I don't really doubt it.

Between the radical changes in how we eat (look at all the Fat Bastards that surround us) and the constant pushing of lifespan via medical advancements it's no wonder the human body is starting to malfunction.


www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/01/16/neat16.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/01/16/ixhome.html

Why what we eat has led to rise in mental problems

By Nic Fleming, Medical Correspondent
(Filed: 16/01/2006)

Changes in western diets and farming methods over the last 50 years have played a major role in significant rises in mental health problems, according to a report to be published today.

Researchers say less nutritious and imbalanced diets have led to growing rates of depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Alzheimer's.

Industrialised farming has introduced pesticides and altered the body fat composition of animals farmed for meat. This and other factors have led to large reductions in key nutrients such as essential fats, vitamins and minerals being consumed by large parts of the population.

Especially important has been the drop in intake by most people of omega-3 fatty acids and an increase in the eating of foods containing omega-6 fatty acids.

According to the research by the charities the Mental Health Foundation and Sustain, this has resulted in increases in depression, as well as concentration and memory problems.

The study reveals, for example, that only 29 per cent of 15- to 24-year-olds reported eating a meal made from scratch every day, compared to 50 per cent of those aged over 65.

Dr Andrew McCulloch, of the Mental Health Foundation, said: "The Government cannot ignore the growing burden of mental ill health and must look to nutrition as an option in helping people to manage their mental health problems."

The financial cost of mental ill health to Britain has been calculated at around £100 billion a year.

Evidence linking the impact of diet on mood and behaviour has been growing. Complex carbohydates as well as certain food components such as folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium and tryptophan are thought to decrease depression symptoms.

Some studies have found correlations between low fish intake in populations and high levels of depression. There is also evidence that a factor behind the growth of Alzheimer's is the increase in diets high in saturated fat and low in vitamins and minerals.

According to the report there has been a 34 per cent decline in vegetable consumption and a 59 per cent drop in the amount of fish eaten in the last 60 years.

Only 13 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women now eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

A diet containing adequate amounts of complex carbohydrates, essential fats, amino acids, vitamins and minerals and water has been shown to promote balanced moods and feelings of well being.

A lack of amino acids, from which neuro-transmitters in the brain are made, can lead to feelings of depression and apathy.

Courtney Van de Weyer, of Sustain, said: "The good news is that the diet for a healthy mind is the same as the diet for a health body.

"The bad news is that, unless there is a radical overhaul of food and farming policies - particularly on fish - there won't be healthy and nutritious foods available in the future for people to eat."

This one of the reasons that in our house we cook from scratch. The money saved is great and the time invested is small. Yes you can nuke up a so called meal in about 8 minutes. I can make a beter meal in 20 minutes and I get the benifit of the time to slow down and create something. I can go to the store and spend $50 and make meals for days, and have leftovers for lunches. I grew up with this type of cooking and the nuke it meals just don't taste good. And I don't get the extra crap they put in them. I smoke, I drink, and I am out of shape, but my BP, HR, HDL, LDL etc. are Much better then my Doc's, and she is a distance runner. She asked me how I do it. My reply was questions to her.
How many times do you use prepackaged foods to make meals?
Do the bulk of your grocery shopping expence come from processed foods?
Do you spend more in the packaged food isles then the produce isles?
She answered that she was guilty in all the above many times over.
I told her that while I may not eat as "healthy" as I should I can use butter and real Lard for cooking, and I use spices. Just like Mom and Grandma instructed me.
Will I die early for this? Grandma was 95, drank 2 cases of beer a week (homebrew) and was only in the hospital 3 times in her life. One was for an eye infection at 92 that they had to remove her Left eye (she could not see from it anyway due to botched cataract surj. in the 60's) and after she fractured her humerus(large bone in the upper arm) at 93. The last time was when she had the stroke that took her life. She always had good BP, and HR, and BS numbers. She Never owned a microwave, had had 13 children at home. I don't and won't have all the kids, but I cook like her and I can only hope I get the years that she had.

Bullshit.

All that's different now than from centuries past when we ate a more limited, "natural" diet is that now we can more accurately diagnose mental problems. That's it, that's the big difference.

We see more problems now because we're looking for them.

100 years ago, people were either healthy, eccentric (mild mental conditions) or fucking nuts (serious mental conditions).

So, how do you attribute modern mental illness to diet, when we've only begun accurately diagnosing mental illnesses in general?

<goes back to eating his HoHo's and Diet Coke>

cut out sugar and caffiene, get 5 min of pt in the morn - problem solved.

I had ADD as a kid.
Seemed the best medication was Dad tellin me to pay attention or get a boot in the ass. Cured me right up.

Quoted: Bullshit. All that's different now than from centuries past when we ate a more limited, "natural" diet is that now we can more accurately diagnose mental problems. That's it, that's the big difference. We see more problems now because we're looking for them.

a huge +1

that and the fact that the world's population is increasingg at an incredible rate.  more people equal more health problems.

Lawyers are drooling over this news

Quoted: Lawyers are drooling over this news

And physicians/scientists looking for grants.

Always follow the $$.

I agree with Law dogs but, we stay away from the "processed" foods. I buy my meat from local growers who don't inject the swine, or beef due to cost.  Do adtvocate other doing the same, No this is they way I live. I eat wild game as much as possible. I just try to stay away from as many chemicals as I can in the foods I eat.
I could into a whole list of the trans fat issue, and the effects of. No I am tired tonight and you can type into google yourself.

I agree with all of the above.  

I think proper nutrition does help people function better, keeps people from getting burned out and over stressed.  But, people are nuts these days, cause we live in a fucked up, confusing world.  I mean hell, all you have to do is hop on the internet for an hour, and youll have your head full of all kinds of BS.

But having said that, there are some serious nutritional issues with livestock and crop cultivation that need to be addressed world wide, IMHO.  

NPK fertilizer- Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium.  This is a widely used chemical fertilizer that while it does give plants enough nutrition to grow, it doesnt provide the fortified and trace mineral stores that we desperately need.  Basically the crops grown with NPK are 'empty' of essential nutients, which means you dont get the same nutrition as if you were to eat organically grown crops.
Hormones in livestock- Do you think you dont end up eating that shit?  Possibly mutating your own cells.  
Antibiotics in livestock- Do you think your not eating that shit too?  Possibly building up anitbiotic resistance.  
Aluminum in food- Aluminum in things we consume, directly contributes to alzheimers disease, recent studies have purported (and yes if you want to see the articles, Ill go track them down).  An alzheimers victim whos brain is diceted and analyzed will almost always show elevated accumulated levels of nano, colloidal, and/or elemental aluminum.  
Genetically modified 'food stuffs'-  Im just not big on people screwing with the genetic structure of things Im gonna eat.  Nature made the genome the way it did for a reason, leave it alone!
And dont even get me started on Mercury, Lead, and Aresnic in common items.

