Mental Health

[bibliomonk]

Greetings all,

Just wanted to drop a note in the hopes that somebody out there would have a tip or two in dealing with a weak mental disposition, namely anxiety and depression and all the off shoots of that.

The illness has been something I have been struggling with since puberty, peaking around the time I was 18. I have been on an array of psychotropic medications for about 4 full years and was finally able to ween myself off a year come June. Ever since then I've been searching for alternative methods to keep myself in good shape.

Being off the medications, I do feel better, but mainly because I think I am actually "feeling" something. I am doing alright for myself, exercise & meditation (with sparodic accupressure treatments) have been a big help, but I thought I could benefit with some dietary guidelines, which is how I came across macrobiotics.

I have been a Vegetarian for 2 1/2 year, a Vegan for about 6 months. I've also taken a bit of a turn for the worse in the past few months with newer symptoms of fear of people, timidness almost submissiveness around strangers, increased anxiety & nervousness, and a heavy oppressive/depressive feeling on my chest. I feel somewhat weak - a startling sound will set me jumping out of my seat! It's not a physical weakness but more of a spiritual essence one. I don't mean to exagerate my condition; I'm not homebound and am still leading a fairly normal life. But of course I'm concerned that my condition might get worse. The new element to my condition is that my moods are getting a tad erratic, I find myself getting irritable and angry (perhaps to compensate) around the people I know and love.

I suppose the question is, are there any ultra specific macro foods I should be focusing on? Am I right in assuming that the symptoms I described above are more excess yin / lack of yang? If so, what are good macro yang foods -- I would even be willing to try a little white fish in the form of sushi if it would help!

I think I had a pretty good diet in the past, I abstained from regular coffee and soda consumption, junk food, etc, despite the seldom/occasional binges. Since I've been reading up on the diet I have cut back on a lot on my fruit consumption, and I think I've benefited in subtle ways. Popping around the different macro website the other might -- maybe it was even this site -- I read an article about how soy products can be damaging if taken too often. It then occured to me that I do consume a fair amount of soy bean products, probably a few servings a day: from soymilk, tofu, tempeh, to all the subsititutes found in fortified foods.

I suppose I'll try and taper down with that and see what happens. Any feedback or advice will be greatly appreciated.

Yours,
Daniel

[Roy Collins]

Daniel, you are on the right track but need to make more adjustments in your diet as you correctly surmised. Cooked
small fish is a good idea on occassion. Miso soup with seaweed, carrot and onion is the best way to utilize soy and is more yang than other soy forms.

Whole grains daily help to increase the release of brain serrotonin and strengthen nerves. You can add a teaspoon of St. Johnswort dried herb to your kukicha tea and use more root vegetables and hard leaved greens. Less fruit is correct and less liquid in general will help you to focus more. Avoid fats of all kinds (animal and vegetable) but a little fertile egg can be tolerated on occassion as well. Refined flour products you should stay away from.

More physical exercise, like tai chi or walking in the mountains is a good way to increase endurance. Meditation OK but not necessary now. Tai chi is more like yang form of moving meditation. It might take a while for drugs to be discharge from your body. Good luck.

In peace, Roy

[mike chen]

herman and cornellia aihara were fond of saying that "eat tofu, turn into tofu.' they were speaking of brain-effect. they used
tofu plasters when dealing with head injuries (heat) but as far as i recall didn't mention dietary tofu use in their cookbooks.

you're probably aware that cornellia's is arguably one of the strongest cooking styles in the western hemisphere.

you can probably benefit from instituting a regular practice of a quarter-third ume plum in your morning twig tea, with kuzu, shoyu, ginger juice. after meditation.

come to camp this summer (july 19-27 in california), and you'll be sure to get a year's worth of cooking experience in the nine days in the kitchen. and you can learn a few strengthening chants at sunrise.

[Nancy]

Bibliomonk, I relate to your handle. You have posted on a very interesting subject.

Often mental weakness is inherited and is nothing to be ashamed of. Yet, it can be frustrating to deal with, while observing others skate through many life experiences with ease and confidence. Often those with inherited mental weakness are also ultra sensitive and may have a very high "emotional IQ". It is not necessarily optimum to have the emotions of a cow. Find an occupation in life in which special emotional sensitivity is appreciated, one is writing. Think of it as an asset, instead of only a liability.

Anxiety and depression particularly hit hard in adolescence and young adulthood. As one learns the ropes of life, and becomes more able and adept at coping skills, the grievous nature of these emotions eases.

You are correct in thinking that the macrobiotic diet will give you added mental strength. I posted more on the subject of depression in the Main Forum today. The mainstay of the macrobiotic diet is natural, whole, organic grains. Not only does this food supply excellent nutrition, the complex carbohydrate and fiber of whole grains give long sustained energy and provide balanced and stable blood sugar levels, -equaling balanced, happy, even, emotions along with the ability to fully concentrate, fully engaged in creative activities between meals.

As far as the symptoms you are now experiencing, if following the macrobiotic diet, be sure to include the whole array of variety in balanced meals as well as the recommended percentages (whole grains, vegetables, soups, beans, sea vegetables, and fish, nuts, seeds or other). It is important to have protein, and sea vegetables are indispensable in providing important minerals, imo. They will also provide a more yang element that you need.

