Allergens and Mental Health.

A friend of mine has a daughter who over the years has suffered from mental health problems even being sectioned at times. Gill has always been interested in natural health and never wanted to take medication though at times it was necessary. Over the years I have talked to her about diet and she has tried cutting out gluten, dairy etc and following a healthy protocol but she has never completely abstained until recently.

Gill booked in to see a Nutritional Therapist who recommended an exclusion diet for a month and then a gradual re-introduction of foods to see their effects. This diet meant avoiding all grains, dairy, yeast, soya, eggs and sugar and although difficult to stick to Gill followed it to the letter and the results were amazing. She said that her head was clearer then it had been for the last 20 years and that she felt stronger and more able to cope.

Once she re-introduced foods it was clear to see that all grains (apart from an occasional rice meal) plus dairy and eggs were causing problems. Instantly her stomach became upset and mental symptoms returned.

Gill has now worked out the diet that works for her but still remains amazed at the impact that food can have on her well being. She told me that one day she had cheated and eaten some cheese and onion crisps. The following morning she woke up with what felt like a hangover plus she was tearful and couldn’t think straight all day.

Now that Gill knows what it is like to feel good it is a big incentive to eat the right foods for her, and she will now hopefully lead a much more enjoyable and productive life. Imagine how many other people there are with mental health problems who could be helped by diet. Instead so many rely on drugs and struggle in life with a mental stigma and an inability to reach their potential.