Refined Sugar Plays a Role in Mental Illness

by | Jun 17, 2011

In a study published by the British Journal of Psychiatry, a strong correlation was found between consumption of refined sugar and mental illness. Specifically, it was found that a higher incidence of schizophrenia and depression was predictable based on high consumption levels of refined sugar and dairy products. When one eats a diet high in sugar and fat, a key growth hormone in the brain is reduced which affects memory and learning.

Those diagnosed with schizophrenia and depression were found to have low levels of this hormone.

Refined sugar is also well known for creating a chronic inflammation in the body which can cause a dysfunction of the immune system. It has been established that over time this can lead to diabetes, some types of cancer and heart conditions to name a few. Now this chronic inflammation has also been associated with increased risk of depression and schizophrenia.
Patients who cut refined sugar and foods out of their diet felt significant improvement in their mood, energy and mental clarity. Those that ate whole grains and a lot of starchy root vegetables were associated with a lower incidence of depression and schizophrenia.
The above data raises the question: if sugar is a culprit of poor mental health, then what other foods or environmental factors are out there that we don’t know about? Let’s concentrate on these rather than on the unproven claim that brains can be “chemically imbalanced”.
Instead society is flooded with ads for mind-altering psychiatric drugs that have dangerous and potentially lethal side effects. It would be simpler and safer to look at one’s diet and environment for what is causing any undesirable condition. A thorough physical exam and nutritional analysis could reveal some easily fixable sources causing poor mental health.
Wouldn’t finding the true source of one’s ills be better than being labeled with a random psychiatric “disorder” that lacks scientific evidence that mental illness even exists? Wouldn’t it be better to use a natural remedy that handles the condition rather than taking psychiatric drugs that can only hope to manage symptoms because psychiatrists can’t promise a cure? Check it out for yourself to see if nature has the answers for you.
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  1. Can a High-Sugar Diet Cause Mental Health Problems? - Memory Enhanced - […] several studies have confirmed there is a link between high-sugar diet and depression, or even schizophrenia. […]
  2. Students at Increased Risk of Developing Schizophrenia - StudySoup Blog - Peer to Peer Learning - […] 9. https://www.cchrflorida.org/refined-sugar-mental-illness/ 10. http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/186/6/455 11. […]

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