I would say that the, polluted, heavy metal ridden world we live in has more to do with mental illness than anything.  Our bodies being under nourished just makes the effects that much worse.

my $.02

Quoted: Bullshit. All that's different now than from centuries past when we ate a more limited, "natural" diet is that now we can more accurately diagnose mental problems. That's it, that's the big difference. We see more problems now because we're looking for them. 100 years ago, people were either healthy, eccentric (mild mental conditions) or fucking nuts (serious mental conditions). So, how do you attribute modern mental illness to diet, when we've only begun accurately diagnosing mental illnesses in general? <goes back to eating his HoHo's and Diet Coke>

Yeah, and Americans aren't getting any fatter either, it's just that now we're paying attention to it

Quoted: Quoted: Bullshit. All that's different now than from centuries past when we ate a more limited, "natural" diet is that now we can more accurately diagnose mental problems. That's it, that's the big difference. We see more problems now because we're looking for them. 100 years ago, people were either healthy, eccentric (mild mental conditions) or fucking nuts (serious mental conditions). So, how do you attribute modern mental illness to diet, when we've only begun accurately diagnosing mental illnesses in general? <goes back to eating his HoHo's and Diet Coke> Yeah, and Americans aren't getting any fatter either, it's just that now we're paying attention to it

Know what? You're absolutely right - we ARE just now paying attention to weight gain as an issue, because before about 1950 the statistics on obesity didn't really exist....at least not outside of medical records which do NOT make a scientific sampling.

So, we might just be as fat as previous generations, or even less so. How do you know? Look at the census of previous generations - see any body weight data? No, me neither.

Not that being fat has anything to do with the argument, which is that food isn't a singular cause towards mental illness. It's a fucking recipe, just like everything else. Genetics, culture, upbringing, lifestyle, diet, luck and a whole host of factors dictate mental problems - not snickers bars and frozen foods.

Like that isn't common sense? Of course, but it's no fun unless we can blame it on MSG and aspertame.

I have a new theory on mental illnesses. People that believe a singular cause/effect study have mental illnesses. I plan on backing that up with exhaustive data, and a peer-reviewed study, if I live that long eating all this modified foodstuff.

Quoted: Yeah, and Americans aren't getting any fatter either, it's just that now we're paying attention to it

Know what? You're absolutely right - we ARE just now paying attention to weight gain as an issue, because before about 1950 the statistics on obesity didn't really exist....at least not outside of medical records which do NOT make a scientific sampling.

So, we might just be as fat as previous generations, or even less so. How do you know? Look at the census of previous generations - see any body weight data? No, me neither.



Cute theory, but you forgot about the photo's of the last century, and the paintings and clothing of the last 1000.

Either the fatties somehow remained invisable.  Or there are vastly more fatties today.
(King Henry 8 th notwithstanding)

Quoted: Bullshit. All that's different now than from centuries past when we ate a more limited, "natural" diet is that now we can more accurately diagnose mental problems. That's it, that's the big difference. We see more problems now because we're looking for them. 100 years ago, people were either healthy, eccentric (mild mental conditions) or fucking nuts (serious mental conditions). So, how do you attribute modern mental illness to diet, when we've only begun accurately diagnosing mental illnesses in general? <goes back to eating his HoHo's and Diet Coke>

....
You're saying people eat just as healthy now in our 24hour drive through world as they did 50 years ago?
Young people have been RAISED on crap food.
You're just plain dead wrong, sorry.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Bullshit. All that's different now than from centuries past when we ate a more limited, "natural" diet is that now we can more accurately diagnose mental problems. That's it, that's the big difference. We see more problems now because we're looking for them. 100 years ago, people were either healthy, eccentric (mild mental conditions) or fucking nuts (serious mental conditions). So, how do you attribute modern mental illness to diet, when we've only begun accurately diagnosing mental illnesses in general? <goes back to eating his HoHo's and Diet Coke> Yeah, and Americans aren't getting any fatter either, it's just that now we're paying attention to it Know what? You're absolutely right - we ARE just now paying attention to weight gain as an issue, because before about 1950 the statistics on obesity didn't really exist....at least not outside of medical records which do NOT make a scientific sampling. So, we might just be as fat as previous generations, or even less so. How do you know? Look at the census of previous generations - see any body weight data? No, me neither. Not that being fat has anything to do with the argument, which is that food isn't a singular cause towards mental illness. It's a fucking recipe, just like everything else. Genetics, culture, upbringing, lifestyle, diet, luck and a whole host of factors dictate mental problems - not snickers bars and frozen foods. Like that isn't common sense? Of course, but it's no fun unless we can blame it on MSG and aspertame. I have a new theory on mental illnesses. People that believe a singular cause/effect study have mental illnesses. I plan on backing that up with exhaustive data, and a peer-reviewed study, if I live that long eating all this modified foodstuff.

I think the fat ref illustrated my point well.  Who said anything about singular cause?  

Quoted: I think the fat ref illustrated my point well.  Who said anything about singular cause?

Gee, maybe the title of the damn thread????

Why what we eat has led to rise in mental problems

I ate out a crazy girl once.  Will that do anything to me?

Quoted: I ate out a crazy girl once.  Will that do anything to me?

It'll make you look like this guy...

Quoted: Quoted: I think the fat ref illustrated my point well.  Who said anything about singular cause?   Gee, maybe the title of the damn thread???? Why what we eat has led to rise in mental problems

Yeah, the title and article clearly named poor diet as the sole source.  It addressed it as a contributor, a major role in fact.  So the article didn't name all of the other possible factors; they are merely trying to highlight one that perhaps isn't widely known or considered.

Quoted: Quoted: I ate out a crazy girl once.  Will that do anything to me? It'll make you look like this guy... www.callus.com/separatedatbirth/ronjeremy.jpg

"The Hedge Hog"

What we eat definitely has an impact on our well being.  Even if it's 'clean' food, what might be good for one person might not be good for another.

A little over a year ago, I was at 176, lethargic, in a mental fog, and definitely in a state of depression.  I came across a copy of Eat Right 4 Your Type, and I've been on a tear ever since.  I'm down to 142 now, I'm pingin' off the walls worse than a kid with ADD, and the depression and SAD went buh-bye!  I'm an O+ blood type, and once I cut out wheat and dairy, which are avoids for O's, that's when the weight started coming off and the mental fog started lifting.  

My body is so clean now, that if I have a brownie from the cafeteria at work, within 45 minutes, I will have a serious energy crash, and go into a mental fog.  The crash is so bad, that I feel the burning sensation around the eyes that one feels when one is overtired.  Takes about an hour for me to come out of the crash.  Needless to say, I don't eat the brownies anymore!  Now that I know what it feels like to feel well again, I do my best to avoid eating something that'll make me feel like crap.

Think about all those estrogenic growth hormones used to make industrialised-farmed meat animals grow very huge, very quickly (plus grow lots of tumors, but we're not supposed to know about those).

Then we eat the meat?  Where in tarnation are all those ESTROGENS supposed to go?  

