Another one of my favorite doctors is Dr. Georgia Ede. A Harvard trained psychiatrist, she is among the first mental health experts to speak to the relationship between sugar/high carb foods (particularly processed carbs) and their effects on our brains via her blog Diagnosis Diet. Hence, her tongue & cheek, "Studies prove the head is part of the body." She has found that people* who suffer with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, psychotic disorders, PTSD, autism spectrum disorders, and other psychiatric disorders can benefit immensely by trying an ancestral (aka, whole foods/pre-agricultural) based diet:
A simple, low-carbohydrate diet (or even a stricter ketogenic diet, particularly in cases of more serious or stubborn chronic symptoms)….are well worth trying, with very few exceptions. This statement is based on the science in combination with [her] clinical experience with patients in the real world.
She goes on to share the following key metabolic changes people experience when they adhere to removing sugar and processed carbs from their diets, while focusing on eating low carb foods for better mental & physical health:
1. Improved blood glucose control.
2. Lower blood insulin levels.
3. Reduced inflammation.
4. Boost antioxidant defenses.
5. Energizes mitochondria.
6. Stabilizes stress hormones and appetite.
7. Rebalances neurotransmitters.
8. Raises BDNF Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor levels (contributes to brain’s resilience in terms of being able to cope with, respond to, and recover from stress).
Many people have seen some pretty dramatic results following her advice:
I’m 73 years old, doing your diet; I have 35% of plaque reduced in my carotid arteries, and no medications.
I’ve been eating a primarily animal foods based (whole foods/pre-agricultural) diet for about 4 months now and I can't remember ever feeling this good, both physically and psychologically. My advice to anyone who may be reading this is to just flat out forget about mainstream nutrition "science." At best it’s misguided, at worst an organized sham with a hidden agenda.
I was eating a high carb, low fat diet. I was getting so sick and tired all the time that I could hardly drag myself around. Within one month of low carb (w/ I regularly intermittent fasting) I was great and have stayed that way ever since.
Simply put,
“Most of us have been feeding our brains improperly our entire lives and have no idea how much better we could feel if we ate differently. A whole foods [ancestral/pre-agricultural], low-carbohydrate diet is a safe and healthy option for most people that can help improve brain metabolism, mental health symptoms, and overall health.” - Dr. Ede
For more on food’s powerful effects on brain chemistry, hormonal balance and metabolism watch Dr. Ede’s : 'Our Descent into Madness: Modern Diets and the Global Mental Health Crisis' (~ 30 min.)
(*People who prefer not to take medications; don’t improve with medication; can’t tolerate or afford medication; only partially benefit from medication; or have bothersome side effects from medication.)