How can a carnivore diet help you with depression?

This article will explain why and how a carnivore diet can help a person that is going through depression. For that, the article will explain what a carnivore diet is, and what are ways to put it into practice.

How can a carnivore diet help you with depression? 

It has been said, but there are still a lot of studies to be done, that the carnivore diet can help you deal with the inflammation which is usually related to depression. 

When a person is depressed, the inflation usually leads to a high level of proteins and cytokines in your blood, like CRP and IL-6. And by eating meat, the person will get Ketones, such as beta-hydroxybutyrate, which will help reduce the inflation and may even reverse it as a whole. 

In the same way as the Keto diet, the carnivore diet also puts you in ketosis, meaning that your body will burn fat and not calories. That usually leads to an improvement in the person’s overall well-being and has a positive impact on the depressive symptoms.

Carnivore diet may also help the person with depression by giving them many nutrients that are often related to improving the person’s mood such as zinc, DHA, vitamin B12, iron, and vitamin B6.

But now that you know some of the benefits of a carnivore diet for when you are feeling depressed, let’s learn a little more about this form of diet.

What is a carnivore diet? 

A carnivore diet is one in which you only eat the food of animal origin. It is a form of the keto diet, that will cut your consumption of carbohydrates, putting your body through a process of ketosis. This means it will consume fat, rather than calories.

Because of the help, it gives with inflammatory matters, it is not only good for depression. But to people that have autoimmune issues, allergic conditions, and digestive issues. 

When you are on a carnivore diet because you won’t take that many carbohydrates, you may also experience an increase in your energy levels, your insulin sensitivity will also be better, and you may also lose weight. 

This form of diet will repair your gut, which is now known to have an impact on your mental health, because of the millions of neurons in that area. It also has higher nutritional values.

As for the benefits of taking out all foods with plant origin from your diet, there is a long list. Here is a list of the foods that a carnivore diet will take out of your diet,  and why not having them is a good idea.

• Fruits because they have sugar, which makes it hard to eat them in moderation.
• Vegetables that have oxalate, and lectins are prejudicial to your gut wall and can make it hard to absorb nutrients there. It can also lead to kidney stones.
• Nuts and seeds that contain phytates usually bind themselves to minerals preventing them from being absorbed.
• Lentils and legumes bring trouble to the gut wall because they have oxalates and lectins. These not only make it hard to absorb the minerals, but also lead to bloating, and digestive problems. 
• Gluten harms the person’s overall digestive and mental health. It can damage the gut line, and make the absorption of nutrients harder.
• Fiber usually causes you to become bloated, have gas, become constipated, and even make your nutrient absorption worse.

What are other mental health benefits of a carnivore diet?

Although it is necessary to have more research on the benefits of the carnivore diet, and what can be its impact a person’s life in the long term, by taking on this diet, many people have experienced other mental health benefits.

Here is a list of the most common improvements people have felt after a week of having the carnivore diet:

• Their mental clarity goes better
• The sense of brain fog and confusion is mostly gone
• The concentration is better
• Creativity is improved
• Lower levels of anxiety
• Fewer panic attacks
• Lower stress levels
• An improved overall sense of happiness
• Better quality of sleep increased the person’s energy levels.

Why should people try the carnivore diet? 

If you are struggling with depression or has been feeling that your diet is harming how you feel, it may be a good idea for you to try the carnivore diet. By doing so, you may not only experience improvements in your symptoms of depression but also have a clearer state of mind.

It can also bring a lot of improvements to your digestive system, caring for many of the inflammations that may be going on in that area. It can also lead you to a better overall quality of life, even if you have autoimmune matters.

What should be taken into consideration before starting the carnivore diet?

But what you need to keep in mind as you take on the carnivore diet, is that there is still the need for a lot of research to set, scientifically, the benefits of this. Because it deals with a high level of food restriction, it may also be hard for you to handle, and take some time for you to adjust.