Yum!  Estrogen burgers!  Now I think the average guy ought to get his 200 pound gut (along with his 150 lbs of bone and something vaguely resembling muscle) up off the couch to escort his 300 lb woman out to see Barehump Mountain so they can both cry together.

Eat what our ancestors ate!

I don't doubt it either. Americans consume massive mounts of chemical preservatives, chemical dies, refined sugar, refined flour, processed foods and saturated fat (butter, salad dressing, mayo, cooking grease etc). If we were running around in the woods with spears hunting for food, all of this crap would not be available to us. Actually, that is the approach I take for my diet. I try to only eat and drink the things that I could get if I were foraging for food in the wild. These things include water meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grain, and whole bean coffee. Of course I stray from this diet occasionally, but for the most part I stick to it. I look at all the labels of what I buy and avoid anything that has preservatives and dies. I also rarely eat any processed foods or refined sugar. I drink maybe 1 softdrink a year, and it's usually if I am sick.

Quoted: I had ADD as a kid. Seemed the best medication was Dad tellin me to pay attention or get a boot in the ass. Cured me right up.

+10000000000000000000000 Same here.

Quoted: I try to only eat and drink the things that I could get if I were foraging for food in the wild. These things include water meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grain, and whole bean coffee.

hehe....

Just picturing a guy in a loin cloth brewing up some wild coffee, frying a marlin over the fire, and baking some whole wheat brownies in his stone oven.

I try to eat only things I can get my wife to make. Saves me mental processing wondering if my hairy ancestors would have ate it.

BTW, it's worth considering, all you Moby-esque naturalists, that at the point in history when we were eating all this wonderful, toxin-free goodness from the earth, we still suffered from diseases, malnutrition, and died before reaching age 40 in most cases.

Now in modern times, with the most hideous fattening processed diet ever, austensibly so bad it could kill you just by reading the ingredients aloud, the bloated fat western world has the longest lifespan in human history.

Ooops, I'm late for my calonic and wheatgrass juice infusion. Don't want to miss that. Ta!

Quoted: Quoted: I try to only eat and drink the things that I could get if I were foraging for food in the wild. These things include water meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grain, and whole bean coffee. hehe.... Just picturing a guy in a loin cloth brewing up some wild coffee, frying a marlin over the fire, and baking some whole wheat brownies in his stone oven. I try to eat only things I can get my wife to make. Saves me mental processing wondering if my hairy ancestors would have ate it. BTW, it's worth considering, all you Moby-esque naturalists, that at the point in history when we were eating all this wonderful, toxin-free goodness from the earth, we still suffered from diseases, malnutrition, and died before reaching age 40 in most cases. Now in modern times, with the most hideous fattening processed diet ever, austensibly so bad it could kill you just by reading the ingredients aloud, the bloated fat western world has the longest lifespan in human history. Ooops, I'm late for my calonic and wheatgrass juice infusion. Don't want to miss that. Ta!

The diseases and malnutrition that killed man a 1000 years ago was not caused by the actual that food he ate. Malnutrition was caused by the lack of certain types of foods in his diet. The diseases/sickness were caused by parasites, organisms, virus and bacteria, and also not cooking foods properly. No one is saying you should catch all your food in the wild and not prepare it properly. I am saying that you should eat foods in their natural state and not a processed state.

Quoted: I had ADD as a kid. Seemed the best medication was Dad tellin me to pay attention or get a boot in the ass. Cured me right up.

with ADD, the trendy affliction du jour.  Probably by some doctor who spent all of 5 minutes pondering your condition, and who most likely recieves a $$$ kickback for every Rx he or she writes for those ADD meds.  Good on Dad.

My nephew is about to graduate from Iowa State University with an engineering degree.  He said that in one of his classes, the professor spent time covering how microwaves destroy nutrients in foods and those who frequently depend on microvable foods run the risk of cancer over the long haul.

I'm not saying it's true, but I wouldn't be surprised.

tag

Quoted: Bullshit. All that's different now than from centuries past when we ate a more limited, "natural" diet is that now we can more accurately diagnose mental problems. That's it, that's the big difference. We see more problems now because we're looking for them. 100 years ago, people were either healthy, eccentric (mild mental conditions) or fucking nuts (serious mental conditions). So, how do you attribute modern mental illness to diet, when we've only begun accurately diagnosing mental illnesses in general? <goes back to eating his HoHo's and Diet Coke>

While to some extent I agree with your statement, you seemingly fail to notice certain things. Such as genetic engineering in fruits and vegetables. I'm old school I guess, but I don't believe fucking with Mother Nature is ever a good thing. Steroids and other chemicals being pumped into livestock is another.  Then you should look into MSG... and take notice of how much you consume daily. I can tell you, we all eat an assload of this chemical, disguised under a variety of nifty PC names, it's pretty much unavoidable, and that does frighten me. It's NOT good shit.

I'm not sure why people think that drinking cow's milk is a good idea either. As this has enzymes and shit which, is intended for COWS, not People! Water is something else to consider... I have a 3-stage filter, but I don't know if thats sufficient? That plus distillation would be more ideal, but distilling water is a considerable process which sucks up alot of energy.

But hell, I'm not a preacher, and I'm sure as hell equally guilty, but I just hate knowing that what I'm eating is... for certain... not the best I could do for myself. More disturbing is the fact that our Government does not work FOR us, but rather against us, in allowing this to continue! Don't even get me started on synthetic prescription drugs!  That said, I don't really want to live longer than I have to anyhow.

Quoted: If we were running around in the woods with spears hunting for food, all of this crap would not be available to us.

When we were running around the woods hunting with spears, our life expectancy was also about 30 or so.

I keep telling my granola chomping, carrot juice swilling, organic food eating, hippie friends that red dye #40 may have beneficial affects and that they are just buying into another unproven theory.  

I believe in eating a balanced diet and eating everything in moderation.

Quoted: Quoted: If we were running around in the woods with spears hunting for food, all of this crap would not be available to us. When we were running around the woods hunting with spears, our life expectancy was also about 30 or so. I keep telling my granola chomping, carrot juice swilling, organic food eating, hippie friends that red dye #40 may have beneficial affects and that they are just buying into another unproven theory.   I believe in eating a balanced diet and eating everything in moderation.