Be sure to eat enough and nourish yourself well for your body frame. Being too thin, is not optimum for mental well-being. Being sure to get enough foods in the more yang area of balance will go a long way towards girding yourself with mental strength. The erratic moods will begin to easily balance out as you learn more and more about yin/yang, foods, cooking, and the extent to which this knowledge will help you achieve both mental and physical balance and well being. Irritation and anger indicate a more yang condition, giddiness and silliness indicate a more yin condition. What is best is a "centered" balance. A high percentage of whole grains in the diet and balanced root vegetables help to achieve this "centered" balance.

Fish provides special help for good brain function, which includes enhanced memory and ease of mental faculties. The omega 3 in fish oil is extraordinarily helpful to the brain. Brain synapses (theory which no doubt you are familiar with), snap, crackle, and pop with efficiency. Serotonin is abundant. With this kind of help, one can do computer programming with efficiency, concentration and ease, -or develop a new theory of relativity.

Cutting back on fruit and other yin foods will begin to diminish the weakness you feel (fear, timidity, etc.). Food that is more yang, strengthens mentally and physically.

In the initial healing stages, tofu and unfermented soy foods are not recommended. Many soy foods contain a naturally occurring estrogen. Hormones in any form affect our emotions and can make simple life activities harder to deal with. For the healing stages, fermented soy foods (miso, shoyu/tamari, tempeh, and natto) are easily digestable, excellent natural proteins, and a good addition to any macrobiotic diet, -either with special emphasis on healing, or -for those who can widen with more variety. Whole soybeans and tofu products are very controversial food products. Tofu is a very refined food, and whole soybeans are very difficult to digest. Well known studies have been done on populations of Japanese men in Hawaii, concluding that tofu was implicated in the early onset of dementia.

Keep learning, you've arrived, and you're on the right track.

Nancy

[bibliomonk]

It's been a short while, but I have drastically cut down on the fruit and tofu products -- there's been somewhat of a positive improvement. I've been really enjoying a rice cooker (with steaming tray) that I bought myself, which makes staple meals easy and delicious.

Quick question: What is the macro philosophy about the taking of supplements during the healing period. I'm particularly thinking of fish oil supplements to hit upon the things you [Nancy] were talking about. I think it would be a great help but I would never want to cook an animal product and eating out on a regular basis doesn't fit into my budget / scheduele. And I guess this question extends for general multivitamins, calcium & magnesium, and the B complex which are said to be helpful for people with an emotional imbalance. (I suppose a follow up question might be - are there any macro friendly brands one could recommend?)

Thank you all for the encouraging words, kindness, and practical advice. I came upon some sort of conclusion the other day that aside from all the spiritual and dietary paths you can follow the one thing everybody needs to nourish themselves with is a sense of closeness, love, and connectness with other people; all the meditating in the world isn't worth anything if you still don't smile and enjoy yourself now and then!

I imagine that people with a proclivity towards timidness have problems in those areas, too, so when I come across some genuine support like I've received here I'm really appreciative and touched.

Thank you very much.

[Nancy]

Bibliomonk/Daniel,

It sounds like you are making good progress cutting down on fruit and tofu. Many will say pressure cooking of grains is the optimum, nutrient/flavor saving, and more yang way to cook grains. Given one's particular condition, pressure cooking, boiling, steaming, or baking may be used, all with varying yin/yang effects. I do enjoy steaming, myself. As long as an excess of water is not consumed overall, which ultimately taxes the kidneys and heart through having to pump extra water in the blood. Consumption of excess liquid is not recommended in a macrobiotic practice, contrary to the practice of drinking eight glasses of water a day.

A healing macrobiotic practice does not include supplements.
Many are quite adamant about this. Anything consumable in pill form is a very yin substance, usually comprised of chemicals made in a laboratory. Macrobiotic theory emphasizes natural, whole foods, i.e. --Vit C in dark leafy greens or fruit, not in pill form. Drugs in pill form or supplements are extreme yin. Consider whether you want to ingest extreme yin, rather than nutrition the kind way, in whole foods.

Omega 3 also occurs naturally in flax seed, avocado, walnuts, and Brazil nuts, all easy additions to anyone's diet. No need to cook fish, if one simply cannot. My father, who is 81, takes fish oil supplements. This is a fine way for him to receive Omega 3, since he does not like fish, and finds it uselessly impossible to change his eating habits and become macrobiotic (he doesn't want to). I am more flexible than most in recommending that anyone experiment regarding what they would like to do for their own condition. This is learning for yourself, and is coined by the macrobiotic phrase "non credo".

My recommendation is that any vitamin that you feel would be especially good for your own condition be taken in whole foods. If you feel that you especially need calcium/magnesium, B complex vitamins, etc. --list the foods that contain an abundance of these vitamins and post them on your refrigerator, to be sure to eat them regularly and frequently.

You will find that the macrobiotic community is a closely knit, yet worldwide(!) group of helpful, intelligent, and spiritually oriented people. There is a connectedness and caring that is always easily accessible, either online or off, --when you begin to connect with others in your own locale.

We are gladly here to help!
Nancy