The restrictions that come with the carnivore diet can be hard at first, and dealing with them may even harm your social life since many of the social gatherings usually center around food.

It is also important to know that there is no research on the effects of taking on the carnivore diet for a prolonged period.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): How can a carnivore diet help you with depression? 

What should I avoid eating if I am depressed? 

If you have depression, there are some foods you should avoid. The one is caffeine, since it will have a direct impact on your sleep, causing your depression to get worse. The same way as alcoholic drinks, that can make your symptoms of depression more intense.

Processed food is not a good idea if you are depressed, as well as fried food since both can harm your mood. Sugar and artificial sweeteners can give you a rush at first, but after, they can make your symptoms of depression worse, in the same way as energy drinks, so be careful about those.

What are the biggest food traps when I am depressed? 

If you are depressed, there are some food traps you should avoid. They may only make you feel good in the short term, but they can harm your depression. 

The first thing to avoid is eating as a way to get comfort. Although you may feel like eating too much, or some specific greasy foods can make you feel better, keep in mind it will only be good at that moment.

After binge eating, you may start to feel ashamed, and self-loathing can kick in. All of that can make you even sadder than you were before. Aside from that, when you are depressed you should avoid eating too little. It will take a huge toll on your energy levels, which because of depression are not that great, to begin with.

Try to keep a routine of eating, which will also help with the third thing you should avoid. And that is eating whatever comes easily. Even though it may be hard to prepare a full healthy meal when you are depressed, know that caring for what you eat will have an impact on you, and may even improve your condition. 

If it seems hard for you to focus and cook, or even go to the grocery store, you may ask for help from your friends, or family members. They may help you with the groceries or even bring you some healthy food.

What food is good when dealing with depression? 

If you are feeling depressed, there are some foods you can have that can make you feel somewhat better. The first ones are foods that are full of antioxidants. Those can help prevent the aging of brain cells. Good examples of those are apricots, broccoli, blueberries, kiwi, margarine, nuts, and seeds.

You should also have some smart carbs that can have a soothing effect on you. Try to have more complex carbs, for example, whole grains. You may also have fruits and vegetables that are rich in carbs.

Food that has a high level of protein such as turkey, tuna, and chicken is rich in something called tryptophan, which helps in the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is responsible for making you feel good. But if you don’t eat meat, you can also get it from low-fat cheese, peas, and milk.

You should also have food that is rich in selenium since that can improve your mood. For that, you should consume beans and legumes. The same is said about food that is rich in Omega 3, such as fatty fish, flaxseed, nuts, canola, and dark green vegetables.

What is the 3 3 3 rule for anxiety? 

The 3 3 3 rule for anxiety is a strategy one can use to calm themselves when anxiety kicks in. In it, the person should, as they feel anxious, name 3 things they can see. After that, they should name 3 things they can hear. And finally 3 of their body parts.

You can use this technique as much as you want, and whenever you feel a rush of anxiety. This will help your mind focus on the present rather than the thoughts that have been running through your mind, causing you to feel anxious.

What are the risks of a carnivore diet?

There may be some risks to the carnivore diet. One of them is related to the low ingestion of fiber, which can lead to constipation. It is also a risky diet for people that have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a history of stroke, or any other form of a heart condition. 

Because meat takes longer to digest, due to the protein and fat, it can also be a problem for people that have digestive issues. And because the meat is usually so rich in fat, it can increase the level of your LDL cholesterol, also known as bad cholesterol. 

And if you have processed meat, you should know that they are usually high in sodium, which can lead to kidney problems and high blood pressure. Take all of this under consideration before you take on the carnivore diet

Conclusion 

This article centered on the carnivore diet, and how it can be beneficial to people struggling with depression. The article also explained what a carnivore diet is, and how you can start it.

If you have any questions or comments about this article, feel free to write them in the section below.

References

https://newsinamerica.com/en/health/2021/11-carnivore-diet-benefits-why-you-need-to-try-it/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/diagnosis-diet/201904/the-carnivore-diet-mental-health?amp

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