The statement about running in the woods with a spear is simply to present the point of eating foods that are available in nature and not eating foods that are processed and manufactured. Examples:


-Real fresh ground beef instead of processed burger w/ preservatives
-Whole orange instead of processed orange juice or orange drink w/ refined sugar added and orange die
-Water instead of soft drink w/ refined sugar or chemical sweetener
-Real green beans instead of processed and canned green beans with added preservatives and refined sugar.
-Real fresh chicken instead of frozen chicken dinner that has refined sugar and preservatives

Make sense?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: If we were running around in the woods with spears hunting for food, all of this crap would not be available to us. When we were running around the woods hunting with spears, our life expectancy was also about 30 or so. I keep telling my granola chomping, carrot juice swilling, organic food eating, hippie friends that red dye #40 may have beneficial affects and that they are just buying into another unproven theory.   I believe in eating a balanced diet and eating everything in moderation. The statement about running in the woods with a spear is simply to present the point of eating foods that are available in nature and not eating foods that are processed and manufactured. Examples: -Real fresh ground beef instead of processed burger w/ preservatives -Whole orange instead of processed orange juice or orange drink w/ refined sugar added and orange die -Water instead of soft drink w/ refined sugar or chemical sweetener -Real green beans instead of processed and canned green beans with added preservatives and refined sugar. -Real fresh chicken instead of frozen chicken dinner that has refined sugar and preservatives Make sense?

Yes, some of it does make sense.  With the exception of tomato products and beans, I try to avoid canned foods but that is more of a taste thing than anything.

Fresh meat?  Sorry, but I like to let my steaks age (tenderize) in the refrigerator for a few weeks before I cook them.  Much better flavor anyway.

Frozen vegatables retain 95% of the flavor and nutrition of fresh veggies- good enough for me and they last longer than fresh.  Not that I don't use fresh, but sometimes menu planning is hard without using frozen.

I still don't think anyone has really proved that common food additives and preservatives are dangerous.  Junk science.  Typically the people telling you that are the ones who own or run ORGANIC food stores or distributorships and are therefore biased.

Pesticides are a different story.

Processed sugar?  Before your body can use any sugar it has to convert it into a form it can use.  Doesn't matter wether the sugar is refined white sugar or natural fructose you get from fresh fruit.  It treats it the same regardless.

This doom and gloom shit is about agendas and just designed to scare the consumer into buying what "they" are marketing.

Blanaced diet, food pyramid, everything in moderation.  Why make it harder than it really needs to be.

Quoted: Blanaced diet, food pyramid, everything in moderation.  Why make it harder than it really needs to be.

100%, absolutely on the money.

Eat square meals, exercize, don't worry so much.

That will trump every goofy diet known to man. And, with all the stress gone from your life about what's in your food, where it came from, and will it make you sick you're probably going to outlive health-food man sweating over his grocery list. Ever really look at a health food nut? Notice they always look pale and sickly?

Know what the #1 contributing factor towards a long, healthy life is, by a longshot?

Genetics.

Yup, that one thing you can't control. So, stop worrying, get off the couch and enjoy your life. Just don't overdo the crappy food.

I guess scientific evidence was a passing fad.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: If we were running around in the woods with spears hunting for food, all of this crap would not be available to us. When we were running around the woods hunting with spears, our life expectancy was also about 30 or so. I keep telling my granola chomping, carrot juice swilling, organic food eating, hippie friends that red dye #40 may have beneficial affects and that they are just buying into another unproven theory.   I believe in eating a balanced diet and eating everything in moderation. The statement about running in the woods with a spear is simply to present the point of eating foods that are available in nature and not eating foods that are processed and manufactured. Examples: -Real fresh ground beef instead of processed burger w/ preservatives -Whole orange instead of processed orange juice or orange drink w/ refined sugar added and orange die -Water instead of soft drink w/ refined sugar or chemical sweetener -Real green beans instead of processed and canned green beans with added preservatives and refined sugar. -Real fresh chicken instead of frozen chicken dinner that has refined sugar and preservatives Make sense? Yes, some of it does make sense.  With the exception of tomato products and beans, I try to avoid canned foods but that is more of a taste thing than anything. Fresh meat?  Sorry, but I like to let my steaks age (tenderize) in the refrigerator for a few weeks before I cook them.  Much better flavor anyway. Frozen vegatables retain 95% of the flavor and nutrition of fresh veggies- good enough for me and they last longer than fresh.  Not that I don't use fresh, but sometimes menu planning is hard without using frozen. I still don't think anyone has really proved that common food additives and preservatives are dangerous.  Junk science.  Typically the people telling you that are the ones who own or run ORGANIC food stores or distributorships and are therefore biased. Pesticides are a different story. Processed sugar?  Before your body can use any sugar it has to convert it into a form it can use.  Doesn't matter wether the sugar is refined white sugar or natural fructose you get from fresh fruit.  It treats it the same regardless. This doom and gloom shit is about agendas and just designed to scare the consumer into buying what "they" are marketing. Blanaced diet, food pyramid, everything in moderation.  Why make it harder than it really needs to be.

Your post is full of misinformation.

WHICH SUGARS ARE BETTER FOR US?

As far as nutritional benefit to our bodies, all simple sugars are empty calories-about four per gram. As regards their impact upon our bodies, sucrose is the worst. It demands the production of insulin by our pancreas, causes significant fluctuation in blood-sugar levels, and robs nutrients from various stores in our bodies in order to be digested.

The myth of "quick energy" that accompanies refined sugar products such as candy bars and other sweets that are high in sucrose (white sugar) is destroyed by the reality that a temporary "sugar high" from this form of sugar is followed quickly by the "sugar blues."

The following is a list of generally accepted substitutes for sucrose. Although no sweetener is without problems, these seem to have less negative impact upon the body.


Fruit juice-it is fructose, it causes less of a rise in blood-sugar levels than sucrose. Fructose
sugars don't require insulin. They are metabolized in our liver rather than our small intestine, as is
sucrose. They are also absorbed more slowly into our bloodstream than sucrose

Date sugar-Ground-up dates. The sugar in dates is predominantly fructose.

Maltose-A complex natural sugar that requires some breaking down into simple sugars in our bodies.
It has no sucrose in it. Like fructose, maltose is metabolized by enzymes that do not require insulin.
No fluctuations in blood-sugar levels are caused by maltose. Amasake (a sweet pudding-like substance made from cultured brown rice), barley malt, and brown rice syrup are examples of maltose.

Sucanat-This product is made by squeezing the juice from sugar cane, then evaporating the water through a special process. What's left is a substitute for white refined sugar that contains vitamins, minerals, and trace elements-all of which refined sugar does not.

FruitSource-Derived from a mixture of fruit and grains, it contains both simple and complex carbohydrates as well as small amounts of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Amasake-A whole-grain pudding-like sweetener made by adding fermented brown rice to cooked rice.

Honey-It rots teeth faster than sucrose, and because it is a simple sugar it can cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels. The more fructose is in it, however, the less significant the blood-sugar changes. Different types of honey have different types of sugar, depending upon the crops the bees drew pollen from.

For instance, clover honey is 60 percent sucrose, which would tend to cause more significant blood-sugar changes than orange blossom honey, which is 70 percent fructoses Use only raw, unfiltered honey, although most honey is heated to some degree during bottling.

If you can, buy it from a farmer or roadside stand where less processing is likely to have taken place. The more cloudy it is, the better. And if it crystallizes, that's a sign that it's had less destructive heat applied to it. Honeys produced in your own locale tend to operate in your body as antiallergens, helping you counteract the effects of local allergy-producing substances.

