time of talking to counselors, doctors, therapists, mental health people etc., among the various suggestions towards better mental health: diet, is always touched upon. Obviously they have their reasons for suggesting a healthier diet, but I've always felt it was a sort of 'grabbing at straws' kind of suggestion really. I mean why the diet? What about all the counseling and therapy and all the medications and psychotherapies people have been utilising? What's wrong with those? Does all of that suddenly not work properly if you eat Wendy's burgers and fries, or if you like soda and an ice cream at lunch or dinner time? You see what I'm saying? It's nonsensical.🙄

So, in my view, the suggestion of a healthier diet is more of a healthier lifestyle measure with the hopes that somehow your mental health, your depression, your anxiety, your voices and delusions, your various inner struggles of the mind and emotions, will just somehow vanish in a puff of smoke! Or that perhaps with a healthier lifestyle you might be able to cope(?) better through the other inner struggles - I don't know. On it's own, better diet is definitely not a remedy for any mental illness (unless junk food addiction is a mental illness) I'm very sure.

Btw, I've been a vegan for four years now, I eat healthy meals, no sweets except fruit, no sodas and cakes or anything like that, and my mental health issues are still very much a daily challenge. And prior the being vegan my diet was fairly healthy anyway.

The problem is the mind, not the stomach.

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Default May 28, 2022 at 05:57 AM
  #7
Quote:
Originally Posted by Photonate View Post
Edit: I thought of a good example. My father isn't overweight or anything - but his diet isn't the best, and he eats a lot of little Debbie's and sweets, and he functions perfectly fine, and I'd say mentally even 'sharper' than hardly anybody else I know, yet sugar is supposed to be one of the worst things for your brain even.
Well, will it stay that way forever? Also from my dad's experience it was 10 years before we realized there was anything wrong. Everyone acts like it will be noticeable but it isn't always. My dad hid his problems by being quiet.

The human body is insanely complicated. I suspect strongly we currently only know for sure about 5% of what goes on.

I will give you an example. I have "O" Blood type and I suspect that makes me healthier. There are many studies on the books that show O has health effects. So like high sugar makes for thicker blood, but, O blood is thiner so I could eat more sugar than most before I would have ill effects from thicker blood. It is very possible he could have 1 or zillion things about him that would be protective.
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Default May 28, 2022 at 01:19 PM
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My mental illness was at its worst when I weighed 110lbs (5'6"). That was my natural weight. I did not have an eating disorder. But I had untreated bipolar disorder and severe anxiety.

I strongly suggest that you reconsider making black/white judgments.

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Default May 28, 2022 at 01:45 PM
  #9
I was at my worse when I was thin too. ( 5’3 90lbs) as Beth said, untreated. My anxiety was furious. I’m overweight now but mentally healthy

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Default May 29, 2022 at 11:09 AM
  #10
I think at most it can be a factor.
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Default May 29, 2022 at 12:10 PM
  #11
Quote:
Originally Posted by Photonate View Post
Hello. Forgive me if this is the wrong section for this thread, and if so please feel free to move it. (Also please note that I mean no offense to anyone at all with anything in this thread.)

So I'm just wondering, I've commonly read and hear that one of the biggest factors in someone's overall mental (and cognitive) function/health is diet, and if you have a poor diet your mind is going to suffer and vice versa if you have a healthy diet your mind will be healthy.

But if this is true and such a significant factor, I just don't get how there are plenty of very, very, and even very overweight people, who function mentally/cognitively just as good or even better than somebody who has a very healthy diet, or just a normal not healthy but not unhealthy diet.

I get that there are many other factors too besides diet, but from what I can tell, and have read and heard, diet is one of if not the biggest most considerable factors, so if that's true like I said I just don't get how an (no offense intended) obese person who eats nothing but junk food constantly, can mentally/cognitively function just fine or even better than others with a better diet.

Edit: I thought of a good example. My father isn't overweight or anything - but his diet isn't the best, and he eats a lot of little Debbie's and sweets, and he functions perfectly fine, and I'd say mentally even 'sharper' than hardly anybody else I know, yet sugar is supposed to be one of the worst things for your brain even.

There are so many more factors that affect mental illness. Yes, diet plays a part because your brain needs lots of fuel to function properly and it already operates at a deficit because of effed up brain chemistry. The main factors are genetics and environment. In my case I have an aunt who was bipolar and both of my parents have issues as well but have never sought treatment so while I can guess, they have no diagnosis to point to as a contributing factor. Add to that severe childhood abuse, physical, emotional, and sexual and you have the perfect storm.

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Default Jun 02, 2022 at 01:17 AM
  #12
As you wrote, diet is one contributing factor only. If other factors are in balance, one off kilter may not push overall mental health down.

What are some attributes your dad has that help him function well? I'm sure there are many.

Some people obsess about weight and some simply don't. Some people stress about being widely liked and others don't. And other examples. It may come down to attributes like self confidence/esteem, feeling good in one's skin, mental fortitude/psychological resilience, etc. We all also have our own differing priorities in life.

I bet there are many people here that are my height and weight who regard themselves as distressingly overweight. I don't. I think I look great. Perspectives vary. I look in the mirror and see a hot chick. My brain sees it that way. However, I have other things in life that I'm a perfectionist about, but none have anything to do with physical appearance. I also generally see the glass half full, not half empty. While some here post about distress every day, I tend not to that much. However, sometimes I deny or stuff stress. That has its good aspects and also bad ones.

I imagine it's extremely difficult for most to change perspectives and other attributes from youth and later, but not impossible. Nature and nurture.

There's also sometimes the need for acceptance that leads to coming to peace with something. This also applies to most grieving processes and helps us move on rather than be figuratively jailed, long-term. This is a type of choice to make, but again, isn't always easy.

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Last edited by Soupe du jour; Jun 02, 2022 at 02:08 AM..
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