Maple syrup-It does contain about 65 percent sucrose. Compared to white sugar, however, its negative impact upon blood-sugar levels is less.

Unsulfured blackstrap molasses-Molasses is the liquid that remains after sucrose is refined from sugar cane or sugar beets. It has the same energy-exhausting effect on the body as white sugar, although somewhat less intense. It can also contain concentrated amounts of the stuff that was on the sugar cane or beets, like pesticides and environmental toxins. If sulfur was involved in processing out the sucrose, traces of this can remain as welled.

Even with all of this potentially stacked against it, blackstrap molasses is recommended by some as a viable substitute for white sugar. It does contain nutrients (calcium, iron, potassium, and B vitamins) that have been refined out of white sugar.

The darker the molasses, the more nutritious, with blackstrap being the best.

From article: Cut back On Refined Sugar

Here's the whole article about refined sugar. Anyone that thinks "sugar is all the same" needs to read this before they get diabetes. You are being slowly poisoned by the processed food industry:



CUT BACK ON REFINED SUGARS

(Excerpt from the book "Healthy Habits" by Dave and Anne Frahm)
HealthQuarters


Many doctors, nutritionists, and researchers consider refined sugar a major nemesis of American
health.  Nevertheless, sugar is, hands down, America's number one food additive. Would you believe that we consume ten times more of it than we do all the other 2,600 or so food additives put together!

The one exception is salt, but even it runs a very distant second.  Every year the typical American consumes between 120 and 150 pounds of refined sugar. That translates to overone third of a pound a day, 600-plus calories of teeth-rotting, health destroying sweetness. Sort of a contradiction in terms.  Even if you don't eat sweets, the amount of refined sugar you may be consuming would no doubt shock you.

Over two thirds of the refined sugar used in this country is added to manufactured food products. In other words, it's hidden in many of the things we buy at the supermarket. For instance, did you know that a tablespoon of ketchup contains a full teaspoon of sugar?

Stuff like breads, soups, cereals, cured meats, hot dogs, lunch meat, salad dressings, spaghetti sauce, crackers, mayonnaise, peanut butter, pickles, frozen pizza, canned fruits and vegetables, tomato juice, and a host of other products all contain sugar.


This doesn't even take into account the obvious sugary products like candies, cakes, ice cream,
cookies, doughnuts, and soda pop.

Even if you are careful about reading labels, it's difficult to tell just how much refined sugar you're actually getting. It comes in many different forms, several of which might be contained, in a single product. Terms like sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, and lactose may mean something to a scientist (or "scientose"), but how are average lay people supposed to understand what they're putting into their mouths?  And what about all those other products that we use to sweeten our food?

Are molasses, maple syrup, corn syrup, and honey just as bad for your health as white sugar?

Obviously, there are many questions that arise in any discussion about sugars and sweeteners. Let's
pick off a few and see if we can't get some understanding.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS FORMS OF SUGARS?


Sucrose: More commonly known as white, refined table sugar, it comes from sugar cane, sugar
beets, and sugar maples, and is the most widely used form of sugar The following is a list of
products in the sucrose family:

White sugar 99.9 percent sucrose

Turbinado sugar 99.9 percent sucrose

Brown sugar 96 percent sucrose

Maple syrup 65 percent sucrose

Molasses 50-70 percent sucrose

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Fructose: Also known as levulose, fructose is found naturally in fruits and honey. It can also be commercially refined from corn, sugar beets, and sugar cane. Currently, the most popular form of refined fructose is corn syrup, which is added to hundreds of products. Since it is about 70
percent sweeter than sucrose, many food manufacturers now use refined fructose to replace
refined sucrose in their products-same sweetness, fewer calories.

Maltose: This form of sugar results from "malting" certain grains together with natural enzymes.
Two of the most popular forms are barley malt and brown rice syrup. Barley malt is made by
sprouting barley, drying it, then mixing it with water and cooking it into a syrup. Brown rice syrup
is made by adding dried sprouted barley to cooked rice. After the rice is cultured, it is strained
and cooked to produce a syrup. Maltose is about one-third as sweet as sucrose.

Glucose: Also known as dextrose, glucose is found naturally in fruit, honey, carob, and corn, or
may also be found in refined form. It is about two-thirds as sweet as sucrose. Glucose is also the
form that all sugars are broken down to by our bodies to be utilized for energy.

(Special note: Lactose is the form of sugar found in milk. Another form of milk sugar is called
galactose. These are not consumed in sugar form, but as part of milk products.
Therefore, they are not usually considered food additives.)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



WHICH SUGARS ARE BETTER FOR US?

As far as nutritional benefit to our bodies, all simple sugars are empty calories-about four per gram. As regards their impact upon our bodies, sucrose is the worst. It demands the production of insulin by our pancreas, causes significant fluctuation in blood-sugar levels, and robs nutrients from various stores in our bodies in order to be digested.

The myth of "quick energy" that accompanies refined sugar products such as candy bars and other sweets that are high in sucrose (white sugar) is destroyed by the reality that a temporary "sugar high" from this form of sugar is followed quickly by the "sugar blues."

The following is a list of generally accepted substitutes for sucrose. Although no sweetener is without problems, these seem to have less negative impact upon the body.


Fruit juice-it is fructose, it causes less of a rise in blood-sugar levels than sucrose. Fructose
sugars don't require insulin. They are metabolized in our liver rather than our small intestine, as is
sucrose. They are also absorbed more slowly into our bloodstream than sucrose

Date sugar-Ground-up dates. The sugar in dates is predominantly fructose.

Maltose-A complex natural sugar that requires some breaking down into simple sugars in our bodies.
It has no sucrose in it. Like fructose, maltose is metabolized by enzymes that do not require insulin.
No fluctuations in blood-sugar levels are caused by maltose. Amasake (a sweet pudding-like substance made from cultured brown rice), barley malt, and brown rice syrup are examples of maltose.

Sucanat-This product is made by squeezing the juice from sugar cane, then evaporating the water through a special process. What's left is a substitute for white refined sugar that contains vitamins, minerals, and trace elements-all of which refined sugar does not.

FruitSource-Derived from a mixture of fruit and grains, it contains both simple and complex carbohydrates as well as small amounts of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Amasake-A whole-grain pudding-like sweetener made by adding fermented brown rice to cooked rice.

Honey-It rots teeth faster than sucrose, and because it is a simple sugar it can cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels. The more fructose is in it, however, the less significant the blood-sugar changes. Different types of honey have different types of sugar, depending upon the crops the bees drew pollen from.

For instance, clover honey is 60 percent sucrose, which would tend to cause more significant blood-sugar changes than orange blossom honey, which is 70 percent fructoses Use only raw, unfiltered honey, although most honey is heated to some degree during bottling.

If you can, buy it from a farmer or roadside stand where less processing is likely to have taken place. The more cloudy it is, the better. And if it crystallizes, that's a sign that it's had less destructive heat applied to it. Honeys produced in your own locale tend to operate in your body as antiallergens, helping you counteract the effects of local allergy-producing substances.

Maple syrup-It does contain about 65 percent sucrose. Compared to white sugar, however, its negative impact upon blood-sugar levels is less.

Unsulfured blackstrap molasses-Molasses is the liquid that remains after sucrose is refined from sugar cane or sugar beets. It has the same energy-exhausting effect on the body as white sugar, although somewhat less intense. It can also contain concentrated amounts of the stuff that was on the sugar cane or beets, like pesticides and environmental toxins. If sulfur was involved in processing out the sucrose, traces of this can remain as welled.

Even with all of this potentially stacked against it, blackstrap molasses is recommended by some as a viable substitute for white sugar. It does contain nutrients (calcium, iron, potassium, and B vitamins) that have been refined out of white sugar.

The darker the molasses, the more nutritious, with blackstrap being the best.

Link

Quoted: Quoted: Yeah, and Americans aren't getting any fatter either, it's just that now we're paying attention to it Know what? You're absolutely right - we ARE just now paying attention to weight gain as an issue, because before about 1950 the statistics on obesity didn't really exist....at least not outside of medical records which do NOT make a scientific sampling. So, we might just be as fat as previous generations, or even less so. How do you know? Look at the census of previous generations - see any body weight data? No, me neither. Cute theory, but you forgot about the photo's of the last century, and the paintings and clothing of the last 1000. Either the fatties somehow remained invisable.  Or there are vastly more fatties today. (King Henry 8 th notwithstanding)

Rubenesque.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: If we were running around in the woods with spears hunting for food, all of this crap would not be available to us. When we were running around the woods hunting with spears, our life expectancy was also about 30 or so. I keep telling my granola chomping, carrot juice swilling, organic food eating, hippie friends that red dye #40 may have beneficial affects and that they are just buying into another unproven theory.   I believe in eating a balanced diet and eating everything in moderation. The statement about running in the woods with a spear is simply to present the point of eating foods that are available in nature and not eating foods that are processed and manufactured. Examples: -Real fresh ground beef instead of processed burger w/ preservatives -Whole orange instead of processed orange juice or orange drink w/ refined sugar added and orange die -Water instead of soft drink w/ refined sugar or chemical sweetener -Real green beans instead of processed and canned green beans with added preservatives and refined sugar. -Real fresh chicken instead of frozen chicken dinner that has refined sugar and preservatives Make sense? Yes, some of it does make sense.  With the exception of tomato products and beans, I try to avoid canned foods but that is more of a taste thing than anything. Fresh meat?  Sorry, but I like to let my steaks age (tenderize) in the refrigerator for a few weeks before I cook them.  Much better flavor anyway. Frozen vegatables retain 95% of the flavor and nutrition of fresh veggies- good enough for me and they last longer than fresh.  Not that I don't use fresh, but sometimes menu planning is hard without using frozen. I still don't think anyone has really proved that common food additives and preservatives are dangerous.  Junk science.  Typically the people telling you that are the ones who own or run ORGANIC food stores or distributorships and are therefore biased. Pesticides are a different story. Processed sugar?  Before your body can use any sugar it has to convert it into a form it can use.  Doesn't matter wether the sugar is refined white sugar or natural fructose you get from fresh fruit.  It treats it the same regardless. This doom and gloom shit is about agendas and just designed to scare the consumer into buying what "they" are marketing. Blanaced diet, food pyramid, everything in moderation.  Why make it harder than it really needs to be. Your post is full of misinformation. WHICH SUGARS ARE BETTER FOR US? As far as nutritional benefit to our bodies, all simple sugars are empty calories-about four per gram. As regards their impact upon our bodies, sucrose is the worst. It demands the production of insulin by our pancreas, causes significant fluctuation in blood-sugar levels, and robs nutrients from various stores in our bodies in order to be digested. The myth of "quick energy" that accompanies refined sugar products such as candy bars and other sweets that are high in sucrose (white sugar) is destroyed by the reality that a temporary "sugar high" from this form of sugar is followed quickly by the "sugar blues." The following is a list of generally accepted substitutes for sucrose. Although no sweetener is without problems, these seem to have less negative impact upon the body. Fruit juice-it is fructose, it causes less of a rise in blood-sugar levels than sucrose. Fructose sugars don't require insulin. They are metabolized in our liver rather than our small intestine, as is sucrose. They are also absorbed more slowly into our bloodstream than sucrose Date sugar-Ground-up dates. The sugar in dates is predominantly fructose. Maltose-A complex natural sugar that requires some breaking down into simple sugars in our bodies. It has no sucrose in it. Like fructose, maltose is metabolized by enzymes that do not require insulin. No fluctuations in blood-sugar levels are caused by maltose. Amasake (a sweet pudding-like substance made from cultured brown rice), barley malt, and brown rice syrup are examples of maltose. Sucanat-This product is made by squeezing the juice from sugar cane, then evaporating the water through a special process. What's left is a substitute for white refined sugar that contains vitamins, minerals, and trace elements-all of which refined sugar does not. FruitSource-Derived from a mixture of fruit and grains, it contains both simple and complex carbohydrates as well as small amounts of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Amasake-A whole-grain pudding-like sweetener made by adding fermented brown rice to cooked rice. Honey-It rots teeth faster than sucrose, and because it is a simple sugar it can cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels. The more fructose is in it, however, the less significant the blood-sugar changes. Different types of honey have different types of sugar, depending upon the crops the bees drew pollen from. For instance, clover honey is 60 percent sucrose, which would tend to cause more significant blood-sugar changes than orange blossom honey, which is 70 percent fructoses Use only raw, unfiltered honey, although most honey is heated to some degree during bottling. If you can, buy it from a farmer or roadside stand where less processing is likely to have taken place. The more cloudy it is, the better. And if it crystallizes, that's a sign that it's had less destructive heat applied to it. Honeys produced in your own locale tend to operate in your body as antiallergens, helping you counteract the effects of local allergy-producing substances. Maple syrup-It does contain about 65 percent sucrose. Compared to white sugar, however, its negative impact upon blood-sugar levels is less. Unsulfured blackstrap molasses-Molasses is the liquid that remains after sucrose is refined from sugar cane or sugar beets. It has the same energy-exhausting effect on the body as white sugar, although somewhat less intense. It can also contain concentrated amounts of the stuff that was on the sugar cane or beets, like pesticides and environmental toxins. If sulfur was involved in processing out the sucrose, traces of this can remain as welled. Even with all of this potentially stacked against it, blackstrap molasses is recommended by some as a viable substitute for white sugar. It does contain nutrients (calcium, iron, potassium, and B vitamins) that have been refined out of white sugar. The darker the molasses, the more nutritious, with blackstrap being the best. From article: Cut back On Refined Sugar

I don't recall saying sugar was either bad or good.

Whoopee do!  So they put a tablespoon of sugar in a bottle of catsup.  Is it the George Bush sugar conspiracy behind this or the chefs in the Heinz kitchen who thought it made the catsup taste better.  I can think of dozens of savory recipes that call for sugar as a flavor enhancer or to counteract some other negative flavor in the recipe.  It is just another tool in a chefs toolbox.  I don't walk down the condiment aisle in the store like a zombie searching for the high sugar catsup.

If you want to spend the rest of your life stressing about processed sugar and avoiding it, have at it.  To me, it's all just another "if it feels/looks/tastes good it must be bad for you self flagelation hang-up."

Now speaking of processed sugar, where is that box of Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch

Quoted: I don't recall saying sugar was either bad or good.

This is what you said, which is not factual:


TRW said: Processed sugar? Before your body can use any sugar it has to convert it into a form it can use. Doesn't matter wether the sugar is refined white sugar or natural fructose you get from fresh fruit. It treats it the same regardless.


See below:

WHICH SUGARS ARE BETTER FOR US?

As far as nutritional benefit to our bodies, all simple sugars are empty calories-about four per gram. As regards their impact upon our bodies, sucrose is the worst. It demands the production of insulin by our pancreas, causes significant fluctuation in blood-sugar levels, and robs nutrients from various stores in our bodies in order to be digested.

The myth of "quick energy" that accompanies refined sugar products such as candy bars and other sweets that are high in sucrose (white sugar) is destroyed by the reality that a temporary "sugar high" from this form of sugar is followed quickly by the "sugar blues."

The following is a list of generally accepted substitutes for sucrose. Although no sweetener is without problems, these seem to have less negative impact upon the body.


Fruit juice-it is fructose, it causes less of a rise in blood-sugar levels than sucrose. Fructose
sugars don't require insulin. They are metabolized in our liver rather than our small intestine, as is
sucrose. They are also absorbed more slowly into our bloodstream than sucrose

Swingset... that's certainly a PART of it, but all my research points to the SEVERE lack of omega 3's PLACED in the diet either partially or completely resolves issues related to bi-polar, clinical depression, schizophrenia, ADD, ADHD, etc....  Certainly accurate DXes, as well as a lessening "stigma" (small tho it may be) attachd to "mental illness" etc... DO contribute, and should be taken into account, that's not the whole of it.

Quoted: Bullshit. All that's different now than from centuries past when we ate a more limited, "natural" diet is that now we can more accurately diagnose mental problems. That's it, that's the big difference. We see more problems now because we're looking for them. 100 years ago, people were either healthy, eccentric (mild mental conditions) or fucking nuts (serious mental conditions). So, how do you attribute modern mental illness to diet, when we've only begun accurately diagnosing mental illnesses in general? <goes back to eating his HoHo's and Diet Coke>

Also, it's NOT (IMO) so much what you DO eat, as what you are LACKING in your diet.... frankly, I eat like shit... BUT I make SURE I get my omega 3's... funny how the MS has virtually disappeared.... but the DIET Coke... that shit will (probably) kill ya... drink the RE#AL real thing.... (or the caffeine free equivalent, if you prefer

Quoted: I agree with all of the above.   I think proper nutrition does help people function better, keeps people from getting burned out and over stressed.  But, people are nuts these days, cause we live in a fucked up, confusing world.  I mean hell, all you have to do is hop on the internet for an hour, and youll have your head full of all kinds of BS. <snippage> I would say that the, polluted, heavy metal ridden world we live in has more to do with mental illness than anything.  Our bodies being under nourished just makes the effects that much worse. my $.02

Good points all, and the lack of nutrition IS cerrtainly a contributing factor.... I just wanted to kudos you.

Quoted: Cute theory, but you forgot about the photo's of the last century, and the paintings and clothing of the last 1000. Either the fatties somehow remained invisable.  Or there are vastly more fatties today. (King Henry 8 th notwithstanding)

Don't forget the Mona Lisa... not "obese" per se, but certainly a "full figured" kind of gal....

Quoted: My nephew is about to graduate from Iowa State University with an engineering degree.  He said that in one of his classes, the professor spent time covering how microwaves destroy nutrients in foods and those who frequently depend on microvable foods run the risk of cancer over the long haul. I'm not saying it's true, but I wouldn't be surprised.

+1! Nukers give me the creeps.... I don't own one, and seriously doubt I ever WILL... but to each his/her own... I DO on rare occasion, however use one to heat water for tea or coco, if I'm somewhere tat has one.... <g>

Quoted: <snippage> I'm not sure why people think that drinking cow's milk is a good idea either. As this has enzymes and shit which, is intended for COWS, not People! Water is something else to consider... I have a 3-stage filter, but I don't know if thats sufficient? That plus distillation would be more ideal, but distilling water is a considerable process which sucks up alot of energy. But hell, I'm not a preacher, and I'm sure as hell equally guilty, but I just hate knowing that what I'm eating is... for certain... not the best I could do for myself. More disturbing is the fact that our Government does not work FOR us, but rather against us, in allowing this to continue! Don't even get me started on synthetic prescription drugs!  That said, I don't really want to live longer than I have to anyhow.

Using DISTILLED water for DRINKING is NOT a good idea... why? Because it is "classified" as "immature" water = that is to say water w/othe various minerals one woul find in well water, water that has sunk into the earth picking up stray bits of minerals (as water tends to do) enriching a "maturing" it. If youdrink "immature" water such as distilled, the water will pick up stray bitsw of minerals FROM YOU. I'd like to find the study... but from what I recall about it, they gave different "types" of water to ifferent folks to drink for a week, and all their urine was collected and analyzed (daily). There was distilled, rain, well and DEEP well. I believe also there were groups in the different water intakes that took ADDITIONAL minerals b4 an DURNG the testing.... net result was the more "immature" the water source, the MORE minerals found in the urine./.. IOW, it DOES "leach" minerals OUT of the body... so DO NOT drink distilled (during prollonged periods) UNLESS you like osteoporosis and false teeth, and ill health. <shrug>

Quoted: The statement about running in the woods with a spear is simply to present the point of eating foods that are available in nature and not eating foods that are processed and manufactured. Examples: -Real fresh ground beef instead of processed burger w/ preservatives -Whole orange instead of processed orange juice or orange drink w/ refined sugar added and orange die -Water instead of soft drink w/ refined sugar or chemical sweetener -Real green beans instead of processed and canned green beans with added preservatives and refined sugar. -Real fresh chicken instead of frozen chicken dinner that has refined sugar and preservatives Make sense?

Makes sense, and I agree, tho I admit to NOT doing it (enugh) I mean I read your "-Water instead of soft drink w/ refined sugar or chemical sweetener" and in my head "re-wrote" it t read:

-REAL Coke instead of soft drink w/ = chemical sweetener

 

As for the ORIGINL post these, IMO far batter address the Q of "rising" Mental Illness.

archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/56/5/407

72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:Uo8SsoMSLh8J:merck.micromedex.com/index.asp%3Fpage%3DpubmedAbstract%26PubMedID%3D10232294+bipolar+harvard+%22omega+3%22+abstract&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=50

72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:tKnCxy8Ogq0J:www.nutritionj.com/content/4/1/6+add+adhd+%22omega+3%22+abstract&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=14

ADHD Research Researchers at the University of Purdue in West Lafayette , Indiana found that boys with low blood levels of essential omega-3 fatty acids have a greater tendency toward behavior , learning and health problems consistent with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Previous studies have indicated that symptoms associated with a deficiency in fatty acids are exhibited to a greater extent in kids with ADHD, including thirst, frequent urination and dry skin and hair. But the Purdue researchers pinpointed omega-3's as the fatty acids that may be associated with the unique behavior problems in ADHD children . Omega-3 is one of two fatty acids that must be obtained from foods because the body cannot synthesize them. Researchers tested levels of omega-3 and omega-6, the other fatty acid , in 96 boys , ages 6 to 12 , including 53 with ADHD. About 40 percent of the ADHD boys had a greater frequency of symptoms indicative of essential fatty-acid deficiency. Lead researcher John Burgess said boys with lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids scored higher in the frequency of many behavioral problems. Children with lower omega-6 levels had significantly more colds and health-related problems than those with higher levels, but they did not exhibit more behavioral problems. The researchers said their work is aimed at finding nutritional treatments for ADHD children, rather than relying on Ritalin and other drugs. The study was published in a recent edition of Physiology and Behavior.

72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:UtF4rtJHYmcJ:www.medscape.com/viewarticle/514770+add+adhd+%22omega+3%22+abstract&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=54

72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:EvgJ5Y0_WdUJ:www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/gant.pdf+add+adhd+%22omega+3%22+abstract&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=69

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10750263&dopt=Abstract

and I could go on.... but you get the idea. The decreased intake of nutritional foods doesn't HELP, but, IMO, it's not the underlying CAUSE.... ciontributing factor? Sure... fewer anti-oxidants ingested means the very FEW omega 3's we do manage to get don't last as long... but we can eat a LOT of garbage, IF we also get what we NEED. By n large, we DO, the major exception is the omega 3's. 99% of Americans are deficient in Omega 3's. 20% are CRITICALLY deficient.... (meaning NO omega 3's are found in bloodwork).

So the title SHOULD have been "Why what we DON'T eat has led to rise in mental problems"

THAT, IMO, would be more accurate.

I've been taking Health Paks, Omega 3s and a handfull of other fowl shit everyday for 2 years and I'm still nuttier than a fruitcake!

Quoted: Bullshit. All that's different now than from centuries past when we ate a more limited, "natural" diet is that now we can more accurately diagnose mental problems. That's it, that's the big difference. We see more problems now because we're looking for them. 100 years ago, people were either healthy, eccentric (mild mental conditions) or fucking nuts (serious mental conditions). So, how do you attribute modern mental illness to diet, when we've only begun accurately diagnosing mental illnesses in general? <goes back to eating his HoHo's and Diet Coke>

And the ease at which conditions, syndromes, and illnesses can be diagnosed it much much greatet than in the past.  Also, many people who would be able to funtion if they just fucking sucked it up, got off their asses and tried a bit harder would not be on zoloft and prozac.  

Disclaimer:  Yes, I know some people need it, some on this board I am sure - but it is way overprescribed.

Note:  this was proper use of hyphenation because I wanted to emphasize the last portion of the sentence with more than a comma.

Quoted: Bullshit. All that's different now than from centuries past when we ate a more limited, "natural" diet is that now we can more accurately diagnose mental problems. That's it, that's the big difference. We see more problems now because we're looking for them. 100 years ago, people were either healthy, eccentric (mild mental conditions) or fucking nuts (serious mental conditions). So, how do you attribute modern mental illness to diet, when we've only begun accurately diagnosing mental illnesses in general? <goes back to eating his HoHo's and Diet Coke>

Not so sure about that.  The processed food that most of the population eats has tons of refined sugar and relatively little nutritional value.  There's a pretty big difference between that and the food Americans ate a century ago.  Whether or not there's any causal relationship with emotional problems I have no idea but its reasonable to imagine such a drastic change in diet could account for behavioral issues.

Quoted: Eat what our ancestors ate!

Which ancestors?


There's a shortage of three-toed sloths and wooly mammoths.

Quoted: I've been taking Health Paks, Omega 3s and a handfull of other fowl shit everyday for 2 years and I'm still nuttier than a fruitcake!

The funny thing about omega 3's is they are NOT all "created" equal. If you are taking, for instance, say... SWANSON or Sundown, you (IMO) might as well not take anything, as you'll get the same results MINUS the irritability . (I've found rancid omega 3's tend to cause irritibility in me, my grandmother, and about 1/2 a dozen others). And Nature's Boiunty and Puritan's Pride brands are the only 2 I've FOUND that PROTECT their flax from possible causes of rancidity. (Heat. light, oxygen).

The other possibility is you may be taking Flax (ALA omega 3's) and YOU may do better w/fish oil (Dha & Epa omega 3's) instead, or vica versa. For instance I could take 1/2 a TON of fish oil, and I'd have problems, but just 4G/flax oil and by in large I'm good to go.

At least those are the things I'd look at were I you

Kacer, that's exactly what my doctor said.  He told me to get Pharmanex LifePak and MarineOmega. Supposedly medical grade.  I don't think it's working because I am getting a little dumber every day.

Quoted: Kacer, that's exactly what my doctor said.  He told me to get Pharmanex LifePak and MarineOmega. Supposedly medical grade.  I don't think it's working because I am getting a little dumber every day.

It's all that bird poo you've been eating.

Quoted: I've been taking Health Paks, Omega 3s and a handfull of other fowl shit everyday for 2 years and I'm still nuttier than a fruitcake!

I had a bunch of comments floating around in my head, but swingset pretty much nailed them all.

So, +1.

Well, damn. I replied to this (I THOUGHT) & it appears to have NOT registered...been getting a LOT of that lately :/  (Any mods reading, WTF is up w/that?)

Let me try to reconstruct...

Quoted: Kacer, that's exactly what my doctor said.  He told me to get Pharmanex LifePak and MarineOmega. Supposedly medical grade.  I don't think it's working because I am getting a little dumber every day.

Yeah, seems to ME that the "pharmaceutical grade" stuff just seems overpriced. FWIW.... and I don't believe in spending $30 on something that SHOULD be $5... it's a "thing" w/me.

What exactly do you mean by your statement?

I am getting a little dumber every day.

What SPECIFIC problems do yu notice? I can think of several possibilities off the top of my head... but w/o knowing SPECIFICS.... many could be useless, even potentially harmful.

So are we talking cognitive problems, memory problems, reasoning skills, sluggish brain function??? What? (And feel free to IM if uncomfortable posting willy-nilly in GD.)